Digital strategist, Consultant, Trainer
Vanja Bertalan
I’ve spent 25+ years connecting business goals with product, UX, and technology — founding and leading an agency along the way. I’ve served on industry boards and juries, and I still love rolling up my sleeves with teams.
Highlights
Bridging roles. Fluent across business, creative, and technical domains — simplifying complexity, architecting solutions, and safeguarding production.
Founder & Builder. Built and led a full-stack digital agency delivering strategy, UX, and software for complex organizations.
Community. Board member (HURA), MIXX organizing committee, and jury for New York Festivals, Effie, Young Lions, and more.
Recognition. Webby, Red Dot, Lovie, multiple MIXX awards.
What I do
After 25+ years of building and scaling an agency, I've transitioned into consulting, coaching, and advisory work. Why?
Because I realized I get more energy from helping teams and leaders think clearly than from managing an agency. I love the strategic work, the facilitation, the moment when someone says "oh, NOW I understand". I love helping teams avoid the mistakes I made.
I now work with:
Business executives navigating digital transformation
Agency owners scaling their businesses
Founders and product leaders building digital products
Teams needing strategic clarity or capability building
Whether it's a 3-month digital strategy engagement, ongoing executive coaching, or a team workshop, the work is always the same: helping you and your organization see clearly, decide wisely, and execute effectively.
How I think
Beyond specific skills and experience, the way I approach problems matters. Three core capabilities define my work:
Simplifying complexity. I translate technical ambiguity, stakeholder disagreement, and overwhelming options into clear frameworks that diverse audiences — from board members to developers — can understand and act on. This isn’t about dumbing things down; it’s about finding the essence.
Embracing uncertainty. The best strategies aren’t made with perfect information. I help teams move forward confidently even when clarity is limited — quantifying what we can, acknowledging what we can’t, and deciding anyway. Comfort with ambiguity is a competitive advantage.
Applying mental models. I use frameworks like first principles, inversion, and second-order thinking to cut through noise and surface what matters. These aren’t academic exercises — they’re practical tools that help teams evaluate options rigorously and make better decisions faster.
Mental models are force multipliers
Frameworks like first principles, inversion, and second-order thinking help cut through noise and focus on what actually matters.
Culture beats strategy
You can have the best strategy, but if your culture doesn't support it, you're not going anywhere.
Human-centered first
Technology is a tool to solve human problems, not the other way around.
Good work takes time
But time doesn't guarantee good work.
My beliefs
Human-centered first
Technology is a tool to solve human problems, not the other way around.
Mental models are force multipliers
Frameworks like first principles, inversion, and second-order thinking help cut through noise and focus on what actually matters.
Why before How
Most organizations skip the "why" question. That's usually where everything goes wrong.
Culture beats strategy
You can have the best strategy, but if your culture doesn't support it, you're not going anywhere.
People matter more than ideas
I'd rather work with a great team executing an okay idea than a brilliant idea executed by a misaligned team.
Simplicity over complexity
Complexity is easy. Anyone can make something complicated. The real skill is making it simple.
Good work takes time
But time doesn't guarantee good work.
Uncertainty is an input, not an obstacle
The best strategies are made when we acknowledge what we don’t know, quantify the risks we can, and decide anyway. Comfort with ambiguity is a competitive advantage.
Mistakes are data
They are lessons and opportunities, not failures or punishments.
Mistakes are data
They are lessons and opportunities, not failures or punishments.
Uncertainty is an input, not an obstacle
The best strategies are made when we acknowledge what we don’t know, quantify the risks we can, and decide anyway. Comfort with ambiguity is a competitive advantage.
People matter more than ideas
I'd rather work with a great team executing an okay idea than a brilliant idea executed by a misaligned team.
Why before How
Most organizations skip the "why" question. That's usually where everything goes wrong.
Simplicity over complexity
Complexity is easy. Anyone can make something complicated. The real skill is making it simple.
Story
When I started building websites in 1996, the internet was just beginning. There were maybe a few hundred people in Croatia building web things. I was one of them. It was chaotic, exciting, and nobody really knew what they were doing. But we learned fast.
Fast forward 27 years, and I've had the privilege of:
Co-founding web.burza (1999), which grew into one of most award-winning digital agencies in the region
Rebranding into Human Interaction Company – a full-service digital agency delivering work for blue-chip international brands and innovative startups
Building internationally recognized expertise in UX/IA, product strategy, and human-computer interaction
Winning numerous industry awards
Advising organizations from Fortune 500 to scrappy startups
Serving as jury member for dozens of international creative and marketing competitions
Teaching and speaking about all things digital, innovation, culture, and more
But here's what I've learned: the best insights come from doing real work in messy, complex situations.
I've made mistakes. I've solved problems. I've led teams through impossible deadlines. I've had to tell clients their favorite ideas wouldn't work. I've watched good strategies fail because of poor execution, and brilliant products fade because they solved the wrong problem.
That real-world experience is what I now bring to my consulting, coaching, and advisory work.
Areas of expertise
Digital strategy and transformation
Product strategy and discovery
User experience and information architecture
Team facilitation and leadership coaching
Business and data analysis
Software architecture and scalable systems
Creative direction and brand strategy
Generative AI tools and applications
Style
Curious, collaborative, and candid. We’ll align on outcomes, design smart experiments, and make decisions with evidence—without losing the human story.
Recognition
Webby Award – Best Practices for Web and Mobile (2020, with jury and public vote)
Red Dot Award – Brands & Communication Design (2020)
Lovie Award – Website Craft - Best Practices (2019)
IAB MIXX Croatia – 11x Best Website (2011-2022), Digital Product of the Year (2023), Tech & Innovation (2024)
Jury Member – New York Festivals, IAB MIXX, Effie, Young Lions, IdejaX, and many others (2011-present)
HURA Board Member – Croatian Association of Communications Agencies (2019-2023)
How about a chat?
Let's get to know each other and see if there’s something I can help you with. Or if you'd like to know more before jumping on a call, feel free to reach out with questions.