ODESHI 021 - How A Former Monk Created A Business School And Made Millions In His Spare Time

Meet Marko Saravanja, the former monk turned entrepreneur who's extensive resume includes stints as a development worker, author and adventurer to name a few. Marko is the  Founder and Chairman of the Regenesys Business School, a Sandton South Africa-based private higher education institution.

In this episode, Marko shares advice and gives us meaningful insights on what’s helped him become successful over the last two decades. As a teenager in his native Croatia, Marko felt a strong desire to serve needy in order to gain a deeper spiritual grounding,  but could not leave his familial responsibilities unattended. During a meditation session, he came up with an idea to create a delivery service that would deliver fresh bread to the people in his hometown. With the help of a friend they launched the idea and before long the company was producing enough sustainable income to take care of his family.

Encouraged by the success of his first venture, Marko decided to move to South Africa and join a monastery. He spent the next seven years helping the poor and less privileged in the society. During his sojourn as a monk, he continued to reflect on the meaning of life, love and the purpose of our existence. These musings formed the basis of his theory of Spiritual Intelligence, a greater awareness of the inner power that lies within us. He eventually decided that he could make a  significant impact on the society through business education. He decided to earn, and MBA and aPhD  from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and subsequently launch a business school.

Marko notes that he faced many challenges starting his business but nevertheless held on to the belief that "you only fail when you decide to give up".   His tenacity, drive and willingness to take big bets on himself paid off.  Today, Regenesys is a leading business school with affiliates in Nigeria and India. In addition, Marko's entrepreneurial instincts have helped him earn over $100 million over a five-year period in industries ranging from real estate to financial markets. Listen and learn about Marko's amazing entrepreneurial journey.