Jana Dužanec: Vizija lepote

U beauty industriji, koja se menja gotovo svakodnevno, retki su brendovi koji uspevaju da zadrže prepoznatljiv identitet, a istovremeno izgrade lojalnu zajednicu profesionalaca i zaljubljenika u estetiku. Upravo među njima nalazi se Jana Nails, hrvatski kozmetički brend koji je zahvaljujući vrhunskom kvalitetu, elegantnom dizajnu i snažnoj viziji svoje osnivačice Jane Dužanec prerastao regionalne okvire i postao ime koje nail artisti širom Evrope izgovaraju s poštovanjem.

Ono što je počelo kao studentski hobi i kreativni ventil, danas je međunarodna beauty priča prisutna na više od dvadeset pet tržišta. Ipak, iza uspeha ne stoji instant glamur, već godine rada, edukacije, putovanja, rizika i ozbiljne posvećenosti detaljima. U razgovoru za Harper’s Bazaar, Jana Dužanec govori o tome kako je stvorila ozbiljan biznis, zašto su autentičnost i zajednica danas važniji od trendova, kao i zbog čega luksuz za nju nikada nije bio samo estetika, već osećaj samopouzdanja koji žena nosi.

Šta vas je prvo privuklo svetu „nail arta”?

Moj put je zaista priča o tome kako krenuti od nule. Sve je počelo tokom fakulteta, potpuno spontano, kao hobi i način da zaradim džeparac. U to vreme, nail industrija je bila daleko od onoga što je danas. Dostupnost proizvoda bila je veoma ograničena, informacije nisu bile lako dostupne i morali ste sami da pronalazite svoj put kroz sve to. Sećam se kako smo moja majka i ja putovale u Italiju da bi kupile proizvode za nokte, jer ih u Hrvatskoj nije bilo. Svaki novi proizvod delovao je inspirativno i otvarao vrata eksperimentisanju i otkrivanju nečeg novog. Istovremeno, oduvek sam osećala snažnu potrebu za kreativnim izražavanjem.

Crtanje je bilo deo mog života od detinjstva, a kroz nail art konačno sam pronašla način da tu kreativnost usmerim. U tom trenutku nail art uopšte nije bio trend, bio je nešto potpuno novo i neistraženo, i verujem da je upravo to ono što me izdvojilo. Do trenutka kada sam završila fakultet, već sam imala veliki broj klijenata i odlučila sam da se u potpunosti posvetim ovom poslu. Dok sam radila u salonu, počela sam i da edukujem druge, a interesovanje je raslo mnogo brže nego što sam očekivala. Uskoro su usledili pozivi iz inostranstva i narednih sedam godina moj život je postao jedno veliko putovanje. Putovala sam širom Evrope, Ujedinjenih Arapskih Emirata i mnogih drugih destinacija. Neprestano sam učila, radila, delila znanje i usavršavala se. Taj period me je najviše oblikovao jer mi je doneo i samopouzdanje i iskustvo.

Koji je bio prelomni trenutak kada ste odlučili da izgradite sopstveni brend?

Posle toliko godina iskustva, putovanja, edukacija i bliskog rada sa klijentima, ideja o stvaranju sopstvenog brenda došla je veoma prirodno, bila je logičan nastavak svega što sam godinama gradila. Imala sam vrlo jasnu viziju kako želim da proizvodi izgledaju, kakav kvalitet želim da ponudim i kakav osećaj želim da žene dožive kroz moj brend. Počeli smo veoma skromno, sa svega nekoliko proizvoda i oko deset nijansi. Kada danas pogledam unazad, teško mi je da poverujem koliko smo porasli. Na početku sam bukvalno bila one-woman band. Lično sam testirala proizvode, razvijala formule, odgovarala na mejlove u tri ujutru, fotografisala proizvode… Bilo je mnogo neprospavanih noći, odricanja i beskrajnih sati rada, ali i ogromne ljubavi prema onome što sam stvarala. Od samog početka bilo mi je važno da Jana Nails ne bude samo još jedan beauty brend, već nešto iza čega mogu istinski da stanem. Želela sam da stvorim proizvode koji će ženama pružiti osećaj kvaliteta, lepote, luksuza i samopouzdanja.

Kako danas definišete uspeh?

Za mene uspeh nikada nije bio samo u brojkama ili poslovnim rezultatima. Naravno, lepo je videti koliko je brend porastao i na koliko tržišta smo ušli, ali pravi uspeh je znati da ste ostali verni sebi i da ljudi prepoznaju trud, emociju i kvalitet koje ulažete u svoj rad. Moj najveći lični uspeh definitivno je moj sin. Majčinstvo me je promenilo i naučilo kako da pronađem drugačiju ravnotežu u životu. Biznis može postati veliki i uspešan, ali porodica je ono što me drži na zemlji i daje smisao svemu što radim. Profesionalno, uspeh vidim u tome što smo od male ideje izrasli u međunarodni brend prisutan u više od dvadeset pet zemalja, a da smo pritom ostali autentični. Uspeh je i to što imam tim ljudi kojima potpuno verujem.

Šta mislite da vas izdvaja u „beauty” industriji?

Verujem da je autentičnost ono što ljudi danas najviše prepoznaju. Nikada nisam pokušavala da postanem kopija nekog drugog, niti da slepo pratim trendove. Od samog početka, Jana Nails imao je sopstveni identitet, vizuelni potpis i jedinstven način komunikacije sa ljudima. Svaki proizvod lično testiram. Kvalitet mi je oduvek bio najveći prioritet i nikada ne pravim kompromise kada je o tome reč. Pored samih proizvoda, verujem da smo stvorili mnogo više od klasičnog beauty brenda. Ljudi danas ne kupuju samo proizvode, već emociju, iskustvo i celu priču koja stoji iza brenda.

Kako ostajete kreativni i kako dolazite do novih ideja?

Beauty industrija je izuzetno dinamična i upravo me to motiviše. Volim da stvaram, istražujem i razvijam nove ideje. Inspiracija često dolazi potpuno spontano: tokom putovanja, ispijanja kafe sa prijateljima, vremena provedenog sa sinom ili jednostavno posmatranjem svakodnevnog života. Uvek sa sobom nosim telefon ili notes, jer ideje često dolaze u najneočekivanijim trenucima. Volim da pratim modu, dizajn, estetiku i trendove, ali mi je istovremeno važno da sačuvamo identitet i prepoznatljivost.

Koliko je izgradnja tima važna za stvaranje snažnog brenda i šta tražite kod saradnika?

Snažan tim je apsolutno ključan. Na početku sam sve radila sama i vrlo brzo sam shvatila da je dugoročan rast nemoguć bez pravih ljudi oko sebe. Danas imamo veliki tim i svaka osoba igra važnu ulogu u našoj priči. Kada je reč o saradnicima, najvažnije osobine za mene su energija, strast i osećaj odgovornosti. Veštine se uvek mogu naučiti, ali karakter i odnos prema poslu ne mogu da se odglume. Volim da radim sa ljudima koji razmišljaju kreativno, žele da rastu i koji zaista osećaju povezanost sa brendom. Poverenje mi je izuzetno važno i upravo takav odnos gradimo i sa partnerima na drugim tržištima.

Kako vidite razvoj srpskog „beauty” tržišta i šta vas najviše raduje kada je reč o širenju „Jana Nails” brenda u Srbiji?

Srpsko beauty tržište poslednjih godina izuzetno raste i verujem da žene tamo zaista cene kvalitet, estetiku i profesionalizam. Vidim snažnu želju za edukacijom, praćenjem trendova i ulaganjem u visokokvalitetne proizvode, što me posebno raduje, jer su upravo to vrednosti na kojima smo izgradili priču Jana Nails brenda. Posebno me raduje što se sada još snažnije širimo na srpsko tržište kroz saradnju sa Jovanom Bačanac kao našim novim distributerom za Srbiju. Jovana je izuzetno kreativna, talentovana i veoma cenjena u svetu nail arta, ali ono što me je kod nje najviše impresioniralo jeste autentična strast prema beauty industriji i neverovatno oko za estetiku i detalje. Veoma je retko upoznati nekoga ko podjednako dobro razume kreativnu, estetsku i poslovnu stranu beauty industrije i verujem da je upravo to ono što je izdvaja. Od samog početka prepoznala je viziju Jana Nails brenda, našu energiju, kvalitet proizvoda i emociju koju želimo da žene osete kroz sve što stvaramo. Zaista verujem da ćemo kroz ovu saradnju još više približiti Jana Nails beauty filozofiju ženama u Srbiji i nastaviti da gradimo još snažniju regionalnu beauty zajednicu. Posebno me raduju buduće saradnje sa srpskim beauty influenserima, edukatorima i nail artistima, jer verujem da tržište ima ogroman potencijal i mnogo talentovanih ljudi. Naš cilj nikada nije bio samo prodaja proizvoda. Želimo da stvorimo zajednicu žena koje dele istu ljubav prema lepoti, kreativnosti, edukaciji i premijum kvalitetu.

Kako održavate ravnotežu između poslovnog i privatnog života?

Ravnoteža nije uvek laka kada vodite veliki biznis. Moj posao nikada potpuno ne staje i često uhvatim sebe kako razmišljam o poslu čak i kada pokušavam da se odmorim. Ali vremenom sam naučila koliko je važno stvarati trenutke za sebe i porodicu. Moj sin je moj najveći podsetnik da život nije samo posao. Trudim se da budem potpuno prisutna u njegovom životu i da stvaramo uspomene koje nemaju veze sa poslovnim obavezama. Takođe sam naučila da delegiram više nego ranije, što mi je bilo veoma teško jer sam godinama apsolutno sve radila sama. Danas razumem da ne moram sve da nosim na svojim leđima i da je ponekad neophodno stati, odmoriti se.

Koja je bila najizazovnija odluka koju ste do sada morali da donesete u karijeri?

Mislim da je najteži deo bio naučiti kako da pustim deo kontrole i verujem drugim ljudima. Kada nešto izgradite ni iz čega, imate osećaj da morate sve sami jer niko neće razumeti vašu viziju kao vi. Ali, vremenom shvatite da bez poverenja u ljude nema ozbiljnog rasta. Još jedan veliki izazov bili su rizici i investicije koje dolaze sa širenjem brenda. Svako novo tržište, svaki novi projekat i svaki korak napred donose određenu količinu straha i odgovornosti. Ali čvrsto verujem da bez izlaska iz zone komfora nema pravog napretka. Sve što smo danas postigli rezultat je napornog rada, discipline i hrabrosti da nastavimo dalje čak i kada nije bilo lako.

Koji savet biste dali nekome ko želi da pokrene biznis u „beauty” industriji?

Pre svega, morate biti spremni na mnogo rada, strpljenja i odricanja. Društvene mreže često prikazuju samo glamuroznu stranu uspeha, ali iza svakog ozbiljnog brenda stoje godine rada, neprospavane noći i mnogo grešaka iz kojih se uče važne lekcije. Drugi važan savet je da ostanete autentični. Ne pokušavajte da postanete kopija nekog drugog, jer ljudi danas veoma brzo prepoznaju iskrenost i autentičnost. Izgradite sopstveni stil, svoju priču i svoj identitet.

I što je najvažnije, nikada ne prestajte da učite. Beauty industrija se menja svakog dana i ako želite da ostanete relevantni, morate stalno ulagati u sebe, svoje znanje i svoj razvoj. Kada zaista volite ono što radite i spremni ste da date ceo sebe tom putovanju, rezultati će na kraju doći.

English here:

What first drew you to the world of nail art, and how did your journey begin?

My journey is truly a story of starting from zero. It all began during university, completely spontaneously, as a hobby and a way to earn some extra pocket money. At that time, the nail industry was far from what it is today. Product availability was very limited, information wasn’t easily accessible, and you had to find your own way through everything. I remember my mother and I travelling to Italy to buy nail products because they simply weren’t available in Croatia. Every new product felt inspiring and opened the door to experimentation and discovering something new.

At the same time, I had always felt a strong need for creative expression. Drawing had been a part of my life since childhood, and through nail art I finally found a way to channel that creativity. At that moment, nail art wasn’t a trend at all. It was something completely new and unexplored, and I believe that is exactly what made me stand out.

By the time I finished university, I already had a large number of clients and decided to dedicate myself to this career fully. While working in the salon, I also started educating others, and the interest grew much faster than I expected. Invitations from abroad soon followed, and for the next seven years my life became a journey. I travelled across Europe, the United Arab Emirates, and many other destinations. I was constantly learning, working, sharing knowledge, and improving myself. That period shaped me the most because it gave me both confidence and experience.

Was there a defining moment when you decided to build your own brand Jana Nails?

After so many years of experience, travelling, education, and working closely with clients, the idea of creating my own brand came very naturally. It wasn’t a sudden decision, but rather a logical continuation of everything I had been building for years. I had a very clear vision of how I wanted the products to look, what level of quality I wanted to offer, and what kind of feeling I wanted women to experience through my brand.

We started very modestly, with just a few products and around ten shades. Looking back today, it’s hard for me to believe how much we have grown. In the beginning, I was literally a one-woman band. I personally tested products, developed formulas, answered emails at three in the morning, photographed products, and organized every little detail. There were many sleepless nights, sacrifices, and endless hours of work, but also an enormous amount of love for what I was creating.

From the very beginning, it was important to me that Jana Nails would not be just another beauty brand, but something I could truly stand behind with my own name. I wanted to create products that would give women a sense of quality, beauty, luxury, and confidence. I believe people recognized that authenticity over the years, which is why today we have such a strong and loyal community of women growing together with us.

How do you personally define success today?

For me, success has never been just about numbers or business results. Of course, it is beautiful to see how much the brand has grown and how many markets we have entered, but real success is knowing that you have stayed true to yourself and that people recognize the effort, emotion, and quality you invest in your work.

My greatest personal success is definitely my son. Motherhood changed me and taught me how to find a different balance in life. A business can become very big and successful, but family is what keeps me grounded and gives meaning to everything I do.

Professionally, I see success in the fact that we grew from a small idea into an international brand present in more than 25 countries while still staying authentic. Success is also having a team of people I completely trust, many of whom have been with me since the very beginning.

What do you think sets you apart in the beauty industry?

I believe that authenticity is what people recognize the most today. I never tried to become a copy of someone else or blindly follow trends. From the very beginning, Jana Nails had its own identity, visual signature, and unique way of communicating with people.

Every product released under our name is personally tested by me. It may take more time, but I want to be absolutely sure that I can stand behind every product with confidence. Quality has always been my highest priority, and I never compromise when it comes to that.

Beyond the products themselves, I believe we created much more than a classic beauty brand. People today don’t just buy products, they buy emotion, experience, and the entire story behind the brand. That realization was probably my biggest “aha” moment in business.

How do you stay creative and keep coming up with fresh ideas in such a fast-moving industry?

The beauty industry is incredibly dynamic, and that is exactly what motivates me. I love creating, exploring, and developing new ideas. Inspiration often comes completely spontaneously while travelling, having coffee with friends, spending time with my son, or simply observing everyday life.

I always carry my phone or a notebook with me because ideas often come at the most unexpected moments. I enjoy following fashion, design, aesthetics, and trends, but at the same time it is very important for me to preserve our brand identity and recognition. I believe the key to creativity is to never stop learning and exploring. When you truly love what you do, inspiration comes naturally.

How important is team building in creating a strong brand, and what do you look for in collaborators?

A strong team is absolutely essential. In the beginning, I did everything on my own, and very quickly I realized that long-term growth is impossible without the right people around you. Today we have a large team, and every single person plays an important role in our story.

When it comes to collaborators, the most important qualities for me are energy, passion, and a sense of responsibility. Skills can always be learned, but character and attitude towards work cannot be faked. I love working with people who think creatively, want to grow, and truly feel connected to the brand.

Trust is extremely important to me, and that is exactly the kind of relationship we are building with partners in other markets as well. Today it is no longer enough just to sell a product. You need to build relationships and create a community of people who believe in the same vision and values.

How do you see the Serbian beauty market evolving, and what excites you the most about expanding Jana Nails in Serbia?

The Serbian beauty market has been growing tremendously over the last few years, and I believe women there truly appreciate quality, aesthetics, and professionalism. I can see a strong desire for education, following trends, and investing in high-quality products, which makes me especially happy because those are exactly the values on which we built the Jana Nails story.

I am especially excited that we are now expanding even more strongly into the Serbian market through our collaboration with Jovana Bačanac as our new distributor for Serbia. Jovana is incredibly creative, talented, and highly respected in the world of nail art, but what impressed me the most about her is her authentic passion for the beauty industry and her incredible eye for aesthetics and detail.

It is very rare to meet someone who understands the creative, aesthetic, and business side of the beauty industry equally well, and I believe that is exactly what makes her stand out. From the very beginning, she recognized the vision of the Jana Nails brand, our energy, the quality of our products, and the emotion we want women to feel through everything we create.

I truly believe that through this collaboration we will bring the Jana Nails beauty philosophy even closer to women in Serbia and continue building an even stronger regional beauty community. I’m especially excited about future collaborations with Serbian beauty influencers, educators, and nail artists because I believe the market has enormous potential and so many talented people.

Our goal has never been just to sell products. We want to create a community of women who share the same love for beauty, creativity, education, and premium quality, and I believe people genuinely recognize that today.

How do you maintain balance between your professional life and personal life?

Honestly, balance is not always easy when you run a large business. My work never completely stops, and I often catch myself thinking about business even when I am trying to rest. But over time, I learned how important it is to create moments for yourself and your family.

My son is my biggest reminder that life is not only about work. I try to be fully present in his life and create memories that have nothing to do with business obligations. I also learned to delegate more than before, which was very difficult for me because for years I did absolutely everything on my own.

Today I understand that I do not have to carry everything on my shoulders and that sometimes it is necessary to stop, rest, and recharge in order to continue creating.

What has been the most challenging decision you’ve had to make in your career so far?

I think the hardest part was learning how to let go of some control and trust other people. When you build something from nothing, you feel like you have to do everything yourself because nobody will understand your vision the way you do. But eventually you realize that without trust in people, there is no serious growth.

Another major challenge has been the risks and investments that come with expanding a brand. Every new market, every new project, and every step forward brings a certain amount of fear and responsibility. But I strongly believe that without stepping outside your comfort zone, there is no real progress.

Everything we have achieved today is the result of hard work, discipline, and the courage to keep moving forward even when things were not easy.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business in the beauty industry?

First of all, you need to be prepared for a lot of hard work, patience, and sacrifice. Social media often shows only the glamorous side of success, but behind every serious brand there are years of work, sleepless nights, and many mistakes that teach you valuable lessons.

Another important piece of advice is to stay authentic. Don’t try to become a copy of someone else because people today recognize honesty and authenticity very quickly. Build your own style, your own story, and your own identity.

And most importantly, never stop learning. The beauty industry changes every single day, and if you want to stay relevant, you must constantly invest in yourself, your knowledge, and your development. When you truly love what you do and are willing to give your whole self to that journey, the results will eventually follow.

Team:

Fotograf: Srećko Rundić

Stilista: Ana Nikačević

Makeup artist: Karlo Rusan (Ruka Beauty)

Frizer: Zvonimir Franić (Salon Franić)

Asistenti stiliste: Franz Babić & Ana Majandžić

Produkcija: Say Media