Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Aleks Milanovic for about 5 years now. Aleks is the creator of the famous masked live DJ act ‘Slice N Dice’ as well as successful club brands Hidden Forest and Armageddon.
These days Aleks focuses his time on the latest projects that he has founded – Australian Merch Co. who supplies merchandise for organisations and ventures all over Australia and Franke Wylde – modern apparel that is now stocked in Edge Clothing stores and a range of boutique stores Australia wide and has had celebrities such as Nelly wearing the brand.
Aleks’s focus and attention to detail when it comes to branding is a major part of his success. Everything that Aleks puts out – every design, item, marketing gimmick, social media post is executed with great purpose and always looks fantastic.
We cover the awards and achievements that Aleks has accomplished in his retail and corporate days to get an understanding of where this ‘failure is not an option’ attitude stems from.
It’s quite remarkable how hard this man works and also just how good his team is plus the incredible office environment that they’ve created.
In this episode I attempt to cover as much as I can and Aleks loves telling great stories.
Thanks DJ Nathan Thomson for the use of your studio located at Aleks’s office, hence the extra sharp sound.
Please enjoy this conversation with Aleks Milanovic
My Top Take-Aways:
- Aleks has an extraordinary work ethic and a winning mentality that is very inspiring
- Aleks works hard at every opportunity he has which leads him to the next opportunity
- The power of playing to your strengths – Aleks utilises his networks which have become his unfair advantage. He got to this position from working hard
- There’s great power in having members of your target market also work for you. Aleks created a ‘family’ amongst his crew which ensured that he would have prolonged success with what they were all building together
- The importance of branding – you must look the best to be perceived the best and to ultimately be the best.
- The importance of traveling for ideas and inspiration
- ‘It’s important to know everything that is happening is your business and your core company’
‘Majority of the people out there work to a certain extent and then stop becasue they don’t see progress but that isn’t correct. We worked the most ridiculous hours but we just kept doing it and you know what it eventually did work.’ – Aleks Milanovic
Click Here It’s time to hustle! Exclusive access to our Podcast, Blog, eBooks, Events, Meet-Ups, Tickets, Newsletters, Products, Knowledge, Mentors, Giveaways & more.
Show Notes
2:00 Aleks’s work ethic and his early life
4:40 The jewellery salesman
6:00 ‘I hate losing’ and why failure isn’t an option
7:00 The Foxtel salesman
14:20 The Fonezone salesman
17:15 Aleks on leadership and success early on
19:05 The Insurance salesman
24:20 The beginning of the nightlife journey
25:25 Dashboard Fridays
25:55 How Slice N Dice came about
30:10 Branding and going viral
35:00 Hidden Forest
37:25 Rural crowds vs City crowds
39:00 First gig in the United States
41:30 The Slice N Dice Masks and outfit
45:10 How did you step the business up to match the next level that Slice N Dice were reaching? Plus the second U.S tour
48:50 The importance of the YouTube videos
49:25 On associating with world class DJs
50:00 Coming back home and the affects of the US tour. The beginning of Hidden Forrest.
57:05 The power of having your target market also work for you
58:10 Failure is not an option
1:00:55 Keeping Hidden Forest fresh
1:03:10 Armageddon
1:05:30 Leveraging social media reach
1:08:20 The man behind the branding – Kallum Lovison
1:12:40 Australian Merch Co.
1:14:25 Masklife
1:15:20 Aleks’s team
1:21:10 The office – It’s always busy and always fun
1:23:00 How Aleks keeps up with his work ethic, business structure and systems
1:27:55 On marketing,
1:30:25 Taking the leap
1:34:00 Franke Wylde
1:38:55 More on branding – The importance and the inspiration.
1:42:20 Taking opportunities & working hard
Links
4:40 Bevilles
7:45 Foxtel
9:15 Brimbank
11:40 iPod Shuffle
12:10 Boost Juice
12:15 EzyDVD
12:40 Sexpo
14:30 Fonezone
20:10 Audi
20:15 Toyota Camry
20:25 Insurance Broking
25:25 Dashboard Fridays
26:00 Beau Johnson
26:40 Sammy B
27:30 Slice N Dice
31:10 Motel Nightclub
31:35 TFU
34:45 Wah Wah
35:00 Hidden Forest
38:00 Huha Saturdays
38:00 Rueben Heenan (Press Play)
38:15 Deadmau5
48:25 Borgor
52:50 Hidden Forest
53:15 Roadrunner Records
53:25 Slipknot
53:25 36 Crazy Fists
53:25 Ill Nino
1:03:10 Armageddon
1:03:40 Deorro (Tonic)
1:04:30 Tramp
1:04:30 Lady Luck @ Circus
1:08:20 Kallum Lovison
1:08:35 Hyda Bar
1:09:15 Armageddon Utopia
1:10:45 Superclub
1:12:40 Australian Merch Co.
1:14:25 Masklife
1:26:25 Benny Watt
1:27:30 Vinyl Printing
1:34:00 Lucky Entertainment
1:34:00 Franke Wylde
1:35:10 Death By Zero
1:36:20 RnB Fridays Tour
1:37:50 Future Music Group
1:37:55 Nelly
1:37:55 Fat Man Scoop
1:38:00 112
1:38:30 Justin Bieber
1:40:10 Moe’s Mobiles
2:02:40 Jason Derulo
2:02:40 T.I.
1:49:00 The Big 5
How hard Aleks worked to prove to his parents that he could leave his day job and still make Hidden Forest and Slice N Dice a great success.
1:51:25 What are the best books & blog-posts that you’ve ever read?
Richard Branson
Jeremy Piven
1:51:45 Best Movies, TV Shows & Documentaries?
Eric Thomas – I had surprisingly never heard of Eric until now and now I am hooked! Check out this incredible video
1:57:40 What are your predictions for your industry in the next 5 to 10 years?
It’s hard to say but it doesn’t look good for the nightlife industry.
2:04:40 Did you achieve your goals that you set yourself over the last 12 months?
Yes. Reach the stage of orders being delivered in 3 weeks at a minimum (because of how busy they are).
The purchase of an old pick-up truck for branding and marketing.
2:08:35 What goals have you set yourself over the next 12 months? Are there any that you’re willing share with us that we could help by keeping you accountable?
Hiring a range of new staff and expanding
2:11:35 Who are you looking to connect with?
Suppliers. People who have opportunities to connect Aleks directly with foreign manufacturers and similar opportunities.
Who I think should connect with Aleks
Designers, influencers, music producers, anyone ready to hustle and learn.
2:14:30 Where can people reach you?
Facebook: Australian Merch Co.
Facebook: Aleks Milanovic
Facebook: Franke Wylde
This episode is brought to you by our good friends at Tondo Digital.
Click Here It’s time to hustle! Exclusive access to our Podcast, Blog, eBooks, Events, Meet-Ups, Tickets, Newsletters, Products, Knowledge, Mentors, Giveaways & more.
Slice N Dice:
Kallum Lovison’s Utopia design:
Leave a Reply