Alex Mitrevska, Native Teams: To be a good communicator, you must have active listening skills

Please share your career journey with us, which led you to co-found Native Teams.

I’m Alex, from North Macedonia, a small country in the Balkans. My journey as a founder started here, which is a bit uncommon for startups, but it’s deeply rooted in my local experiences. Surprisingly, I never planned to start a business—it just happened.

It all began when I was job-hunting and met Jack, the founder of Native Teams, who later became my business partner. Initially, I joined his team as a customer support manager. Over time, Jack saw potential in me and proposed that we start something together. At first, I wasn’t actively seeking such an opportunity, but once he framed it, it was like noticing red cars after someone points them out—you start seeing them everywhere.

Our idea for Native Teams was born out of a shared challenge: struggling to get paid and properly employed as freelancers in our region. Jack, a few colleagues, and I decided to tackle this issue, not just for ourselves but for others facing the same difficulties. We wanted to create solutions for better employment and payment systems, and that’s precisely what we did.

The process felt natural. I worked with Jack for three years before we officially started Native Teams, and during that time, I transitioned from an employee to a business partner. It’s true what they say—the best startups solve real problems that founders themselves experience. Knowing the pain points firsthand gave us a unique perspective to help others.

Looking back, it feels like a mix of hard work, authenticity, and luck. I was in the right place, at the right time, with the right team. The journey wasn’t planned, but it evolved naturally, and that’s what makes it so special.

What motivated you to co-found your own business, and how did you find the early stages of the journey?

When people ask what motivates me, I always say, “because it’s fun.” Honestly, when I first started working at 22 (I’m 32 now), I hated the monotony of a job—waking up, going to work just to pay bills, and feeling no real purpose. I knew I needed to earn a living, but I always believed there had to be another way to do it.

That changed when Jack invited me to be his business partner in building Native Teams. We came from very different perspectives—he’s from the UK, I’m from the Balkans—but our shared vision clicked. The biggest draw for me was the opportunity to create a kind of work that felt meaningful, where I could genuinely enjoy what I was doing and the people I was doing it with. I wanted work to feel like a purpose, not a chore.

From day one, my motivation has been the people I work with. Building a positive, collaborative culture was intentional but grew naturally from our shared values. Jack and I wanted Native Teams to be more than just a workplace—it’s a place where people enjoy their work and share a clear sense of purpose. That’s how we started with a small, tight-knit team of 20, where everyone knew each other. As we’ve grown to nearly 200 team members, maintaining that culture is a constant focus.

I’ve also realised that blending work and life, rather than trying to “balance” them, is the key for me. Work doesn’t feel like a separate entity—it’s part of life. That mindset has helped me see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. I’ve tried so many roles—product management, sales, customer support—and while not everything worked, stepping out of my comfort zone taught me resilience. I’ve had my share of failures, but they’ve been my greatest teachers.

What keeps me going is the responsibility I now have—not just to the business but to the people who’ve joined this journey. Creating something meaningful and seeing it thrive is my biggest motivation.

Can you share a significant challenge or setback in your professional journey and how you overcame it to succeed today?

One of the most pivotal moments in my journey with Native Teams was when I truly had to confront how much the company had grown—far beyond anything I initially imagined. Growth in a startup is one thing, but maturing as a company is an entirely different challenge. And for me, the realisation that I needed to mature alongside the company was both humbling and transformative.

At one point, I held the role of CEO. But as the company scaled rapidly, I began to ask myself some tough questions: Am I experienced enough for this position? Can I grow quickly enough to meet the needs of this role? It was a deeply personal reckoning. While Native Teams was my idea, my startup, I had to honestly evaluate my capabilities and be realistic about where I stood professionally. The truth was that the company was evolving faster than I was, and that imbalance wasn’t sustainable.

This led to an open conversation with Jack, my co-founder. We both agreed that while our vision for the company was solid, we needed to address the gaps in our expertise. For me, it was a moment to step back and focus on upskilling—to learn and grow into a role that I’d have naturally eased into had I been 10 years older or had more experience. But time wasn’t on my side, and I had to fast-track my development while recognising that I couldn’t do it alone.

We decided to bring in someone more experienced to handle certain responsibilities, someone who could complement our skills and help steer the company through this critical phase of growth. It wasn’t easy to step back from some aspects of leadership, but it was necessary. By reshaping my role and focusing on the areas where I could have the most impact, I’ve been able to work alongside this new leadership structure to move Native Teams forward.

This experience taught me that leadership isn’t about holding a title—it’s about recognising what’s best for the company and being willing to adapt, learn, and collaborate to achieve it.

What professional skills are essential for a successful leader and must be worked on continually?

Look, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for leadership. Every leader has their own style, and what works for one person might not work for another. However, I believe a few key things make a leader effective, and I can share those based on my personal experience.

For one, communication skills are really important. But here’s the thing—not in the way most people might think. It’s not just about being able to talk well or give great speeches. To me, the most crucial part of communication as a leader is active listening. We often think that being a good communicator means always having the right words to say, but in leadership, it’s about really listening to your team. The team knows the challenges they face and often has solutions in mind. It’s up to the leader to listen, understand, and act on that input rather than just responding or jumping in with their own thoughts. Active listening has been a powerful tool for me because it shows the team that what they say matters.

Another thing that’s often overlooked is being easy to work with. It might not sound like a leadership skill, but it absolutely is. If you’re approachable and open, your team will feel comfortable coming to you with ideas, concerns, or just for advice. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels like they can contribute. What people will remember isn’t the exact tasks you gave them, but how you made them feel while doing it. The best teams I’ve worked with were the ones where everyone felt respected and supported. That’s what people take with them, even after they’ve moved on from the job.

And then there’s the question of asking for help. This one was hard for me, but I’ve learned that it’s really important. As a leader, you don’t need to know everything and certainly don’t have to do everything yourself. It’s easy to feel like you should have all the answers, especially when you’re in charge, but the reality is that nobody does. Asking for help shows your team that it’s okay not to have all the answers right away, and it encourages a culture where people feel they can reach out when they need support. It also strengthens relationships and builds trust.

Lastly, delegation is a skill I’m still working on, but I’ve come to realise how crucial it is. At first, I struggled to delegate because I felt like everything was my responsibility. But trying to do everything myself only leads to burnout, and it stops the team from growing. You need to trust your people with tasks and give them the space to own them. When you delegate effectively, you empower your team to take ownership, and that’s when you start seeing tangible growth—not just for the company but for everyone involved.

So, yeah, leadership is all about learning and adapting. For me, it’s been about listening more than talking, creating an environment where people feel valued, being open about my own limitations, and trusting my team to take on the challenges. It’s not always easy, and I’m still learning, but those are the things that have made a difference for me.

What has helped motivate you to reach your goals?

For me, personal and professional growth has meant constantly stepping out of my comfort zone. I haven’t had the luxury of staying in one place for a while, and while sometimes I miss the security of knowing what’s coming next, I recognise that it’s for the best. The lack of comfort keeps me motivated because every day brings something new.

Change is inevitable, and I’ve learned to embrace it, even though most people don’t enjoy change. I’ve realised that change is the only constant in a startup and life if you want to keep growing. It’s not always easy, and there’s stress involved, but it’s part of the process. For me, seeking challenges is essential, both professionally and personally. I get bored easily, which I consider one of my toxic traits. But it also drives me to keep looking for something that pushes me to grow.

Whether taking on new projects at work or finding new challenges outside of it, I thrive on the constant need to keep evolving. The stress that comes with change doesn’t deter me; it fuels my drive. Motivation for me isn’t something I consciously think about—it’s built into my routine. I always have something to do, something to create, and something to plan for. Writing ideas down, sketching out goals, and thinking ahead—that’s what motivates me. The constant changes and the drive to stay ahead are what keep me alive, so to speak.

What advice would you give to people wanting to become leaders and entrepreneurs in the tech space?

My first advice would be to prepare yourself for a lot of failure. It’s inevitable, and it’s part of the journey. As much as we’d like to think of entrepreneurship as a straight path to success, the reality is that failure is a constant companion, and you need to be ready to face it head-on.

Another important piece of advice might seem contradictory, but it’s crucial to consider whether you truly want to go down this path. If you’re starting a business, it won’t just be you and your idea. Soon, there will be countless people involved—stakeholders, investors, and customers—and the weight of these responsibilities can be overwhelming.

Reflect on whether this is something you, as an individual, can handle. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of starting something new, but I’ve seen many co-founders suffocate under the pressure of their creation. It can be exhausting, and while there will be moments of success and recognition, there will also be times when you’ll wonder if this is really what you want to do.

I suggest talking to other founders, asking them about their experiences, and shadowing them if you can. I never had the opportunity to shadow someone, and perhaps if I had, I would have approached things differently. Starting a business can be incredibly rewarding but also very taxing. It’s not just about success stories; it’s about handling failure and stress constantly. If you’re not prepared for that, it might not be the right fit for you. So, take the time to think deeply about whether this is really your calling.

How do you define success?

For me, success is not a destination but a process that intertwines closely with failure. I see them as two sides of the same coin. My definition of success is learning from failure, embracing it, and using it as a stepping stone. There’s often a fine line between the two, and most of the time, I question whether I’m truly successful or just following my purpose. It’s about purpose – if I’m following it, I feel successful.

Success, in this sense, connects to something much deeper, something rooted in human nature. Historically, humans found success by understanding their roles within a community, each contributing towards a shared goal – survival. Today, although the context has changed, that fundamental idea of purpose still applies. It’s about knowing what I want to achieve and how I can contribute to a greater cause.

For me, success is about thriving, feeling motivated by my work, and ensuring that it’s not just a job but something I’m passionate about. I want my work to be challenging, engaging, and meaningful – something that pushes me daily. In the same way, I want others to feel the same way, to find purpose in their roles. If I can help people discover their purpose in their work, then I consider that a success.

In essence, success for me is about knowing my purpose, living in alignment with it, and helping others do the same. It’s about finding fulfilment through the impact I make on those around me and in the work I do.