As we reach our forties, it becomes increasingly important to find inner peace and be more present in our own lives. This stage of life often brings new challenges, whether it's physical changes or balancing work and family life. Standing on the threshold of my 50th birthday, I can confidently say that this has been true for me.

Over the past two years, as I’ve spent more and more time mentoring others, I’ve grown to appreciate my wife Kata’s idea: to develop dietary supplements that not only bolster our own health but also support others on their journey to becoming more balanced and harmonious.

Our company, Lost Garden, offers more than just dietary supplements; our products are tools for improving quality of life. We are committed to handcrafting every product, rejecting mechanized production processes. This approach is not only more sustainable but also allows us to employ more people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. While this does mean certain quantity limitations—since handcrafted products can’t be produced in the same large volumes as those made by machines—in return, each product is unique, of high quality, and entirely free of additives.

Lost Garden’s products are composed of unique, custom-developed formulas designed to support both physical and mental health. Whether it’s the Adam capsule, which aims to maintain male vitality during andropause, the Eve product, which alleviates menopause symptoms, the Body supplement for reducing joint inflammation, or the Beauty product that helps preserve skin and hair beauty—each of our products is designed to promote inner peace and physical harmony.

Lost Garden’s slow business model emphasizes quality and a people-centered approach. Sustainability, fairness, and community support are prioritized not only in our product manufacturing but also in our business decisions. As a result, our customers don’t just purchase a product; they become part of a community that promotes healthy living and mindful presence.

At Lost Garden, we are committed to helping our customers create calm and presence in all areas of their lives because we know that inner peace is crucial for a healthy and balanced life.

With this in mind, we will continue to develop our services and products in the future.

The article was translated from Hungarian to English by ChatGPT. Thank you, ChatGPT, for being here.

Slow Business Concept: The Handcrafted Products of Lost Garden

I'm curious about how people perceive our conversations. I'm interested in what they take away from them. So, I started asking for feedback from those whom life has brought together with me, to share what has stayed with them from the time we've spent together.

I met Eszter towards the end of 2021. She is an inspiring, humorous, and sparkling person, who is capable of presenting the challenges, failures, pains, and, of course, joys of her everyday life to her readers with incredible honesty. When we met, her first book had already been published, and she was working on the second edition.

Our conversations unfolded with the same ease and honesty as her books guide the reader from page to page. Our encounter certainly earned its own chapter in our lives.

There are important encounters in a person's life. These are usually brought to us by a “fortunate coincidence,” which I've been calling fate or karma for some time now. 

“The meaning of karma: cause and effect, more precisely the relationship and interaction between cause and effect; the law of the consequences of actions." (Wikipedia)

These kinds of encounters change something within you. It might not happen at the exact moment, but rather things fall into place afterward. As I write these lines, I recall many long, endless conversations. They were personal, deep, important! What made them special for me was the attention! The attentive listening I received! The questions, which prompted me to say certain things! Even again and again! Because sometimes, you just need to hear from your own mouth how much you don’t believe in yourself!

Back then, I was scared of the fact that a “stranger” saw me better than I could see myself, and I simply ran away. Zero awareness, more of a self-defense instinct... or immaturity, perhaps a lack of confidence. Or maybe all of them. The point is, something pushed a red button inside me at that time. At first, it only rolled down a few stones. These were still painful realizations about myself. But then the avalanche started, and it bulldozed the wall I had been carefully building around myself for years.

Thanks, I’m doing well! I’m grateful to fate for bringing you into my life at just the right time! I’m glad I know you! 

They Said About Me – Eszter Nagy, writer

We are proud to announce that our EVE product has been awarded the bronze medal in the Best Women’s Supplement category at the 2024 Global Green Beauty Awards. 

This year marked the fifth edition of the Global Green Beauty Awards, with over 650 eco-conscious and toxin-free products competing. The judging process focused not only on sustainable packaging but also on the careful evaluation of ingredients. Responsible brands are increasingly turning to natural ingredients and moving away from harmful additives and preservatives.

Lost Garden products are not just supplements; they are our way of enhancing quality of life. We are committed to crafting every product by hand, rejecting automated production processes. While this may limit our production capacity, as handmade products cannot be produced in large quantities like those made by machines, each product is unique, high-quality, and entirely free from additives.

The judges recognized Lost Garden’s dedication to these values in this prestigious international competition.

We are incredibly happy and proud of our achievement!

Congratulations to my wife and business partner, Vendler Simon Katinka, who dreamed up and created Lost Garden!

The 2024 Global Green Beauty Awards... And We Won!

Sometimes, things don't turn out the way we planned. We envision something at the beginning, fall in love with our idea, and believe in it. Then we dive in, start working, and the money seems to go out faster than it comes in. The number of stressful days increases rapidly, and you begin to wonder if it was a good idea to start this at all. Should I continue or just abandon it? How long should I hold on?

I believe in my instincts; I believe in love at first sight. When something unexplainable tingles inside you from the very first moment, when you just know that this is what you need. You want it, even if there's no logical explanation. You want to be in it. You want to be a part of it, no matter what.

That's exactly how I felt when, in November 2020, Bogi Kőszegi and Krisztina Sutka approached me with the idea of creating an app for families and parents that would help them deal with the challenges of everyday life, work together as a well-organized team, and find a way to communicate that allows the family to achieve the highest efficiency with the least amount of stress.

But what does efficiency mean in a family? What does efficiency mean in parenting? For me, first and foremost, it means doing my job well. Being a good husband, a good partner, a good father. A good father. I want to be a good father. I've always wanted to be a good father. Around the time of my divorce, this was one of the most painful questions in my life. Can I be a good father while I'm moving away from my family? Moving out of my home? As Bogi and Suti passionately talked about the app, I barely heard what they were saying. It didn't matter what the app would be like, whether it would be successful or not. I wanted to do something for it.

Will this make me better? I don't know. But I didn't care. I just knew I wanted to be part of the journey, and we would see what would come of it. So, we dived in. And the events started to unfold.

Week after week, the meetings came: what the app would be like, what features it would have, what features it could have, what the experts say, a specification was made, we announced a tender, asked for and received offers, a financial plan was made, a marketing plan was prepared, my investment was arranged, we documented everything necessary, development started, we tested, development continued, the girls started writing professional articles for the app on how to be a good parent, we argued, we tested, and so on... The app was completed by the spring of 2023. We had user testing with American families. The feedback was mixed.

But everyone loved the writings in the app.

We worked on the app for two and a half years. A lot of time, energy, and money burned up in the process. A lot of planning, development, and re-planning. And finally, the app was released in the stores. We started the negotiations. Everyone liked the concept, but no one used it. Everyone we showed it to, everyone we talked to about it, everyone who heard about it, said, "What a great idea! It's so good that you're doing this."

What should we do? The money is running out; it's not really possible or worthwhile to look for investors like this. Let's reach more people! We continued the negotiations, at home and abroad. We started a blog. Bogi writes brilliantly. Super, more than super, in fact, I think the most superb stories were published on the Medium blog.

Three years went into it. A lot of time, money, and energy burned up in the story. And that doesn't even take into account the cost of this continuous search, while a lot of money, time, and energy burned up—what was the price? How much uncertainty, tension, maybe even despair... Is it worth it?

I believe in my instincts. I believe that love at first sight is something that connects to the deepest desires of my soul. It fits me so perfectly that it can connect and fill me with a faith that is rarely given.

I believe that what has been born in these almost four years is valuable. Pure, honest, and important. I believe that most of us, as parents, long to be good parents. I believe that Bogi and Suti are good parents. Humanly good parents. With all that it entails. I believe that the many texts they have written in these almost four years can help others.

It can help you become a little better parents. But at the very least, to see that others are struggling just like you, like us.

So, we decided to share all the content we've created with you. A test site, familynavigator.online, is now available, where a significant portion of the articles is already up. And where we are continuously uploading the materials. Both in Hungarian and English.

For parents who have children somewhere between 5 and 18 years old. For parents who are struggling with parenting and looking for help. For those who like to read.

We hope that the articles touch you, make you think, and help you. But it’s okay if you don’t agree and write on the site why not. We would be happy if the site encouraged dialogue, if you shared your thoughts.

And if you find any mistakes, let us know! If you have ideas, if you miss something, write to us!

I believe in Bogi and Suti. I believe in the purity of the idea and that it can become something others can believe in. Something that can bring value to many.

I believe it is worth sticking to our idea!

Loyalty

Out of nearly 400 products, the English jury has selected us for the finals of the international Nourish Awards, which will take place in London at the end of September. And not just with one product—all four of our products made it to the finals!

Katinka dreamed up Lost Garden a little over a year ago. After several months of preparation and specification, last autumn we began testing and designing, followed by the company’s foundation, packaging production, and sales in a closed group at the beginning of summer.

As part of the market launch preparation, we entered several competitions. We wanted feedback from the international community to better understand what we had created.

We love our work. We enjoy getting closer each month to making a dream come true—fulfilling Kata’s dream.

We look forward to September, the finals, and the wider launch of our products.

On to the Finals, On to London

Exactly one month ago, on July 8th, I posted that I would be happy to walk with others in the Mecsek while walking my dog. I’d walk and talk about the other person, their business, the things they’re stuck with, or the questions they have but don’t have confident answers to. Surprisingly, many people showed interest and signed up; I already have walking companions scheduled through October. Friends, close and distant acquaintances reached out, saying how great this initiative is. How important it is to have an honest, agenda-free conversation.

In 2019, when I sold my company, I decided to give up entrepreneurship and become an athlete. An internationally recognized athlete. Why not? It’s also an intriguing question as to what my motivation was in this—why sports? What and who was I trying to prove something to? How much was I driven by the competitive spirit, the desire to excel in an area where I hadn’t achieved anything special before? But there’s another question that was important to me.

Why don’t I want to start another company?

I didn’t want to be an entrepreneur anymore. Never again. Had I had enough, burned out? Was I tired? Did I feel inadequate for it? No, none of that. I was simply afraid. Afraid of failure. What if the new company isn’t successful? What will the naysayers say? That, see, he wasn’t that clever after all, he just got lucky with the first one. After all, it was easy for me. Easy in hindsight. Always. And from the outside too. Especially in hindsight. So I was afraid that if the new company failed, its failure would overshadow the success of my previous company. It would take that away from me.

I love entrepreneurship. And this sports thing... it can wait. There will be Olympics later too; I might try it at 60 or 70. Maybe. By then, there will be fewer competitors 😊 Maybe. So I love entrepreneurship, but I don’t know what to do! What would be a good start if I no longer want to work 10-14 hours a day, if I don’t want to build a team again, worry about balancing revenue and expenses... I just want to create something. But what? This question started to become pressing for me in the fall of 2022. Kovács Judit helped me a lot during this time as we talked about my journey. She suggested making this process public, voicing my thoughts. That’s when my YouTube channel was created.

Somehow, the inquiries started coming in. From a friend, a former colleague, a friend of a friend, a participant at an event. They approached me with a question, which led to more questions, and eventually, some of these conversations have been ongoing for two years now. In 2023, I gathered all my previous work and created a website. I started mentoring. Pro bono. I was interested in what I still love to do, even without getting paid for it. I was curious about what this activity gave me. What is truly important to me? I didn’t have an answer; I just felt these conversations were valuable. But I also felt I didn’t want to continue doing this pro bono for more than a year. Starting in 2024, I would only do it on a business basis!

2024 arrived, and it turned out. The number of earlier meetings decreased; we said goodbye to some people. Some didn’t want to continue, some unfortunately couldn’t afford it, and some just disappeared. And, of course, some stayed, so the mentoring continued. Six months passed, and something was missing. I missed the conversations. Or rather, I felt I wanted more—I wanted to meet new people, hear and read about what they’re going through. 2023 was filled with so many different business situations I was let into. What could be the solution?

How can a paid service be made free and widely accessible without harming the paid part? I’ll give a block of my time for free. Two hours every week. And whoever wants to can come, and we can chat. Not for them, for me. I need this. I need it too. But why? And here’s another question that occupies my mind. What do these conversations give me? Do they boost my sense of importance? Am I bored? Am I isolated? Do I miss my corporate life? Of course, I have immediate answers to each of these, but I don’t know to what extent each plays a role. However, I do know one thing:

These conversations keep me engaged in the entrepreneurial life, even though I’m not actively in it. Despite being a co-owner in several companies, despite sometimes handling individual tasks independently for one of my companies, I am not an entrepreneur today. But I want to be one again! I want to create something and make money with it again. Something I love doing. Just like I love these conversations. I want to build a business out of this. How? I don’t know. Not yet. But while I’m in these conversations, hearing the problems and questions firsthand, I feel a bit like I’m part of it too. My mind is racing.

Training in my mind

As I was finishing my space policy consultancy course, I began thinking about the possibility of creating a communications agency specialized in the space industry. The agency would focus on analysis, strategy building, and executing industry-specific communication projects, allowing space companies to concentrate on what they do best—innovate.

Over the past decade, the space industry has seen exponential growth, with new entrants constantly emerging and more funding becoming available for technological innovations. In 2022 alone, over 1 billion euros in investments were distributed among 112 startups within the European Union. This trend signals significant structural changes in the global space economy. The growing demand, increasing public interest, and the diversity of the industry, along with the intensifying competition among the numerous players, are generating significant noise in the media.

Given these market trends, developing and refining communication skills is becoming strategically crucial for space companies and government organizations. This is because clear and accessible communication of complex space activities is essential to ensure broad public support and legitimacy for the sector.

We learn from stories—stories that resonate with us, touch our hearts, and feature heroes we aspire to be like. Our past, our origins, and the deeds of our brave ancestors are preserved in these enduring tales.

In this digitalized, technocratic, and noisy world, the mission of our agency’s team would be to create such stories about our clients that people can relate to, take pride in, and that make their hearts beat faster. Through these stories, people can feel a sense of belonging and togetherness.

The goal of establishing this agency is to make the revolutionary era of space exploration understandable and beloved by everyone. We aim to achieve this by gaining a deep understanding of the global space industry’s operations, the goals of its economic players, its future vision, the motivational trends driving it, and the general public's attitude towards the space industry.

Through research and analysis, the agency would build a communication-focused knowledge base that could become an essential resource for current and future space enterprises in crafting and conveying their brand messages.

This knowledge base could be made accessible to the international market in various forms, with the agency’s space communication research and analysis team playing a key role. This would involve classic, but specifically space sector-focused, agency activities.

From the very early stages, the conquest of space has intertwined science, politics, and economics—technology, national power ambitions, and profit-making capacity. Over the decades, the emphasis on these elements, their interconnections, and their influence have continuously evolved. Understanding these shifts is essential for deeper insight into the opportunities and risks present in our current situation.

Advancements in modern technology, their understanding, and the reduction of costs have enabled private companies to develop more efficient and profitable solutions. This has led to more players trying their luck in the industry, making private sector entities significant players on the global stage.

This has expanded the commercial opportunities in the space industry, from the initial satellite communications to today’s space tourism. The industry has quietly become a part of our lives, through earth observation, geolocation, weather forecasting, and navigation systems, which have made the industry particularly attractive to the private sector.

Governments have recognized this trend. They increasingly rely on the private sector for space activities, with commercial companies playing a larger role in value chains.

Cooperation between governmental and market players has reached an unprecedented level, as highlighted at the 2022 International Astronautical Congress (IAC) and the World Satellite Business Week (WSBW) events (ESPI Yearbook 2022). The growing geopolitical competition, with space becoming the most prominent arena once again, is accelerating this process. In the space industry, global competition—especially China’s growing ambitions—is pushing Western governments to support the private sector. In the last two years, China and Russia’s combined space assets have grown by about 70%, and between 2015 and 2018, this growth was approximately 200% (C. Todd Lopez, DOD News, 2022).

The developments are extremely capital-intensive, leading to increased investments by both market and governmental players in the industry. Global space industry investments reached 8.8 billion euros in 2022, a 28% decrease from the previous year’s peak of 12.2 billion euros, but Europe was in a favorable position, as 2022 was a record year: space startup investments exceeded 1 billion euros, with a total of 112 investments made in that one year (ESPI Yearbook 2022).

At the beginning of the year, I had some time, so I put together a three-year strategic plan with specific steps and themes. I envisioned the team, talked with them, and a great group could have formed, but life took us in different directions. I let it go too...

Nearly six months passed. Then, out of nowhere, a call came to MarkCon (the marketing agency I co-own): there was a large space industry project looking for suppliers. One of the supplier candidates—the company’s client—wanted help communicating why they were suitable for the task.

First of all, huge kudos to Eszter Öhlmüller. Eszter is the CEO of MarkCon and my co-owner in the company. Thanks to her, this opportunity came to the company, an opportunity where I had my first space industry consultancy. And which brought my January business idea back to mind.

Is this a sign? Should I go for it? Hmm. Maybe, but I don’t feel enough energy in it to start right now. Life will show if we also show life.

That’s why this article was born, and why I’m sharing it where I feel the idea could take root and grow into something. A business project. Whether I’m involved or not. If the project is viable, it will find its way. I’m curious to see :) In the meantime:

To infinity and beyond! Fortune favors the brave… :)

Let's Create a Space Agency!

Almost two years ago, Kata and I discussed a business idea: creating a retreat-like, cabin-based, nature-close community garden near Tamási, which could provide a refuge for those wanting to escape the stressful city life. This would all be on nearly 3 hectares, bordering a nature reserve. This would have been Lost Garden. Or rather, hopefully, it still will be... but more on that later.

So, that was the basic idea. Kata and her brother Gábor worked a lot on the idea, the financing, and the implementation, but for various reasons, the project couldn't start back then.

Then, at the beginning of 2023, Kata and I started talking about her leaving her job and diving into something she is passionate about. Kata is a food engineer, graduated as a biotechnologist from Corvinus, and has been dealing with herbs for a long time. One of the reasons for this is that she had serious joint problems and a few other physical issues that were fundamentally rooted in emotional causes. After months of planning, she came up with the idea of wanting to create dietary supplements that are completely free of additives...

And this could also be called Lost Garden. Why?

The Lost Knowledge: Because somewhere along the way, due to modern medicine, those natural remedies that can help without side effects have almost entirely been forgotten. In Sri Lanka, we visited a herb garden and had a long conversation with the owner's son. Locals call the owner a "doctor," although he has no degree. The son said: "We used to have our herbs, then the English came, we got hospitals, and after that, we got patients..." Herbs can help solve and prevent many problems. The name Lost Garden beautifully encapsulates this meaning for us. It alludes to the nearly forgotten knowledge and herbs.

Finding Ourselves: For me, there's another very strong meaning, which is hinted at by the phrase "enter your inner garden" on the packaging. Throughout our lives, as we grow up, we live under constant expectations. We are always hearing about how we should be, what we should do. As we try to meet these expectations, we lose who we truly are. This is how the garden of our soul becomes increasingly barren, as we hardly know where to find ourselves anymore.

I feel that one of the most important goals in my life today is to return to who I truly am, to help this inner garden flourish again, to let it be that lush, strong, green, vibrant thing it can be. Our dietary supplements can help bring our bodies to a state, or close to it, where it's good to be. After all, who can feel well in a constantly aching, painful, lethargic, unusable body? How can you feel good if your body isn't good?

Our Roots: And there’s another message, perhaps hinted at by the product names ADAM and EVE. In European culture, the Bible and Christianity have very deep roots. We are full of images and associations related to this. Even if we are not believers, we know that the lost garden from which Adam and Eve were banished is the place where everything was still good. Where there was harmony with ourselves and with nature. We are looking for this place, the place where we can feel at home, where we can feel safe enough to dare to be ourselves. And that is a wonderful state.

In light of all this, Lost Garden is much more than just a dietary supplement for us. We are searching for ideas, products, and services that can fill the name with all the meaning I’ve described above.

As part of this, we plan to launch several new things in the near future. I hope that by autumn, we can already write to you about these.

Follow us on our step-by-step expanding website: www.lostgarden.hu

What does Lost Garden mean?

I think I was dependent on relationships; I couldn’t imagine myself alone. I needed someone beside me, someone with whom life was good. If I remember correctly, there was a period from the fall of 1994 when I was alone for about a year. After that, a big jump in time to the fall of 2021, when after a solid 27 years, I was alone again. This period was one of the most defining experiences in my self-awareness. During this time, the question floated before me: who were those women who defined my life, and what did they have in common...?

The classic answer might be: they were all like my mother! Sure. So, who were those women who gave me the space for so long to be who I wanted to be? As I sat there in my loneliness, thinking about them, the answer became increasingly clear. They were talented, smart, and exceptional in some way. I think I couldn’t have seen myself with any other kind of woman long-term. Yet, somehow, these women didn’t recognize this talent in themselves, or didn’t believe it, or simply didn’t know how to turn it into success for themselves.

I’ll help. And maybe here’s where my mother comes in. My mother, who was talented in her profession, one of the best students in the country. But life, and perhaps her own fears, didn’t allow her to become who she wanted to be. And as a child, I couldn’t help her. So, I’ll help the woman who’s beside me, who’s my partner. After all, that’s a man’s job.

I think you should do it this way or that. Take risks, organize, get it done! Can’t you see what needs to be done?! Well, I’ll show you. Don’t you understand? What are you afraid of? I’m here. Come on, don’t be like that... I’ll tell you...

And these words, my overwhelming desire to help, somehow only reinforced in the other person the feeling that she couldn’t do it. While I found it so easy. And I didn’t understand what was wrong with her. And somehow, the distance between us grew, fueled by the feeling of inadequacy and everything that brought into our everyday lives.

I haven’t had many long-term relationships, but in all of them, this feeling eventually took over in one way or another. In the other person, the feeling of not being enough, and in me, perhaps the frustration of not being able to help once again. Here it was, that elusive feeling again. Maybe it was the realization that I couldn’t be the man who could help that important woman beside me become who she wanted to be. Or rather, who I thought she wanted to be.

I kept savoring this question over and over during that time in 2021 in my great solitude. If I get together with someone and recognize the talented, intelligent woman who doesn’t see her own potential, should I run? After all, my life shows that it’s doomed to failure. But why would I run? Chemistry is chemistry. Should I say no to something my instincts scream YES to? Hm. No, I don’t want to say no. So? I think I need to say yes if that’s what comes from deep within my heart, and I have only one job: to understand how I can be the man beside a woman who can be who she wants to be, because she dares to be who she wants to be.

Well, that’s the question. I think maybe nothing. What does it take for someone to believe in themselves, that who they are is good enough—no, not just good enough, but special—at least to someone else? After all, there’s only one of them. When I see my partner running into the hurdles of life, hitting herself, maybe falling into the mud, wiping off the dirt in frustration, I don’t need to shout: Hurdle! Don’t you see? She sees it. And it hurts. So, I just help her up, maybe dust her off... or maybe just hug her, hold her hand, or look into her eyes from a little distance so she feels, it’s okay. She can try again. When she feels it’s time.

So, maybe it’s enough just to be there beside her. To love, to give security. Emotionally, financially. Whatever is possible. Or just try to understand what she’s going through and reassure her: it’s all right. Because after so many bumps against the wall, it’s already a huge thing to try again, regardless of whether the next hurdle is successfully cleared.

And then came Kata into my life. The talented, the curious about everything, the problem-solver, and of course, the beautiful woman who spoke about her dreams with enormous ambition but hesitant self-assertion. I’m learning how to be beside her, as a husband, as a business partner, as support. The company has started, more and more of you are getting to know what she’s created. A big hurdle has been cleared.

I’m looking forward to what’s next. I watch with curiosity as Kata, step by step in our everyday life, realizes herself, and with that, she gets a little closer to who she truly is. And with that, I get a little closer to something I’ve never succeeded at in my life.

She's just like the others...

Tadaaaam. The day has come. In the past two months, things have really picked up around Lost Garden. Lost Garden Biotechnological Ltd. has been established. We’ve received the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities, and our products are ready for sale. The packaging is done.

Wow, that was quite a task :) I haven't dealt with printed materials for years, and never with packaging. What material should we choose, who should be the manufacturer, how can we check the quality in advance, what about the sealing (what?), how will the logo have a metallic shine, how can we create a subtle background pattern that’s there but not too visible, just playing with light... and I could go on with the questions. We jumped in, googling, requesting quotes, meetings, personal factory visits, waiting excitedly for what would come out when the machine started... It took about a week and a half for all the processes to be completed, and the packaging materials were boxed up, and finally, we had them in our hands.

Do we? Yes, no, not really. But what don't we like? I’m not sure. The whole thing. Okay, let’s sleep on it, show it to others. Wow, this is great! Okay, good, we like it. Let’s enter our first competition; we can send the packages. Off to London! We entered all four products into the Nourish international competition. The judging for dietary supplements should be starting around now. And we’ve already entered another competition; the package is on its way to Italy.

But it’s a good kind of excitement. Will the products be good? So far, they seem to be. We’ve only posted a few things on our Instagram and Facebook pages, but we’re already getting inquiries. Friends are asking: what is this, where can we buy it? Great, they like it! And we’re getting business inquiries! Do we want to meet with the owner of a network in Budapest? Are we interested in working with a new private clinic? Would we like to collaborate with a pharmacy chain?

We want to talk to everyone to better understand what we’re doing, what value it might have. But hold on a minute! What exactly are we doing? Why are we doing this? What does this business mean to us? We love our lives. We want to create something good, something valuable. We want what we do to be useful to our customers. Every product is handmade to avoid using additives—additives that are essential for machine-made products.

What do we want as owners? How can we achieve it? What paths can lead us there? How do we imagine our company 1-2-3-5 years from now? What do we already have for this? What’s missing? How much money do we want to make? How much are we willing to risk? Do we want employees? How big do we want to grow? What should we optimize for? Time? Money? Quality? What is the priority? What’s the goal, and what’s the means to achieve it?

Our thoughts are maturing; we talk a lot with Kata, and the picture is slowly taking shape. But what do we need to be able to answer all these questions? We need to believe in the product. It doesn’t hurt to see what our customers say. About what? Everything. What they like, what they’re looking for, what they desire. How can Lost Garden be about them at least as much as it is about us? At least as much, if not in the same way, but at least as much.

So, let the first customers come. We’re not advertising; we don’t have a webshop (yet, maybe in July), but we’re open, curious, and communicative. We’ve started talking, and those we talk to are curious too. Some are already telling their friends, and now they’re curious too. So, the first packages are being prepared. We made each one, and we might even know who’s getting which one.

And in a way, that’s a beautiful thing.

Tadaaaam. The day has come. Over the past two months, things have really accelerated at Lost Garden. Lost Garden Biotechnological Ltd. has been established. We’ve received the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities, and our products are ready for sale. The packaging is done. And so much more...

First Swallows

Of course, you can. But it’s worth clarifying the question itself. What does “big money” mean? It varies from person to person. What does it mean to you? And what does “no growth” mean? This might be harder to grasp, but to simplify, for me, it means not focusing on quantitative metrics but rather developing my business based on qualitative aspects. And this is also highly subjective—do I even know what quality means to me? So, do I know how much is enough, and what is good enough for me? Then there’s the question: do I believe that what is good for me will be good enough for others to generate the amount that is enough? For me, this is where the idea of slow business begins.

These questions seem simple, but when you’re starting a business, they rarely make it to the table. Mainly because they’re tough to answer. As our confidence grows and successes come, the answers can change. It’s like being in a casino when you’re on a winning streak. Why stop if you could double it? Or make ten times as much! Oh, but there might be a price? Seven days of work per week, some stress, and the like? Who cares if I can be on the cover of Forbes!

When I started Games for Business, I calculated the amount I wanted to earn from it. I decided that once I reached it, I’d stop. I did. One checkbox ticked.

Years have passed, and I want to do something good again, to build something useful, something that solves problems for others as well. So, I want to make an impact. But building a company, especially a new one, requires a lot of work, headaches, development, risk, investment, finding people, fixing mistakes they make, investing my time in maintaining the system’s functionality, correcting operational anomalies... all instead of doing what I love.

Let’s let that go. I love living my life the way I do now. I’m lucky. I have time for what and who I love. Is it worth sacrificing this for the ego boost that success brings? No. Do I want to create something? Yes. So, let’s do the math.

So, back to the original question: how much is enough? This is the first thing I want to see clearly. I have a good sense of my monthly expenses (food, housing, kids, clothing, etc.), so I need to make that much. I also thought about my usual annual expenses that aren’t regular (travel, planned big purchases), and I looked ahead to see what significant expenses might come in the next 3-5 years (like a car replacement). If I average this out, factor in some inflation and reserves, I can set an annual revenue target. So, this is the amount that absolutely needs to come in every year. Of course, starting a business requires risking our own money, which could otherwise earn interest in the bank. To account for this risk, I use a multiplier to adjust the plan. Then there’s one more thing: my sense of security. How much reserve do I want to build? If I feel secure, just a little; if I fear the future, a lot. So, I multiply the amount by that. This is what’s enough for me.

And now the thoughts start spinning: okay, but what if I want a vacation home on the Spanish coast? What if I don’t want just any car, but a luxury one—or two, because that’s the way to go? That’s up to you. Just know it. If you know, you can weigh whether you really need it or if it’s enough to rent one occasionally. That also looks good on Instagram, don’t worry.

I know how much this amount is, and it’s not that large. But, of course, it depends on who you ask.

When the acquisition agreement for G4B was in front of me, one of my co-owners said, “Don’t sell it; instead, bring in investment, grow for a few more years, and you’ll sell it for much more.” I didn’t need more; enough was enough, so I sold. I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t sold, but I know what it’s like now that I did.

And, of course, the question of how much is enough doesn’t just apply to money. What do you want from your company? It was important to me that many people worked for me. It probably made me feel important. Power. The first employee, then when we reached over 10, then 20, and finally, we were pushing 35. The office was full; there were even a few people working from home. I couldn’t generate more profit than before because one bad month would eat up the profit from the previous months.

But I saw something incredible. Around 2010, I met a guy, probably 10-15 years older than me, so about 50. I chatted with him in a simple little office on the ground floor of a fancy downtown building in Budapest. I was trying to build a partnership. Two people worked in their company: him and his wife. Their revenue was around one billion—damn, that’s still a lot even now. He worked with large corporations, with no political deals. So, there was living proof that you can find a way to make big—really big—money without needing a lot of people.

A long lead-up, I know. I’ve been thinking a lot about these things lately. I’m searching for that concept, that market approach, where the math works out. But numbers alone don’t mean much. There’s the question of what it all feels like. What’s the quality I experience in the business? What are the values by which I decide if what I’m doing is good enough for me? Why is this important to me? Because it’s the primary criterion for whether I can be proud of it. Whether I can talk about it with faith and joy, whether I dare to stand up and want to stand up before others with what I do. Even if the numbers don’t always add up.

For me, it’s important to separate these things. The qualitative questions are what I base my decision on whether to do something and take the risk. If the quality that is “good enough” for me isn’t sustainable, I don’t want to do it. After that, the quantitative questions are what I use to decide how long the business will last.

Because the job of a business is to make money.

How much? As much as is enough—no more. Because more likely comes with a higher price than it’s worth in my life.

Can You Make Big Money with a “No-Growth” Approach?

It’s been nearly a year and a half since I began my structured and intentional journey into mentoring. I feel that it’s time to reflect on what I’ve been doing and what I’ve achieved during this period.

The first year was all about learning. I wanted to discover what I truly enjoy about mentoring, what I can offer to those I mentor, and why this whole endeavor holds meaning for me. Learning was the primary value I sought from this experience. As a result, I worked pro bono, but only if I found the company leader or their situation particularly intriguing. Throughout the year, I connected with about 20 people where there was mutual interest, and we could embark on a journey of shared thinking.

Some conversations led to immediate solutions, while others ended after one discussion if we didn’t see value in continuing. With some, the journey lasted a full year, and in one case, it even led to starting a business together. I loved this year, but from January onward, I wanted to continue mentoring strictly on a business basis, which has specific parameters for me.

At the end of 2023, I parted ways with some mentees, so I started this year with five projects. I’m involved in each one differently, and we’re working with various models in each:

A startup completely rethinking its product

A company aiming to bring dietary supplements to the international market

A marketing firm that has been stable for over 20 years but is now rethinking its operations

It’s an exciting challenge to see what results we can achieve. Fortunately, the first successes are coming in. One company has already doubled its 2023 revenue by April this year, nearing the magical 100 million HUF net revenue mark. And while money is just one aspect—it’s the experience of the journey that matters most to me—ultimately, in business, hitting financial targets is one of the most important tasks and serves as an objective benchmark.

What excites me most is finding the right path for each business that aligns with the leader’s pace, personality, and potential. And once that path is identified, walking it in a way that fills us with joy at every step.

The joy of knowing that with each step, we are getting closer to our most important goal—our true selves.

Reflections on 16 Months of Mentoring

In 2001, I began working on IT projects. Actually, it started in 2000 when I was too lazy to write a 40-50 page thesis for my biology teaching degree, so I created a multimedia educational material instead. :)

So, around 2001, I began taking on IT projects by order. At first, I educated myself, learned HTML, and was able to put together simple websites. By 2003, my company was already being asked to create more complex sites, but PHP was beyond me, so I started building my own IT team.

We began developing IT products, created our own CMS, developed mobile apps, and managed increasingly larger systems. In 2016, I built a separate company to develop our gamified learning system.

It wasn’t easy managing all this without a programming background. I’ve had countless sleepless nights, stressful, frustrating, and overwhelming periods. There were many times when I felt helpless and vulnerable.

In the past 2-3 years, we’ve had to create several IT tools for various projects. Without my own team, I worked with multiple supplier companies. Among them, Vadász Peti’s company stood out. I’ve known Peti for a long time; he was part of the Games for Business team, then became a supplier there, and later assisted with several developments as an external partner. I mentored him for a year in 2023.

Peti’s customer-centric approach is outstanding—the way he strives to understand the client’s ideas and helps them comprehend the technological options available to achieve their business goals. The level of support and client education I’ve experienced from Peti and his team is rare.

This is incredibly important, especially for a founder without a technological background who wants to develop an IT product.

Because of this attitude and Peti’s sincere openness to learning and growth, I accepted the offer to work on the business strategy for the Founderbase team.

That’s how I became a Business Strategist at Founderbase. I hope to write about many shared successes, whatever that may mean.

I’ve Joined the Founderbase Team!

During a casual coffee with a friend, my recent certification as a space policy advisor came up. After a few light-hearted comments, the conversation shifted to what I plan to do with this qualification—how I might become part of the space industry. I listed various possibilities: geolocation-based services, specialized legal services, technological consulting, space-specific PR and marketing. To which my friend responded, "Those don’t sound like space industry things to me. Space industry technologies and services are fields that are unreachable for the average person..."

I understand his perspective; not too long ago, I thought the same way. But why do we immediately think of aliens and rockets when we hear the word "space"?

The average Hungarian’s perception of space and the space industry has been shaped by a mix of cultural influences—from media and education to perhaps even our national historical heritage (a small and often defeated nation, as our national anthem suggests) and, of course, popular culture. These influences collectively contribute to the notion that the space industry is primarily about launching rockets and operating space stations.

I’ve compiled a few cultural influences that shape our understanding and considered why they reinforce this stereotype:

The historical milestones of space exploration, such as the launch of the first human-made satellite (Sputnik-1, 1957), the first human on the Moon (Apollo 11 mission, 1969), or the first Hungarian in space (Bertalan Farkas, Soyuz-36, 1980), received significant public attention and left a deep imprint on the collective memory. These events remain with us today—they’re featured on objects, clothing, and in movies. Just think of Elon Musk’s global success with SpaceX rockets or the idea of traveling to Mars and the surrounding media blitz. These are all grand, high-budget ventures, primarily focused on launching rockets and human presence in space, which fundamentally shape our perception of the space industry.

Movies, TV shows, and books depicting space exploration and the space industry often emphasize spectacular space travel, the heroic struggles of astronauts, spacecraft, and space stations. Films like "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Star Wars," or "Gravity," and increasingly popular series like "Star Trek," greatly influence our view of the space industry, almost always highlighting the most visually stunning aspects. It’s rare to see a film related to the space industry where supporting fields play a role, especially where they take center stage. One pleasant exception is the movie "Hidden Figures" (2017), but even in this film, the backdrop is NASA and rocket launches.

The space race, particularly the Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, greatly influenced how the space industry is perceived. In the past decade, China’s space program has significantly accelerated with missions like the Chang’e lunar expeditions and the Tiangong space station. India has also made its mark in space industry history: in August 2023, it became the fourth nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon and the first to land at the lunar south pole.

The space race focuses on the most spectacular areas of the space industry—like the Moon landing and space stations—which serve as demonstrations of national pride and technological superiority. From its inception, space exploration has been a tool of political propaganda. Every government needs activities that produce spectacular results to justify its importance, and thus, these grand achievements dominate related communication.

There’s much less talk about domestically developed technological tools like Pille or Masat-1. If these accomplishments aren’t present in public discourse, how can the average person recognize that a small country like ours has made significant contributions?

News related to space exploration often focuses on new rocket launches and research conducted on space stations, which are visually appealing and easy to communicate. Since 2010, there has been increasing news coverage on the development of commercial spaceflight. Significant advancements have been made in commercial space travel during this decade. Companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic have revolutionized space travel, including private spacecraft and reusable rockets. SpaceX has been particularly outstanding, becoming the first private company in 2012 to successfully send cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and drastically reducing the cost of reaching space with its innovations.

Educational systems often focus on the most significant space exploration achievements and missions, typically involving rocket launches and activities related to space stations. While this provides essential knowledge about the space industry, it places less emphasis on the everyday technological breakthroughs and applications that are also outcomes of the space industry. A good example to mention here is Hungary's UniSpace program, where 17 Hungarian universities have formed a consortium to offer four independent but coordinated and integrated space science specialization programs. Speaking from personal experience, the holistic approach of this program inspired me to engage more deeply with the topic.

These cultural influences collectively contribute to the notion that the space industry is mainly associated with grand, unreachable, transnational projects—rocket launches, space stations, etc. To help society form a more comprehensive view of the space industry and its significance, it’s essential to broaden the presentation and understanding of smaller, less visible projects, everyday technological breakthroughs, and space industry innovations.

This way, more people might feel they have a stake or a role to play in this burgeoning industry.

The Cost of Greatness: Why We Misunderstand the Space Industry

After two years of rest, learning, and recharging, by 2024, I felt ready to truly make my "retirement" years active. Of course, the past two years weren’t entirely idle, but my focus was entirely different—certainly not on building businesses. However, something has changed. For the past few months, the idea has been stirring in me: I want to create something beautiful, exciting, and, of course, profitable again. But somehow differently than before: in collaboration with others, pooling our resources, and inspiring each other on the path that leads to our goals.

After completing my space policy advisory training, I sat down and gathered the business projects I’m working on. Without naming them, just focusing on the areas to see what lies ahead for me this year.

Marketing Agency: I founded it 25 years ago, and about 10 years ago, I handed over the leadership role to someone else. Currently, as an owner, my main goal is to rethink and redesign the company's strategy with my business partner. We aim to explore and introduce new areas to increase international orders and domestic recognition.

Tourist Accommodation: This project started in the fall of 2021 and has remained particularly close to my heart ever since. We are currently working on expanding our services, for which an expansion investment is already underway. Hopefully, we will successfully complete it in the first half of the year, and then I’ll write more details about it.

Office Building: Another passion project. A charming little family house was converted into an office building. Located in Pécs, in the university town, the property is easily accessible. I "lived" in it for a long time myself; it’s a cozy, homely, and atmospheric place.

Entrepreneurial Attitude Research: We are working on developing a new testing system with organizational development and psychological experts, aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurial attitude. The concept came together in May 2023, and since then, we have developed a questionnaire, tested it on about 60 entrepreneurs. Currently, we are revising the professional materials and working on the conditions for a broader survey.

Space Industry Communication Group: In this project, I am working on building a research group that focuses on the communication aspects of the space industry. My goal is to launch a team with unique knowledge that represents essential added value for international players in the industry. We are currently in the initial steps, aiming to bring the concept to life by the end of the first quarter.

Child-Rearing Support Mobile App Startup: This project was love at first sight. I became an investor in 2022, and the app launched in the spring of 2023. During this time, we faced a lot of problems, primarily that the company didn’t take off. As an investor, my main goal is to support the founders, rethink the service, refine the strategy, and kickstart sales.

Herbal-Based Dietary Supplements: A new area, a new company! The goal is to start a company that produces and markets dietary supplements made from unique herbal recipes. The preparatory work began in the summer of 2023. Since then, we have completed the testing of 3 products, established the supply chain, and developed the brand identity. Currently, finalizing the legal, organizational, and financial background is the main task.

Tourist Accommodation in the Austrian Alps: We have been working on creating a romantic, forested accommodation for almost 6 months, which will be the perfect place for relaxation and rejuvenation in a quiet, idyllic alpine environment. The plan is to be ready to welcome guests by the last quarter of 2024.

Mentoring is perhaps what I love doing the most. After a pro bono mentoring year in 2023, I’m now starting to work on a market basis. My goal is to work with leaders who inspire and motivate me both personally and in their business goals, and who make me think.

Since 2023, I have supported the development of 6 companies on a monthly basis and helped nearly 20 business leaders with specific challenges.

I primarily provide assistance to companies in areas such as entering international markets, selling businesses, corporate strategy, and digitalization, leveraging my experience and knowledge gained over the years.

I have been asked several times to prepare for business sale negotiations, participated as an observer in business negotiations, developed product digitalization strategies, and assisted in career transitions at the request of corporate leaders.

Looking back at this list, it seems like a lot at first glance—perhaps even too much. Especially if I consider my ideas about work-life balance... How can one successfully manage so many projects? How can it be done while leading a life that’s light and focused on family, friends, and self?

I have ideas; I feel that with clear goals, good partners, a well-thought-out plan, and honest communication, this is achievable. But one thing is for sure—I’ll have plenty to write about this year.

An Active Retirement Life and What Comes After

As of yesterday, I am officially a space policy advisor.

Over the past year and a half, I’ve delved into international law, space law, gained a comprehensive understanding of the economic background, and explored the societal and philosophical issues as well as the psychological and physiological challenges associated with space travel.

This journey has inspired me to become part of this industry in some way. I have ideas, and enthusiastic partners too. Now comes the work and the search for how to turn this adventure into a business.

I’ve Become a Space Policy Advisor!

Lassan másfél éve keresem aktívan, hogy mit is csinálhatnék, mi lenne az a terület, amit szívvel-lélekkel, szenvedéllyel tudnék újra nyomni egy új vállalkozásban.

Miközben ezt keresgéltem, egyre több barát, közeli, távoli ismerős talált meg azzal, hogy segítsek nekik a céges ügyeikben. Mára közel 20 vezetővel dolgoztam és rájöttem, ez az, amit szeretek csinálni.

Összegyűjtöttem a gondolataim, a visszajelzéseket, rendszereztem azt, ahogy dolgozom, hozzácsaptam pár korábbi eredményt, megjelenést és ez lett belőle. A weboldalam :)

Lassan másfél éve keresem aktívan, hogy mit is csinálhatnék, mi lenne az a terület, amit szívvel-lélekkel, szenvedéllyel tudnék újra nyomni egy új vállalkozásban. Miközben ezt keresgéltem, egyre több barát, közeli, távoli ismerős talált meg azzal, hogy segítsek nekik a céges ügyeikben. Mára közel 20 vezetővel dolgoztam és rájöttem, ez az, amit szeretek csinálni...

Slow Business Concept: The Handcrafted Products of Lost Garden
2024.04.27.

2024. BALAZS VENDLER

All rights reserved.

Slow Business Concept: The Handcrafted Products of Lost Garden2024.04.27.

2024. BALAZS VENDLER

All rights reserved.

Slow Business Concept: The Handcrafted Products of Lost Garden
2024.04.27.