In the world of virtual assistance, the fastest growth happens when knowledge meets practice, and people connect with people. Online education is crucial, but live events bring a level of clarity and motivation that’s hard to achieve when you’re alone behind a screen. You meet peers who have already gone through the phases you’re currently in, hear real stories from the market, exchange tools, dilemmas and solutions, and return to your work with concrete ideas you can start applying as soon as the following week.

That’s exactly why GoThrive MeetUps have become an important gathering point for everyone who wants to build sustainable VA and OBM careers. Throughout 2025, our goal wasn’t just to host “another event” in the calendar, but to create an ongoing space for growth. We wanted to connect beginners and experienced professionals, open topics that mirror real stages of career development, and show how knowledge, tools, security, professional standards and visibility together create a solid foundation for the next level.

In this article, we recap all four MeetUps with an overview of the speakers and topics. You’ll see how each event built on the previous one – from laying foundations and broadening business perspectives, to practical tools and security, all the way to professional maturity and strengthening one’s personal brand. If you were with us, we believe you’ll recognise the moments that stayed with you. If you weren’t, this is a quick and clear overview of what shaped our 2025.

The first event laid broad foundations for career and business growth. The second put a stronger emphasis on tools, security and real case studies. The third and fourth reflected the maturity of the community – from collaboration standards and boundaries to visibility and clearer positioning on the market.

GoThrive MeetUp #1: Laying Foundations and Broadening Perspectives

The first GoThrive MeetUp of 2025 was held on 22 February at Algebra in Zagreb, with a full-day programme and a clear message: the community wants more than inspiration. We wanted concrete tools, real examples and high-quality networking. The structure of the event itself connected three key levels of career and business development: finances, personal brand and sales, and operational systems that enable growth without chaos.

The programme opened with topics that are often the first major turning point on the VA and entrepreneurial journey. Toni Milun spoke about smart business and investment. Josipa Šimunović focused on building a personal brand online, while Ante Mihaljević opened an important conversation about ethics in sales and growing revenue without aggressive tactics.

The second part of the programme was particularly important for the VA audience. Katarina Zubatović shared real aspects of a VA career – the freedom it offers, but also the challenges that come with responsibility and professional standards. Kristina Orašanin from Native Teams, in her talk “Grow Smarter: The Advantages of a UK Entity Compared to a Local One”, explained the benefits of a UK entity and presented Native Teams, while Nikola Mujdžić Reščić showed how monday.com can save time and money through smarter organisation and workflow automation. A panel on how virtual assistance is changing the way businesses operate further confirmed how quickly our profession is evolving and expanding.

GoThrive MeetUp #2: Career Progress Through Tools, Security and Real Case Studies

After laying the foundations at the first event, the second MeetUp brought even more practical tools and clearer steps for career growth. On 24 May, the second GoThrive MeetUp took place at Algebra as the logical continuation of a strong start to the year. Following the first event and a great turnout, this MeetUp focused on the next step in the development of VA careers. The emphasis was on practical tools, specialisation, online safety and stronger alignment between what the community is learning and what the market actually needs.

The programme opened with a session by Nikola Mujdžić Reščić, who presented monday.com’s capabilities through concrete examples of implementing the tool in business operations. Through her own professional story, Nina Vrkić showed what a real career pivot and growth can look like when it’s backed by learning, hands-on practice and a carefully chosen niche.

An important part of the second event was the topic of digital privacy and security. Andrea Stepić provided a practical framework for more responsible work in the digital space, which is becoming increasingly important as the scope of services, number of clients and volume of data handled by virtual assistants grows.

The final part of the programme further strengthened the business dimension of the event. The conversation between Berislav Marszalek and Nikola Mujdžić Reščić on the collaboration between Entrio and GoThrive offered a concrete real-world example and a reminder of how crucial clear processes are when the pace and volume of work suddenly increase.

GoThrive MeetUp #3: More Mature Topics, Clearer Standards and Healthier Relationships

On 27 September, we gathered for the third GoThrive MeetUp, this time with a focus on themes that protect the quality of collaboration and help build a career calmly and sustainably. We discussed communication, boundaries and professional standards – the kind you feel most strongly once you already have experience and want to grow further without unnecessary stress.

Through her talk “When Curiosity Becomes a New Career”, Ivana Novosel brought a refreshing perspective on professional development and changing direction, with the message that growth is often the result of persistence and consistent learning. The quiz “Assistants Unfiltered” gave the event a relaxed, collective rhythm while opening up space to recognise real-life situations from the everyday work of virtual assistants.

One of the key topics of the MeetUp was professional communication during more demanding moments in collaboration. Ivana Predovan spoke about how to end a collaboration professionally, without drama and without burning bridges – a skill that protects your reputation in the long term and makes growth easier.

The joint session by Katarina Zubatović and Nikola Mujdžić Reščić, “One Year of GoThrive”, naturally rounded off the story of how these events have become more than just gatherings. They have become a space for learning, connection and strengthening professional identity.

GoThrive MeetUp #4: Visibility, Brand and Direction for the Coming Year

If the third MeetUp put the spotlight on professional standards and relationships, the fourth naturally shifted the focus to visibility and personal branding. The fourth GoThrive MeetUp took place on 22 November, centred on visibility, personal brand and a clearer position on the market. After three events devoted to building foundations for business, tools, security and professional standards, this MeetUp logically moved the conversation towards a question that becomes crucial for many at this stage: how to become recognisable and how to reach clients who are looking for exactly your skill set.

Jasmina Geček opened the topic of boundaries in collaborations and reminded us how important it is to know when to say yes, but also when to say no. Boundaries are not an obstacle – they are a framework that preserves the quality of relationships, protects your time and energy, and helps collaborations remain stable and professional in the long run.

The central part of the programme was led by Dragan Petric, who tackled the topic of reach and visibility on LinkedIn. He focused on how to build your presence strategically, stand out in a sea of profiles, and make your work visible to the people you can truly help.

Entrepreneurial insights from Aleksandra Ignatoski broadened the perspective even further, reinforcing the idea that a strong personal brand is built through consistency, a clear message and the courage to claim your own space on the market.

The closing session by Katarina Zubatović and Nikola Mujdžić Reščić, focused on GoThrive 2026, provided a clear framework for the community’s next steps. A particularly powerful moment was the announcement of GoThrive’s expansion to international markets, which gave the entire year additional weight and a meaningful continuation of the story.

What We’re Taking With Us From 2025

Looking at 2025 as a whole, we started with finances, stable business, personal brand and sales, then moved into tools and online safety, and ended the year with topics of professional development and visibility. This order is no coincidence. It mirrors the real growth path of VA and OBM careers when they are built thoughtfully and without skipping steps.

That’s why we can say that the GoThrive MeetUps weren’t just four separate events, but one cohesive story that followed the real phases of development – for both virtual assistants and us as GoThrive. And the announcement of our move to the international market nicely rounded off the year, sending a clear message: we are moving forward more boldly, more widely and more seriously – together.

A big thank you to all the speakers who shaped our MeetUps this year:

Toni Milun, Josipa Šimunović, Ante Mihaljević, Kristina Orašanin, Ana Marušić Lisac, Eva Pavić, Nina Vrkić, Andrea Stepić, Berislav Marszalek, Ivana Novosel, Ivana Predovan, Jasmina Geček, Dragan Petric and Aleksandra Ignatoski.

And to all our virtual assistants – without you, these gatherings wouldn’t have the meaning, energy or shared strength that keeps pushing us forward.

If you joined us this year, thank you for building this story together with us.

If you didn’t, 2026 is the perfect opportunity to meet us in person and experience why people always leave these events with something more than just notes.