David Henzel is the CEO of UPcoach and the founder of Managing Happiness, a venture that blends personal growth with professional excellence. With a diverse portfolio of companies in ecommerce, SaaS, and outsourcing, David has built not only successful businesses but also a powerful philosophy focused on empowering individuals to unlock their full potential.
We are excited to announce that David will take the stage as one of the keynote speakers on the second day of the Balkan eCommerce Summit 2025, where he will share his unique approach to personal development and leadership. Known for demonstrating how self – investment drives meaningful, sustainable business success, David’s insights are particularly valuable for emerging entrepreneurs in the dynamic Balkan ecommerce landscape.
In this interview, David delves into topics such as coaching, resilience, and fostering growth, offering practical wisdom for leaders seeking to make an impact.
As the CEO of UPcoach and founder of Managing Happiness, you emphasize the importance of coaching and personal development. How does investing in personal growth and organizational coaching impact the success of ecommerce businesses, especially in emerging markets?
“Investing in personal growth and organizational coaching transforms ecommerce businesses, especially in emerging markets, by focusing on people first. When leaders and teams are aligned, motivated, and working out of love rather than fear, you see a direct impact on culture and efficiency. Coaching helps individuals operate at their personal best, and when the team thrives, so does the business. In fast – changing environments like emerging markets, this becomes a key differentiator – resilience, adaptability, and a sense of purpose turn challenges into opportunities, ultimately driving long – term success.”
You have built a portfolio of companies that support various aspects of ecommerce and SaaS operations. What insights can you share about creating and managing complementary businesses, and how can entrepreneurs in the Balkans adopt a similar approach to create a robust universe around their core offerings?
“I always like to scratch my own itch and build services or products that I am looking for and cannot find. I am a big fan of integration marketing, and having complementary products or businesses makes upselling and cross – selling fun and profitable.”
Your companies, such as LTVplus and TaskDrive, focus on outsourcing and sales development for ecommerce and SaaS businesses. How can Balkan ecommerce companies leverage outsourcing to optimize their operations and accelerate growth?
“There are amazing people in countries where life is much cheaper than in the Balkans. The language barrier might be a problem, but if your team operates in English or has English – speaking customers, you can save a ton of money on customer support or administrative tasks. It also allows you to stand out as an ecommerce merchant and to humanize ecommerce by hyper – personalizing service and offering a concierge – like service. Most of our customers at LTVplus are in the ecommerce space. We also have recoverpayments.com for subscription and SaaS companies.”
You’ve successfully built and exited multiple companies. Could you tell us about a moment in your entrepreneurial journey when things didn’t go as planned, but through resilience or a key insight, you found a way to succeed? How did that experience shape your approach to entrepreneurship, and what advice can you give to those facing tough decisions in their own businesses?
“Oh, there are so many… From business partners stealing money to getting hacked by anonymous and dealing with the FBI and 6 million infected websites! My gratitude rock is the main hack to keep a calm head and keep going. I pick it up every morning and think about what I am grateful for – my healthy body, my wife, daughter, businesses, family, friends, doggies, etc. The list is long. Doing this brings me into an all – is – well state of mind, and I see how much beauty I actually have in my life versus always focusing on the ‘big problem of the moment.’ I have been doing this for years, and my gratitude muscle has built up quite a bit, so I usually stay very calm in the face of adversity. Another hack is to have a healthy, balanced lifestyle: eat clean and sweat every day.”
Through your work with Managing Happiness, you emphasize the link between personal development and organizational performance. How does focusing on personal growth translate into business success, and what practices can entrepreneurs adopt to foster both personal well – being and professional excellence?
“Focusing on personal growth is like upgrading the engine of your business. When each person on your team is running at their best – mentally, emotionally, and physically – their performance naturally elevates, and so does the entire organization. Personal development boosts clarity, resilience, and motivation. When people feel like they’re growing, they’re more engaged and bring more creativity and energy to their work. For entrepreneurs, fostering both personal well – being and professional excellence starts with leading by example. Make time for your own growth – whether it’s coaching, learning, or simply taking care of your health.”
In competing against tech giants like Amazon and Google with MaxCDN, what differentiation strategies proved most effective? How can entrepreneurs in the Balkans apply similar tactics to stand out in highly competitive markets?
“Back then, CDN was hard to use, had long, expensive contracts, and was mainly made for enterprise. We took a different approach, making it affordable and easy to use. In terms of marketing, we heavily relied on integration marketing. With MaxCDN, we partnered with W3 Total Cache – a popular WordPress plugin. We integrated MaxCDN directly into the plugin’s settings, making it easy for users to set up a CDN without leaving their site. This way, we reached thousands of users already interested in speeding up their websites, creating value for both W3 Total Cache users and MaxCDN. So, for your ecommerce subscription box for protein bars, you could partner with a local gym.”
You’ve spoken about managing internal stress while maintaining external composure during challenging times. How crucial is emotional intelligence in effective leadership, and how can entrepreneurs develop resilience and self – awareness to navigate the inevitable ups and downs of business?
“When the sea gets rough, the ship’s captain has to stay calm and make the right calls. Freaking out as the lead will have devastating effects on your team. I have already mentioned the gratitude rock I use. Studying stoic philosophy will bring you peace, and the serenity prayer works wonders.”
If you’re inspired by David Henzel’s insights, take the next step in transforming your business. Join the Balkan eCommerce Summit 2025 to explore groundbreaking strategies in personal growth and organizational excellence. Discover how leading entrepreneurs in the Balkans and beyond are achieving success in emerging markets. Visit balkanecommerce.com for more information and to reserve your spot!