Are you working on any new or exciting projects now?

Definitely! We are a relatively new company that just launched at the beginning of the year, so there’s a lot of work on the product itself — from the mobile app, through to the backend, to the blockchain and analytics layer. There’s already quite some demand from businesses as well. For example, we’re working with a couple companies on the optimization of their retail chains by combining their performance metrics with location data and other datasets. We’ll be releasing case studies on a regular basis, so make sure to check our website.

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

Listen to them and understand what motivates them. We’re all motivated by different things and it’s the role of the CEO to find what those things are. It’s also important to make sure they have everything they need to focus on their job. Make sure there are no concerns, worries, or obstacles that might be impeding what they do.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?

I think there’s always at least a couple of people to thank. I got my drive from my mom and hard-working attitude from my dad. My older brother broadened my horizons. But as a business person I was really shaped by Michal Stencl, the founder and former CEO of Sygic. I love his down-to-earth attitude and the ability to contain pretty much any situation incredibly fast. I’m fascinated to learn how things work and that’s what we have in common — that everlasting curiosity, and that need to learn and improve.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I believe it’s the small things that matter. It’s how you treat your family, friends, or even strangers on the street. People tend to forget that. It’s not only about the big things that change the world we live in — elections, inventions, and such. If you want to live in a better world, do a couple of good things every day. Help an elderly person cross the road. Hold the door for your colleague when you leave the office. In business it’s similar. Do what you’re good at and help your customers. Take an advisory role at an NGO, or make an introduction. You don’t have to be a president or a CEO of a multinational company to change the world (although it certainly helps ).

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became CEO” and why.

For one, you’re never truly ready. Similar to becoming a parent, you never know you’re ready until it actually happens. When Peter (the CMO & co-founder of Biotron) reached out to me to lead the company they were starting, I was very hesitant. Yes, I had plenty of experience with leading teams and creating data products. But CEO? Wasn’t that a bit too much too early? However, the vision and the opportunity was captivating and too good to miss, so I decided to take it. And although I’m just a few months in, I’m confident it was the right decision to make. Even if I waited for years, I would never have been truly ready to become a CEO until I actually started working as one.

Secondly, focus on long-term value. One of the key differences between leading the development of a product and leading the entire company is the time-frame in which you have to think. While working as a product lead, the longest forecast I had to make was between 3 to 5 years. With the team we planned our budget for a year and the most focus was on the next quarter, for which we had specific goals to achieve and planned our steps in order to achieve them. As a CEO you have to create a business that lasts, which means you have to zoom out and think in terms of your vision — what’s the end goal? What are you trying to achieve? How do you want to change your industry? You have to be very articulate about the answers with your colleagues and stakeholders, so you can guide them and make their daily decision-making easier.

The third important thing is getting your hands dirty. To be successful, you have to do what’s necessary. And when you’re starting a company, you have very limited resources. Do you need to adjust some screens for your app and your graphics guy is already working like crazy? Open Photoshop and do it. Does your team need some coffee to continue working? Go and buy some. Are you a good sales person? Go out and sell.

Next, I wish someone would have told me sooner that: “You’re right because you have the best data, not because you’re a CEO.” I suggest you write this refrain down and keep it on your desk. Yes, you’re the CEO. You might have 30 years of experience. But that doesn’t make you right.

And finally, learn to say no. You need to. There will be a lot of opportunities on the way. Take those that bring your company closer to your vision. Say no to all the others.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”?

I’m not a huge fan of life lesson quotes, to be honest. But if I had to choose one, it would be the, “Be water,” quote from Bruce Lee. Water can take any shape. It can adapt. It can be solid, liquid, or a gas. But at the same time it’s a very strong forming force that can shape landscapes. It creates and destroys. To be successful in business, you have to be water.

Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this :-)

I always admired explorers and inventors like Nikola Tesla, Marie Curie, or Alexander von Humboldt, among many others, but I can’t meet them because, obviously, they’re dead. However, I would love to meet Elon Musk. His way of doing business and sticking to his vision is rather fascinating and inspires me greatly.