WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.332 --> 00:00:00.712 Let's go, 2 00:00:01.013 --> 00:00:01.573 let's do it, 3 00:00:01.633 --> 00:00:02.794 let's work with the client. 4 00:00:02.874 --> 00:00:03.894 In big corporations, 5 00:00:03.974 --> 00:00:05.235 I had to learn patience. 6 00:00:05.295 --> 00:00:06.456 When you work in a small company, 7 00:00:06.536 --> 00:00:09.798 you need to bring money to assure the paycheck for every employee. 8 00:00:09.918 --> 00:00:10.978 If you're eager to learn, 9 00:00:11.298 --> 00:00:16.381 more and more tech companies are hiring non-tech profiles for management jobs, 10 00:00:16.421 --> 00:00:17.202 project management, 11 00:00:17.242 --> 00:00:18.142 customer success, 12 00:00:18.723 --> 00:00:20.083 even technical account management. 13 00:00:20.123 --> 00:00:20.904 After a few years, 14 00:00:21.004 --> 00:00:23.425 when you start to really learn the technical aspects, 15 00:00:23.445 --> 00:00:24.266 you can move to tech. 16 00:00:24.746 --> 00:00:26.107 And I remember a big deal, 17 00:00:26.107 --> 00:00:26.407 it was 18 00:00:26.847 --> 00:00:27.968 20 million dollar deals. 19 00:00:28.148 --> 00:00:31.130 that was assigned to me and we knew nothing about it. 20 00:00:31.170 --> 00:00:32.310 How come we don't know? 21 00:00:32.471 --> 00:00:33.651 It's a big contract, 22 00:00:33.651 --> 00:00:34.432 it's a big client. 23 00:00:34.432 --> 00:00:36.873 Do not listen too much to the noise around you. 24 00:00:37.354 --> 00:00:37.994 Go beyond. 25 00:00:38.354 --> 00:00:39.975 Try to see what's happening with the client. 26 00:00:40.095 --> 00:00:43.937 Just do not rely on some reports you have read about the client. 27 00:00:44.238 --> 00:00:45.058 Learn the processes, 28 00:00:45.438 --> 00:00:47.159 learn how the company is working. 29 00:00:47.420 --> 00:00:49.361 But just bear in mind that I'm not a tech guy. 30 00:00:49.401 --> 00:00:50.521 I don't have a background in tech. 31 00:00:50.621 --> 00:00:54.744 And then what I see is that they are also very interested in the commercial document. 32 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:58.302 from SaaS to CyberSec and then to API management. 33 00:00:58.382 --> 00:01:01.504 Our special guest has been in Romania since more than 12 years. 34 00:01:01.685 --> 00:01:05.988 He had experience in major tech companies and now he will share his insight with us. 35 00:01:06.328 --> 00:01:08.009 We are very happy to welcome Pierre de Bozy. 36 00:01:08.149 --> 00:01:08.609 Hi Pierre, 37 00:01:08.870 --> 00:01:11.371 thank you for being with us for this new episode of 38 00:01:12.212 --> 00:01:12.952 La Franche Tech On Air 39 00:01:13.313 --> 00:01:13.853 Romanian Touch, 40 00:01:14.333 --> 00:01:16.775 a new podcast we will record today. 41 00:01:17.435 --> 00:01:18.716 We are very happy to have you with us. 42 00:01:19.797 --> 00:01:20.638 And first of all, 43 00:01:21.178 --> 00:01:24.140 can you please introduce yourself to what... 44 00:01:24.476 --> 00:01:25.437 Why are you in Romania? 45 00:01:25.837 --> 00:01:26.298 Who are you? 46 00:01:26.698 --> 00:01:27.359 What are you doing? 47 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:28.760 Thanks, 48 00:01:29.300 --> 00:01:31.142 Grégoire and the team for having me here. 49 00:01:31.442 --> 00:01:31.562 So 50 00:01:32.042 --> 00:01:32.403 I'm Pierre, 51 00:01:32.403 --> 00:01:35.225 I'm 35 years old and I just, 52 00:01:36.146 --> 00:01:36.326 well, 53 00:01:36.366 --> 00:01:38.488 I came first time in Romania in 2012. 54 00:01:38.768 --> 00:01:39.649 That's a lot of time. 55 00:01:40.650 --> 00:01:44.713 I worked in mainly some SMEs and startups and then I moved to big tech. 56 00:01:45.994 --> 00:01:48.736 And I describe myself as a polyglot, 57 00:01:48.756 --> 00:01:51.999 a marathon runner and a very curious guy. 58 00:01:53.380 --> 00:01:58.384 And what made you choose to come to Romania as a first site? 59 00:01:58.444 --> 00:02:03.287 This is thanks to a great program called the Voluntaria Internacional en Entreprise. 60 00:02:03.287 --> 00:02:08.270 So it's like an international volunteership program ruled by business force. 61 00:02:08.831 --> 00:02:14.635 And that really made me come to Romania thanks to a good contract, 62 00:02:15.035 --> 00:02:15.956 good conditions. 63 00:02:16.096 --> 00:02:16.516 And actually, 64 00:02:16.516 --> 00:02:19.478 a lot of young people coming to Romania are coming through this contract. 65 00:02:19.979 --> 00:02:20.259 Okay, 66 00:02:20.779 --> 00:02:20.939 good. 67 00:02:20.959 --> 00:02:21.660 So now we know... 68 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:22.880 how you arrived here, 69 00:02:22.940 --> 00:02:24.201 how you landed in Bucharest. 70 00:02:24.221 --> 00:02:24.361 Yep. 71 00:02:25.282 --> 00:02:31.304 And can you tell us more about your connection to the tech environment or the tech industry? 72 00:02:31.864 --> 00:02:31.985 Yeah, 73 00:02:32.165 --> 00:02:32.285 so 74 00:02:33.125 --> 00:02:34.586 I'm not a tech guy at all. 75 00:02:34.746 --> 00:02:35.026 You know, 76 00:02:35.046 --> 00:02:36.847 I'm like Grégoire says sometimes, 77 00:02:36.967 --> 00:02:37.627 he's French, 78 00:02:37.687 --> 00:02:38.307 but not tech. 79 00:02:38.988 --> 00:02:40.348 I'm kind of the same profile. 80 00:02:41.229 --> 00:02:42.269 And I came to tech, 81 00:02:42.889 --> 00:02:43.290 in fact, 82 00:02:43.310 --> 00:02:44.070 during COVID, 83 00:02:44.410 --> 00:02:48.452 I was working for a listed French company working in engineering. 84 00:02:49.172 --> 00:02:51.474 I was manager of project by that time, 85 00:02:51.654 --> 00:02:54.096 and we were struggling with the automotive market, 86 00:02:54.937 --> 00:02:55.377 obviously, 87 00:02:55.477 --> 00:02:56.058 during COVID. 88 00:02:56.738 --> 00:03:01.842 And I started to think what we could do to expand our sales actions. 89 00:03:02.042 --> 00:03:02.803 And with the team, 90 00:03:02.803 --> 00:03:06.926 we came to the conclusion to make some phone calls to the IT ecosystems. 91 00:03:07.147 --> 00:03:10.509 Even if we already had an IT department doing that, 92 00:03:11.050 --> 00:03:13.892 I was thinking that we should also put an effort there. 93 00:03:14.613 --> 00:03:15.754 And I found a client. 94 00:03:16.054 --> 00:03:18.075 I found my first client after a few weeks, 95 00:03:18.095 --> 00:03:18.496 a month. 96 00:03:19.684 --> 00:03:22.466 an American company with an office in Romania. 97 00:03:22.747 --> 00:03:26.229 And when I looked at the negotiation and the offer we were making, 98 00:03:26.769 --> 00:03:29.251 the figures were much bigger than in automotive. 99 00:03:29.872 --> 00:03:33.454 So it made me think a bit that it's a profitable market, 100 00:03:34.395 --> 00:03:35.796 available despite COVID. 101 00:03:36.737 --> 00:03:42.300 And then a first contact came with a big tech company in Romania, 102 00:03:42.421 --> 00:03:42.801 Oracle. 103 00:03:42.841 --> 00:03:43.481 I can name them. 104 00:03:43.621 --> 00:03:47.164 I think they really helped me to get into tech. 105 00:03:47.924 --> 00:03:52.587 And this is how I learned to ascend your position in customer success, 106 00:03:52.647 --> 00:03:53.807 taking care of tech clients. 107 00:03:53.867 --> 00:03:54.728 So that was amazing. 108 00:03:55.008 --> 00:03:55.228 Okay. 109 00:03:55.248 --> 00:03:55.828 So basically, 110 00:03:56.109 --> 00:03:57.729 at the start, 111 00:03:57.729 --> 00:03:59.270 you don't have a background in tech, 112 00:03:59.670 --> 00:04:02.792 but you saw an opportunity to put a step in. 113 00:04:02.992 --> 00:04:03.352 Correct. 114 00:04:03.733 --> 00:04:06.114 And then you improved your knowledges. 115 00:04:06.294 --> 00:04:06.574 Correct. 116 00:04:06.574 --> 00:04:07.315 So you learned. 117 00:04:07.495 --> 00:04:07.835 Correct. 118 00:04:08.595 --> 00:04:12.257 Until you became an expert and you know about what you're talking about. 119 00:04:12.437 --> 00:04:12.798 Correct. 120 00:04:12.838 --> 00:04:13.138 Correct. 121 00:04:13.518 --> 00:04:16.059 This is also a big advantage of working with corporations. 122 00:04:16.059 --> 00:04:16.880 They have this huge. 123 00:04:17.436 --> 00:04:19.817 machine of trainings and certifications. 124 00:04:20.697 --> 00:04:22.918 I didn't know about what is the SaaS industry, 125 00:04:23.018 --> 00:04:24.018 software as a service, 126 00:04:24.098 --> 00:04:25.378 infrastructure as a service, 127 00:04:25.438 --> 00:04:25.738 yes, 128 00:04:25.778 --> 00:04:27.319 or platform as a service, 129 00:04:27.359 --> 00:04:32.080 or many acronyms in the industry I have little knowledge about. 130 00:04:32.660 --> 00:04:34.141 And they taught me a lot of things, 131 00:04:35.101 --> 00:04:38.242 giving me also the opportunity to work with amazing clients, 132 00:04:38.382 --> 00:04:38.942 big pharma, 133 00:04:39.522 --> 00:04:40.222 big banks, 134 00:04:40.902 --> 00:04:42.903 famous football club in Spain. 135 00:04:43.443 --> 00:04:45.144 And those clients also, 136 00:04:45.444 --> 00:04:46.324 they teach you a lot. 137 00:04:47.080 --> 00:04:50.342 So you need to be really open to risk, 138 00:04:50.762 --> 00:04:51.442 eager to learn, 139 00:04:52.483 --> 00:04:54.464 but Big Corps really help you to do that. 140 00:04:55.225 --> 00:04:55.445 Okay, 141 00:04:55.805 --> 00:04:59.087 so the Big Corps help you to develop your skills? 142 00:04:59.287 --> 00:04:59.407 Yep. 143 00:05:00.855 --> 00:05:09.999 But did you also in your career had a chance or a way to work in medium-sized companies or in smaller companies? 144 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:10.860 Yeah, 145 00:05:10.980 --> 00:05:15.882 actually at the beginning of my career I worked for SMEs and through the VEA program. 146 00:05:16.622 --> 00:05:16.843 And 147 00:05:17.423 --> 00:05:19.824 I did that for mainly seven, 148 00:05:19.884 --> 00:05:20.324 eight years. 149 00:05:21.004 --> 00:05:26.067 It really gives you the sense of accountability and ownership of your tasks. 150 00:05:27.095 --> 00:05:28.296 When you work in a small company, 151 00:05:28.356 --> 00:05:29.756 you need to bring money to, 152 00:05:30.476 --> 00:05:30.717 you know, 153 00:05:31.377 --> 00:05:34.158 to then assure the paycheck for every employee. 154 00:05:34.778 --> 00:05:36.379 So this is really, 155 00:05:36.799 --> 00:05:38.180 it has been for me a very, 156 00:05:38.760 --> 00:05:44.122 very big step to make you realize how important it is also to execute and not only plan. 157 00:05:44.842 --> 00:05:46.003 Which sometimes in big corps, 158 00:05:46.043 --> 00:05:48.844 they plan a lot and they little execute. 159 00:05:49.104 --> 00:05:50.385 That's a very funny topic too. 160 00:05:51.505 --> 00:05:54.426 So what you are saying is when you're in an SME, 161 00:05:55.207 --> 00:05:55.547 you are... 162 00:05:57.015 --> 00:05:58.116 You are taking more risks. 163 00:05:58.436 --> 00:05:58.736 Correct. 164 00:05:58.936 --> 00:06:03.419 Because the company is on the way to grow and you have more challenges. 165 00:06:03.459 --> 00:06:04.559 And when you're in a big corporation, 166 00:06:04.619 --> 00:06:09.482 you will learn more on specific topics and manage bigger projects. 167 00:06:09.662 --> 00:06:09.942 Correct. 168 00:06:09.963 --> 00:06:12.064 Because the leverage is bigger than in an SME. 169 00:06:12.544 --> 00:06:12.984 That's true. 170 00:06:13.084 --> 00:06:13.985 That's really true. 171 00:06:14.185 --> 00:06:24.471 And I think the main challenge is to be conscious of what is your current comfort zone in big tech or in big corporations. 172 00:06:25.067 --> 00:06:27.269 Companies are making billions or hundreds of millions, 173 00:06:27.529 --> 00:06:34.435 and it's true that you can have the feeling that your actions do not count that much. 174 00:06:35.596 --> 00:06:35.796 Which, 175 00:06:35.836 --> 00:06:36.196 in fact, 176 00:06:36.236 --> 00:06:36.797 it's not true, 177 00:06:36.837 --> 00:06:37.697 because at the end of the day, 178 00:06:37.757 --> 00:06:39.179 your client is satisfied or not. 179 00:06:39.919 --> 00:06:41.801 He will renew the contract or not. 180 00:06:41.861 --> 00:06:43.302 It depends also on your work. 181 00:06:43.582 --> 00:06:46.705 But the fact that when you send an email and you have in CC 182 00:06:47.565 --> 00:06:48.626 15 stakeholders, 183 00:06:49.147 --> 00:06:52.089 it can dissolve the accountability, 184 00:06:52.790 --> 00:06:53.090 you see. 185 00:06:53.490 --> 00:06:54.251 And in SME. 186 00:06:54.795 --> 00:06:55.996 You are the only one to call the client, 187 00:06:56.116 --> 00:06:57.417 you are the only one to take the project, 188 00:06:57.417 --> 00:06:58.698 you are the only one to build the project, 189 00:06:58.758 --> 00:07:01.201 or you have like maybe two or three people on that project. 190 00:07:01.201 --> 00:07:05.784 So it really concentrates the sense of responsibility in SMEs. 191 00:07:05.805 --> 00:07:09.668 So that's a big change between both models. 192 00:07:09.928 --> 00:07:12.070 So you are more challenged in an SME, 193 00:07:12.730 --> 00:07:15.133 but you are also challenged in a bigger corporation. 194 00:07:15.213 --> 00:07:16.694 What kind of challenges can you face? 195 00:07:19.817 --> 00:07:21.118 I think in big corporations, 196 00:07:21.198 --> 00:07:22.479 I had to learn patience. 197 00:07:23.635 --> 00:07:25.496 Because in SME, 198 00:07:26.977 --> 00:07:29.458 if you want to grab a new client, 199 00:07:29.458 --> 00:07:30.419 you just pick the phone, 200 00:07:30.819 --> 00:07:31.779 you attack the market, 201 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:33.200 you do your own speech, 202 00:07:33.320 --> 00:07:34.441 you do your own presentation, 203 00:07:34.541 --> 00:07:35.661 you do your own PowerPoint, 204 00:07:35.822 --> 00:07:36.282 you name it. 205 00:07:37.322 --> 00:07:37.603 Well, 206 00:07:37.863 --> 00:07:38.583 in big tech, 207 00:07:38.823 --> 00:07:42.045 if you want to make a presentation for a big client, 208 00:07:42.065 --> 00:07:43.246 you don't just go like that. 209 00:07:43.586 --> 00:07:44.746 You need to work with marketing, 210 00:07:44.786 --> 00:07:46.147 you need to work with product management, 211 00:07:46.227 --> 00:07:46.887 sometimes R&D. 212 00:07:47.528 --> 00:07:49.309 You really need a lot of approvals, 213 00:07:49.849 --> 00:07:50.650 alignments, 214 00:07:51.050 --> 00:07:52.791 meetings and meetings and... 215 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:59.122 and approvals from lots of hierarchical levels, 216 00:07:59.783 --> 00:08:02.144 and you really need to have that patience. 217 00:08:02.224 --> 00:08:02.985 The second, 218 00:08:03.285 --> 00:08:03.545 I think, 219 00:08:03.545 --> 00:08:06.227 is also that you act slower, 220 00:08:06.367 --> 00:08:06.707 I think, 221 00:08:07.267 --> 00:08:07.808 in big tech. 222 00:08:08.448 --> 00:08:08.888 And also, 223 00:08:10.129 --> 00:08:10.970 you also need to, 224 00:08:12.230 --> 00:08:12.571 I think, 225 00:08:13.271 --> 00:08:14.512 be a bit more political. 226 00:08:15.212 --> 00:08:17.554 You need to have a more structured approach. 227 00:08:20.563 --> 00:08:20.983 And also, 228 00:08:22.184 --> 00:08:23.805 I would say in a nutshell, 229 00:08:25.667 --> 00:08:32.171 see the big picture and make what you want to do very clear to the top management. 230 00:08:32.871 --> 00:08:33.912 Because at the end of the day, 231 00:08:33.952 --> 00:08:35.813 if you don't have the approval from them, 232 00:08:35.873 --> 00:08:37.274 that will be difficult to move things. 233 00:08:37.835 --> 00:08:40.336 And it has to be very clear for the people who decide. 234 00:08:40.477 --> 00:08:41.237 Exactly. 235 00:08:41.657 --> 00:08:44.419 If the project is finished, 236 00:08:44.860 --> 00:08:47.161 you cannot take the best decision for the company. 237 00:08:47.321 --> 00:08:47.721 Exactly. 238 00:08:47.802 --> 00:08:49.723 So there is this chain of... 239 00:08:50.083 --> 00:09:06.747 let's say accountability and management that you need to be aware of when you work in a big company versus the immediate action you can take in an SME by you know calling prospects doing your own thing so so it means you have more freedom when you work in a SME compared to a corporate yeah 240 00:09:07.408 --> 00:09:19.711 yes but by the time I also learned to let's say play a bit with the rules in big techs for example you can use this fact that 241 00:09:20.431 --> 00:09:26.615 Sometimes the accountability is so dissolved that you can be the only one to take ownership of actions. 242 00:09:27.095 --> 00:09:28.456 And I remember a big deal, 243 00:09:28.456 --> 00:09:28.576 a 244 00:09:29.616 --> 00:09:33.018 $20 million deal that was assigned to me, 245 00:09:33.138 --> 00:09:34.799 and we knew nothing about it. 246 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:35.760 When I asked, 247 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:36.660 when it was assigned to me, 248 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:37.301 I asked just, 249 00:09:37.621 --> 00:09:37.741 OK, 250 00:09:37.881 --> 00:09:38.781 what are we doing with this client? 251 00:09:38.781 --> 00:09:39.542 What was the last step? 252 00:09:39.942 --> 00:09:40.582 What's ongoing? 253 00:09:40.642 --> 00:09:41.403 And what's the next step? 254 00:09:42.123 --> 00:09:42.443 Simple. 255 00:09:43.804 --> 00:09:45.265 And the answer I've got was like, 256 00:09:45.265 --> 00:09:45.765 we don't know. 257 00:09:46.686 --> 00:09:47.186 And I was like, 258 00:09:47.266 --> 00:09:48.367 how come we don't know? 259 00:09:48.407 --> 00:09:48.887 It's a big deal. 260 00:09:48.983 --> 00:09:49.784 It's a big contract, 261 00:09:49.784 --> 00:09:51.826 it's a big client. 262 00:09:51.946 --> 00:09:52.406 So you see, 263 00:09:52.546 --> 00:09:56.690 sometimes the lack of accountability and this responsibility, 264 00:09:56.770 --> 00:10:01.014 which is kind of dissolved everywhere in the company, 265 00:10:01.134 --> 00:10:01.555 can also... 266 00:10:02.909 --> 00:10:07.290 help you if you are eager to take risks and ready to take actions. 267 00:10:07.911 --> 00:10:11.732 So I contacted the CEO of the company and I asked him directly, 268 00:10:12.212 --> 00:10:12.452 guys, 269 00:10:12.472 --> 00:10:13.672 what are you doing with our product? 270 00:10:13.872 --> 00:10:14.892 We have a big contract here. 271 00:10:15.072 --> 00:10:15.693 What's happening? 272 00:10:15.853 --> 00:10:16.693 I would like to help you. 273 00:10:16.813 --> 00:10:17.613 Do you have challenges? 274 00:10:18.613 --> 00:10:20.834 And he ended up with a very good commercial success. 275 00:10:20.934 --> 00:10:22.454 But yeah, 276 00:10:22.474 --> 00:10:22.795 you see, 277 00:10:23.575 --> 00:10:23.775 it's... 278 00:10:25.175 --> 00:10:26.936 So you can take freedom in big tech, 279 00:10:27.116 --> 00:10:27.556 it means. 280 00:10:27.816 --> 00:10:31.457 You have also to to provocate your chance. 281 00:10:33.378 --> 00:10:33.518 Yeah, 282 00:10:33.719 --> 00:10:38.363 you need to take risks sometimes and do not listen too much to the noise around you. 283 00:10:40.224 --> 00:10:42.106 So is this a recommendation, 284 00:10:42.146 --> 00:10:46.990 an advice you would give to a young person who wants to join a big tech? 285 00:10:47.490 --> 00:10:47.890 Definitely, 286 00:10:48.231 --> 00:10:48.631 definitely. 287 00:10:48.671 --> 00:10:51.233 I think there are different steps. 288 00:10:51.273 --> 00:10:54.836 I think the first step is to really master how the company works, 289 00:10:54.996 --> 00:10:57.879 because you need to play by the rules at the beginning. 290 00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:58.780 You have no choice. 291 00:10:59.160 --> 00:11:00.261 So you really need to commit. 292 00:11:00.949 --> 00:11:01.649 to learn the product, 293 00:11:01.989 --> 00:11:02.810 to learn the processes, 294 00:11:03.250 --> 00:11:08.691 to learn your market or the business plan you are assigned to. 295 00:11:09.491 --> 00:11:09.791 Then, 296 00:11:10.092 --> 00:11:11.272 when you really master that, 297 00:11:11.912 --> 00:11:17.714 see the area where you can push yourself to also push the company to have better results. 298 00:11:18.354 --> 00:11:20.054 If you just stick to the process, 299 00:11:21.235 --> 00:11:23.115 I hear very often in big corporations, 300 00:11:23.275 --> 00:11:24.976 I didn't get a promotion for five years. 301 00:11:25.896 --> 00:11:26.076 Yeah, 302 00:11:26.216 --> 00:11:29.097 but maybe because you just stick to the plan and stick to the process. 303 00:11:30.337 --> 00:11:30.998 Go beyond. 304 00:11:31.298 --> 00:11:32.979 Try to see what's happening with the client. 305 00:11:33.079 --> 00:11:36.922 Just do not rely on some reports you have read about the client. 306 00:11:37.442 --> 00:11:38.063 Talk to him. 307 00:11:38.523 --> 00:11:39.103 Take risks. 308 00:11:39.444 --> 00:11:40.564 Do a top-down approach. 309 00:11:40.765 --> 00:11:41.665 Talk to their COO, 310 00:11:42.105 --> 00:11:42.446 CIO, 311 00:11:42.586 --> 00:11:42.926 CFO, 312 00:11:43.026 --> 00:11:43.386 CHO. 313 00:11:43.506 --> 00:11:45.788 Talk to the C-suite and see what's going to happen. 314 00:11:46.348 --> 00:11:47.109 Make an impact. 315 00:11:47.609 --> 00:11:48.910 If you just follow the flow, 316 00:11:49.751 --> 00:11:53.954 you might discover after a few years that you maybe missed a chance. 317 00:11:54.614 --> 00:11:54.814 Yes, 318 00:11:54.855 --> 00:11:57.356 and the tech is evolving every day, 319 00:11:57.656 --> 00:11:58.197 every second. 320 00:11:58.997 --> 00:12:02.498 So you need to keep updated on each topic. 321 00:12:03.499 --> 00:12:08.481 How do you manage to be sure that you know the latest information, 322 00:12:08.481 --> 00:12:09.321 the latest news? 323 00:12:10.042 --> 00:12:12.263 How are you getting this information? 324 00:12:12.263 --> 00:12:14.784 Do you have some training inside the companies about it? 325 00:12:14.864 --> 00:12:16.484 Do you learn on your own? 326 00:12:17.745 --> 00:12:18.985 Corporations are very good at that, 327 00:12:19.506 --> 00:12:21.226 especially the enterprise department. 328 00:12:21.226 --> 00:12:24.528 The enterprise department are departments where the big deals are managed. 329 00:12:25.128 --> 00:12:27.569 And they teach you. 330 00:12:29.098 --> 00:12:29.778 how to draw, 331 00:12:32.859 --> 00:12:33.800 inference mapping. 332 00:12:34.620 --> 00:12:35.160 So basically, 333 00:12:35.220 --> 00:12:37.281 you know at your clients who does what, 334 00:12:37.601 --> 00:12:38.842 what is his background, 335 00:12:39.282 --> 00:12:40.303 where do they come from. 336 00:12:40.683 --> 00:12:41.863 So you really understand, 337 00:12:41.863 --> 00:12:46.546 you have an in-depth understanding of what's happening for the internal environment of your client. 338 00:12:46.646 --> 00:12:48.627 Those methodologies are amazing. 339 00:12:48.627 --> 00:12:48.847 I mean, 340 00:12:48.867 --> 00:12:50.447 if you get the chance to learn that, 341 00:12:50.808 --> 00:12:53.609 it's really changing your approach of account management. 342 00:12:53.993 --> 00:12:55.854 So this is for the internal, 343 00:12:55.914 --> 00:12:56.215 let's say, 344 00:12:56.295 --> 00:12:57.956 knowledge of the project. 345 00:12:57.976 --> 00:12:59.797 And then you have also the external environment. 346 00:13:00.337 --> 00:13:02.059 And here you need to do your homework. 347 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:04.420 Nobody is going to do that for you. 348 00:13:05.041 --> 00:13:05.301 I had, 349 00:13:06.021 --> 00:13:06.282 let's say, 350 00:13:06.262 --> 00:13:06.802 the chance, 351 00:13:06.842 --> 00:13:07.182 I don't know, 352 00:13:07.422 --> 00:13:09.484 to work or so on a very challenging environment, 353 00:13:09.544 --> 00:13:11.185 working with a Ukrainian client, 354 00:13:11.265 --> 00:13:12.906 with Russian stakeholders. 355 00:13:13.867 --> 00:13:18.891 You really need to be on point of what's happening in the world to have the right approach, 356 00:13:19.051 --> 00:13:19.971 the right tone, 357 00:13:20.312 --> 00:13:21.232 the right worlds, 358 00:13:21.612 --> 00:13:21.873 you know, 359 00:13:21.913 --> 00:13:22.293 because... 360 00:13:22.533 --> 00:13:22.773 Again, 361 00:13:23.433 --> 00:13:26.414 when you talk about big Ds and transformation projects, 362 00:13:27.474 --> 00:13:32.896 you really need to be aware of all those aspects. 363 00:13:33.096 --> 00:13:36.977 So internal project knowledge into the company, 364 00:13:37.057 --> 00:13:37.217 yeah, 365 00:13:37.297 --> 00:13:38.958 methodologies like inference mapping, 366 00:13:40.158 --> 00:13:40.898 product knowledge, 367 00:13:42.098 --> 00:13:44.819 those are taught in most corporations, 368 00:13:45.259 --> 00:13:47.180 but they are not mandatory trainings. 369 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:50.301 So I go back again to follow the process, 370 00:13:50.341 --> 00:13:50.901 follow the flow. 371 00:13:51.801 --> 00:14:07.928 they are not mandatory trainings you had to apply i had to apply to those trainings actually now i remember so it was a proactive approach exactly exactly and we weren't that much i think we were 15 20 persons to take that course so yeah yeah yeah so it's 372 00:14:07.948 --> 00:14:19.873 very important so to be to be internally prepared and externally with with the good knowledge of the environment and the language your client speaks if possible yeah okay the foreign language you mean 373 00:14:20.317 --> 00:14:20.557 Yeah. 374 00:14:20.597 --> 00:14:21.458 Or technical language? 375 00:14:22.318 --> 00:14:22.558 Both, 376 00:14:22.638 --> 00:14:22.999 actually. 377 00:14:23.119 --> 00:14:26.020 But when I used to work also with a project in Argentina, 378 00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:30.923 I used my Spanish skills to manage at least the introduction of the meeting, 379 00:14:31.683 --> 00:14:32.844 taking notes in Spanish. 380 00:14:32.884 --> 00:14:34.125 It's also a very big aspect. 381 00:14:34.525 --> 00:14:37.987 Same for a stakeholder who was from Lithuania. 382 00:14:38.147 --> 00:14:39.267 I know a bit of Lithuanian. 383 00:14:39.808 --> 00:14:41.669 I started my email to say hello in Lithuanian. 384 00:14:42.329 --> 00:14:43.610 Those are small things. 385 00:14:44.350 --> 00:14:44.970 Preparation, 386 00:14:45.090 --> 00:14:45.531 as you said, 387 00:14:45.571 --> 00:14:48.212 that small preparation that can help you for, 388 00:14:48.212 --> 00:14:48.912 yeah. 389 00:14:48.912 --> 00:14:49.053 Yeah. 390 00:14:49.473 --> 00:14:49.593 The... 391 00:14:49.993 --> 00:14:51.535 the entire duration of the project. 392 00:14:53.958 --> 00:14:57.822 So you started your career like eight years ago in the tech industry? 393 00:14:58.083 --> 00:14:58.263 Yeah, 394 00:14:58.263 --> 00:14:58.483 roughly, 395 00:14:58.523 --> 00:14:58.884 yeah. 396 00:14:59.504 --> 00:14:59.785 What? 397 00:15:00.537 --> 00:15:04.560 What shocked you the most in the evolution of tech in your career? 398 00:15:05.301 --> 00:15:14.528 The first thing that shocked me when I first moved to a tech job was the amount of information you can get in the corporation. 399 00:15:14.869 --> 00:15:15.369 You mean data? 400 00:15:16.690 --> 00:15:20.273 That data and also the amount of processes of people, 401 00:15:20.273 --> 00:15:21.274 of departments. 402 00:15:23.676 --> 00:15:25.657 You have companies working on CX, 403 00:15:25.897 --> 00:15:26.278 ERP, 404 00:15:26.718 --> 00:15:27.158 HCM, 405 00:15:27.218 --> 00:15:27.899 different products, 406 00:15:29.240 --> 00:15:30.121 cloud technology. 407 00:15:31.586 --> 00:15:31.966 SaaS, 408 00:15:32.106 --> 00:15:32.626 on-prem, 409 00:15:33.227 --> 00:15:37.129 there are so many different components. 410 00:15:39.111 --> 00:15:41.312 I remember my first three months in a big tech, 411 00:15:41.813 --> 00:15:44.274 I was like learning a new language. 412 00:15:44.755 --> 00:15:46.236 It's like learning a new language. 413 00:15:46.296 --> 00:15:48.537 It's like you feel like you are back to school, 414 00:15:48.897 --> 00:15:49.818 you are six years old, 415 00:15:50.218 --> 00:15:52.780 and you start to learn how to read and how to write. 416 00:15:53.280 --> 00:15:54.781 That's exactly the same in tech for me. 417 00:15:55.262 --> 00:15:59.084 And it was no fear to arrive in such an environment? 418 00:16:00.185 --> 00:16:00.425 Yeah, 419 00:16:00.525 --> 00:16:00.765 I mean, 420 00:16:01.245 --> 00:16:03.626 the fear I had at the beginning was the relationship with the client, 421 00:16:03.646 --> 00:16:05.206 because in a senior position, 422 00:16:05.306 --> 00:16:06.287 you really need to, 423 00:16:06.367 --> 00:16:06.627 you know, 424 00:16:06.607 --> 00:16:07.587 to bring assurance, 425 00:16:08.307 --> 00:16:09.768 to show that you know what you are doing, 426 00:16:09.848 --> 00:16:10.848 to show how to plan, 427 00:16:11.168 --> 00:16:13.008 how to have a strategic approach with your clients. 428 00:16:13.028 --> 00:16:14.829 So you really need, 429 00:16:15.029 --> 00:16:18.810 and I also go back to what I've told you before regarding the processes. 430 00:16:18.990 --> 00:16:19.390 First step, 431 00:16:19.630 --> 00:16:20.450 learn the processes, 432 00:16:21.191 --> 00:16:22.551 learn how the company is working. 433 00:16:23.431 --> 00:16:24.432 That's fundamental. 434 00:16:25.172 --> 00:16:26.072 And it's a lot of work. 435 00:16:26.412 --> 00:16:27.312 It's a lot of work, 436 00:16:27.332 --> 00:16:28.353 a lot of long hours, 437 00:16:28.733 --> 00:16:29.553 a lot of long hours. 438 00:16:29.713 --> 00:16:29.833 Yeah. 439 00:16:30.033 --> 00:16:30.253 Okay, 440 00:16:30.293 --> 00:16:37.855 so one of the advice is to give to someone who wants to join the tech industry is to don't be afraid if you don't understand anything. 441 00:16:38.575 --> 00:16:38.956 Exactly, 442 00:16:39.096 --> 00:16:39.496 exactly. 443 00:16:40.076 --> 00:16:41.356 I have a finance background, 444 00:16:41.416 --> 00:16:43.097 so I'm good with figures. 445 00:16:43.537 --> 00:16:43.717 But 446 00:16:44.777 --> 00:16:46.378 I didn't have a tech background. 447 00:16:46.398 --> 00:16:50.239 But if you're eager to learn, 448 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:56.780 more and more tech companies are hiring non-tech profiles for management jobs, 449 00:16:56.820 --> 00:16:57.601 project management, 450 00:16:57.641 --> 00:16:58.521 customer success. 451 00:17:00.350 --> 00:17:01.711 Even technical account management, 452 00:17:01.751 --> 00:17:02.532 after a few years, 453 00:17:02.652 --> 00:17:05.074 when you start to really learn the technical aspects, 454 00:17:05.074 --> 00:17:05.895 you can move to tech, 455 00:17:06.535 --> 00:17:07.976 pure tech positions, 456 00:17:08.076 --> 00:17:10.058 even if you do not have a tech background in Romania. 457 00:17:10.398 --> 00:17:12.460 There are a lot of profiles like that. 458 00:17:13.621 --> 00:17:20.667 What someone who does not come from a tech management position can bring more compared to someone who comes from tech? 459 00:17:20.847 --> 00:17:21.808 Why to make this choice? 460 00:17:22.108 --> 00:17:22.608 That's a very, 461 00:17:22.668 --> 00:17:23.309 very good question. 462 00:17:24.422 --> 00:17:24.902 And actually, 463 00:17:25.042 --> 00:17:31.968 I also asked that myself in my career when I got sometimes messages from LinkedIn from these presidents or leaders of tech company. 464 00:17:32.008 --> 00:17:32.648 And they asked me, 465 00:17:33.109 --> 00:17:38.553 would you like to drive our customer success department or would you be interested to be a director of project management? 466 00:17:39.074 --> 00:17:40.955 And the first thing I always answer is that, 467 00:17:41.035 --> 00:17:41.316 guys, 468 00:17:41.416 --> 00:17:42.537 I would be happy to discuss. 469 00:17:43.277 --> 00:17:45.199 But just bear in mind that I'm not a tech guy. 470 00:17:45.239 --> 00:17:46.360 I don't have a background in tech. 471 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:50.964 And then what I see is that they are also very interested in the commercial acumen. 472 00:17:51.744 --> 00:17:52.505 So the sales. 473 00:17:52.765 --> 00:17:55.086 part of your skills, 474 00:17:55.226 --> 00:17:57.186 the way you discover the client, 475 00:17:57.386 --> 00:18:02.308 medic methodology or discovery methodologies, 476 00:18:03.128 --> 00:18:06.909 and then the way you can understand the technology. 477 00:18:07.089 --> 00:18:09.550 It doesn't mean that you know how to code. 478 00:18:09.630 --> 00:18:10.570 I don't know how to code. 479 00:18:11.070 --> 00:18:13.891 But the faster you can understand the technology. 480 00:18:14.331 --> 00:18:19.013 I moved from SaaS to CyberSec and then to API management. 481 00:18:20.921 --> 00:18:21.982 And I don't know how to code, 482 00:18:21.982 --> 00:18:23.183 I don't know how to create a product, 483 00:18:23.243 --> 00:18:30.348 but you need to be versatile and really be ready to understand the product, 484 00:18:30.629 --> 00:18:31.850 the messaging of your product, 485 00:18:31.850 --> 00:18:32.930 the impact of your product. 486 00:18:33.251 --> 00:18:35.092 You do not need to be that tech. 487 00:18:36.473 --> 00:18:44.059 And usually versus a tech profile that I've seen in companies who are more into the product, 488 00:18:44.539 --> 00:18:46.741 and sometimes they have this fear that 489 00:18:47.517 --> 00:19:05.109 don't launch the project it's not ready it's not ready it's not ready while a profile like mine would be more like let's go let's do it let's work with the client let's it's a different approach uh and i think i would i will i will ask that question to the next leader i will i will talk to because it's a very good question so 490 00:19:06.450 --> 00:19:16.557 we come back to the to the point to take risk yeah and uh not to stay on the at your place but to to have no fear to to move a bit further than the others yeah 491 00:19:17.417 --> 00:19:18.338 To take initiative, 492 00:19:18.598 --> 00:19:22.980 be proactive in your approach in order to make the things move forward. 493 00:19:23.220 --> 00:19:24.281 Yeah, 494 00:19:24.381 --> 00:19:25.742 that's what drives me. 495 00:19:26.862 --> 00:19:27.022 Even, 496 00:19:27.903 --> 00:19:28.243 in fact, 497 00:19:28.323 --> 00:19:29.624 living abroad is already a risk, 498 00:19:29.784 --> 00:19:30.044 you know, 499 00:19:30.164 --> 00:19:30.764 living abroad. 500 00:19:30.804 --> 00:19:34.486 So it really helps you to be open, 501 00:19:35.687 --> 00:19:37.208 to take risks. 502 00:19:37.228 --> 00:19:38.449 And in fact, 503 00:19:39.669 --> 00:19:41.490 I looked at the psychological aspect of it. 504 00:19:41.730 --> 00:19:43.351 It's not necessarily also taking risks, 505 00:19:43.391 --> 00:19:46.313 it's also expanding your knowledge zone. 506 00:19:46.721 --> 00:19:48.182 We always talk about the comfort zone. 507 00:19:48.683 --> 00:19:48.803 Yeah, 508 00:19:48.803 --> 00:19:49.303 but in fact, 509 00:19:49.684 --> 00:19:51.886 what are you doing when you move from industries to industries? 510 00:19:51.906 --> 00:19:53.647 You expand your knowledge zone. 511 00:19:54.128 --> 00:20:05.358 And then you are not very afraid versus maybe an employee who worked 20 years in the same field with the same clients versus me who worked in tech for some years with different type of clients, 512 00:20:05.518 --> 00:20:05.779 big, 513 00:20:06.700 --> 00:20:06.1000 small. 514 00:20:07.820 --> 00:20:08.461 institutions, 515 00:20:09.001 --> 00:20:09.942 public sector, 516 00:20:10.182 --> 00:20:10.762 private sector, 517 00:20:10.822 --> 00:20:13.704 listed company or non-listed company in pharma, 518 00:20:13.844 --> 00:20:14.304 banking, 519 00:20:14.585 --> 00:20:15.085 football club, 520 00:20:15.085 --> 00:20:15.525 you name it. 521 00:20:16.006 --> 00:20:23.631 It gives you this open-mindedness that makes you believe that everything is the most possible. 522 00:20:24.411 --> 00:20:24.531 Yeah, 523 00:20:24.551 --> 00:20:25.172 that's true. 524 00:20:25.172 --> 00:20:25.592 That's true. 525 00:20:25.672 --> 00:20:29.335 And when you mentioned to enlarge your scope and your skills, 526 00:20:30.455 --> 00:20:31.216 today we see, 527 00:20:32.116 --> 00:20:32.417 of course, 528 00:20:32.437 --> 00:20:33.798 we'll come on this topic, 529 00:20:34.098 --> 00:20:37.140 the AI is part of the... 530 00:20:37.436 --> 00:20:38.436 tech companies right now, 531 00:20:38.476 --> 00:20:38.897 thankfully. 532 00:20:41.658 --> 00:20:45.699 Were you surprised in your experience about the way 533 00:20:46.100 --> 00:20:49.741 AI is used where you worked or where you are currently working? 534 00:20:51.122 --> 00:20:51.242 So 535 00:20:52.982 --> 00:20:56.784 I've witnessed the implementation of AI in companies I worked for, 536 00:20:57.164 --> 00:21:00.305 and the first thing I want to say is that it has been done, 537 00:21:00.345 --> 00:21:00.686 let's say, 538 00:21:04.627 --> 00:21:05.408 in a kind way. 539 00:21:05.988 --> 00:21:06.308 Like 540 00:21:06.548 --> 00:21:08.770 AI is not here to cut jobs. 541 00:21:09.050 --> 00:21:15.514 It's here in order to help you to achieve concrete objectives that you have with your clients. 542 00:21:15.574 --> 00:21:16.595 I will give you an example. 543 00:21:17.636 --> 00:21:20.237 I work on a big implementation project, 544 00:21:21.058 --> 00:21:22.399 on a cybersecurity project, 545 00:21:22.479 --> 00:21:24.440 and also the client was moving to cloud. 546 00:21:24.881 --> 00:21:25.341 So in fact, 547 00:21:25.341 --> 00:21:27.042 a very complex environment. 548 00:21:28.243 --> 00:21:35.728 And the client came to me and asked me about a very specific technical aspect on how we could tackle... 549 00:21:36.048 --> 00:21:40.711 certain kind of technical aspects within the implementation of the product. 550 00:21:40.771 --> 00:21:51.739 And what I want also to mention is that you really need to have a good understanding of what your client wants because you cannot ask ChatGPT just solve what the client wants. 551 00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:52.940 That's not going to work. 552 00:21:53.321 --> 00:21:54.061 It's going to ask you back, 553 00:21:54.321 --> 00:21:55.022 what is the issue? 554 00:21:55.742 --> 00:21:57.944 So you really need to come prepared with ChatGPT. 555 00:21:58.845 --> 00:22:00.165 Sorry for mentioning one solution, 556 00:22:00.205 --> 00:22:03.488 but you really need to come prepared with the right inputs. 557 00:22:03.908 --> 00:22:04.669 what your client wants, 558 00:22:04.729 --> 00:22:05.669 what are the specifics, 559 00:22:05.789 --> 00:22:06.670 what's the environment. 560 00:22:07.110 --> 00:22:10.873 So I could give those inputs to chatGVT, 561 00:22:11.113 --> 00:22:13.615 and it answered me an action plan, 562 00:22:14.035 --> 00:22:15.236 very detailed action plan, 563 00:22:15.376 --> 00:22:15.716 actually. 564 00:22:16.997 --> 00:22:19.979 And I showed the action plan to a technical account manager, 565 00:22:20.159 --> 00:22:21.080 to a system engineer, 566 00:22:21.100 --> 00:22:24.422 to solution engineers from different countries that were staying with me in the office. 567 00:22:24.982 --> 00:22:25.643 And they looked at it, 568 00:22:25.723 --> 00:22:26.523 and after a few minutes, 569 00:22:26.523 --> 00:22:27.024 they were like, 570 00:22:27.404 --> 00:22:28.084 that's going to work. 571 00:22:28.645 --> 00:22:29.385 That's going to work. 572 00:22:30.246 --> 00:22:30.366 So 573 00:22:31.507 --> 00:22:32.387 I really see it that way. 574 00:22:32.547 --> 00:22:33.008 You know, 575 00:22:33.248 --> 00:22:33.568 like a... 576 00:22:33.648 --> 00:22:37.732 tool you need to use in order to help you to achieve more and faster. 577 00:22:38.793 --> 00:22:41.815 But you have to work also with the prerequisites. 578 00:22:42.336 --> 00:22:42.816 It's like, 579 00:22:44.217 --> 00:22:46.119 if you do not know how to cook at all, 580 00:22:48.381 --> 00:22:53.465 no machine will come and cook at your place and replace you. 581 00:22:54.166 --> 00:22:55.267 You need the fundamentals. 582 00:22:55.647 --> 00:22:57.729 The robot can help you to cook faster and better, 583 00:22:58.449 --> 00:23:01.172 but it cannot cook to do all the dishes for you. 584 00:23:01.456 --> 00:23:03.597 That's exactly the same with AI in companies for me. 585 00:23:03.597 --> 00:23:09.260 It's if I didn't come with the right inputs and the exact problem we have with the clients, 586 00:23:09.320 --> 00:23:09.981 that wouldn't work. 587 00:23:10.961 --> 00:23:11.141 Okay, 588 00:23:11.201 --> 00:23:28.370 so it can help you to confirm a way to make a process or to prepare a summary to be double-checked by your own experts to confirm it as a way because maybe they have more additional elements to be taken into consideration. 589 00:23:28.491 --> 00:23:28.891 Exactly, 590 00:23:28.991 --> 00:23:29.911 exactly. 591 00:23:30.011 --> 00:23:31.072 So you need... 592 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.480 That's what, 593 00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:32.881 yeah, 594 00:23:32.941 --> 00:23:33.161 I mean, 595 00:23:33.321 --> 00:23:33.801 you can't just, 596 00:23:34.782 --> 00:23:35.382 this fear of, 597 00:23:35.762 --> 00:23:36.903 it's going to replace people, 598 00:23:37.263 --> 00:23:38.224 maybe manual work, 599 00:23:38.324 --> 00:23:38.584 maybe, 600 00:23:38.724 --> 00:23:39.224 I don't know, 601 00:23:39.284 --> 00:23:42.606 but jobs with high level of, 602 00:23:42.986 --> 00:23:43.386 let's say, 603 00:23:43.747 --> 00:23:44.467 interactions, 604 00:23:44.587 --> 00:23:45.568 that's not going to happen. 605 00:23:45.568 --> 00:23:46.048 It's going to help. 606 00:23:46.348 --> 00:23:46.868 It's going to help. 607 00:23:47.269 --> 00:23:48.229 And the second aspect, 608 00:23:48.829 --> 00:23:54.653 a different product has been implemented when I was also working in a different company. 609 00:23:55.133 --> 00:24:00.216 It was helping us to gather the notes we were taking from clients' 610 00:24:00.276 --> 00:24:00.656 meetings. 611 00:24:01.248 --> 00:24:07.631 And it was identifying what were the key points and what would maybe miss from the conversation, 612 00:24:08.471 --> 00:24:09.952 what subject we could tackle more, 613 00:24:10.352 --> 00:24:14.333 what risk it was also discovering from the conversation we were having. 614 00:24:14.974 --> 00:24:15.394 But again, 615 00:24:16.314 --> 00:24:20.716 it was helping us to see the broader view of the client relationship. 616 00:24:21.436 --> 00:24:26.018 But the inputs were coming from my interactions with the client. 617 00:24:26.038 --> 00:24:29.660 So you really need to be good at that if you do not understand what your client wants, 618 00:24:29.980 --> 00:24:30.580 what he's doing. 619 00:24:31.280 --> 00:24:32.221 AI will help you as well. 620 00:24:33.121 --> 00:24:33.361 Okay. 621 00:24:33.581 --> 00:24:33.701 Yeah. 622 00:24:33.882 --> 00:24:37.103 So it can also help you to be more efficient in your decisions, 623 00:24:37.744 --> 00:24:40.945 more efficient and faster in the way you are working. 624 00:24:41.065 --> 00:24:41.586 Yeah. 625 00:24:41.586 --> 00:24:50.811 And maybe to point out some key elements which in a discussion you may be missed because we are focused on other challenges. 626 00:24:50.931 --> 00:24:51.051 Yeah. 627 00:24:51.431 --> 00:24:51.591 Yeah. 628 00:24:51.851 --> 00:24:52.192 Completely. 629 00:24:52.852 --> 00:24:53.152 Completely. 630 00:24:53.392 --> 00:24:53.712 Completely. 631 00:24:54.433 --> 00:25:00.156 So now you entered in a new era in which you have to learn more. 632 00:25:00.652 --> 00:25:00.812 Yeah, 633 00:25:01.293 --> 00:25:03.135 which is a fascinating, 634 00:25:04.176 --> 00:25:07.100 will impact the coming years. 635 00:25:07.780 --> 00:25:08.680 How do you feel about it? 636 00:25:10.981 --> 00:25:12.861 I'm curious by nature, 637 00:25:14.122 --> 00:25:15.402 but I see several things. 638 00:25:16.142 --> 00:25:18.783 The first thing is that when I entered in tech, 639 00:25:20.384 --> 00:25:22.664 I really realized that the competition is really big. 640 00:25:23.124 --> 00:25:23.425 I mean, 641 00:25:23.585 --> 00:25:24.665 if you go to Bangalore, 642 00:25:24.865 --> 00:25:25.805 if you go to Beijing, 643 00:25:25.945 --> 00:25:26.365 London, 644 00:25:27.226 --> 00:25:29.526 Seattle or 645 00:25:29.906 --> 00:25:30.527 Silicon Valley, 646 00:25:31.827 --> 00:25:35.008 things are moving so fast that learning and adapting... 647 00:25:35.228 --> 00:25:36.449 is not even a prerequisite. 648 00:25:36.809 --> 00:25:38.549 This is what you have to do if you want to survive. 649 00:25:38.670 --> 00:25:41.751 And I'm not talking even as a company. 650 00:25:43.071 --> 00:25:44.132 It's also as an individual. 651 00:25:44.132 --> 00:25:45.632 If you really want to strive in tech, 652 00:25:46.313 --> 00:25:47.133 and every domain, 653 00:25:47.193 --> 00:25:47.553 I think, 654 00:25:48.974 --> 00:25:50.094 competition is so strong. 655 00:25:50.635 --> 00:25:52.315 So my call would be, 656 00:25:53.396 --> 00:25:58.198 don't stay just and follow the process and stay into your comfort zone. 657 00:25:58.538 --> 00:25:58.758 Learn, 658 00:25:58.858 --> 00:25:59.639 look around you. 659 00:26:00.639 --> 00:26:01.1000 If you stay too long in a company, 660 00:26:02.100 --> 00:26:02.940 apply to jobs. 661 00:26:04.024 --> 00:26:05.385 If you like Italian or Spanish, 662 00:26:05.465 --> 00:26:06.226 learn a language. 663 00:26:06.846 --> 00:26:08.227 You have so many AI tools now. 664 00:26:08.227 --> 00:26:09.007 You have applications. 665 00:26:09.168 --> 00:26:09.968 Everything is there. 666 00:26:09.968 --> 00:26:14.151 You don't need to spend one euro to learn everything on YouTube videos. 667 00:26:14.431 --> 00:26:16.132 We are doing this podcast sharing our knowledge. 668 00:26:16.132 --> 00:26:16.612 It's for free. 669 00:26:17.012 --> 00:26:18.513 It's all for free for the users. 670 00:26:19.194 --> 00:26:19.654 Use that. 671 00:26:20.955 --> 00:26:21.655 Go outside. 672 00:26:21.695 --> 00:26:22.716 Listen to podcasts. 673 00:26:23.977 --> 00:26:25.778 It's everything here because if you don't do it, 674 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:28.379 others are doing it. 675 00:26:29.944 --> 00:26:32.126 Countries like China or India, 676 00:26:32.146 --> 00:26:32.366 you know, 677 00:26:33.767 --> 00:26:39.330 they will produce millions of people available on the market in the coming years with very good English. 678 00:26:40.231 --> 00:26:46.956 I was watching a video on YouTube about how Spanish language is expanding in China. 679 00:26:47.396 --> 00:26:47.836 And these guys, 680 00:26:47.856 --> 00:26:51.218 they speak better Spanish than me right now in some schools in China. 681 00:26:52.199 --> 00:26:55.161 And so who's going to take the leadership on 682 00:26:55.601 --> 00:26:57.783 Spanish speaking project in Europe? 683 00:26:58.083 --> 00:26:59.344 So you really need to think that way. 684 00:26:59.860 --> 00:27:09.426 If you do not learn and get this drive to go further and expand your knowledge, 685 00:27:10.006 --> 00:27:11.127 you're going to have a hard time. 686 00:27:12.067 --> 00:27:13.968 That's true. 687 00:27:14.429 --> 00:27:14.829 Thanks a lot, 688 00:27:14.869 --> 00:27:15.049 Pierre, 689 00:27:15.049 --> 00:27:20.793 for this very helpful and great insight, 690 00:27:20.973 --> 00:27:22.053 for your positivity. 691 00:27:22.293 --> 00:27:22.814 You're welcome. 692 00:27:22.894 --> 00:27:25.395 And for sharing so much information with us. 693 00:27:27.516 --> 00:27:29.578 We are very glad to have you in our podcast, 694 00:27:29.638 --> 00:27:30.318 to have you on board, 695 00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:33.221 and we wish you the best for the next steps. 696 00:27:33.861 --> 00:27:34.682 Same for LaFrenchTech. 697 00:27:35.142 --> 00:27:36.043 Thank you for everything you do. 698 00:27:36.263 --> 00:27:36.884 You are great guys. 699 00:27:37.344 --> 00:27:37.604 Thank you, 700 00:27:37.624 --> 00:27:37.804 Pierre. 701 00:27:37.944 --> 00:27:38.245 Thank you. 702 00:27:38.945 --> 00:27:40.106 It is the end of this podcast. 703 00:27:40.507 --> 00:27:41.327 I hope you enjoyed it. 704 00:27:41.728 --> 00:27:44.510 A big thank you to Pierre for being with us today, 705 00:27:44.950 --> 00:27:49.254 and also a big thank you to Hotspot for giving us the space, 706 00:27:49.674 --> 00:27:52.536 this great location in the middle of Bucharest to record this podcast. 707 00:27:52.736 --> 00:27:56.860 Don't forget to subscribe to our social media pages to follow the next news coming up. 708 00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:58.002 The new podcast, 709 00:27:58.383 --> 00:27:59.725 many great things are coming up. 710 00:28:00.487 --> 00:28:02.832 We're looking to see you very soon in our events also.