For the last two year, Adam Kolesa has been the head of FinTech start-up Mall Pay, which is building its own payment ecosystem with deferred payments and payment cards. But he also loves to talk about travel – Adam was born in Cuba, studied in Prague, Madrid, and Edinburgh, and after graduation his job with McKinsey took him as far as South Africa.
What key thing has 2020 taught you?
That life isn’t just about work. I’d realized this even before, but when my son was born in June, I forced myself to change my priorities. That means that my free time is now strictly reserved for my family. It’s good to figure this out. Paradoxically, the current corona-crisis made it easier for me, because I have to work from home, so I see my son more often. That’s a pleasant benefit.
What is the number-one rule that you follow at all costs in your business?
People are the cornerstone of your business. We’re a digital company and have no industrial machinery, so people are the most important thing we have. This is an extremely important topic for me, because I get the feeling that in general, the importance of working with people and their development is underestimated a lot in the Czech Republic. That’s why I put a lot of work into choosing them well and then working with them, so that everyone knows what’s going on and where we’re headed. And it’s paying off – for example, this year we had to take unpopular measures due to the corona-crisis, but people understood.
What is your most important piece of advice for new entrepreneurs and start-uppers?
Try our and test various approaches, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and ask for advice, and above all, take inspiration from abroad. We don’t have to focus just on the Czech market. We’re living in a bubble where the same things keep repeating, so you have to look past our borders. Connect with interesting people, join internet groups, and listen to foreign sources of information. For example, I love podcasts by Jason Calacanis, who talks to famous angel investors.
What do you consider the greatest benefit of your business for society?
Awareness-raising activity that Mall Pay does in the area of finances and loan products so that people manage their money responsibly and carefully. People will always go into debt, but they can make better decisions while doing so, and not borrow from various dangerous non-banking companies that can misuse them. We’re a banking service, which is why a fair approach is extremely important to us. Luckily, the way things are going now, no other approach is even possible.
In your view, what human characteristic makes business easiest?
Inquisitiveness and persistence. Both are important, the former perhaps a little more, because it seem to me that I see more persistence around me than inquisitiveness. Sure, you can bash you head against the wall repeatedly and persistently, but when you know why you’re doing it and try to understand its purpose, even persistence is easier. Sport is good practice, and I myself have done all sorts – from tennis to beach volleyball, so I know that athletes have innate persistence. But it’s also good to be second-born, because first-born individuals always have everything handed to them.
What do you do when you need to come up with something important?
It depends on the situation. Occasionally I isolate myself somewhere, while other times a change of environment helps, and I go to a busy café. I don’t necessarily need quiet – the key thing is to eliminate all distractions. That means turning off all notifications that are constantly forcing you to look at your phone.
What technology that humanity hasn’t yet invented is missing in your life?
A combination of various technologies that would lead us to greater sustainability in materials recycling, manufacturing, and energy use. We’ve got excellent technologies that allow us to sell people something over the internet, but on the other hand we’re still extracting and burning oil and coal. In this respect, we’re still primitive. Alas, I’m afraid that we’re still too far from making this change.
___
Did you like this interview?
The Rockaway Insider Newsletter is published every second Wednesday morning – subscribe now.
By clicking on “Subscribe” you agree to subscribe to the Rockaway Insider newsletter using the specified e-mail address. You can cancel your subscription at any time directly in the newsletter.
___
From film acquisition at AQS, to digital transformation at Czech News Center, to project management for Rockaway Arts. One thing is certain – Adam Chudárek’s professional trajectory is based on a balanced combination…
Seventeen years ago she joined Colours of Ostrava as head production manager, arranging almost everything – and so today we’d be hard pressed to find someone who understands the organization and operations of music…
From co-founder of a Czech-Australian consulting company specializing in global companies with digital innovations and transformations to the CEO of the technology division at Mind2FLO. This too is part of the story…
