Interview with CEO of Grinteq - Sergei Lakishik

Selected Firms in an exclusive interview with Sergei Lakishik, CEO of Grinteq

 

1. Tell us about your company and how Grinteq started this journey.

 

Since day one, we've worked hard to portray ourselves as a company that doesn't shy away from high objectives but, at the same time, sticks to tried-and-true frameworks and makes data-driven strategic decisions.

 

What matters to clients in the B2B services? Your competence, focus, commitment, and innovativeness.

 

Sticking to this philosophy, we assembled the first GrinIT team of like-minded tech stars and launched the first solutions for the customers in a adaptable and creative style. At some point, we had an aha moment when we recognized that digital commerce was our asset and that we could scale it.

 

I'm relieved that people no longer consider us a "start-up" filled with young entrepreneurs eager to brag about their quick fortunes, thanks to the eCommerce demand boom.

 

2. As CEO of Grinteq, how do you guide, and what do you anticipate from your colleagues?

 

If it is for one single word, trust. We cherish honesty and transparency: we will perish if we hide from each other and keep issues hidden. I also frequently quip that my first duty is not to stand in the way of my team.

 

The reality is that each individual is a great collection of talents; we want to cultivate a non-toxic fertile soil for these talents to flourish and yield fruit. Most scenarios follow the same pattern: we look to those we employ to provide guidance rather than attempting to direct them.

 

3. What is the greatest achievement of Grinteq so far?

 

Grinteq's accomplishment is reaching international prominence in the field of eCommerce. The fact that we're a Salesforce-certified partner and are getting more and more globally recognized in the industry as a reliable digital commerce services provider is aspiring.

 

We've worked with some fascinating companies: Square, Scalapay, and Stadium Goods, to name a few. But, as you well know, this cannot be accomplished with the wave of a magic wand; rather, it is the result of years of hard work and dedication. Equally impressive is the incredible retention rate we've achieved with our clientele. We get about 80% of repetitive engagements.

 

Our partners are precious. Supporting each other is what we do. There is a direct correlation between our success and that of our customers.

 

4. What methodology does Grinteq employ when undertaking an eCommerce project?

 

Again, we are at the crossroads of Agile and Lean, trying to get the best from both worlds.

 

Practically speaking, it all comes down to simple dictums. Reduce bureaucracy. Cut the amount of red tape and paperwork. Don't squander any energy on things that don't matter. Master PM with mindfulness. Be adaptable and take a flexible approach. Find the optimal degree of formality for your work so that it doesn't hinder your efficiency and creativity.

 

Speaking of delivery, technically, we back our partners, providing value across the whole Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC): requirement analysis - product design and software architecture - software development - testing - deployment - maintenance.

 

5. What makes Grinteq stand out from its rivals in the market?

 

We can start from the very foundation: let's take hiring. We pay great attention to this: how to find talent and unleash talent's potential to its full. How to create such trusting conditions so that people not only are not afraid to take the initiative but also constantly look for ways of self-development and master their learning agility - what is highly important today - have the opportunity to reskill.

 

Another important thing is our attitude towards clients - we often feel their anxiety associated with global disturbances. Clients are worried about their life's work, which they have invested so many resources. What type of cooperation and quality of services can we give them so that they feel confident and not afraid of tomorrow? That's where we set our wits to work. Most of our clients admire the ease with which we do business.

 

In a nutshell, even though we are in tech, keeping a human spark in everything we do is vital.

 

6. What key factors Grinteq considers before deciding on an eCommerce development platform?

 

Let's not forget that eCommerce development is like a toolkit, a toolbox. We at Grinteq have an extensive toolkit - we have recognized masters, and real artists, who know these tools inside out - more importantly, they are fluent in their craft.

 
Nevertheless, primary are the goals and objectives of the clients: where they want to be, how quickly they want to be there and going on a journey with us. Our duty is to help them achieve their goals - with better results, much faster.

 

7. How do you see future technologies driving growth and innovation in the coming years?

 

First of all, I would like to point out that we are currently cruising through a correction phase in the market. As a result, we see layoffs, non-stable project deaths, etc.

 

Developers with exceptional skills are flooding the market, and now they can concentrate on their projects and ideas. Once the market bottoms out, I anticipate a wealth of innovative technological initiatives to emerge, boosting the whole eCommerce sector.

 

At the same time, in terms of the technology itself, we are following some trends very closely:

 

Everything related to bridging the physical and digital world (here can be big breakthroughs for eCommerce): i.e., digital twins and augmented reality, to name a few. Everything related to the cloud (say, Industry cloud platforms) since most of our practice is related to cloud services.

 

All about data and user behavior, such as the Internet of Behaviors (datafication). As for the specific eCommerce domain, we are very interested in what is happening in the field of microservices and composable.

 

That being said, we are aware that commerce is one of the oldest interaction practices and has survived many waves of tech revolutions and innovations while, at its core, it remains unchanged in some sense.

 

And the priority here is reliable, transparent interaction between the merchant and the buyer. The ridiculous thing we could do is overload this interaction with unnecessary innovative gizmos.

 

8. Given the recent buzz surrounding the term "Metaverse," what are your thoughts?

 

The buzz about Metaverse has persisted for so long despite the lack of visible dynamics that say a lot about the state of affairs.

 

Let's wait 1-2 years, and if these terms are still trendy, then it's worth discussing. If it brings value, then it will stay with us.

 

9. According to you, what are the most important factors in ensuring maximum client satisfaction?

 

We make every effort to take on all the problems related to the technical aspects of the projects.

 

As we often deal with businesses that have a strong reputation and heritage, it is critical that we translate their distinctive approach to consumers to the digital plane, not only maintaining but also enhancing their customers' faith in them.

 

Customers should get the impression that there is someone around who is up to date on new trends as technology progresses at such a quick pace. Someone who will not let them fail, no matter what obstacles they confront.

 

10. Having been in this field for quite some time, what's the last word of wisdom you'd like to impart to all aspiring entrepreneurs?

 

Provide your service based on a sustainable and predictable financial model. Don't try to grow fast until you first learn and practice medium-pace growth.