A chat with Octavian on ZONK Digital’s birthday 

Interview with a founder   

Team ZONK: What inspired you 10 years ago when you launched ZONK?  

Octavian: I can say with certainty it was the experience I had in the USA and the fact that I knew IT could be done differently in Romania as well—more people-oriented and, why not, in a creative and innovative way.   

Team ZONK: How do you define success in the CEO role? 

Octavian: The sum of all the failures and challenges you had and managed to overcome and, most importantly, those that taught you a valuable lesson when you faced them.   

Team ZONK: What is your proudest moment from these 10 years of ZONK?

Octavian: For a while, I was very proud of every successful project launch and every contrived idea. Recently, I felt the proudest when our clients trusted us with complex and challenging projects and that will, for sure, take us to the next level.   

Team ZONK: What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome during the past 10 years at ZONK?

Octavian: Probably my own limitations regarding delegating tasks and distancing myself from tasks that I did myself, alone, for years.   

Team ZONK: Describe a funny and memorable moment at ZONK.

Octavian: The way I started the collaboration with the first major client of the company. They thought I was part of a big company with lots of colleagues. In reality, it was just me behind everything, acting as a freelancer.   

Team ZONK: Describe ZONK in a sentence.   

Octavian: Everything really starts with an idea!  

Team ZONK: Tell us what you learned during the past 10 years.   

Octavian: There’s a lot to say here but what I can say for sure is that I learned everything about business in an entrepreneurial environment from scratch.   

Team Zonk: What differentiates ZONK from other organizations?

Octavian: I think we pay close attention to every client we partner with and we are willing to do everything we can to not only finalize a project but to wow the client with the innovative approach we bring to the table.   

Team ZONK: Where do you see ZONK 10 years from now?  

Octavian: I don’t think we have a predetermined destination. The truth is that ZONK is on a dynamic path. We continue to learn, to stumble & fall, to get up and to keep going.  What I know for sure is that my desire to build a “different” organization has not changed during the past 10 years. On the contrary, it became more prevalent.   

Team ZONK: In your vision, what is the ideal project for ZONK?

Octavian: It would be a project that revolutionizes the way people interact with certain state institutions. Therefore, it will be a national project in partnership with a local institution, probably regarding healthcare. I wish the bureaucracy and the obstacles faced today when engaging with this type of institution would be minimized.    

Team ZONK: What new abilities did you develop throughout the 10 years you managed a growing team?   

Octavian: There are many abilities I developed voluntarily or not during these years. I think the most important one is the need to be objective, not subjective. Another one would be the ability to listen more carefully to what the people around me really want to say. Last but not least, the ability to see a colleague for what they will become while working with you rather than the position they were hired for right now.  

Team ZONK: We know you are a passionate developer. What would you choose between management and software development?  

Octavian: I would choose software development because it’s a science that offers remarkable clarity and understanding of everything that surrounds you. Management also has its good sides, amazing even, but the IT industry has had a special place in my heart since I was 15.   

BONUS from your team: Where do you see us in 10 years? 😊   

Octavian: I always said that everything I did for the company I was able to do up until a point. Everything else, our growth and what comes with it, for the most part, is up to the development and progress made by our teams. With this in mind, ZONK’s team members are the ones that build this company. I see the most engaged colleagues as business partners with certain rights and decision power in the future.   

Of course, we don’t live in a utopia where we believe everyone will stay at ZONK for the next 10 years. But I hope we can leave a positive mark on the professional and, why not, personal lives of those who will leave the company.  

When our paths will cross again I hope we will be able to reminiscence about the time spent at ZONK and the management team will be satisfied to know they contributed to the career growth of many people.   

10 years of ZONK with exciting plans for the future

We are passionate about what we do and we always give 100% to every project we take on board.   

ZONK started as a dream, an idea that grew, developed, and continues to do so today.  

You know what we think about ideas, right? That’s how everything starts! We love to hear ideas and to build with our partners. If you have an idea you want to transform into a successful project, don’t hesitate to contact us!   

We accept birthday wishes on LinkedIn and Instagram!   

And, if you think we are a good match, take a look at the careers section and join our team!  

Happy birthday to us!  

Stay tuned to find out what the next 10 years will look like for ZONK. We have lots of projects we work on, and we cannot wait to share the good news with you.