Ákos is a CEU Business School alumnus and co-founder and managing director of the Talk-A-Bot startup. He has more than nine years’ experience at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, in international business development, and holds both an MBA and MSc in IT engineering. A husband and father, Ákos is 33 years old.
What’s should people should know about you?
I consider myself a businessperson, with multidisciplinary and transferable skills. I don’t like to put myself in a shoe box, so to speak, or in certain categorizations. I try to develop a skillset that is applicable in business and anywhere else. Many people consider me lucky, which is true. This is why my motto is: Work hard, get lucky.
You’re the co-founder of Talk-A-Bot startup. Briefly, what is it?
It’s an enterprise chatbot provider. It’s a way for users to chat and do business with hundreds of different companies without having to download their apps.
How would you describe the entrepreneurial work you do?
When you create a startup, you create a vision, you sell a vision and you deliver a vision. You try to convince people that you and your team will deliver on your promises.
What is the most interesting thing about your work?
We’re building something: a brand-new company from the spark of an idea. To do it from scratch, to innovate and develop it, is very rewarding. Also, the reaction of the public - getting people outside your company to buy into your idea - is also exciting.
You recently had a TEDx talk at CEU. What was it about?
I spoke about the risks of entrepreneurship, via our own founders’ story – what engaged us to start the business and the risks we see.
How did the CEU Innovations Lab help you get started?
I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. That was one of the motivations to join CEU Business School. The entire [Talk-A-Bot] company ignited due to a course taught by Professor György Bőgel. A homework in that course gave us the idea for the business. Last October the Innovations Lab was named best business incubator in Hungary. This happened over the course of 1 and a half year. We hope that we contributed to this success.
Are you involved with CEU alumni network? How does it help you?
The Business School alumni network is, in my view, much stronger than that of the rest of CEU’s alumni network. I would list the top benefit of my CEU education that I gained access to this network.
You and your wife just had a baby a few weeks ago. (Congratulations.) How do you balance family life, work, etc.?
It’s tough. As an entrepreneur you are your best resource. You also have a tendency to exploit that resource from time to time. My wife is very accepting of this and that work this way. Some people take a stable job over the risky startup life. I’m a risk taker. She is willing to accept that.
Any final thoughts?
There are many ways to earn money and be financially successful. Earning money by creating things of value is what I’d like to do. And I want to share that example with others that it is possible. Some people are surprised by this. This is not only my business but my way to be [politically] active.