Krasimir Kotsev – the white hat hacker who is passionate about work and changing the world for the better

Mr. Kotsev, imagine that Elon Musk has achieved a big breakthrough for humankind, and you can go on a one-year trip to Mars. Which three celebrities (living or dead) would you like to travel with?

Pencho Semov (the man who turned from a simple peasant into a respected entrepreneur, also known as the ‘Bulgarian Rockefeller’), Simon Sinek (who seeks meaning in every action and undertaking), and Richard Branson (the "YES" man who knows how to have fun while doing business).

You are entitled to spend one working day with a company executive (dead or alive). Who would you choose and why?

Once again, Pencho Semov - an outstanding example of how using innovative thought, perseverance and financial culture you can create dozens of successful ventures, starting from scratch, with the main goal of improving people's lives in society, and without an emotional need for recognition.

Imagine you are shipwrecked on a lonely island, but all your basic human needs such as food, water, and shelter are met. What two things would you like to have with you and why?

My love partner: Sexual energy and love have been proven to be the strongest motivators in this world and would give me more meaning to find a solution to get back to civilization or provide me with an opportunity to create a new society on a lonely island.

And a friend who’s brought 2 beers: every venture requires like-minded people and partners to realize it with, because people are interdependent, and after every long working day, one should find time for a beer with a friend. 

If you could give just one book as a gift for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Start with Why (Note: written by Simon Sinek).

You are a time traveler. You have the option of moving forward into the future or going back into the past. Where would you like to go and why? 

I would stay in the present. I am a tech-minded person, and although the past attracts me precisely because of the lack of technology and the ability of people to communicate more fully and live outside the matrix, it’s the lack of hygiene and modern medicine that would dissuade me from visiting. Looking into the future would not help me to be a better entrepreneur because every innovation needs years to develop and a precise moment to be accepted by society.

You get a chance to get a superpower (any skill you can think of), but only for a day. What would that power be and why?

The power that lets me in just one day identify and attract to my environment people with similar moral values, ethical norms and entrepreneurial spirit.

Can you identify the biggest threat/challenge for your company in the next five years?

The biggest threat is possibly poor judgment in recruiting and bringing in the wrong employees who would weigh our “shuttle” down and use up the fuel for the right people before the “shuttle” has reached the next gas station. 

What is the area in which Bulgaria has the greatest potential to become a leader in Europe?

Technology development.

AI is a hot topic, but what is the most neglected issue linked to it that is important to discuss?

What new positions and industries will AI open up so that society can start preparing and training early to be in the right direction?

Which of your tasks would you never want to outsource to a robot?

The personnel selection.

Which is more important: talent or hard work?

50/50, their combination is the key to success.

Which is more important: education or experience?

Enthusiasm! Because experience and education go hand in hand; one learns and gains experience every day of one's life's journey.

What are the three things without which success is not possible? 

Desire, purpose, persistence.

What fascinates you nowadays?

Seeing a man carrying a bouquet of flowers on the street or someone helping a passerby. I am increasingly fascinated by things that in the past were accepted as the norm in human relationships and absolutely basic for a person to function normally in society.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Never mind, let's do it!

What is the hardest lesson learned?

One must take care of things and maintain them, not let them fall apart - building something from scratch takes many times more energy and resources than maintaining something already built (applies to relationships, business and most things in life).

The biggest challenge that you've overcome?

Starting a company with BGN 2,000 alone and in less than 5 years and being able to develop it into an organization with a turnover of over BGN 1 million where people come to work with a smile on their face.

When was the last time you said to yourself: “This is my best day at work”? What was the occasion?

I write the answer to this question as I’m sitting at a beach bar: I am passionate about my work and changing the world to be a little better every day, my family and friends are alive and well and I manage to satisfy the needs of my adventurous self. What more does a person need?...

What is your biggest passion – something you are ALL IN?

Cybersecurity. I like to "hack" in the true sense of the word – that is, finding a resourceful (cunning) method for a non-standard, but effective solution to a given problem. 

Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov