Better work comes when people are together

Lukas, how would you describe the last year?

To prepare for further growth, the company and my role in it. As Futured, we grew by leaps and bounds for quite a long time, about two years ago, but the plateau effect came. It turns out we can no longer function the same way we did when there were ten of us in the team. It was necessary to stop, look back and build a stable foundation that will support the company of 45 people, as many of us now, and prepare us for further growth.

What was the cause of the slowdown you mention?

Partly my immature thinking. For a long time I felt that words like visions and missions They are overrated, that it is enough if the heart leads us and everything else comes. Now I don't think it's that simple anymore.

How do you think about the company now?

I agree with the dead valley theory. According to her, between the various financial milestones, each company can easily get into a danger zone, which it will either overcome or stagnate, or in the worst case, then completely disappear. In order for the business to grow, you need to change or at least adjust the established processes at each stage. In our country, too, the time has come with a milestone to mature and give the company a clear vision and goals.

Is this related to the rebranding the company has undergone? Funtasty became Futured.

The rebranding was the first effort to make a difference. As a company, we were no longer the same as when I founded it years ago. It first occurred to me when a client we were working for at the time told us that he had chosen a new supplier for the new application. Surprised, I asked him why it wasn't us. He replied that he needed a more established and reputable company, that we were a nice bunch of friends, but. At the time, there were over 30 of us, which is far more than the ones they chose. And it dawned on me that we've changed, we've grown, and that our brand no longer reflects that.

How are you going through this transition where a small business has become a 45-person business that continues to grow?

I'm trying to grow with her. It helped me a lot when I stopped doing everything, like design, which I have in my blood. I realized that I could no longer be a designer, a projectionist, that I could not know everything about all projects. I needed to realize that my role had changed. A lot of my responsibilities have passed to my colleagues, I look more at business opportunities and how to run the company along ideological lines. And I have to say, it's actually a cool feeling to know that I have people around me that I trust.
‍

Maybe there will come a time when I will hand over the management of the company to someone else.

How hard is it for you to grow together with the company? You had to learn a lot of things.

I am helped by my mentor Tomáš Kratochvíl, former head of Moravia IT, whom I respect professionally and humanly. But at the same time, I am aware of my limits and that maybe there will come a time when I will hand over the management of the company to someone else. I don't want to be her limit. And I certainly don't think he's standing up and falling on me.

What activities would you still like to keep?

I really enjoy people and sticking to the direction and values of the company. I want Futured to continue to be a company that does the job the way it should be done, and that talks openly with colleagues. I enjoy seeing an aspect of the game at work and asking questions that move the project and us as a team.

Well, for a long time I thought I didn't want to do business, but more and more it fills me up. It's like planting seeds and waiting to see if they grow. When a person believes in what they are doing, it is easy to sell it and pass it on.

At Futured we have a group of “leaders”. What does it mean to be a leader in Futured and how did it come about?

It is quite common for companies like us to have a leader for each platform. A leader is a senior person who is not surprised by problems, because he has already encountered a large part of them. At the same time, he can advise, guide and inspire the team to grow. There are now eight leaders in Futured, there are not only the leaders behind the platform, but also our CFO, HR, PM, QA and lead designer.

They are such team leaders. Together, you will also address key issues that affect the entire company.

In relation to the company, I see them as management. He participates in the running of the company. We meet every fortnight to discuss its direction. I have tremendous confidence in them, they are people who have been with us for a long time and know the company. At the same time, I appreciate how diverse a group we are. We can disagree, and that's what helps us build a better Futured. And honestly, I'm glad I'm not alone in making decisions, this is an area where I don't need to massage my ego.

Can you now reflect on how the team was changed by the pandemic?

The pandemic has shown us that we are a reliable place as a company. Although the beginnings were difficult, there were few orders, so we did not have to reach anyone for money, we did not dismiss anyone. As CEO, I am very happy because the responsibility for the team falls on me, of course.
‍

I want to talk about things and see the reactions of others.

Some companies have abandoned offices, others have at least downsized because they find that people want to stay more remote. Futured is going the other way, moving into new larger offices. It was a tremendous investment.

I believe that better work is created when people are together. I like to equate it in a partnered relationship, which will definitely be better with the two seeing each other, not just Skyping. I am not saying that it is not possible to work remotely, of course we also tried it during the pandemic. A lot of companies can operate in this mode, I don't want it that way. I want to talk about things and see the reactions of others. And thankfully, so do colleagues who are looking forward to returning to the office. And I am so glad that my colleagues want to spend their free time together, that they go on vacation together, that they have something to say.

Nevertheless, now you are a little further away from the team, you moved to Prague to set up a Prague branch.

Yes. We talked about the Prague branch for a long time, we have the majority of clients in Prague and I wanted to be closer to them and new opportunities. In the game it was also that I would not be the Prague person, but in the end it made the most sense for me to stop just talking about Prague, pack my bags and go.

Did your expectations come true?

So far it's hard to evaluate, he didn't really want to meet this half year. But the move was also important because I realized that Futured was no longer a child fixated on me. The company has had to get to the point where it's not dependent on me. It's not Luke's company, it's just a company.

And how do you handle breaking away from the team?

I was terribly afraid of it, maybe more than needed. I miss colleagues, they are my closest people, friends, so it's hard for me not to see them every day. But in this one, the pandemic helped a little -- no one could see anyone, so maybe it didn't affect me that much. I still go to Brno every week so we can be closer.

‍

I see Austria as a starting point where we will check how we are doing outside the Czech Republic.

Futured has a new office in Austria. I can't help but ask, why Austria?

Why not London or San Francisco? We knew we wanted to go abroad. We already have a few clients in Austria, thanks to which we realized that these markets are relatively similar. Similar mentality suits us, we like to work for advanced clients. I see Austria as a starting point where we will check how we are doing outside the Czech Republic.

Why does your job still make sense to you?

Even the pandemic has shown to the vast majority of companies that those who are not online may wake up one day and find that they have no income. As users, we have created new patterns of behavior and cannot be expected to revert to the previous model. Most of us will continue to enjoy the benefits that the online environment brings. If I had to describe the trend of 2021 in one word, it will clearly be digitization. Companies had to start looking for new ways to reach and communicate with customers other than face-to-face. Some industries are adapting to the digital environment under pressure, but many companies see digitalization as an important element of business growth. And we can help them in that.

A lot of companies are cutting budgets now.

Yes, but from our point of view it is a mistake to wait for a while for things to return to normal. The right time to invest in a mobile app is right now, because in a few months they will have an advantage over the competition. At Futured, for example, we've seen increased demand for apps that make content accessible wherever you are.

What would you actually be doing if you didn't have Futured?

It's hard to say, I'm not thinking about it yet. What I do at work I enjoy even after I get home. In technology, I play every day out of self-interest. I can understand that. I can help people and businesses, and that's a nice feeling. I have been in the industry for twelve years, I have already tried a lot of things and the desire to try new ones has not disappeared. Moreover, I am still a designer at heart and I believe that it helps me to feel for the user — to ask questions and find the right answers.

Do you enjoy the variety of projects? That one time you're into fintech, another time you're into gastro?

That's exactly right. Quite often people ask me why I have an agency. After all, agencies are endless toil, work cannot be scaled up, and the only possible growth is through headcount or margin growth. But I really like the fact that I'm not locked in a bubble, I'm growing professionally and as a person. I'm still learning something.

What clients would you like to work for?

For companies whose products I like to use myself. And it is important for me that the client goes into cooperation to the fullest — wholeheartedly and with a budget, with which we will not have to skimp on things that we perceive as key. For example, if we are making an application for end users, ideally we want to have options to do careful user testing, where we will be able to ask different people how they feel about using the service, what they would appreciate directly. And I am grateful for clients who are as passionate about the cause as we are.

We can create a successful application for you as well. Write directly to Luke: lukas.strnadel@futured.app & +420 605 312 459
‍

Would you like to join us? We are currently looking for a few colleagues.  Get in touch with Simona and talk about the possibilities of cooperation: simona.sadecka@futured.app & +420 735 040 126