This calls for a celebration!
It’s been two years. Two years since ideas turned into plans, words transformed into actions, and dreams became reality. Better said, two years since Agile Network Technologies (ANT) was founded, with the previously mentioned milestone being celebrated this week. We thought to have a peek behind the curtain this year. To look beyond the celebration and find more about ANT and the people behind the idea of creating it.
This being said, we prepared some questions for the initiators of ANT and their answers lived up to our expectations. Meet Jürgen Samuel, Alpar Katona, Cătălin Mihacea and Cătălin Pitiș, the interviewees of this material.
Right at the very beginning. ANT’s initiators from left to right: Alpár Katona, Jürgen Samuel, Cătălin Pitiș and Cătălin Mihacea
What was the determination in order to start this journey, to start ANT?
Jürgen Samuel: The determination was to create a lasting entity, which is free and independent to realize great ideas on eye-level.
Alpár Katona: The chance to start with a white sheet of paper and build it up from an idea to a mature and self-sufficient business, in the company of good people who share the same values and enjoy working together with passion and drive.
Cătălin Mihacea: The determination was to make a difference, to build something great where each colleague has the opportunity to learn from each other and to continue to develop both on the professional but also on the personal level.
Cătălin Pitiș: To fully use my experience, to learn more, faster, looking for the satisfaction, once the business is running, to say “I built this”. Also being aware of the fact that, from time to time, I will just wonder “Why did I do it? Couldn’t I just relax?”.
It’s been 2 years since ANT was founded. How would you describe these 2 years?
Jürgen Samuel: A roller coaster where I eventually saw us all growing together. It will continue to be hard work and the level of joy will grow steadily.
Alpár Katona: Hard work, no shortcuts. Full of learnings, professionally and personally; a condensed period with moments of true joy in an ocean of hopes and doubts; a company of great people coming together and growing together.
Cătălin Mihacea: Tougher than expected, even if someone told me that entrepreneurship means to work whatever 24 hours you want. Still, it was a joy to find such great colleagues that helped us maintain a steady path and from who we had the opportunity to learn and be better.
Cătălin Pitiș: Two years already? What year are we in? Never noticed. I need a better calendar. These were the toughest years in my entire career, facing the biggest challenges, but also learning the most.
If you have to choose one biggest lesson you’ve learned in those 2 years, what would it be?
Jürgen Samuel: Overcome doubts and get going – that is fANTastic.
Alpár Katona: Professional and personal are not separate, they interlink. It’s all about people, and people sharing trust between each other, and that is the hardest thing but also the most beautiful.
Cătălin Mihacea: The medallion that I am wearing for a while represents everything: “Never give up“, work hard, no shortcuts and we will make it.
Cătălin Pitiș: Almost every day I am hit by a new lesson. Hard to choose. Maybe… that I can change in ways I never imagined possible. Like taking big risks.
Let’s say, you run into a Ginny that is willing to fulfill 3 wishes, but every wish has to be ANT-related. How would they sound like?
Jürgen Samuel:
Let ANT be a place that attracts people who aspire to grow and to collaborate which each other.
Let ANT be the most appreciated CX company on this planet with services and products.
Let the ANT be an incubator for people who contribute to a better world.
Alpár Katona:
I wish for ANT to remain a People Company forever.
I wish for ANT to build great products and become a catalyst in the CX industry.
I wish for ANT to face all its future successes and challenges with humbleness, maturity, and relentless determination.
Cătălin Mihacea:
To continue growing and have the greatest colleagues from which we could learn day by day.
ANT to be the preferred place to work, where everyone wants to contribute.
To develop innovative services and products that will help the world evolve.
Cătălin Pitiș:
For ANT not to be a “child” anymore, but a mature business.
ANT to be a place where people can grow.
ANT to be THE name in CX world.
If ANT was to be a person, how would you describe it? How would this person be?
Jürgen Samuel: Not necessarily a person comes into my mind when I think about ANT- however an animal: a unicorn.
Alpár Katona: ANT is the world’s greatest ultra-marathon runner, just getting warmed up.
Cătălin Mihacea: My preferred leader is Nelson Mandela who was both a hero and a winner, and ANT to be “Master of her fate, captain of her soul.“
Cătălin Pitiș: So far, I can consider ANT an adrenaline junkie, definitely an adrenaline junkie. I am working to calm ANT down, be less dependent on adrenaline. Tame it.