Today, on ‘Expert Speaks‘, we have Amir Helzer, Founder of OnTheGoSystems.
We are indeed grateful to Amir, for making time to answer our questions and enlighten us with his thoughts and opinions. We thank Amir for inspiring us with his words of wisdom.
You would definitely love reading his fun-filled informative answers, Here it goes!
Hello Amir, Welcome to LearnWoo! We understand that you have been leading OnTheGoSystems for more than 12 years. Can you give our readers an introduction as to how your journey began?
Our business started by us trying to solve a problem that we had. It was the first website that I built and it needed to be multilingual (English and Spanish). As I was looking for options, I ran into WordPress (which was at a very early stage back then). Before WordPress, I would create web pages using HTML. So, having a visual editor was a big step forward. As I realized there’s no way to build a WordPress site with several languages, I started looking for options. I asked a developer to build some basic stuff for me. Then, it became a plugin, and soon after it became WPML.
In OnTheGoSystem’s current stage of growth, what are some of the new challenges you are facing?
- HR (Human Resources): We’re not only writing code but working with a big team.
- Roadmaps: At the very beginning, you’re “just doing things”. When you start having a team, people want to know what’s coming.
- Complacency. When you’re the market leader, it’s tempting to take it easy and enjoy your success. This will kill any business.
Describe your leadership and/or working style in a few words?
I’m very direct, with little political correctness. I like it when people work with me that way. It doesn’t mean being rude or nasty. It just means cutting the BS and getting straight to the point. Saves time for everyone, but it’s not for everyone. We also hate hierarchies and bureaucracy. I find that these are tools that people often use to dodge responsibility. Instead, we encourage common sense and taking ownership.
What trends do you see in the industry and how do you see things playing out in the next 5-or-so years?
Our industry has matured. Years ago, we still had a lot of “hippie thinking”. That kind of thinking was fun, energetic, and sometimes very nice. It created the community, which we all benefit from today. WordCamps were informal, where most came just to meet others. There was little regulation, modest spending, and a lot of human interaction. Now, our industry feels a lot more professional. These days, if there’s a business point to it, it will get done. Otherwise, not. It’s all business and very little community. I think that we’ll sense the effects of this in the coming years.
How do you deal with conflicts that arise within the company? Do you have specific techniques and approaches for handling these?
We don’t have a policy or process for resolving internal conflicts. Instead, we use common sense. Maybe this is why we have so few internal conflicts.
Could you tell our viewers what your leadership role currently entails and how this may have changed over the years?
Unfortunately, I talk the talk but I don’t always walk the walk. I say that I don’t want to be involved in everything, but I’m involved in quite a lot. This is something that I’m working on. People in the company are being very helpful in taking things off of me, rather than pushing stuff to me. We’re making progress.
Given that your schedule is probably very busy, how do you manage your time efficiently? Any tips on time management for our readers?
Sure. Nobody, including myself, likes surprises. Most of my week is planned in advance with recurring activities. This allows me to prepare and keep track of things. For unexpected surprises (good and bad), I ask for written backgrounds and we schedule a time that works for all people involved. I hate interruptions. They kill productivity and build stress. We have an instant messaging system, but me and most others only use it for urgent stuff. Everything else goes to our issues tracking system and calendar.
Do you have any hobbies or interests that help you think outside the box?
The only thing I like is to work.
Nah. I love hiking, windsurf, SUP, and most anything else related to the ocean. Most of all, I like spending time with my close family.
But I still like my work. I wouldn’t be able to do it otherwise.
Are there any other industries that you plan to expand into in the foreseeable future?
Yes
What was the path you took to get to where you are today? And do you have any words of advice for those who want to follow a similar one?
I was lucky. Success always requires some luck. But you also need to have some good sense to identify that luck and make the most of it. And, I keep reminding myself and everyone in our team that our clients are the ones paying our salaries, not me. I hope this helps 🙂
