Early Childhood
I grew up in the suburbs of Athens, Greece. My father worked as a carpenter in my grandfather's furniture factory, a family business with a remarkable origin. Starting out as an orphan, my grandfather patented a sofa-bed design that enabled him to build a factory from nothing.
I spent my childhood in the apartment directly above the factory. When my mother was away, my grandmother looked after me, letting me play on the workbenches with scissors and threads. Hardly suitable tools for a child, but formative ones.
Discovering Technology
I developed an early love for problem-solving alongside interests in music and painting. LEGO and STEM toys were my tools of choice. Although my parents thought it was too early, I received my first computer in my first year of junior high.
Rather than simply gaming, I used the computer for creation, building applications just as I had with LEGO. I wrote code in Quick Basic: a calculator, simple text adventure games. In high school, I focused on coursework but kept programming as a hobby, writing Windows Forms applications.
College Years
Computer Science at the Technological Institute of Athens was the only choice on my university application. There, I found a community of like-minded people who shared my passion. Academic theory didn't excite me, so I pursued practical applications using PHP and early Joomla instead. It took me seven years to graduate.
During my third year, I won 3rd place nationwide in a Microsoft innovation competition with a project using QR codes to incentivize recycling through loyalty rewards. This led to becoming a Microsoft Student Partner, gaining technical expertise and early access to unreleased software.
Shortly after, a professor hired me full-time to refactor a tourism accommodation application. For my thesis, I implemented a bill payment system using QR codes on Windows Mobile, an early precursor to today's instant payment services.
First Business Step
After leaving my first job, I completed my remaining thirty courses in a single year. During military service, I started my first business.
I partnered with my two friends from the Microsoft competition. Together, we built a customer and utilities management system that operated successfully for over a decade.
Struggle for Survival
Revenue from that initial venture wasn't enough to sustain a living, forcing all partners to take day jobs. I worked at a software company, gaining valuable experience while we continued pursuing our own business on the side.
Through that company, we took on an Android tablet application as external contractors. Its success brought financial relief. We rented our own office, and I could focus exclusively on our business again.
Rise & Fall
We built an entire application ecosystem for a new client, leading to company growth, new hires, and a larger office. In our fifth year, our main client, representing 80% of revenue, discontinued the partnership due to their own financial difficulties.
We had delivered two projects and were planning a third. The loss led to debts and the inevitable closure of the company.
Recovery & Maturity
I set an immediate goal: pay off my debts within one year. I joined a small Fintech startup with lower compensation but a rich culture and genuine technological passion. Within that year, I cleared my debts while gaining deep business knowledge and hands-on experience developing MVPs.
I became a key member in analyzing and designing a product that grew into a global success with hundreds of thousands of users. When unfortunate circumstances led to the startup's closure, I left on good terms and devoted time to my family.
Today
In my free time, I developed an AI-based news analysis tool, which became the foundation for my next venture. Leveraging my network from the previous startup, I received an offer to develop a new product in Fintech.
I now serve as VP of Engineering, designing a product suite for financial communities encompassing e-commerce, reward systems, and affiliate marketing. Challenges around global markets and architecture keep me engaged.
Philosophy
I consider myself a generalist, having worked through all stages of software development, from sales and support to the infrastructure that powers it. I prefer a comprehensive approach and thoughtful development over hasty code.
The failure of my company at 25 remains the greatest lesson of my career.