Aleksej Gubarev is the esteemed CEO and co-owner of Servers.com (a member of the parent company XBT Holding), one of the investors of popular PRISMA application. Since 2000 Servers.com is presently engaged in various aspects of the IT business world. In our interview, Aleksej tells us how to achieve success, what new projects are on the horizon and what, for him, is the main thing in life.

Let us first talk about your career. How did you come to it and what do you do now?
By chance. We did a lot of things and, in 2005, we were not able to negotiate with the company. We, at that moment, collaborated on prices for co-location because we rented a large number of servers running other projects, so we decided to do something different and so, in 2005, our company, Webzilla, appeared. At first, we used it only for myself, then for friends, then opened the first site, DataCenter, in Amsterdam, then in Dallas. In 2012, we bought a company in Singapore and in the US and, in 2015, in Russia and our company continues to grow. Currently, we have 35,000 servers worldwide and about 300 employees in 10 offices worldwide. We serve more than 5,000 business customers. At present, the main project, which we are doing, is servers.com, plus I have a new direction in the business, already known worldwide as the Prisma application.

What brings you to Cyprus?
In 2002, I was not able to buy an apartment in Novosibirsk, I was not given a loan at 32 percent per annum in foreign currency, where my money only covered a down payment. I went to Cyprus for a vacation, but a friend just bought an apartment there and I decided to buy the same and, in 2002, I moved here.

You have a large enough staff. Do you think you are a leader? Hard?
No, I’m a fairly mild head due to the fact that I do not like conflicts in principle. I believe that a person working in the company should understand what it is that he has to do with the company. In order for an employee to be realised in our company, he needs to do more of what it takes. If we see that it really helps us, he has a chance to grow. Apart from the fact that he must do his job perfectly, he must always be ready to help. For example, in the case of Abraham, it is often the case that one has to work on weekends. I am personally very often at work on weekends.

Do you often run the risk in business? For example, investments in Prisma – it was a risky project?
Yes, quite often. You cannot make money without risk. The question is how often you get into good luck. We had stories and unsuccessful investments. I can not even say for sure that Prisma was a success story, as we have not yet sold. Yes, it is successfully growing and developing.

Do you plan to launch other applications following the recent success of Prisma?
Yes, next week we are releasing a new application also related to the photographic platform. As we know, all the emoticons are in social networks. Our idea is that everyone can create their own emoticons using personal photos. New application forms are based on your photo. This does not exist anywhere in the world and we believe that this program will grow even faster than Prisma, Prisma, although, showed a very large increase. Our score today is already 70 million users around the world for three months.

Do you have a personal recipe for success?
I can definitely say that it will not work without hard work. You can have a brilliant idea, but if you do not modify it, you have nothing. In my experience, I can say that, now, I am working even more than 5 years ago. Usually, I come and go later now, all because there are many tasks that need to be addressed. My personal opinion is that you cannot be successful without working.

What is most important for you in life?
First, this is my family and everything else will always be in second place. My wife and children; that’s what I try to spend as much time as possible on.

What is your idea of the ideal family and whether it is possible to achieve this ideal you?
I think that if I had even less work for us, it would be an ideal family. Then, there is a problem here in me.

If you had the opportunity to go back 10 years ago, what would you change in your life?
What can you change in your life? Reduce the level of stress to find a formula for success may be ideal, but if you change that, the past things may go the other way and you are bound to bump into other errors. You learn from your mistakes, starting from the moment when they happen. Even with 10 years of experience, I can say that I would still be there in spite of the errors. For example, 10 years ago, there was a shortage of working capital, but if I went back to 10 years ago, it does not mean that we would have it there. The fact is that everything comes in due time.

I cannot ask you about the interior of your office in which we are right now. It is clearly seen the hand of Feng Shui masters. Bamboo walls and dragons. This is your choice?
Yes, I brought 500 bamboo trees from Indonesia, but, to be honest, I was never interested in Feng Shui and did not read a single book on the subject. We created our office interiors from the point of view that it was a pleasure to be here, so we used light colours and carpeting. I walk around the office barefoot and not only me, but a few employees. This is comfortable, with no officialdom. The negotiating table is also brought from Indonesia — a solid piece of 300-year-old wood weighing 700 kg, which I personally chose from the island of Java.

When you invest in something with soul, it turns out. I have many projects that I really put my heart into and they were obtained and then someone tried to copy it soulless and nothing happened. So, I try to create, for the people who work with me, comfortable working conditions.

Do you often travel? Can we call Indonesia a country that inspires you the most?
I really like Indonesia. I really like the design of their homes: open space, lightness and you can gather a lot of ideas. In fact, each country is unique. In each country, you will find something of its own. In Prague, for example, there is a hotel Buddha bar, which I like to visit. In any other country, you may have a favourite restaurant that you want to return to again and again or a favourite table. You arrive at the same place to relive the same senses and emotions. I cannot say that I like any other country as a whole, as there are many things that create the total picture. For example, in Mauritius, I remember incredibly delicious bread. I remember we came for dinner specially for this bread and we drank a bottle of wine and all.

Who of the great historical figures would you like to meet in person?
No one. I do not create idols! Yes, I draw some thoughts, but to say that I would be interested in talking with someone from the past cannot be because it is a man so behind the times that his knowledge and thoughts cannot be applied in the current situation. Imagine that for the past 25 years, since the creation of the internet, the ten largest companies have changed dramatically. To date, most of the technologies associated with these top 10 companies have transformed. For 25 years, the market has changed dramatically, not only in the framework in which the world moves, but also in terms of what is valuable and what people see in the future because the valuation of the company is still its prospects. Look at Shell Oil, as an example. The technology of oil exploration and refinement is accelerating because, in 100 years, technology companies will be the future and not those that are engaged in oil and gas production.

Are you happy? What is happiness?
Happiness is when all is prepared the way you planned with minimal trouble along the way. It’s business and I like to come into my personal life (back) home from work. It makes me happy.