7 Questions with Peter Bankov, 15toGO’s Early Investor & Contributor
Peter is one of 15toGO’s early supporters and investors. His exceptional skills & expertise, proven record in developing strategic vision and securing growth has helped to successfully lead the operations of companies such as Experian, Unify, Atos, Microsoft, etc.
Check his LinkedIn profile
1. What is your background and why did you join 15toGO?
I have more than 23 years of professional experience in IT global companies, driving Service Delivery on various leadership positions. I am a not only a witness of how technology is changing the world but also I was part of this transformation together with my teams. The entrepreneurial spirit is something that helps me in business and I am following the trends constantly.
As to why I joined the 15toGO team — I am traveling a lot and this is my way to relax and recharge my batteries, the last 5 years my choice of vacation is sailing boats. I became a skipper, but gathering a crew to sail together appears to be a challenge. Choosing a destination is easy, lately sailing is a trend — so we easily have the needed amount of people, however matching the interests of the crew is something that we cannot predict and different expectations are leading to disappointments.
We have leisure sailors, expecting to spend the day on the beach, to stop by in harbours, visit Greek tavernas and basically use the boat as a ferry. We have also old-school experienced sailors, expecting to learn new tricks with the sails, be in the open sea all day and use the wind on every occasion: mooring, cooking on board and being away from crowded places. Those two groups should never be mixed unless you want to see both parties disappointed: we did it so many times…
Last year I met Peter Lozanov at a company event, we had a discussion around that topic and he described exactly the same issue that 15toGO was trying to deal with. That is how I decided to join the team and support the idea of changing the world of the group traveling.
2. What is your role in 15toGO team?
I am proud to say that I am among the project’s first investors. Not only the idea, but also the spectacular team behind it convinced me to back it up — not only financially, but also through my expertise.
My main role is to help in the development of the ecosystem and to make sure that operations are running smoothly. Being a part of a great team, surrounded with goodness is really exciting for me, our meetings are really meaningful and productive — each person behind the scenes has a crucial role and shares the same vision — together we will turn it to reality. It is really impressive how the different skill sets and the diversity of talents are able to work together in tandem.
3. What gets you most excited about the project?
What excites me most is the idea to travel the world, the ability to share the adventure and the opportunity to ignite other people to experience the same. Being part of the creation of a product that you feel a love for and heartedly believe in is a gift — and when you share it with collaborators, it multiplies! I hope that in the not-so-distant future the 15toGO community will be united by the same understanding that to book an experience is much more rewarding than to simply book a trip.
4. Where do you see the project in the next few years?
The travel tech space is rapidly evolving. 15toGO will be a game changer for the traveling industry, disrupting all big players on the market because we are offering a solution: to experience the traveling in a company completely matching your travel style. This inverse user experience will make us stand out in the crowd for sure.
5. Which do you think are the main challenges that the project and the team will face?
Every newfound project faces obstacles during its path, this is inevitable. One of the differences between the successful ones and the failures is the teams’ mental state. We will foster a startup culture that’s inclusive, efficient, and valuable for everyone by overcoming the main challenges: unknown environment, limited resources, lack of clear focus and targeting. This is the way we will go together to define our ideal travel profiles, and target them relentlessly.
6. How would you describe the atmosphere around 15toGO?
A typical creative atmosphere of a startup project. A million different thoughts fly through our minds on a daily basis, our goal is to organise and turn them into efficient solutions by setting clear goals and tight deadlines because in the cryptocurrency world changes are happening in hours, not in years or decades. Despite this hectic schedule, the work environment is extremely friendly and inspirational, which is a rare sight in this industry.
7. Tell us one interesting thing about yourself?
I am an extreme adventurer and I am constantly looking for adrenaline rushes: extreme skiing and skating were at the beginning, recently I added to the list motorcycling, sailing and … I can fly…a plane for now.
The 15toGO app is now downloadable both for iOS and Android: https://15togo.page.link/medium
