Anton Vasilenko of True Gamers: Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO

An Interview With Doug Noll

Building a business without corporate experience is challenging. You need a team with diverse skills and experiences. While it’s essential to align everyone’s thinking, hiring management solely from the corporate sector can be problematic. They may struggle with building complex, large-scale projects. It’s beneficial to have team members with corporate experience for effective execution.

As a part of our series called ‘Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO’ we had the pleasure of interviewing Anton Vasilenko.

Anton Vasilenko, co-founder and CEO of the international network of cybersport centers True Gamers, led the company to raise $13.5M for development in the MENA region. They opened four out of the planned nine clubs in Dubai. And in April 2023, True Gamers introduced robot dogs to serve clients in their cybersport centers.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I’m thrilled to be here! My entrepreneurial journey began with my father, whom I admired as a role model. He has a tourism business in Turkey, and I was always eager to learn from him. However, my involvement in the gaming industry started much earlier, in my childhood. I especially enjoyed team games with my friends during my school years.

My first business venture was related to the game Lineage: my team and I assembled a server from a computer, an IKEA closet, and some fans to host the game for other players. This business operated when I was in the 10th grade, and I was earning $100 a day. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long due to my lack of knowledge in cybersecurity. When our “small business” began to compete with others who were more tech-savvy, they started to crash our servers.

Despite this setback, I continued playing computer games. Eventually, I noticed the emerging trend of gaming centers and eSports, and I quickly joined the scene.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Certainly! One of the most exciting and significant experiences I’ve had since leading True Gamers is raising $13.5M to develop our cybersport clubs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This investment came from our initial business partners, who believed in our vision and saw the potential for cybersports in the region. Their support allowed us to relocate to the UAE, conduct market research, gain insights on attracting investors effectively, and close investment rounds quickly, leading to accelerating growth.

It is essential to start small and work your way up, not the other way around. For example, it is more practical to launch independent ventures than to create a large parent company and then add smaller entities to it. By starting with independent ventures, you can invest quickly and enter the company — precisely what we did. Through our marketing strategy, we contacted the business investors, gathered feedback, and initiated negotiations. Interestingly, potential investors evaluated everything, from our team dynamics to the nature of our business, before deciding to invest in our infrastructure.

Our company did not undergo additional inspections because it did not yet exist in the market; there were only independent branches. After a while, we consolidated these shares into one parent company, specifically for interested stakeholders.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Well, a funny thing happened when we had this idea about robot dogs. We were in the Customer Development phase, discussing the concept with developers in Dubai, eager to arrange a meeting and potential partnership, even though we did not have a clear prototype or concrete plan to make it happen.

When the meeting was scheduled, we had to race against the clock to make our idea a reality. Fortunately, through our relentless efforts, we arrived at the meeting with a working prototype of the robot dog.

So, the critical lesson here is that while it is essential to be prepared, it is also okay to improvise. If you are passionate about your idea and willing to work hard, you can make anything happen, even robot dogs that you can find in our eSport clubs around Dubai.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

From a personal standpoint, I do not have a specific story or individual to share. But I am grateful for all the people I do business with. They add value through their competence, support, and even disagreements, and these interactions left a lasting mark on me. In a nutshell, I am always open to new experiences and grateful to everyone involved — our stakeholders, investors, and team.

Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader?

Of course! One of the most challenging decisions I have made as a leader was maintaining our leadership position in Eastern Europe while having the courage to expand internationally. I knew that both options had their risks and rewards, but I ultimately decided that expanding globally was the best way to ensure our long-term success.

This decision brought about a higher level of responsibility, as we had to invest millions of dollars in our operations abroad continuously. We also faced the challenges of negotiating agreements and adjusting to the different business cultures and negotiation styles in the region. In other words, we had to quickly adapt to the cultural nuances of doing business in the UAE while maintaining our commitment to our existing customers in Eastern Europe.

Despite the challenges, we have already made significant progress in the UAE, and we are well-positioned to continue growing our business in other international markets.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words, can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

Thank you for this question. Regarding True Gamers, executives are expected to exhibit high competency in management, perform the tasks of an average manager, and understand the specifics of the product.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive? Can you explain what you mean?

One of the most common misconceptions about the role of a CEO or executive at True Gamers is that it is a traditional C-Level management position. In reality, our executives are part of a small team responsible for building everything from scratch. This requires a unique skill set and mindset not found in most corporate managers.

In particular, traditional corporate managers often focus on managing departments, following regulations, and staying within a budget. While these are essential skills, they are not the most crucial for True Gamers executives, who need to think outside the box, be comfortable with uncertainty, and be willing to get their hands dirty. They also need to handle personal management and a small volume of hands-on work on the ventures, which we usually discuss during the hiring process.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

Great question! At twenty, I pictured myself like the Wolf from Wall Street: a suited-up individual working in a skyscraper, attending business meetings, analyzing dashboards, and making critical decisions. However, reality played out differently.

I’m now the CEO of True Gamers, and my job is unlike anything I imagined. I wear shorts and slippers to work every day, and I have a villa with a swimming pool. Instead of focusing solely on dashboards and reports, I spend my days relocating countries, traveling for business, and managing challenges. I personally develop solutions, care for each member of top management, and strive to prove to my team and the world that our business is the future.

Today, I cannot envision myself working in a suit. Indeed, sometimes I would like to sit back, enjoy a coffee, and delegate tasks. Still, I find it rewarding to be directly involved in the business, managing crises, seeing first results, and energetically engaging with employees.

Do you think everyone is cut out to be an executive? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive, and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

For a company like True Gamers, the most effective executive is someone with hands-on experience in the industry and the ability to build a business from the ground up. In a startup company where departments do not exist and how things should operate must be established, prior experience is a must, as it gives executives the knowledge and skills they need to make sound decisions. So, the executive needs to understand the challenges and opportunities that the company faces and be comfortable with taking risks and venturing into the unknown.

What advice would you give to other business leaders to help create a fantastic work culture? Can you share a story or an example?

At True Gamers, employee interest in our product and understanding our business specifics is essential for building a great company culture. We hire people who are passionate about gaming, and that is why we always ask these three questions in every interview: Are you playing? What are you playing? What rating do you have in this game? For instance, a rating of 3500 in Dota is very impressive, showing that a person spends their spare time with the game.

One of our administrators at ICP wants to become a technical specialist in tournaments. He left his job as a software engineer at an international company to work in the gaming industry with us despite taking a pay cut. He’s spent ten years playing Counter-Strike and is one of the top players. He also streams on Twitch throughout the day and has a clear understanding of how a tournament should visually look.

His decision to dedicate his life to this field and his high level of competence from the start have been beneficial, and our role here is to share our experience and help him develop his technical skills.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

We are making a real difference in the world by creating new opportunities in the gaming industry. For example, we were the first to develop mobile interiors that can be installed anywhere, making it possible for people to play games in new and exciting places. Additionally, in Dubai, we launched the first robot dogs capable of navigating large spaces and monitoring the availability of goods, which is helping businesses to operate more efficiently and effectively.

Fantastic. Here is the primary question of our interview. What are your “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

From my experience, here are the five things I wish someone had told me before I became a CEO:

1. Building a business without corporate experience is challenging. You need a team with diverse skills and experiences. While it’s essential to align everyone’s thinking, hiring management solely from the corporate sector can be problematic. They may struggle with building complex, large-scale projects. It’s beneficial to have team members with corporate experience for effective execution.
2. An efficient CEO isn’t someone who simply delegates from a comfortable office. Instead, they should fully engage in the project, working on the ground like any other manager. This hands-on approach allows them to manage the company better and make strategic decisions. I’ve learned that the best way to manage a company is to be in the trenches with my team. I spend my days working alongside my employees, solving problems, and providing guidance. This allows me to stay close to the business and make informed decisions.
3. A CEO’s primary role involves starting from scratch. Top managers are accustomed to working with pre-existing strategies, budgets, and tools. However, a CEO should lead the company by defining task parameters and setting the direction for themselves and their team.
4. As a CEO, it’s crucial to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in decision-making. For instance, our team spans from Eastern Europe to the UAE, which requires us to adapt our business to different time zones, cultural nuances, and potential communication misunderstandings. Executives need to recognize these factors and adjust business processes accordingly.
5. Being a CEO requires taking responsibility for decisions, regardless of the outcome. I’ve learned that it’s essential to weigh the risks and benefits carefully before deciding. This responsibility is evident when signing long-term contracts with partners or investors. While it can be intimidating, the potential rewards are worth the risk.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

At True Gamers, we are working on a movement to develop robot dogs to assist employees with limited abilities, easing their workflow. This technology has the potential to improve the lives of millions of people around the world.

We are investing heavily in this technology and related research, and we are committed to making it a reality. Robot dogs can help people with limited abilities to live more independent and fulfilling lives.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Of course! My favorite quote is from Pirates of the Caribbean: “Part of the ship, part of the crew.” I often say this to my team. This quote highlights the importance of teamwork in business, where everyone is not just an employee but a crucial part of a larger team working towards a common goal. From the manager to the CEO, everyone’s work significantly impacts the overall success, growth, and development of the business.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

That’s a fascinating question! I would love to have a chat with Richard Branson. He is a significant figure who has had an impressive and intriguing journey. In my eyes, he’s a business superstar. I would relish the opportunity to converse with him, learn from his experiences, and receive advice that could benefit True Gamers.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

About the Interviewer: Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA was born nearly blind, crippled with club feet, partially deaf, and left-handed. He overcame all of these obstacles to become a successful civil trial lawyer. In 2000, he abandoned his law practice to become a peacemaker. His calling is to serve humanity, and he executes his calling at many levels. He is an award-winning author, teacher, and trainer. He is a highly experienced mediator. Doug’s work carries him from international work to helping people resolve deep interpersonal and ideological conflicts. Doug teaches his innovative de-escalation skill that calms any angry person in 90 seconds or less. With Laurel Kaufer, Doug founded Prison of Peace in 2009. The Prison of Peace project trains life and long terms incarcerated people to be powerful peacemakers and mediators. He has been deeply moved by inmates who have learned and applied deep, empathic listening skills, leadership skills, and problem-solving skills to reduce violence in their prison communities. Their dedication to learning, improving, and serving their communities motivates him to expand the principles of Prison of Peace so that every human wanting to learn the skills of peace may do so. Doug’s awards include California Lawyer Magazine Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year, Purpose Prize Fellow, International Academy of Mediators Syd Leezak Award of Excellence, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals Neutral of the Year. His four books have won a number of awards and commendations. Doug’s podcast, Listen With Leaders, is now accepting guests. Click on this link to learn more and apply.