Join us as we embark on a journey through the remarkable career of Kornel Kot, an entrepreneur who has navigated various fields from sales and marketing, to business development and recruitment. In this blog, Kornel highlights the significant influence of mentorship, the importance of maintaining curiosity, and the pivotal role of community. Read on…
Can you share a bit about your background?
I have a Tech Business background – I’ve worked in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Recruitment and now, a Founder of a Recruitment & Education company. I’ve worked across AI, Gaming, Web3 and other Emerging Technologies.
Did you come up through a “traditional” techie route or has your career taken twists and turns along the way?
There were definitely some twists and turns.
Reflecting on your career, is there a specific moment that stands out as pivotal or defining?
There hasn’t been a defining moment, just childhood interest in Sci-Fi and some special place in my heart for the betterment of humanity. Optimistic for the future!
What piece of advice would you give your younger self as you embarked on your professional journey?
Start now, don’t wait till you’re ‘educated’.
Looking ahead, what’s your big prediction for the tech landscape in 2024?
Wild wild west! We’re going to see a lot of crazy and insane before it all begins to crystalize.
Considering your involvement in Silicon Brighton and community-building, what does the concept of ‘community’ mean to you personally? How important is it in the tech industry?
I worked in sectors where I had to understand both technology and humans at the same time. And trust me, they’re very different. For example, living and working at an AI company in Taiwan (Local language is Mandarin), I had to dissect the code and Chinese from the company Engineers / Developers and make their ideas easily understandable for the non-tech person who may be clueless about i.e., self-driving vehicles.
Without community, the language will be lost and available to the few who create it. And that…is dangerous.
How do you balance staying updated with the latest industry trends while ensuring continuous personal and professional growth? Any specific resources or practices you find particularly valuable?
Engagement across all spectrums. Perhaps my ADHD helps me out on this one. I jump from calls I have with clients/candidates who share their knowledge with me across all areas of Emerging Tech, to dipping into local in-person communities as well as digital ones on X, LinkedIn, Discord, Telegram etc.
A practice that I find valuable is staying inquisitive, I have genuine interest in other people and what they do. I can then pass their knowledge onto others.
As someone who has contributed significantly to the community, how do you see mentorship playing a role in the development of the next generation of tech professionals?
Mentorship is SUPER IMPORTANT! This is why a big mission of ours at W3CONN3CT is working, and collaborating with Universities across the UK.
Is there any additional wisdom, experience, or anecdotes you’d like to share with our audience?
Technology can only be as scary as the people who create and wield it. And so far I have not come across any evil masterminds who are trying to create an AI for any wrongdoing. In fact, all founders that I know have beautiful purposes to make positive change. Knowledge is power, and it’s never been easier to access education for free than it is today! Hence why we are promoting and actively educating people on how to use tech for their own good.
Anything else you would like to promote to our community?
W3CONN3CT is at it’s core a recruitment company that is aiming to redefine recruitment as a practice. We work organically with people without any bureaucracy or sleazy car salesman tactics. At the end of the day, people do business with people, not with businesses.
Not only do we connect the dots between people, we also learn to understand company needs, and through verified leading partners we also offer: Education, Investment, Software Development, Business Development, Events and a suite of additional services across Emerging Tech from companies across the Globe.
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