Emil, the Father of Future Mind’s Consulting Division!

Future Mind is the dynamic and efficient organization that you all know thanks to the many amazing individuals that make it work day in and day out. Whether you’re a potential client or a prospective staff member, you might want to get to know some of our employees – what they think about Future Mind, how they ended up here, and what they love doing in their free time.

In this interview, you get to meet Emil Waszkowski – Future Mind’s Head of Consulting, who has had a significant impact on the company’s current goals and direction.

How did you end up joining Future Mind?

I’d say it’s quite an interesting story. Back in 2016, I was working as an analyst in a corporation, and one day, I started listening to a podcast about business and technology. It was then that I first heard Tomasz Woźniak, our CEO, talk about Future Mind. Even so many years ago, he was already saying that the company was more than a regular software house and that they were combining technology with business knowledge.

I instantly thought that it sounded like the perfect place for me, with my business background and a keen interest in technology and startups. I decided to try to join Future Mind, and you could say that the rest is history. As for my recruitment process, I remember talking to Tomasz for about two hours and solving a recruitment task that verified my analytics and consulting skills. I did well, and I was in!

Emil looking dapper as usual

What was it like in the beginning, and how did you rise through the ranks?

I was living in Poznań at that time, so I started out working remotely – which definitely wasn’t a standard back in 2016. At first, I was a Business Analyst. After a few months, I moved to Warsaw and started working from the office. I became our Growth Manager, but at some point, because of my background in business and finance, I started working on client projects as well: analyzing markets and researching the digital service landscape: mobile apps, disruptive business models, loyalty programs and such.

Something I will never forget is how much trust I had in the company. I was allowed plenty of independence and numerous opportunities to shine. My first major consulting challenge was to analyze whether it made financial sense for one of Poland’s most prominent retail companies to launch a mobile application.

After just a few months in Future Mind, I got to present strategic recommendations to our client’s board of directors. It was amazing to have so much influence on both my own work and our organization, and I’m still grateful for how much trust I’ve been given since the very beginning. I think I’ve done quite well at repaying it!

Our clients were so satisfied with our services that in 2019 we created a separate structure, the Consulting Division. It encompasses growth, analytics, research, and design, and I’m proud to serve as its leader. So far, together with the team we’ve managed to increase our contribution to Future Mind’s revenue every year, and we’re not planning to stop any time soon!

Do you have any special memories from your time at Future Mind?

I have fond memories of the time I first went out for drinks with our COO, Paweł Josiek. I’d been at Future Mind for a month at that time, and he told me the company’s entire story over a bottle of whiskey!

What makes Future Mind special compared to your previous professional experiences?

It’s definitely a less corporate environment. Making decisions or discussing issues is not such a hassle at Future Mind – we trust each other and have plenty of independence. No one really tells you how exactly you should do your part, there’s no fixed procedure for every step of every action. People are allowed to make their own informed decisions–we care about the “why”, not about “how” you achieve it.

We also have really strong, transparent procedures, and I’m happy to say that I had a significant role in their design and implementation. We’re organized and great at operational control. We use modern tools and regularly revisit our methods to confirm if they’re still valid.

Have you made any friends at Future Mind?

Definitely! I’ve been here for a while, and I’ve met some amazing people. I’m especially close with my own team. We regularly hold group meetings and have lots of fun together. At Future Mind, we don’t really have those forced company-wide parties that everyone has to attend. We’re pretty much free to organize meetups if we want to–and we do!

Let’s switch over to your personal life. Do you have any hobbies?

I’ve always been into sports! As a teenager, I did lots of dancing. These days, I love riding my road bike, running, and skiing–more or less often, depending on how much time I have and the time of the year. And as for dancing, well, I don’t do it regularly anymore, but I gladly use my moves at parties!

Do you have any pets?

I really love dogs, and I’d love to get one–I used to have a malamute. We had lots of fun together! These days, I’m on my own, but I definitely plan to get another pup in the future. I haven’t decided what kind of dog it will be, though. I’m thinking about a border collie or a golden retriever.

How about traveling, do you enjoy it?

Absolutely! Italy is my favorite place on earth. One thing that matters to me is collecting experiences, not only interesting sights. I really want to attend a Grand Slam final or a Formula 1 race in Monaco. One more thing that I want to do in the near future is to drive all around Iceland. That would be collecting both views and experiences at the same time, which seems like an exciting prospect as well!

Emil out on the open sea

Do you prefer the sea or the mountains?

I definitely prefer the mountains. The sea feels boring to me, I prefer relaxing in an active form. Such as climbing mountains. I’m quite good at it, too – I beat Rysy much faster than what they say in guidebooks!

What is your favorite alcoholic beverage?

Whiskey sour!

Who would you like to talk to if you could meet anyone of your liking?

Robert Kubica–he is one of my favorite authority figures. He used his talent and hard work to reach incredible results in Formula 1, which was not that popular in Poland when he was young. I admire him a lot–especially his focus. I think a big part of what has allowed him to become so successful. He never gave up throughout it all, and he’s still such a humble person!

Get to know Emil and the rest of the Future Mind team!

We’re really happy that Emil decided to join Future Mind–it’s been great having him on board! If you have any questions or want to get to know Emil or one of his colleagues from the Consulting Division, we can put you in touch. Don’t hesitate to reach out!