Igor is a Co-Founder of the Dyninno Group of companies and CEO of Entertech, a high-tech company operating in the entertainment market. It develops algorithms and provides casting professionals with the best tools in the industry for automating the talent-search process, operating KidsCasting.com and allcasting.com.
Today, products created by the team that Igor has put together helped thousands of kids and adults to get their foot in the door of the entertainment industry and achieve their dreams. His mission to create a product that empowers talents globally to achieve their dreams continues as our company mission today!
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
Every day is different for me, filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep me on my toes! It’s never boring and that’s part of what motivates me to get up and tackle the day ahead.
To kickstart my morning routine, I always begin with a freshly brewed cup of coffee – and I’m lucky enough to have my lovely wife to thank for that! It’s the perfect fuel to jumpstart my day and get focused.
Next up, I dive into my daily communication check-ins. I scour my emails, Slack messages, and Teams channels, carefully reviewing daily reports from our finance and marketing teams. It’s all in an effort to stay up to date on any pressing matters that require my attention.
But that’s just the beginning! To ensure that I’m in sync with our COO of Entertech, who’s responsible for our talent platforms KidsCasting and AllCasting running smoothly, I spend 1-2 hours with him every day. He’s my go-to for all things execution, and we need to be on the same page to make a great team.
Every day I try to get a healthy dose of learning and discovery. For 60-90 minutes I immerse myself in news and tech trends, soaking up knowledge. It’s the perfect way to stay ahead of the curve and continuously improve.
Each day, I prioritize my tasks and keep up the routine by identifying the most important tasks and tackling them first. I ensure that I’m making progress on the critical items while also taking care of the smaller tasks. Staying organized and minimizing distractions also plays a big role in my productivity – I keep my workspace tidy and clutter-free and limit any distractions.
How do you bring ideas to life?
It all starts with creating a compelling vision and setting clear goals and objectives to guide us on the journey ahead. But it’s not just about dreaming big – it’s about creating concrete plans to make those dreams a reality. And that’s where the real magic happens. By leading our team in executing those plans, we’re able to take our ideas from concept to reality.
Delegation is key to ensuring that we have the right people in the right positions to make things happen. By empowering our team to take ownership of their responsibilities, we’re able to tap into their unique skills and expertise and drive innovation and creativity forward.
Creating a culture that fosters innovation and risk-taking is also critical. We encourage our team to think outside the box and challenge the status quo, knowing that sometimes the best ideas come from taking calculated risks. By creating a safe space for creativity and innovation to thrive, we’re able to unlock the full potential of our team and bring our boldest ideas to life.
What’s one trend that excites you?
One trend that excites me a lot is the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning and the practical applications of AI in our daily lives. From healthcare to education to entertainment, AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we live, work, and play. Imagine a world where doctors can use AI to make more accurate diagnoses and treatments, or where teachers can use AI to personalize learning for each student. The possibilities are endless.
For example, AI has the potential to revolutionize the casting industry. Even though it’s still too expensive for daily business operations, it’ll change in the near future. Currently, using AI to fill casting director’s needs, such as finding someone who looks like a particular actor, is a lengthy process, but it’s still showing some success. Another exciting development in the industry is the rise of avatars, which opens up a new world of possibilities for companies, brands, and individuals alike. As technology continues to play a more significant role in the casting process, we will see more diverse stories being told on screens, new forms of entertainment, and the ability to reach even more people than ever before.
It’s truly an exciting time to be alive and witness the incredible potential of AI. As we continue to develop and refine this technology, I have no doubt that we’ll see even more groundbreaking innovations and applications in the years to come.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about communication, it’s that being simple and straightforward is always the best policy. I’m not one to beat around the bush or sugarcoat things – I prefer to cut to the chase and get right to the point. Some might call it aggressive, but I like to think of it as being efficient and productive.
Sure, there are times when a softer approach might be more appropriate. After all, everyone responds individually to different styles of communication. But in my experience, most people appreciate the clarity and directness that comes with being straightforward. It saves time, eliminates confusion, and ensures that everyone is on the same page. Effective communication is all about getting your message across in a way that resonates with your audience. And for me, that means keeping it simple, honest, and direct.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would advise myself to enjoy, cherish and appreciate every step of the journey. Running a successful company can be a long and arduous journey for any entrepreneur or business leader. It’s full of ups and downs. There will be moments of joy and moments of despair. The rewards of creating a successful business are great, but it is important to remember to enjoy the journey along the way. Taking time to appreciate the small successes can help sustain the motivation and energy needed to keep the business on track. It’s important to remember that no matter how small success is, it is still a step forward, and one that should be appreciated.
It can also provide a sense of confidence and security. Knowing that you have achieved something can help to bolster the confidence needed to take on bigger challenges. Acknowledging your successes, no matter how small, can help motivate you to continue to strive for more.
Taking the time to enjoy the journey can make the ultimate success that much sweeter.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.
I believe that most of the greatest things are very simple, and a lot of the times we struggle to find a solution because we tend to overcomplicate things. If you think about it, many of the greatest ideas and inventions in history have come from very simple concepts. Take the wheel for example – a very simple concept that changed the way we transport goods and people forever. The same can be said for many other great ideas throughout history, from the steam engine to the lightbulb.
I believe that the greatest things are indeed very simple. Some might argue that simplicity cannot solve complex problems, but I believe that simple solutions are often the most effective. In a world that values complexity and sophistication, it can be hard to convince others that simple ideas can be just as powerful. But I truly believe that simplicity is the key to unlocking some of the world’s biggest challenges.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Believe in yourself! Believing in yourself is essential in life and is key to achieving great things. It will give you the confidence and motivation to achieve your goals and realize your dreams. When you believe in yourself, you’re more likely to take risks and try new things, which can lead to greater opportunities and achievements. Believing in yourself also gives you the strength and courage to keep going and overcome any obstacles or challenges you may face.
While working in the entertainment industry, I’ve come across hundreds of success stories, where people signed up for one of Entertech’s platforms, believed in themselves, worked hard to create good portfolios, and completely changed their lives. For example, a middle-aged teacher quit his daily job to start acting and is now earning his living by doing what he truly loves, a struggling single mom started to get some extra income by starring in commercials, and the list goes on. Stories like these make my work and life more meaningful and complete – if I know our talent platforms have helped someone to get rid of their insecurities and improved their lives – that’s all that matters to me.
If you don’t believe in yourself, it’s unlikely that anyone else will. It takes courage and dedication to reach your goals, and believing in yourself is the first step. Always remember to be confident in your abilities, trust your gut, and never give up!
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
When I feel overwhelmed or unfocused, I push through. It’s like the saying “moms don’t get sick days”. I have the same mentality. I don’t have the luxury to be overwhelmed or unfocused. I am a husband, a dad, a CEO, and a leader to my company and people who work for us. I am always setting an example for someone.
I believe it comes down to discipline. To me discipline is the ability to perform at your best regardless of how you feel, or what’s going on around you. It takes discipline to push through the hard times and to stay focused on the task at hand. It takes discipline to stay on track, remain focused and stay motivated. The more disciplined you are, the better you will be able to perform and reach your goals.
Being tired, overwhelmed, and stressed out, are excuses that we make to justify our lack of performance.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
It’s a common misconception that success is achieved overnight. The truth is, success is a journey, not a destination. It’s not about winning overnight; it’s about making progress every day. That’s what I strive for and the culture I try to build in our company – making progress every day. Success is achieved by setting goals and striving to reach them, one step at a time. Success can be achieved by taking small, achievable steps and making progress every day. With dedication and perseverance, you can achieve your goals and enjoy the rewards of success.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I wish I had just one. I have many; some big, some small. Making mistakes, wrong decisions, failing is a part of the process, and you can’t be afraid of it. I think Michael Jordan said it best: “The key to success is failure. I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
You can’t be afraid to fail because failure teaches us what not to do and how to improve. Failure can help us grow and learn valuable lessons that can help us reach our goals. It can provide us with the motivation to keep going in the face of adversity. Without failure, we would never know what is possible and how to reach our full potential.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I would like to see someone develop good Auto Video Editing software. It would be designed to automate the process of editing video content. Such software would enable users to quickly and easily create professional videos WITHOUT the need for MANUAL EDITING. The software would automatically detect and select the best content from the video, trim and add transitions, apply effects, and output the video in the desired format. Additional features can be generating music or sound effects, and adding titles or captions. This type of software would be ideal for anyone who wants to create great videos without the hassle of manual editing!
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
It must be Slack. It’s a cloud-based collaboration platform, designed to simplify communication and streamline processes within your team. It offers a single, unified communication platform for real-time messaging, file sharing, and collaboration. Slack also allows users to create different channels, which can help to organize conversations and keep them focused on the task at hand. Having a centralized hub for communication, Slack simplifies our team’s collaboration and helps us stay organized and productive.
What is the best $100 you recently spent?
For March 8th (International Women’s Day) I got flowers for my wife and my three daughters. My wife deserves flowers every day and the smiles, the joy on the girls’ faces was just priceless.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?
One of my favorite books is “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni. It’s a powerful and thought-provoking book that provides a framework for understanding why teams struggle and how to improve team performance. The book provides practical advice and actionable insights on how to build trust, foster accountability, set clear expectations, build commitment, and foster collaboration. It is an invaluable resource for team leaders and team members who want to build an effective and successful team.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Time for TV and movies is pretty limited. Most of my movie watching happens on the flights between San Francisco and our international offices. I know Lufthansa and United video libraries quite well.
At home it’s usually kids’ movies or cartoons, and one that I truly enjoyed watching with my kids recently was Lion King. The movie is a classic, it has stood the test of time. In addition to being just absolutely stunning visually and musically, with plenty of action and adventure that keeps kids entertained, this movie is full of positive lessons and themes, such as friendship, courage, and the importance of family. Seeing kids process these lessons, react, discussing their emotions, helping them understand some of the lessons was a very satisfying experience!
Key learnings:
- Creating a compelling vision and setting clear goals can turn dreams into reality. With concrete plans and team empowerment, you can bring even the boldest ideas to life!
- Being simple and straightforward is the best policy when it comes to communication. It saves time, eliminates confusion, and ensures that everyone is on the same page. So cut to the chase and get right to the point!
- Embrace your individual journey and focus on personal growth. By recognizing your own strengths and weaknesses, you can work on improving yourself in a way that feels authentic and true to who you are.
- Simplicity is the key to unlocking some of the world’s biggest challenges. Don’t overcomplicate things – simple solutions can be just as powerful, if not more so, than complex ones. Embrace simplicity and watch the magic happen!
- To achieve success, stay resilient and keep pushing forward. Develop good habits, be disciplined, take responsibility for your actions, and surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you. Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and grow and maintain a growth mindset.
Steve (Stefan) Junge hails from Germany and helps with the day-to-day publishing of interviews on IdeaMensch. While he and Mario don’t share a favorite soccer club, their enthusiasm to help entrepreneurs is a shared passion.