Stan Zhekov

Stan is the founder and CEO of Reverd.com.

He believes that there is always a solution. It just has to be found it and make it work.
He values professionalism, dedication, persistence, creativity, perfection and achievements.
His moto is: “Do it better than the best”. he loves working with top of the line products and services.
The humans are gifted with creativity and imagination that should be used to sustain Earth and quality of life.
He created reverd.com and The First Global Anti-Scam System to automatically eliminate scam calls for the good of the humanity. When he started back in 2011 many developers across the globe told him that it is impossible to block calls on iOS devices. He not only did it, but also filed a patent for the unique method used in the Reverd system. The system is supported by crowd reporting. Users around the world report scam calls directly from their phone the moment it happens. Thus, everyone protects everybody.

He thinks differently. He doesn’t follow the main stream. He does things his way, the way they should be.
One of his favourite quotes is: “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ― by Dale Carnegie.

Where did the idea for Reverd.com come from?

The idea for the app sparked back in 2015 after scammers hit my phone. I believe that the phone has been invented to connect people with family, friends and business partners, not to harass people. There should be a way to eliminate scam calls.
At that time, I couldn’t find a decent call blocking app that performs even close to how I imagined it should work: intelligent, efficient and intuitive without the user’s input. I had no experience with app development. A friend of mine encouraged me to try saying that it can be done. Then I found a few articles online on how to make apps, explaining how easy it is to create an app in just a week… It is naive to believe these stories, but they triggered my decision subconsciously. I decided to try because of the scale, the severity and the impact of the problem. I was unaware of the complexity and challenges I’d be facing down the road. But hey, if no one had done it yet it was an opportunity.
The idea was already validated by hundreds of apps claiming to do similar things. This was a strong proof of the market. People wanted better protection though, therefore my approach was different. I came up with a unique solution providing exactly what the users want: total silence without interruptions. In a nutshell:
1. Reverd.com is more than an app; it is a Global system.
2. No Red and Green buttons to touch, so there are no interruptions.
3. No decisions to make whether to accept the call or not – you can stay focused on what you’re doing.
4. Works everywhere regardless of geographic location, government or service provider.
5. Once installed no Internet access is required for the app to function.
6. The small file size saves resources and battery life.
7. Minimal input from the user. Get it and forget it kind of app.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

My typical day is well organized: I check the website to see how many scam complaints are posted and make sure they are reviewed and approved first thing in the morning. The second order of business is to check the state of finances, then I go through the list of tasks created last night. At the end of the day I check site performance, statistics, tweets, and create a list of tasks for the next day. To stay productive, I assign a timeframe for each task and keep a close eye on the schedule.

How do you bring ideas to life?

With hard work, passion, persistence and attention to detail plus lots of coordination and testing. The time zone difference is a challenge since our developers are located on 5 different continents.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The access to information through Internet and the speed of communication. Nowadays it is easy to learn new things and educate yourself.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

The habit to prioritize and monitor tasks at hand closely while keeping focused on the major milestones. A clear vision, orderly process and details are important. One wrong step can bring you back in time. I like the Steve Jobs’ quote “What should I do if this is my last day?”. It helps to get important things done.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Listen to what others say and learn but not necessarily follow them. Rather try to hear your inner voice and follow it. It will always push you in the right direction. Remember failure is not defeat. Don’t feel sorry, don’t feel scared. Get up quickly, look forward and find a way to keep going.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Almost nobody agrees that I’m on the right track. Usually time proves that I am. And that is normal. I think differently and see things differently. Sometimes I tend to believe that if something is clear to me it should be obvious to others too, but it’s not.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Start over and over again. Every time you start anew is different; times are different, your experience is different, your vision is different. Your chances to succeed are better and higher. I think entrepreneurs should do one thing over and over: “Get your ducks in a row”.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Make the product available for a broad audience, keep the price affordable, have people involved. Listen to your customers, improve and listen again. Support your users in every possible way.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

To be honest I had many failures. For example, I failed to diversify with my first company and I had to close it. It was hard and painful to look my employees in the eye and to tell them the truth. We created the company with love and enthusiasm. I did what I had to do, but I still feel the pain in my heart. Some failures are hard to overcome and leave deep scars, but they make you stronger.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

One great idea would be to eliminate money as we know it. Thus, unleashing creativity, removing barriers, middlemen and greed. This will be a giant step forward for humanity.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I needed a reliable laptop and I refurbished one for less that $100. The value of the configuration now is actually thousands of dollars. I find great satisfaction in creating value following creative solutions combined with an economically and financially conscious approach and implementation. Good useful things are not necessarily expensive or complicated. It is not about savings. It is about the empowering research, the satisfaction to create and the joy of discovering the intersection point of price and value; both quite different from the market.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

That would be my database of credentials for different websites. There are hundreds of records and I don’t think it is possible for a human being to remember them. I use it constantly.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

The one book everyone should read is “Traction” by Gabriel Weinberg & Justin Mares. Why – because without customers and without traction it’s a hobby, not a business. Investors want to see traction in order to connect with you.

What is your favorite quote?

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ― by Dale Carnegie.

Key Learnings:

• There is always a solution – find it and make it work for the good of humanity.
• If nobody has done it yet it doesn’t mean it is not doable.
• Failure is not defeat; it is a lesson. Lean it, get back on your feet and keep going.