Sergiu Neguț, FintechOS: ”if there is no next level, a step back is the way to grow”

The documentary "Romanian Startups: Roaring Tigers of Europe", made by the start-up.ro team, spans across 33 years of history, from the first entrepreneurs in the transitional years to the initial technology company transactions that brought Romania into the international spotlight.

Romanian Startups: Roaring Tigers of Europe - The Extended Series will present the people who built the Romanian ecosystem and who discussed with the VideoCorp and start-up.ro team for this documentary. In this series you will find the extensive interviews and find out the stories of those who built entrepreneurship in Romania.

Sergiu Neguț has a career spanning three decades, one that took him in different industries, including steel, healthcare, and consulting. For our interview for the Romanian Startups: Roaring Tigers of Europe documentary, he shared insights on how his extensive experience shaped his growth mindset, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurial spirit.

”In everything that we do business-wise, career-wise, it’s so important to think in terms of growth. Okay, I have achieved this, how can I get to the next level? Sometimes, funny enough, if there is no next level, a step back is the way to grow.”, Sergiu states, highlighting the importance of continuous growth and adaptability, emphasizing that progress is often non-linear and sometimes requires strategic retreat to ultimately move forward.

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Actually, throughout the conversation, he emphasized the importance of adaptability, exploration, and understanding market dynamics, while underscoring the value of innovation in the context of entrepreneurship as well as the evolving Romanian startup ecosystem.

We’ve discussed at length with Sergiu Neguț for the Romanian Startups: Roaring Tigers of Europe documentary.

Career journey

Sergiu discusses his extensive career, expressing that though he feels the passing of time, his focus has been on building and exploring opportunities rather than simply marking milestones. His varied roles teach the vital skill of recognizing when to pivot direction—a crucial aspect for a successful career in today’s dynamic market.

Strategic mindset and growth

In the context of strategy, Sergiu asserts that the term “strategic” often signals importance rather than clarity. He believes businesses should prioritize concrete opportunities and maintain a growth-oriented mindset. His teaching role in MBA programs reinforces his commitment to fostering strategic thinking among future leaders.

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“Entrepreneurs inherently have to be optimistic. They have to trust their capacity to build something that at the beginning is definitely not as good as it should be, live with it, improve it, grow it further, sell it—even if it’s inferior at first”, Sergiu said, capturing the essence of entrepreneurial spirit: resilience, optimism, and iterative improvement despite early imperfections or setbacks.

Learning path

Starting as a programmer, Sergiu perceived programming as a self-sufficient career choice, emphasizing its clarity and direct outcomes. However, he soon recognized the necessity of merging technical knowledge with business acumen to navigate economic disparities. Pursuing further education in economics opened up new avenues that bridged his interests in technology and business.

Entrepreneurial spirit

Sergio correlates the roles of sales and entrepreneurship, asserting that both require a relentless pursuit of growth and engagement with potential opportunities. He reflects on his experiences of failure and success, emphasizing the resilience and optimism required for entrepreneurship, likening it to the attributes of salesmanship.

“Strategy is just something that signals importance, signals long-term commitment, risk, all that—but you’re better served if you simply look into the concrete things that are possible and then look with a growth mindset on how to get there”, Sergiu stated in our interview, debunking strategy as an abstract concept, stressing practical action combined with a mindset focused on growth rather than just theoretical planning.

Cultural perspective on entrepreneurship in Romania

Sergiu highlights an encouraging shift in Romanian society regarding entrepreneurship. Earlier associated with dubious practices, it has now evolved into a celebrated career path recognized for innovation and value creation. The landscape is further enriched by technology startups flourishing against the backdrop of a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Looking ahead, Sergiu addresses the future of the Romanian startup ecosystem. He notes the importance of harnessing technology and establishing connections within the global market to foster growth. He predicts that with continued support for innovation and entrepreneurship, Romania could establish itself as a significant contributor to the European economy, overcoming historical limitations through focus and investment in its strengths.

Roaring Tigers of Europe is a production by start-up.ro and Videocorp, part of the Romanian publishing company InternetCorp, active for almost 20 years on the market. The documentary was made with the support of partners BCR, Orange, and 2Performant. Community partners included Guran Consulting Global, How to Web, Launch, Impact Hub Bucharest, Flaviu Simihaian, Rubik Hub, SoftServe, and the Romanian-American University.

Watch the full documentary in the video below: