YouTube is great, but its name only appears once in this interview. You just read it. You can watch Petya Altova or subscribe to him as " Expl0iteda " or "Expla" for short at any time. However, we wanted to look into the world of his ideas, business projects and mature thinking of a man who, despite his young fame, has maintained a solid footing, self -awareness and humility in both the digital and physical worlds.
Everyone knows where you're from, but do you have other projects in the physical world?
Yes. I published a collection of poems , then I had a clothing brand and I still have one clothing brand , and now I opened a Wafland waffle shop in Aupark. I'm currently preparing it for franchising.
How did you get into the catering business in the first place? Was it a coincidence or had you had it in your head for a long time?
In my case, it's probably a combination of both. On the one hand, I had several very successful collaborations in a similar segment, for example with Bubbleology , but unfortunately all of those collaborations ended. So I said to myself that I wanted something of my own. I wanted it to be playful, colorful, crazy. And a friend came along and said he wanted to make waffles. So we developed this idea and came up with the whole concept together. Together, we looked for how to do it as creatively as possible.
In the media world, people are starting to be more selective about what they watch and what they watch. How does your generation feel about this? Do you watch TV at all?
I don't even have a TV. My peers and younger people, those around 15 years old, live only on the Internet. And for me, it's the first choice. It's a free medium. Yes, there's a lot of crap there, but also a lot of useful and valuable things. A person who is interested can choose what they want there.
So what do you read? Do you read poetry, for example, since you also write it?
I read poetry mainly when I was into it. But I still get into it sometimes. At the moment I mainly read psychological literature, I'm interested in how interpersonal relationships work, for example. I'm trying to improve my work with people, because I had a very hard time managing employees when I had no knowledge about it. As for fiction, I read it occasionally. I enjoy authors like Baudelaire and Bukowski , who are a bit pessimistic.
Is there anything else you like to do in your free time?
I'm currently into Dungeons & Dragons . We recently had our second session, 2 sessions of 10 hours each, and I can't wait for the next one. What I enjoy most about it is that it's not an online game, but we get together with a bunch of friends over a beer, and it's also fantasy-based.
When you travel, where and why?
I enjoy nature the most. I don't really care where it is. But I don't really enjoy big cities. The last time I was in Norway , I was completely captivated by how it looks there. Before that, I was in Oman again.
Do you also buy Slovak street brandies?
I always choose clothes based on whether I like them and whether they interest me. So if I like clothes from a foreign brand more, I'll buy them, even if I don't support local brands. But if I like a piece from a Slovak brand, I'll buy it too.
Not just you, believe me! But let's get back to business. If you were faced with the decision of whether to start it again, would you do it a second time?
Sure, it's the best thing that can be. Of course, it's hard, you have to take a little risk and sacrifice time, money and nerves, but when it works out, it's worth it. You don't need special skills or information to start a business in any industry.
No one in the family had experience in the catering business?
It didn't. I was a bit naive in thinking it would be easy. And I found out that it was much harder than I could have imagined. For example, in the beginning, we spent a lot of money unnecessarily because of our mistakes. We had to learn from many things and do them differently. We originally imagined them too simply. But we always improved things and we are still working. And it is a completely different Wafland than it was 4 months ago when we opened. It is much better and more professional and I don't have to be ashamed to take anyone there. Which I am very happy about. And people like waffles, which is great! At Wafland, I come up with promotions, create special waffles, and take care of the employees.
I enjoy doing something completely different, but still creative.One inevitably encounters bureaucracy when doing business. Has this happened to you too? I absolutely hate bureaucracy. Despite the fact that I try to keep my invoices and other documents in order and I also have a good accountant, it is terribly stressful for me. Dealing with everything with another person, processing, going around tax offices, tax returns, VAT. It is probably too adult for me (laughs). Fortunately, I have smart people around me who I can call and consult with at any time.
Now that the municipal elections are just around the corner and new blood has entered several public positions, are you starting to wonder if these things couldn't be managed better?
I'm definitely thinking about it. Slovakia is behind in many things, I see it especially when traveling. When it comes to politics, I'm a little disappointed with people who have power. They use it badly. If they have the opportunity to change something, they try to change it only for themselves. I've been very naive about this a few times, which is why I'm so skeptical of people who try to do things mainly for themselves. It's hard for such a person to gain my trust. So I'm glad that the thinking of the older generation is being broken down a bit and younger people are coming to the fore. I hope it will be good and that in reality they have as pure intentions as they present.
I always try to verify all important information from multiple sources.
Since there is a huge amount of information, we have to make a selection to avoid, for example, various hoaxes or untruths. How do you make a selection?
It is very easy for misleading information to spread on the Internet. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to relevant sources and draw information from there. Often, it is enough to check the author and who he is writing for, or whether it is an anonymous article. It can be found relatively easily. A colleague and I even ran a campaign that concerned fake news .
There has been a huge qualitative shift in video content. It's no longer about filming yourself doing something. Consumers want it to have a concept and be more professional?
I don't think it's based solely on that. It's certainly moving qualitatively, but the person's personality is still the most important thing. The video doesn't have to be special or professional. It's often just about the person being liked by people and then letting them film almost anything, even their breakfast, people will watch it just because of them. The second thing is that the internet is currently incredibly flooded with content, more and more people are creating and adding videos. The consumer then has to choose who to watch because they only have limited time.
You are also now doing better things or focusing on specific topics that you didn't before. Will this come with age?
I wish I could. Many people still haven't gotten it (laughs). It's a big responsibility for me, since many people follow me and I know that I can influence them with my opinions. I try to only put out things that I'm really happy with. So that it's high-quality, interesting, and contains relevant information. I would have trouble looking in the mirror in the morning if I did things with the intention of pleasing the viewer, and not myself. However, many people still don't do it that way, we'll see how long it lasts for them. Personally, I'm not completely happy with what's being created here. There are a few people who take it responsibly. However, the vast majority still see it as a way to easily make money.
The money is probably tied to commercial collaborations.
Yes, many colleagues will take on a collaboration that is not good just for the money. It would be better to save face and say, okay, I will create such content and I will not promote such things. But many people still do not understand or do not want to understand. I personally find it sad that some influencers, and I do not mean only people from the world of social media, but also singers, actors or other celebrities, often do not realize that they really influence people, as the very meaning of the word suggests. It is not good when an influencer influences people only to buy a brand.
In my opinion, it is the duty of influencers to convey values or point out various important topics, social or political. It is not just entertainment and fun.
What type of content do you watch?
Because I make videos, I don't really want to turn on the same channel in my free time. And I don't even have a TV, which I already mentioned. Overall, I spend so much time on the computer and mobile phone that I'm really fed up with it and would rather read a book or do some sports. I follow some people on social networks, but I don't really have time for video content anymore. So when I watch foreign creations by PewDiePie - or others who are proven and I like them as personalities.
Do you do any specific sport?
I train with a coach 5 times a week and play football 1-2 times a week. And in the evening I try to read something that interests me for at least an hour, turn off my phone, which I look at all day, and get some sleep.
Do you also read any professional or motivational books?
I hate motivational literature. I'm completely against it. For me, it's simple and clear things that would be part of common sense.
Let's get back to collaborations. You consider every offer like this. However, many influencers don't realize that if they take every collaboration, they are hurting themselves.
That's true. Although, let's be honest, on the Internet, most of these things are forgotten within two weeks. I see it myself with people who do it. And even if it's a complete failure, people laugh about it for two weeks and then no one even remembers that someone did something like that. On the other hand, I myself would know that I did something like that. It may be an interesting price offer, but if I don't identify with the product or campaign itself, I won't go for it.
I care a lot about how I look in other people's eyes, and especially in my own.
You think about what messages you are putting out. There is a lot of talk about the environment, ecology, sustainability at the moment. What is your relationship to that and how do people from your generation view it?
It's hard to say, it's individual. I have a lot of friends my age who don't deal with it. However, I think about it a lot and try to behave ecologically. I sort my waste and try to take a backpack instead of buying a plastic bag in the store. These are small things, but if many of us do it, maybe it won't change radically, but it can improve.
So, do you practice conscious consumer and civic behavior?
When you come into a store with your own bag, you're suddenly a dude. And I think that's great and it should be considered cool because it helps. But I also deal with other things. For example, I really don't like circuses, so I was quite involved in that too. I consider myself a pretty open person, I don't like extremist views in the government either, I support LGBTI marches. I speak out about it and try to get involved in it. And, yes, I also go and vote.
I love that it's cool to be eco-friendly now.
What are your plans for the future?
Next year we would like to open new Wafland locations in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In addition, I would like people to see me as someone who operates on multiple platforms, not just one.
But I think they're taking you for granted.
People perceive it that way, but I would like to be perceived that way more (laughs). I would like to develop from something fleeting, which is working on the internet, to someone who is more involved in other areas.
I enjoy exploring nature and the landscape. Seeing completely different ecosystems than we have in Slovakia – seas, forests, bays and animals, I am completely blown away by it.When I was in Norway more than 20 years ago, I was very surprised that Norwegians didn't lock their houses at all. Is it still like that there now? When I was there, we found a Ferrari with the key in the ignition. So you could open the door, start it and drive away with it. But no one would have thought of that there, and that's the amazing thing about that country. Do you prefer to travel on your own or with a guide? How when and how where. Some places are better to go with a guide, some places are nice to go by car with a friend. It depends on where we are and how much time we have, what we want to see and whether we can find our way around on our own.
How does your family perceive your career and now your business?
It seemed strange to us. Being from Prievidza, a small town, it was strange at first. But now my parents fully support me and understand, which is great. I was with my father recently and when I told him what things we were dealing with in the business, he was surprised at how serious decisions they were. I also involved my sister in my business. She is smart. I can see that she has changed and thinks differently. It has opened up completely different opportunities for her than she had in Prievidza.
What is your relationship with clothing? Do you prefer streetwear or elegant clothes?
Most of the time I wear sweatpants and streetwear brands. I love big hoodies! But I appreciate the events I can wear to even more. It's really nice for me when I can look at myself and say that I look like a man (laughs). That's why I started working with Alain Delon, I'm a big fan of your suits. And I like how you communicate on social media. It was an honor for me to take pictures for you. And my fans liked it too.
Do you prefer shopping in brick-and-mortar stores or are you more into online shopping?
I actually hate neither (laughs). When shopping online, I tell myself that I can't buy this, because when it arrives, it will be too small or too big for me. And I don't want to wait, I like everything right away. Well, it doesn't have to be right away, even within two days is enough (laughs). But if I have to wait 2 weeks for clothes, I get nervous. And what about shopping in brick-and-mortar stores? I'm put off by the constant changing and going from store to store. I'm complicated about this.
At the beginning of a business, all a person needs is passion and enthusiasm, and they can learn everything else very quickly.Because you can find everything on the internet. You just need to have the desire to search for information. As long as the enthusiasm doesn't leave him, he has a great chance of succeeding.
According to OECD statistics, the willingness of young people to start a business has been declining for a long time, because businesses rarely succeed the first time.
I don't blame them, because it's really difficult. For many people, a sense of security and safety is enough, that they have to go somewhere and spend a certain amount of time there, but then they have time off and receive a certain amount of money in their account every month. What is an average life? But if a person has a good job and has their hobbies, I understand that they don't want to change that. But it's not for me. I enjoy being the master of my own time. And that's possible thanks to entrepreneurship.
Organizing my day the way I want is also the biggest motivation for young people to invent, create, and try to start a business.
