Could you share about your journey before joining Likepay?
Before I joined Likepay, I worked for one of the largest retail companies in Russia, where I developed databases for supermarkets and stores. Prior to that, I was a freelancer focusing on web applications and automating advertising emails. I also helped a friend sell products online, promoting them and creating a spam bot for Messenger. However, when Messenger implemented stricter rules, the bot became unprofitable, so we discontinued it.
Following that, I started creating websites, which marked the real beginning of my career as a developer. Programming has been my hobby since I started learning coding through video games. Some games had level editors with triggers and functions to create actions within the game, which helped me understand programming. This early interest led me to study real programming and coding in high school. At school, I worked on various personal projects because I enjoyed creating programs and seeing how they worked.
So you've always been interested in programming since you were little?
When I was little, I loved playing with Legos. It's very similar to my current work in programming, which sometimes involves elements of physics. I prefer activities that provide instant feedback rather than those that take a long time to show results, like growing flowers.
I mentioned to a friend at school that I like programming and I could do some programming, so he asked me to help him create the bot. After that, I felt I could look for a real job. I then began working for the big retail company in Russia. While I was working there, Igor, the CEO of Likepay and my brother, asked me, "Do you want to start a company with me?" That's how we started working on Likepay. After we secured some investment, I left the big company and moved to Japan in 2019.
So, you came to Japan because Igor invited you to work together?
Yeah! It was a great opportunity to see a new country and try something I had never done before.
What's your favorite aspect of our company culture?
I'd say the flexible schedule and having freedom we have. I love being able to pursue my own ideas, make decisions about development, and choose which technologies to work with. At my previous job in retail, we were bogged down with outdated technology and legacy code, making progress slow and challenging. At a big company, things moved really slowly. But here at our startup, it's a whole different story. We can get things done much faster. We're able to make a lot of changes and update our processes and technologies rapidly, which is something I really like.
How do you find working in a startup compared to a big company?
Startups have their pros and cons. On the one hand, you can work on very interesting projects and, because everything moves quickly, you can try different things and learn a lot. For example, sometimes you have to skip small tests to get things operational quickly. The most important factors for startups are how fast you can build, how fast you can grow, and how quickly you can make changes.
Is there anything new you'd like to try at the company?
Right now, I'm considering building a system for online webinars for “Supasaito Academy.” I want to focus more on the marketing aspect because webinars seem very promising. People enjoy watching them, asking questions, and interacting with a real person, like our CEO, Igor, who leads the sessions. This is a new project for Likepay, and I’m excited to work on it. I always try to find the most efficient ways to use my skills when I start new projects.
How do you spend your time after work and on your days off?
I play computer games, enjoy creating trading bots, and like learning new things about programming.
What else do you enjoy learning about?
Lately, I've been fascinated by architectural concepts, like how to build and design entire systems.
What are your ideal lifestyle and career goals?
In the future, I want to find the perfect work-life balance, have additional sources of passive income separate from my main job, and travel more. I'd love to visit other countries and stay for a while—maybe 2-3 months at a time.
Anything else you'd like to add?
We'd love for you to check out our latest initiative, "Supasaito Academy." It's designed to help you master Webflow, a professional website builder, allowing you to manage your website effortlessly while maintaining high quality.
Webflow Japan Community：https://www.webflowjapan.com/
Supasaito’s social media accounts:
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