Martin Januš A Visionary with a Drive Towards Victory

Did you start in a garage like
most start-up companies?

Yes, in 1992 the garage was there. Everything was born gradually, I mean switching to software. We started selling small, multifunction printers and wanted to offer our clients something extra. At that time, all available systems on the market were expensive and inflexible, mostly designed only for large companies. We wanted to satisfy everyone, from the smallest companies to medium-sized companies to giants with tens of thousands of employees. We succeeded with MyQ.

Did you expect MyQ to become such
a big company with a global reach?

I certainly didn't count on that. MyQ software was developed primarily for the needs of the Czech market. But demand started to come from abroad and we had to react quickly because we were growing fast. Today our systems are implemented in more than 80 countries and we have received positive feedback, which pleases me.

Everyone in the company calls you visionaries.
When did your property fully awake?

I have never grown a vision of myself, but I have always sensitively understood what needs to be done. More or less everything is based on the fact that I was able to empathize with the needs of the client and tried to do everything better, more intelligently. My mission has always been linked to automation. As a programmer and a typical lazy IT guy, I was always motivated because I didn't want to do administrative or boring tasks. We strive to focus on things that can be automated and can bring people more time and easier lives.

Besides your family and ice hockey, what else fills
your free time? And why hockey over other sports?

Well, I was always absolutely filled with work. I also filled my free time with work; everything was connected. Previously it was just about work, the family was next, as well as some hobbies. Now I try to separate work and leisure more. I got into hockey through my son when he started to train seriously in the club. I always enjoyed skating, so my boys and I put together the MyQ team. Hockey is an ideal tool to relax from work and stress, a super sport to unite the team. We really enjoy it.

You drive a Tesla on a purely electric drive. Is this the
reason for your environmental view, or rather an
admiration for technological innovations?

In truth, when my car was stolen, this was the only choice. At that time, all German cars were without proper engines because of the madness that had unleashed around emissions. I watched electric-powered cars for a long time, and after the theft, I took a Tesla SUV for a test drive. After two weeks, I found it to be the right solution. I was a little worried that it would limit me to a lower range compared to internal combustion engines, but I risked it and after a year I would not go back. With Tesla it is another kind of experience that standard cars cannot offer. It is such an IT toy, the right playful car, in which everybody will find new dimensions. I usually drive around the city and don't drive more than 200 km a day, the benefits are great. When you’re driving long distance, however, you need to stop after three hours of driving.