Our vice-president Jakub Osvald had the chance to take care of Guy Kawasaki, one of the speakers at TechMatch Slovakia 2015. TechMatch brought the atmosphere of Sillicon Valley to Slovakia and we are happy to share the interview with you!

Who is Guy Kawasaki?

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, an online graphic design tool. He is on the board of trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation, a brand ambassador for Mercedes Benz USA, and an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley). He was also the chief evangelist of Apple. He is also the author of The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and nine other books. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College.

 

1. Do you think that exchange programs for students have a more positive or negative impact on their lives?  Why?


Exchange programs are excellent for students because they enable people to expand their horizons and appreciate different perspectives. In a word, it’s “exposure.” This yield better products, marketing, and at a higher level, better relations between countries. 
 

2. What do you think about volunteering? From your point of view, how do people see the volunteers? (e.g. our organisation - volunteer based ngo with the goal to help exchange and international students)


Volunteering is as good for the volunteer as it is for the recipient. It is a way to pay back society and to make a “dent in the universe” as Steve Jobs would say.
 

3. What would you say to (or how would you motivate) young people to go abroad in case they are afraid of going?


There’s nothing to fear. You need to face your fears and get out of your comfort zone before you have kids, cars, and lots of expenses. Now is the time. It’s never going to get better! I wish I had done this when I was young!
 

4. What would your message be to the young generation of university students in Slovakia?


My message would be that the earth is flat. There is no insurmountable reason why you can’t change the world and do great things. Find some topic that you love, pursue it passionately, and believe. If you fail, get up and try again. Success isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible either.
 

5. What would your message be to your future self?

“You should not have waiting until you’re 61 to come to Slovakia!”