Craftsman+ founder and CEO Alex Merutka told FOX Business that the company focused on the travel space when COVID-19 impacted the market and people around the world were unable to travel. Ta. He transferred his strategy to the game and found success there.
Money is often a top priority for business owners, but one CEO was more attracted to climbing the ladder of entrepreneurial success and turned down a $10 million bonus to start his own company .
Alex Merutka, founder and CEO of Craftsman+, an innovative technology company that gives brands the opportunity to increase consumer engagement, is leaving AppLovin, a Silicon Valley-based startup with a market capitalization of more than $100 billion, to launch his own company. became the boss of
“There was a time when I didn't think money was that important to me,” Mertka told FOX Business in a video interview.
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Alex Merutka, founder and CEO of Craftsman+, left a $10 million bonus to start his own company. (Craftsman+ / FOX News)
Craftman+ sells a personalized design platform for businesses. Businesses can drag and drop mechanics into branded gaming environments to provide gamers with an interactive experience between brand and consumer.
In college, Mertka's goal was to make more than a six-figure salary. At that point, he says, he would have been content enough to pay the rent and help his mother.
“With that six-figure salary, you could do anything in life,” Mertka said. “When I achieved that pretty quickly, basically when I turned 21, I didn't really care about money.”
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Alex Merutka, CEO and founder of creative technology company Craftsman+, tells new FOX Business entrepreneurs to invest in themselves first. Mertka reimagined his company during the global coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“If I were working for a boss that I admired so much, my old boss at AppLovin, how could I be that boss?” he asked.
Mertka said he “wouldn't trade” his decision for the world, even though he admitted he left “a lot of money” and a good package on the table.
Mertka called from Egypt today and rode his horse on the beach 20 minutes before his scheduled call. Before that, he had met connections in India and visited an orphanage in Nepal.
“It's really hard to stay motivated if you don't enjoy what you're doing,” Mertka says.
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Mertka told FOX Business that he sold his personal stock to raise money for three months as he pivoted his strategy during COVID-19. (Craftsman+ / FOX News)
And while the 33-year-old CEO takes calls from all over the world, he allows his employees the same luxury as long as they can do their jobs and meet expectations, even if it's at 4 a.m. in the morning.
The interactive content platform was originally focused on the travel sector, but when COVID-19 severely impacted its business, it pivoted its strategy and Meltka entered the gaming category first.
“Those difficult moments make you stronger,” he said.
Mertka sold his personal investment portfolio, including his holdings in Tesla, to fund the company during difficult times.
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“I lost a lot of value in it,” he said.
“We got exponentially more value by investing in our team,” Mertka told FOX Business. “The entire company knows that I sold all of my personal stock to fund the company for three months as it gets through the difficulties.”
Mertuka learned early in his career to make phone calls, work hard and take a non-traditional approach to marketing and sales when he was told “no.”
“I think that's what makes you truly creative and ultimately leads to long-term success,” he said.
His best advice for newbies who want to develop themselves professionally or invest in their own business: “Invest in yourself,” he said.
