Interview with the businessman and shareholder of I.K.T.E.O. "AUTO DRIVER" Mr. Alexios Geor. Papakostas

 In our first issue we host Mr. Alexios Papakostas, who after many years of successful activity in various sectors, is now active in the field of vehicle technical inspection, being a shareholder, President and CEO of the company I.K.T.E.O. "AUTO DRIVER"

Q. Mr. Papakostas, would you like to tell us a few words about you and your business?

A. I graduated from the "School of Physical Education and Sports Science" (TEFA & A) Athens in 1987 and continued at the Icarus School as head of the 2nd series XEM, from where I graduated in 1991. My professional and business activity began at the age of 27, when My wife and I decided to open the "Apollonius Gymnasium", which we maintained for 22 whole years. With our family moving to Australia in 2012, we essentially closed our circle in this type of business. Now, together with my brother friend and colleague, in my other field of activity, that of aircraft, Mr. Dimitrios Vlachos, we are active in the field of vehicle technical control and we have the I.KTEO chain called "AUTO DRIVER". So in 2011, our first store was created in Arta in a privately owned space, which currently employs 12 people. The branch of Ioannina opened recently, in April 2019 and currently employs 7 people, while we wish to increase its capacity in the coming years.

At the same time I work as a special ombudsman, with administrative duties in heavy firefighting with heavy helicopters in the company Erickson Inc. during the fire season at Air Force airports across the territory.

Q. How did you manage to combine these so different professional activities?

A. I combine my two main professional activities with many movements around the world and throughout the length and breadth of Greece. I divide my time between Greece and Australia, where I travel at least 6 to 8 times a year. During my stay in Greece I am constantly moving between Athens, the various bases, Arta, where the main store "AUTO DRIVER" is located and Ioannina where we opened our new branch.

Q.What was your motivation for getting involved in the vehicle inspection industry?

A. Mr. Vlachos was already active in this field and I was then invited to actively participate in this project. I have the position of President and CEO and my ultimate goal is to help the prosperity and development of the company. At the moment, with the help of SIGMA SA, we are laying the foundations and the framework, so as to shield the institutional status of the company and at the same time to improve the relations between the employees. Our goal is a complete result and a stable image of the company in the market.

 Q. What is the competitive advantage of "AUTO DRIVER" in relation to other technical control centers?

A. Together with Mr. Vlachos, due to the nature of our main profession, we have seen and adopted other dimensions of business and alternative ways of organizing and managing businesses, which in itself is undoubtedly a competitive advantage. From there, you realize that our approach is completely different, so that the final product offered, which is a typical vehicle control to move people safely, is provided with the happy man-worker and then the happy man- customer. As you realize outside the perfect logistical infrastructure, which we have in our stores anyway, our concern is to create a pleasant atmosphere within the company which in turn creates a positive working environment, which is an attraction for the customer.

 Q. What do you think are the ingredients for a successful business and a successful entrepreneur?

A. Success is purely a matter of planning and fundamental principles. And when you follow some basic principles, success is almost a given. Being considered successful is a justification, but for me it is based mainly on the interpersonal relationships of the businessman, who is the visionary, with his employees. When you can inspire a whole lot of people to do something for you and make it feel theirs, supporting your dreams, then you can do a lot of things. The entrepreneur, in a healthy economy, is the backbone and because I am lucky to live in two separate systems, Greece and Australia, I can tell you that only if we give a basis to interpersonal relationships are there prospects for the business to succeed.

Q. So you invest a lot in the human resources of your business.

A. I invest much more in human resources than in logistics. What we need to rely on is the human resources and the relationships between people. We need to change the mentality of employees and entrepreneurs, so that we can see some result in the future, because group change is influenced by the individual. According to the Aristotelian view, if the man himself does not change, he cannot add anything positive to the whole, so my business is guided by this. Executives are built, if you want to invest you have to build an executive mentality in your staff, each one to feel necessary and the roles to be distinct, because multitasking is sometimes confusing. With distinct roles you become a specific gear in a set that can move silently, but dynamically, the clock of a company, because when the clock sounds then something does not work properly.

Q. Having achieved many of the goals you have set, what are your plans for the future?

A. For the future… This is a difficult question, because when man makes plans God laughs. Of course, on the other hand, man should never stop dreaming, nor should he stay in dreams. When he turns dreams into goals, goals into thoughts and then thoughts into planning and actions, then he goes one step further, in the production of products, in the provision of services and in the creation of strong interpersonal relationships. If we manage to mobilize the inner strengths of each person or our colleague, at work or personal level, and bring out his best self and his positive energy, then success in whatever he does is ensured.

The next goal for the company "AUTO DRIVER" is to transform from a company, into a group of companies and to create new state-of-the-art technical control centers in other areas of Greece, depending on the needs of the market.

Q.Knowing the Greek business world, but also the international market and economy, do you consider it worthwhile to invest in Greece?

A. Of course it is worth investing in Greece, although we have a very difficult tax regime. For example, the tax legislation of Australia is 67 pages, while the Greek is I think 45,000 with sub-paragraphs, because each one is a separate case. In Australia you know how much you will be taxed, so you can do an investment study with a real picture, while here in Greece things are a bit confusing. But I believe that, if one has thought in the long run, it is worth investing, because Greece has very strong minds, has dynamic and enthusiastic people, who love their object and can give their soul, as long as they learn how. If we can all get rid of the ego part and use it only for self-improvement, if we see that we can become part of a system, then everything will work around the clock.

Q. What is your personal or professional vision, your driving force?

A. At my age, 55, my vision is to be surrounded by employees who enjoy working for my business, but acquiring supplies and training so they can work anywhere. Of course, if they prefer to work in my business and in me, this of course satisfies me a little more.

Personally, I am interested in being mentally balanced and complete as a person, so that I can have a nice time in my life and be able to sit in my 80s (if I live that long) with my friends, reminiscing about the good and bad things I did and the scales to lean on the positives.