Fragments of an Interview with Kenneth Lopez

We've taken some memorable excerpts from Kenneth Lopez's interview with the Era Digital podcast platform, in which he discusses the significance of taking a leap of faith despite the odds and risks. Kenneth also touched upon how his hobbies and passions have blossomed into his career alongside the team members of his rapidly growing software development company, Tekton Labs, now in six countries. 

Era Digital: What level of programming ability did you have when you first arrived at college?

Kenneth: I have been coding since I was 13 years old, so I had high expectations about College. That was not the case when I went to school. I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur, given that I worked at Work and Travel in Wisconsin when I first started college. It was the coldest place, and no one spoke Spanish, so I chose it to improve my English, and the pay was better than other job offers. To make a long story short, I ended up working for a software company in Wisconsin and returned there three more times.

Era Digital: How did you accomplish that?

Kenneth: By talking and networking. I found myself with three jobs out of nowhere. One of them was about software development. 

Era Digital: How did Tekton start? What was the first project?

Kenneth: One of the first projects called for fuzzy logic to improve address spelling. Do you know how people in Peru can write their addresses in 700 different ways? They are able to pronounce the words identically, but they are written differently. The issue back then was that if the address was not registered correctly, you did not receive your receipts on time and could not pay your bills. So, we developed software that read this information using a fuzzy logic algorithm and provided some probability-based options. 

Era Digital: Was this a local client?

Kenneth: No. It was from abroad. Entrepreneurship was less fashionable in Peru ten or fifteen years ago than it is today, so I was 21 years old when I introduced myself, and no one would give you a meeting, and no company would give you a project. They questioned you on everything: Did you finish university? What are your current projects? I concentrated on the North American market, where people are more open-minded. They don't ask if you have a computer science degree; they ask if you can or cannot do it. If you say yes, they'll give you the opportunity; if not, they'll pass. That is why we applied to the North American market; not only that, but you get paid better for your work, you get paid faster, and it is easier to find clients there. 

Era Digital: How did you land projects when you didn't have an ample portfolio?

Kenneth: The first one is the difficult one. After that, it gets a little bit easier. As much as I had lived in the United States, I didn't know anyone in California, so I began sending messages: "Decent-looking Peruvian boy looking for gringo for a business relationship." That was the message in a nutshell. Obviously, some people replied to you intending to sell you services, but others responded with, "Yes, I'm interested; what can we do together? I have this project....". I believe the message is vital. What sets you apart from everyone else? Everyone is sending out messages offering multiple services; the question is, how do you stand out from the crowd so that they will give you a chance?

Era Digital: How are you currently learning?

Kenneth: Mostly through practice and finding the right mentors. I'm an avid reader of books of all kinds, from Ben Horowitz to business books. Another essential way I learn is by doing; I conduct numerous experiments. Regardless of what it is, I carry out at least two experiments per year. Let's give this or that a shot. Can we sell on Amazon if we purchase items from China? Everyone knows it's possible, so let's do it and see if it's factual. The only way to find out is to give it a shot!

Era Digital: What is the first thought that comes to mind when you hear the word "successful"?

Kenneth: Bill Gates.

Era Digital: What do you think other people would say if they thought you were crazy because you believe that?

Kenneth: That everything is possible. In some way or another, I believe anything is possible. And people think I'm crazy for having such an idea.

Era Digital: Business opportunities?

Kenneth: Stick to sales because the world needs good salespeople more than anything else.

Era Digital: In your daily life, what software do you use to run your business and everyday activities?

Kenneth: The traditional ones. Google Suite, Slack, Jira, Grammarly.

Era Digital: Who would you choose if you could have a beer with any historical figure?

Kenneth: Benjamin Franklin. He's an absolute genius. I want to ask him, "How did you come up with the postal system?" If you read his biography, you'll see he is a genius. And he never went to college!

Era Digital: The best investment you've made:

Kenneth: Tekton.