Andrew Oleksiiuk, ElifTech CTO, Shares How He Achieves Work-Life Balance

Andrew Oleksiiuk is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of ElifTech, a fast-growing and employee-centered technological company. Andrew has held this position for almost a year and inspired many technological experiments within the research and development department, also known as the Cool Project Department at ElifTech. Andrew loves testing drones and other hardware. Even though he is extremely busy, he still finds time for this passion.

So, let’s learn more about Andrew, his broad responsibilities as the CTO at ElifTech, and how he achieves work-life balance while working remotely on the C-level.

Andrew at the office on one of his countless calls brainstorming ideas for some new project.

What led you to ElifTech?

A long time ago, the founder of ElifTech, Anatoliy, and I worked together as software engineers on numerous projects. Then, we went separate ways but still remained good friends.

Later, Anatoliy founded the company and invited me to work as a senior tech developer. Next, I was the director of the R&D department, and when the opportunity came, I accepted the offer to become the CTO at ElifTech.

What are your primary responsibilities, and what does your day-to-day look like?

My workday usually starts with calls. Many calls. I communicate with all the developers in the engineering department and run meetings and discussions with ElifTech clients.

The latter part of my dayusually includes brainstorming clients’ ideas, explaining the company’s expertise, working on requirement analysis, designing complex architectures, and resolving technical challenges.

Those are not typical responsibilities of a CTO. However, I believe you should know your team and the customer and keep the communication going.

My primary responsibilities include development of technical expertise and training software engineers and developers. I believe continuous learning and training make the team agile and ready for the future.

Another vital aspect is to focus on what is going to be in demand tomorrow. So, I try to find the potential direction of tech development. Identifying new directions allows us to create certain guidelines, making the team prepared for new trends in technology.

What do you like most about ElifTech and what have you gained from working there?

What I like the most is the opportunity to discover my fullest potential. I believe ElifTech provides a great experience to do so. I also enjoy working with our creative team, which not only generates great and even crazy ideas but also works hard on actually bringing them to life.

As a CTO, I've gained enormous experience working on the business side of the company. It has allowed me to see the bigger picture of how the business works and how client needs should be fulfilled.

Now that I know all of the business aspects, I can give more precise tips to the engineering team and better feedback on their work.

During the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, the hackathon that took place in 2018 and was hosted by ElifTech in Vinnytsia.

How do you balance your career at ElifTech and spending time with friends and family?

COVID-19 certainly changed the way we work. Before the pandemic, it was much easier. You went to the office, spent the required time working there, and then went home to relax.

Your mind could switch quickly, as you knew the office is a place to work, and home is for rest. Now, those boundaries are basically non-existent. Our home is our office, which makes it difficult to keep the balance and routine we had before.

It took me some time to adapt to working remotely, but now I feel like I managed to create a new routine, which helps keep the balance between my personal life and work.

When I open my laptop, I know that my workday has started, and once I’ve finished the last call, this is a sign to wind down and get some rest.

How do you define success in life?

For me, success is creating something interesting and cool that will bring value to people’s lives and help them with their everyday struggles. This is one of the reasons I enjoy working as a CTO at ElifTech because I can influence the employees’ and customers’ experiences.

How do you spend your time outside of the office?

I just love lying on the couch with a can of beer (laughing).

No, actually, I’m pretty engaged in different outdoor activities like cycling and paragliding. Those activities help me clear my mind and spend time on my own, reflecting on what’s happening in my life right now.

Paragliding is one of Andrew’s favorite hobbies. Watch our CTO in action!

Are you an iPhone or Android person?

It is hard to answer. I have an Android, and I’m satisfied with it, but I also think iPhones are great and offer unique features.

What is the best vacation you’ve had?

A road trip in Europe. We visited Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Germany. It was an amazing experience! I spent quality time with my family and friends, enjoying the beautiful nature.

Find out more about Andrew and his peers at ElifTech!

Andrew is an incredible representative of our company, and with him, our team brought to life many unique and innovative projects. If you found this interview interesting and would like to connect with the development team at ElifTech, feel free to contact us!