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Somewhere on a bench in Cluj.
Ten years in Brasov.
When I think about that story I think it should be made into a novel.
Everything happened during one weekend, didn't it?
Yes, that's when we made the decision. I got a phone call Monday morning.
What was it like? Who was the other Csaba?
It was Csoma Csaba.
He is Tibi Molnar's childhood friend and I was working with him at that time.
I thought I needed to go.
He told me to call Mr. Cornel.
That's what happened before I called you for the very first time.
I don't remember it clearly. Were you the first one?
This is good story. When we opened the Sibiu office we went to dinner and you told the story.
I was like no, no, no it was me!
I think that's how I remember it now.
The way I remember it is probably completely distorted.
But that's the way it works.
I don't exactly remember the order but I remember your first interview.
I came in for my interview and I talked to Cristi Caprar and then I talked to you.
You made me an offer that was easy to refuse.
The offer required me to move to Cluj.
There was a thing about the Brasov team.
iQuest Brasov's core was actually a team working for another company.
They were actually on the decline so I knew what was about to happen.
I wanted you in Cluj from the beginning.
You made me an offer.
I came here Friday and you made the final offer, the entire package, with a relocation fee and everything.
I said I'll go home and talk to my family because I wasn't about to make that decision on my own.
I went home, we didn't talk during the weekend because we said we would call during the week.
You called me on Monday morning.
I was thinking in the shower. Let's go ahead with iQuest Brasov.
I thought it was such a brave thing to do.
This guy shows up and convinces you that you need a new office 300 kilometers away.
You told me that managing the entire culture was hard.
I thought that all your arguments were reasonable.
And then you called. I said ok.
Now we can talk.
Did you talk to Laci, Catalin and Marius during the weekend or was it after?
No, we talked earlier.
- I talked to Catalin and Laci after my first interview. - That's what I thought.
I told them that I saw an opportunity here.
We talked about Cornel.
I told them about the interview and that you wanted me to move to Cluj. I didn't want to move at the time.
The next Monday I told them to get ready for the interview.
That's when you came to Brasov and we met at a coffee place at 9 on Monday morning.
That's right, it was a hotel lobby or something.
We had our interview there with Catalin, Marius and Laci.
Was that when you guys offered me the famous bean stew with onions?
So that's when that was!
It was a tradition, we used to go there with Catalin two or three times a week and it started to show on our physique.
You can still see it now but it is what it is.
Well yeah!
Was it called Millennium?
I think that's where we had our first anniversary for iQuest Brasov. Those were good times!
Then I came to Cluj in January and stayed until May.
That's how it started.
- It was the three of you in two rooms, right? - It was actually three rooms.
That was really nice because we used to go out every night during the first month.
Catalin knew people here and we used to go out.
We only used to go out about once a week during the second month.
During the third month we were all sitting there programming at 9 PM.
Marius used to come in and tell us we should go home but we always told him there was nothing to do at home anyway.
That was really funny!
The three of you were the first ones without Laci.
Yes, because he wasn't able to leave until later.
I think he only came in about six months later, or something like that.
He was included in that initial group anyway because we were all in it together.
And then more and more people started coming in from that place.
- There are around 100 employees now. - Oh, Jesus!
- I think there were only 60 people in Cluj then. - Yes, that's right.
I remember the first quarterly meeting and we used to all fit in one room.
I remember when the people from Siemens visited us in 2003. Were you around then?
No, I think only Marius and Laci were there.
All of us, the entire staff used to fit in the DaVinci room including our guests.
I remember that visit now. They came to perform that audit.
Yes, it was two of their managers and we were all in the DaVinci room.
A little history right there.
I've told you this before, but I used to change companies every two or three years.
I always felt I reached my limit.
I've been here ten years already.
Good thing I can change projects.
When I feel I've had enough I just start working on a new project.
That's really nice.
That's really nice. I think you fit right in.
Sometimes we have the feeling that things just tend to happen.
That it was a coincidence that we met Csoma Csaba, and that other things were coincidences too.
I don't think that's true.
These things have to happen sooner or later.
Yes, but I think we made them happen.
- Alright then. - Those were good times.
- I'm all excited now! - Should we go?
- Let's go! - Let's go!
10 Years of iQuest Brasov