And we’re out the Gates with: Igor Portugal, Co-Founder of Zici Water & Attainate, Head of Growth at Blacklock, and Sci-Fi Author!
Igor Portugal's story is a rich mosaic of international moves, influential encounters, and diverse career milestones, painting a picture of a dynamic and resourceful entrepreneur.
Early Life and Geographical Shifts
Igor's life began in the complex political landscape of Eastern Europe. If you can track this, Igor’s parent’s were both born in what is now called Ukraine but met in the Russian part of the Soviet Union at the time. They had Igor in the Ukraine part of the Soviet Union, but then returned to live in Russia until he was 6, where they returned to Ukraine. Now that's a tongue twister.
At the age of 18, following his parents' separation, Igor moved to Israel with his mother. This move marked the beginning of his international journey, adding new cultural dimensions to his identity. It is here he started studying Computer Science, laying down the foundation of his Technology career.
However, life had more geographical shifts in store for him. His father, a professor, relocated to Australia which eventually led Igor to explore opportunities there before they both relocated to New Zealand. This would become the stage for many of his future endeavors, where he laid down roots and began to unfurl his professional aspirations.
Career Beginnings: Seeds of Entrepreneurship
After a brief period of unemployment, Igor’s father helped him secure his first job at Peace Software working for Brian Peace. Igor joined when the team was 20 people, and it was later sold for $80 mill however, he almost missed the opportunity. Igor was asked to complete psychometric testing, to be told it was the lowest score he’d ever received - Igor’s thought? If he didn’t know the answer, skip it!
At the time though, Igor was on the unemployment benefit so he was happy to get to work if the money could be matched - so there he was, learning from Brian and the team, for a bargain of $15,000 a year!
When the company’s work dried up and Igor found himself looking for work, his first Project Manager & and Pivotal Mentor, stepped in. Scott Wattie, wiped three days from his diary and spent it guiding Igor in CV writing and job searching, significantly impacting Igor's career path. More importantly, he instilled in Igor a sense of professional direction and purpose.
Remember Scottie, he’ll come up later!
Aldrich Pather and New Zealand Steel: Igor's next roles were at Aldrich Panther where he started earning $32,000 (must’ve thought he was rich!) and later, New Zealand Steel (where he started contracting for $40 an hour). In each of these roles, he learned valuable industry skills but also started experiencing the dissatisfaction of unengaging work.
Entrepreneurial Ventures and Connections
First Venture: Igor's first entrepreneurial venture was inspired by his job at New Zealand Steel. He saw an opportunity in contracting and began to explore the world of self-employment.
Scott’s back! Then in 1994, Scott Wattie, seeing what Apple was doing with Apple Newton, created Strategic Business Innovations and brought Igor in, giving him his first taste of start-up world. Igor joined and it was his last role (as a contractor) before jumping into his own business for a taste.
Compu Gear: And in comes, Compu Gear! After buying his first PC from Compu Corp from Nigel Hemming, Igor had a novel idea (of the era). To set up an IT Support Business. This venture saw him go 50/50 with Compu Corp to Compu Gear at 24 years old. It was here that he brought on Pinnacle Life as a client who have been a client of Igor’s with every business he’s been a part of. It was also here though that he faced the reality of a business partner's bankruptcy, but he learnt a lot!!!
Asterisk and Telecom Success: Perhaps his most notable success, Asterisk - co-founded with Chris Hegan, was an open-source service company selling Linux services. The founding team grew the business and eventually sold to Gen-I, which later became part of Telecom (now Spark). This venture marked his first successful exit.
Vadacom: Facing an extensive non compete clause, Igor founded Vadacom and over the 12 years, was CEO and then CTO. In his later days, he brought on Aaron Ridgeway who has already scaled and sold a business prior to this. To this day, Aaron still works at Vadacom as now CEO.
What keeps Igor busy now?
While there have been other signifcant roles in his career, I wanted to jump into the variety of ventures and projects he’s working on now!
Zici Water - IoT Innovations: Collaborating with Sanjay Ram, this venture delves into the world of Internet of Things (IoT) with Zici Water. This initiative focuses on developing IoT products for water and electricity management, and blends technology with sustainability and practical utility.
Attainate: Attainate remains in stealth mode, so time will tell as to what he’s building here, but is a reflection of Igor's continued intrigue and investment in tech innovation.
Blacklock: Teaming up with Nilesh Kapoor, Igor is Chief of Growth & an Investor in Blacklock. This venture highlights his ability to spot and capitalise on emerging trends, particularly in the dynamic realm of cybersecurity.
A Foray into Literature - "Enslaving Freedom": Drawing inspiration from ChatGPT, Igor has written a Sci-Fi book called "Enslaving Freedom." This literary work not only marks his entry into the world of authorship but also underscores his fascination with AI and its implications in our society.
The 99 Coffees Initiative: His coffee series has been a gamechanger. I asked him how he fits it all in and he attributes this to the coffees. Not only is this an exceptional tool to platform the story of founders, but its boosted his networks, increased his visibility, helped him build business relationships, set him up as a connector in the entrepreneurial ecosystem which makes everything else easier. Incredible.
sO, what did you want to be when you grew up?
If you choose to follow along with these coffees, you’ll quickly learn, I will be kicking off every coffee with the question: “What did you want to be when you grew up”. It didn’t feel right to just jump into this in my story telling but when I did ask Igor, he was a bit stumped. He didn’t have dreams of being a firefighter, a vet, or anything typical of a young boy.
He wanted to be a superhero.
Igor experienced bullying as a child, which, in hindsight, led him on a path that you can only assume was rooted in his experience and a wish for empowerment. Its not a unique thought, but I believe most entrepreneurs are driven by encounters like this, where challenges become the fuel for their ambition.
Personal Philosophy and Approach
Igor's story reflects a blend of resilience, adaptability, and a continuous thirst for knowledge. His ability to transition across different countries, cultures, and industries showcases a rare versatility. The people he met, the roles he undertook, and the businesses he built all speak to a journey not just of professional success but of personal growth and a deep understanding of the entrepreneurial spirit.
From aspiring to be a superhero in childhood to becoming a real-life hero in the business world, Igor Portugal's journey is a narrative of overcoming obstacles, leveraging opportunities, and building meaningful connections.
If you want to connect with Igor, go follow him on LinkedIn here and make sure you sign up for his 99 coffee series here! He is also available for Speaking & Coaching opportunities (if you didn’t think he was busy enough!)