Expanded Innovations

Fueled by passion and powered by technology, the president and CEO of X10 Technologies has transformed his company into a leader in enterprise systems and solutions in the last 20 years. Today, it serves a vast array of clients from different industries around the globe, as they navigate their digital transformation and cyber resilience journeys into Southeast Asia. 

By: JOYCE REYES-AGUILA

Oleg Ivanov is passionate about improvement. A businessman with a knack for science, he has been in constant pursuit of optimization and finding solutions, even in his younger years. “I have always been interested in solving problems and building things,” Oleg starts off. “I like taking things apart to understand how they work. There is always something that can be done to get it better.” His interest in science and technology would go deeper through the years, as he acquired an associate degree in Science, a diploma in Network Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems, along with over 30 industry certifications. Eventually, he started his career in information technology as a systems engineer, before growing into senior roles in companies like Hewlett Packard, 2Wire and F5 Networks, to name a few. On the side, he also accepted consultancy work and provided formal training in network and security technologies to other companies from various parts of the world. 

It was only a matter of time before Oleg — who was born in Ukraine before moving to Canada in the mid-’90s — established his first business at the age of 23. In the mid-2000’s, he founded Extended Networks, an independent consulting company specializing in advanced technological solutions. Later renamed into X10 Networks, it swiftly gained industry recognition due to its exceptional services and equipment offerings.

A Fast-growing Network

“Eventually, we had so many other areas of focus and practices,” he explains. “We could no longer be simply called ‘networks’. We had to rename ourselves into ‘technologies’ because we have grown so broad in scale. “Thus, X10 Technologies was born. 

According to the tech leader, X10 Technologies plays the role of a technology expert and consultant that helps larger organizations embrace the most current technologies available in the market, thus helping them maximize results. “We also created an ecosystem of highly professional consultants and vendors that manufacture equipment, and processes put them all together. We cover network infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud security and data center architecture, among other areas, and deliver tier-one services — ensuring that our clients receive the highest level of support and innovation.”

The company also focuses in the medium and large market segments, says the executive. “In the Philippines, we have completed approximately over 100 projects today with 30 percent of them for larger, high-end resorts. We’re into enabling resource communication and digital transformations within a resort, wherever it applies. It could be for their Wi-Fi systems, cloud systems, door access systems, and surveillance systems. We bring the latest technologies and make sure that they work at optimal levels.”

X10 Technologies also specializes in high-complexity integrations and has served clients with up to 12,000 employees. Internationally, the company has partnered with leading tech giants such as Microsoft, Azure, Dell, AWS, Lenovo and Hewlett Packard. It has also worked with a diverse range of clients across various verticals, including healthcare, education, finance and hospitality, as well as the industrial, government and sectors.

And its works have not gone unnoticed. For one, the company has received the Aruba “Regional Partner of the Year for Western Canada” award two years in a row since 2020. X10 Technologies was also recognized with the Scale Computing “Evangelist” and “Heavy Hitter” Awards, and Edge Pioneer “Partner of the Year” Award in 2022.

Among its most remarkable accomplishments though, comes from designing and deploying a province-wide IT network that interconnected 1,600 locations. The task earned it the prestigious “Premier’s Award” by the Ministry of British Columbia. 

Incidentally, the British Columbia project also served as a gateway for Oleg to work with a talent from the Philippines. “She  eventually became employee number one. Now, she is one of our leaders in the Philippines,” he says proudly.

Continuous Growth and Expansion

Recognizing the diverse talent pool and opportunities in the region, X10 Technologies began its expansion into Southeast Asia by opening its branch in the Philippines in 2017. Since then, the company has registered a 1,000 fold increase in revenue as it successfully managed multiple projects in the hospitality, gaming and resort Industry. “We now serve clients in Metro Manila, Boracay, and other provinces,” he adds, further stating that X10 Technologies has achieved up to 30 percent year-on-year growth. 

The company is also in constant “talent and customer acquisition” mode, which it supports through a plethora of marketing initiatives, backend operations, training investments, and research and development. “With over 800 projects across Canada, the US, and the Philippines, our team of experts enhances the IT environments of companies with global infrastructure and high diversity,” he adds.

Oleg credits such success to a number of factors, including the cultural similarities between the Philippines and North America. “There’s easy transition, easy communication,” he says. “The average person’s education in the Philippines is very high. It represents a really strong market segment for us. The professionalism of people that I have found in the country also continues to surpass my expectations every time,” he reiterates.

Stronger Together

Combining the unique strengths of its talents from both the US and the Philippines, X10 Technologies implements a hybrid model that does not differentiate the location of its 80-strong workforce. “Essentially, we’re raising the bar,” he says. “A lot of things that we learn in the Philippines are also setting the bar for some of our clients in North America.”

Ultimately, Oleg prefers to work behind the scenes and give the spotlight to his employees. He also enjoys the simple life, which includes going to camps with his family — a lifestyle reflective of his strong advocacy for remote work. 

Oleg, in fact, encourages employees to work from anywhere, especially since he himself works from remote locations to maintain work-life balance. To foster team cohesion though, he requires daily video calls with all employees. 

Engagement is important for Oleg as a leader. “I believe that collaboration is critical,” he says. “Allowing people to work from home may come at the expense of collaboration. To overcome that, we schedule daily calls with our sales and engineering teams, mainly for escalations and help. It’s not about what they will do today or how much they will sell. It’s more about collaboration. How can I help you to do your job? Where do you need help? And if there’s nothing that you need, that’s great. But at least I saw your face on the video calls.”

Learning is another imperative for the president and CEO. “We recognize individuals who want to succeed,” he shares. “We have training plans and career plans set up. And the majority of our leadership started from ground zero in management, and they move around the organization from different roles. That’s why we’re able to retain talent for years.” 

He also likes to not just keep his ears on the ground, but also go where the action is. “Whenever I join a project, I work like a regular team member. I may be in a leading role but I am there in the field with our team” shares Oleg, who recently had to fly to the Philippines to lend his technical expertise firsthand to one of X10 Technologies’ biggest hospitality customers in the country. 

Being hands-on is something he learned by experience. “I once tried to disconnect myself from the governing level, but I found that I lose connection with the field, which impacts the accuracy of my decisions. I found that there will be other people that will do management better than myself. I do get involved in some of the management aspects, and many of them, but I tend to stay closer to the field,” he explains. 

“Eventually, as we grew, we had so many other areas of focus and practices. We could no longer be called ‘networks.’ We had to rename ourselves into  ‘technologies’ because we have such a broad scale.” 

Looking Back and Moving Forward

With all these said, one could say that Oleg has definitely gone a long way as a businessman. 

Still, he remembers quite clearly how it all began. “I started developing my first business in my twenties, shortly after I met owners of well-established businesses in one of my vacations. I wanted to go on vacations multiple times a year. That’s a cool, slow lifestyle. All you have to do is run your business,” he recalls thinking back then.

Upon returning to Canada, he started looking for business options but was not very confident about it back then. “What really moved me was when I watched Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad on television,” he relates. “ It really changed my life. I realized that this is the mentality I want to follow.”

For the uninitiated, Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a book on how the author’s real father (poor dad) and his best friend’s father (rich dad) shaped his thoughts about money and investing. Simply put, it subscribes to the idea that one does not need to earn a high income to be rich, and that rich people make money work for them. 

And these thoughts, along with his vast and ever-updated knowledge in information technology, have helped him grow — both in business and in life. 

In the future, Oleg excitedly reveals that X10 Technologies will continue to expand its presence in Asia and the United States. “We always look for new technologies and are always excited to enter new partnerships,” he says in conclusion. “We have built a solid ecosystem that allows us to easily attach analogies, plug in some new technology and rub processes around it, whether it’s operational, or technology or marketing processes.”