Mark Kaslatter: Digital Proust Questionnaire

Emakina Group has rapidly grown in recent years, as a trusted digital partner of major organisations. This is in part thanks to exceptional directors leading the way. A fine example is Mark Kaslatter, Managing Director of Emakina CEE. He teams up with Rainer Friedl at the helm of Emakina in Austria since 2019. His key business idea: #done, meaning: you tackle problems together and get them done!

But who is Mark Kaslatter ‘in person’, besides a respected entrepreneur and a leader in business-critical digital projects, CRM and marketing automation? Let’s sneak a peek inside his head with Emakina’s Digital Proust Questionnaire, our version for the digital age of the famous parlour game questions, popularised by French author Marcel Proust.

1. When and where were you happiest?

For me happiness is not about a place or an incident. It is about being aware and satisfied with your current state. It´s about the little things in life. Our hectic world makes this state of mind hard sometimes… but I am getting better at it.

2. What is your greatest fear?

Not being able to see my little daughter growing up.

3. Which historical figure do you admire most?

I don´t know if I admire him the most but to name one, Ferdinand Porsche. A pioneer who had a vision that still lives on 90 years after founding the company Porsche.

4. Which living person do you most admire?

There are so many. I admire people who create something new. People who have a vision and follow it with passion and empathy. If I have to choose one: Bill Gates – for what he did with Microsoft and what he is doing post Microsoft.
I despise people who take advantage of power for their own benefit, treat people disrespectful, damage our world and nature.

5. Who is your favorite author?

I do read quite some books every year but never remember the author.
So, I had to look it up in my Kindle: David Wallace-Wells and his book The Uninhabitable Earth. Changed my view on the current state of our planet drastically. A must-read for every human being!

6. Who is your favorite fictional character?

Batman. He uses his fortune to help others… in a cool way 😉

7. What evolution or part of the digital industry makes you happy?

Mobile. It makes so many things easier.

8. Who/what inspired you most in your career?

Finishing school, it was my brother. He is seven years older than me and was already so successful when I just had started working.

9. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My daughter.

10. What tech company do you wish you had started?

I am pretty happy with the company I have started 😊

11. What digital project would you have most loved to be a part of?

Again, so many to think of. I´ll name the project with our customer Silhouette. We achieved so much in a very short amount of time.

12. What is your favorite digital app/tool?

WhatsApp

13. What digital app/tool that does not exist would you like to create?

If I only knew that 😊

14. What is the trait you most admire (in others and in yourself)?

Tolerance. The world would be a lot better if everybody had it.

15. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

Me. I am very grateful to be able to live the life I have.

16. What is your most treasured possession, and why?

Time. The only problem is that you don´t possess it.
You can just manage it wisely.

17. What is your greatest extravagance?

My cars.

18. What is your motto?

If you really want something, you will get it.
(Quote from my brother when I was about 18)