Inside the Innovative Workspace of Hariton Matveev, Co-Founder of Skyeng

Discover how Hariton Matveev, a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of the global online English school Skyeng, structures his workday, optimizes productivity, and balances passion with innovation.

Hariton Matveev is a dynamic entrepreneur driven by a vision of a world unified through a common language. As co-founder of Skyeng, an international online English school, he is actively bringing this dream closer to reality. In an exclusive interview with ZAMONA, Hariton reveals insights into his workspace, shares effective planning strategies, and recommends influential books that shaped his journey.

About Hariton Matveev
Entrepreneur and co-founder of Skyeng, a pioneering online English language school. Previously led Funday, a company focused on active leisure organization. Studied at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT).

What Drives Your Work?

As a co-founder of Skyeng, I focus on product development. Starting in 2012 with friends in a dorm room at MIPT, we built what is now a leading platform for English learning. My core responsibility is enhancing Vimbox — our interactive learning platform that meticulously tracks student participation, vocabulary knowledge, grammar strengths, and engagement levels to deliver personalized education.

Beyond analytics, I engage extensively with students, teachers, and methodologists to understand diverse learning experiences and keep pace with competitors. Regular communication with developers ensures continuous integration of new features and improvements.

Professional Background

My academic path began in biophysics at MIPT, including research on membrane protein crystallization in Grenoble. Although scientific work was fascinating, I chose to pursue entrepreneurship early, founding a leisure company before co-creating Skyeng, sparked by a friend's idea to teach English via Skype.

People inspire me—the most remarkable and captivating element of our universe.

Strengths and Growth Areas

Recognizing my challenges helps me grow. I sometimes struggle with focus, communication bluntness, and emotional fluctuations. These are areas I continuously work on.

On the flip side, my empathy enables strong interpersonal connections. I balance perfectionism with pragmatism and maintain meticulousness and consistency in all tasks.

Workspace Setup

Our entire development team works remotely, shaping a unique collaborative environment. My main tool is a MacBook Pro, providing the flexibility to work anywhere—from home to office courtyard or while traveling.

An essential companion is my Dell 5K Retina display, ideal for handling complex project documentation and mind maps. Wireless headsets facilitate seamless communication throughout the day, allowing mobility without disruption.

I also rely on a tablet for visual brainstorming and interface design. A notebook keeps my thoughts organized, and a vibrant ficus adds a touch of nature.

Operating on Mac OS X Yosemite set to English immerses me in the language world we teach. Key software includes Slack for team communication, Chrome for daily browsing, Bartender for notification management, CleanMyMac for system optimization, and Spectacle for efficient window organization.

Paper vs. Digital

While I prefer digital tools for text and lists, paper remains unmatched for quick sketches, diagrams, and ideation. Drawing interface prototypes or architectural plans on paper sparks creativity in ways software cannot replicate.

I also enjoy the tactile satisfaction of physically checking off completed tasks, which digital tools don't quite match.

What's in My Bag?

Despite our rapid growth and frequent office relocations, I live mere minutes from work to maximize time efficiency. My bag carries essentials: vehicle documents, passport, and my beloved MacBook with charger.

Time Management Philosophy

Inspired by various time-management principles, my approach is pragmatic:

Evaluate every task's necessity, discarding those outside strategic goals.
Delegate whenever possible to focus on priorities.
Immediately handle tasks under five minutes.
Organize larger tasks into daily, weekly, or weekend queues.

Effective execution hinges on prioritizing by importance rather than ease, resisting distractions, and reflecting regularly on task patterns to improve productivity.

I apply a 'day unit-economics' concept—tracking how I spend time and optimizing for activities that bring value and joy, such as work, learning, and relaxation.

Making the Most of Idle Moments

I find waiting particularly frustrating, so I fill such times with audiobooks and recordings of user interviews or lessons, transforming downtime into inspiration and idea generation.

Hobbies and Passions

For me, work and passion intersect. I find joy in hands-on projects—painting, gardening, assembling computers, or programming scripts. These 'weekend tasks' feed my creativity and offer a refreshing break from business priorities.

I am content chasing happiness, uncertain if I ever want to fully catch it.

Life Motto

Live worthy of the privilege of being human. Harness your potential to the fullest.

Discover the latest news and current events in Career Opportunities and Education Jobs as of 20-11-2021. The article titled " Inside the Innovative Workspace of Hariton Matveev, Co-Founder of Skyeng " provides you with the most relevant and reliable information in the Career Opportunities and Education Jobs field. Each news piece is thoroughly analyzed to deliver valuable insights to our readers.

The information in " Inside the Innovative Workspace of Hariton Matveev, Co-Founder of Skyeng " helps you make better-informed decisions within the Career Opportunities and Education Jobs category. Our news articles are continuously updated and adhere to journalistic standards.

Categories