My Career Journey: Eugene Hordiienko, Chief Technology Officer

Introduction

Q: Eugene, what are your key responsibilities as Chief Technology Officer?

In a nutshell, I make sure our technology truly works for our company. 

On the one hand, I’m part of the top management team, working on how technology can help drive our business forward, whether it’s scaling our services, improving efficiency or supporting new opportunities. It’s all about making sure our tech focuses align with the company’s goals. 

And on the other hand, I oversee six incredible teams within the Technology department: Infrastructure, Automation, Analytics, and two product teams. My job here is to make sure they have what they need to succeed, whether that means choosing the right tech solution, setting up smooth workflows, or jumping in with a bit of guidance or motivation when needed.

So, it’s a mix of long-term vision and hands-on leadership. Some days I’m deep in strategic planning and other days I’m helping solve specific challenges with the teams, and honestly, that’s what keeps things interesting.

Q: Tech teams are often behind the curtain. Can you tell us more about what your teams focus on? 

Absolutely! Our Technology department is split into two verticals: Service teams and Product teams.

The Service Teams include Infrastructure, Automation, and Analytics. Infrastructure is the backbone: servers, devices, networks, data backups, hands-on support in resolving incidents… basically, all the invisible things that need to work perfectly so no one notices them. The Automation team focuses on streamlining business processes. We’ve already analyzed over 90% of the company’s workflows to spot which ones are stuck in what we call the “red zone”, where manual work is still required, and find ways to move them into the “green zone” with automation. And then there’s the Analytics team, our data ninjas. They don’t just analyze numbers. Most of them code in Python, so they automate their analysis from the get-go. It’s like cruise control for data analysis.

On the Product side, we’ve got teams working on tools like QCRM and Orchestra. These products might not directly impact business results every day, but they’re essential building blocks of our tech infrastructure. QCRM, for example, played a huge role in putting SupportYourApp on the map years ago, back when most of today’s popular CRMs didn’t even exist, and now it’s a crucial part of the service we provide to one of the key clients.

Together, these teams make sure we’re not just keeping up with tech needs — we’re staying ahead of them.

Let’s Reflect

Q: Looking back, how did your SupportYourApp journey begin?

It all started in 2012, when I joined an investment holding that supported small startups. All the teams worked in one big open space, and among them was a tiny, ambitious group that would later become SupportYourApp. On my first day, I met the team, found the coffee machine and got introduced to QCRM (yes, it’s been around that long). Two years later, I officially joined the SupportYourApp team as the Chief Technology Officer. 

Q: What do you like most about the company?

When things are unpredictable… in a good way. From day one, we’ve been building, evolving, and pushing boundaries. We started with support services, then one day a client asked for concierge support. We didn’t say “No”, we said, “Let’s figure it out.” We tested, failed, fixed and tried again. Even Daria, our CEO and Managing Partner, tested the process as a Secret Customer to help launch that project. That’s the kind of dream-big and never-stop energy that inspires me.

And what really sets SupportYourApp apart is the opportunity. Here, you can grow into anything. From Customer Support Consultant to a top manager. From Sys Admin to Chief Information Security Officer, from Department Associate to IT Project Manager. If you’re ready to grow, the path is yours to take. 

Q: That’s so true! What else do you think sets SupportYourApp apart from other outsourcing companies?

A lot of people still see outsourcing as a kind of galley ship: all about tasks, deadlines and treating people like replaceable workforce. But that’s never been our vibe. At SupportYourApp, a People First value speaks deep to us. We support our teammates, our clients, and their customers. And we do it with love. This doesn’t look like a galley ship to me.

The Tech Perspective: Career Insights

Q: What excites you most about working with technology?

For me, the real magic of technology is solving people’s pain points, especially the ones they’ve learned to live with. It’s not about chasing trends or saying “Let’s use AI for this!” It’s about finding the right mix of tools and workflows that genuinely make someone’s day easier.

One of the best feelings is watching a task that used to take hours happen automatically. Of course, it’s not always easy. Sometimes you hear things like “Don’t touch my spreadsheet! I’ll keep updating it manually, thank you very much.” But those moments are actually great chances to show how tech can help, earn trust and win people over.

Q: That’s awesome! Do you look for that same mindset in your team?

Definitely. That kind of mindset is at the core of everything we do. While hard skills can always be learned or improved, it’s that natural curiosity, drive to change the world and make things better that really stands out. If you bring that mindset, everything else can be built on top.

Q: Thank you for your insights! Is there a particular achievement or project you’re especially proud of?

Honestly, I’m proud of the whole journey. I’ve made mistakes, learnt from them, made mistakes again. We’ve tried different approaches and solutions, and then made a 360° pivot when they didn’t work. We dreamt, we adapted and we pushed.

If I had to pick something specific, it would be our family of products. We started with QCRM, then built Quidget to complement it. After that came QuantoCosta, our internal tool that automated the invoice process, and Orchestra, which is a daily operations, compensation tracking and profitability analysis platform. And just recently, after years of development, we officially launched Quidget as a standalone AI agent solution. With the rise of AI, we’re continuing to improve it and tailor it to what the market needs.

Q: QCRM, Quidget, QuantoCosta… what does the “Q” stand for?

It all began with QCRM, which we built as a quick and quality CRM, so the “Q” stood for that. When we started building more tools, we decided to keep the “Q” as a kind of signature. A little tradition that stuck.

Q: And finally, what would you say is the most challenging part of being a CTO?

One of the biggest challenges? Technology moves so fast that if you’re not coding every day, you eventually lose track, and suddenly, you don’t fully understand what your own developers are talking about anymore.

That’s where trust comes in. You learn to hire brilliant people, give them space and let go of the need to micromanage. I may not write the code anymore, but I know I can count on the team to build something great, and that’s what makes the job worth it.

Outside the Office

Q: Now it’s time for a round of personal questions. If you weren’t in this profession, what career would you have pursued and why?

I’d probably be voicing audiobooks or working as a voice actor. I’ve always had a bit of an artistic side. I love performing and improvising… So yeah, if not CTO, maybe the next Morgan Freeman?

Q: What are your hobbies or favorite ways to unwind?

Anything outdoors: hiking, heading to the mountains, rafting, yachting, or camping out with a fire and a guitar. Years ago, some colleagues and I went on a rafting trip that was not only an incredible experience, but also a total digital blackout. No signal, no notifications, no way for anyone to reach us. Safe to say, we practiced digital detox before it became mainstream.

Q: To wrap things up on a fun note, is there an interesting fact about yourself that might surprise most people?

I once went on a hiking trip to the Himalayas, and the highest point I reached was Thorong La, which is 5,416 meters above sea level. Let’s just say the air was thin, but the views were totally worth it!

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