Interview with Florin Dull (Business Magazine)

In October 2017, I had the pleasure to interview Mr. Florin Dull for Business Magazine.

About people, family, and excellence. About Geseidl.

When you enter the Geseidl office, a beautiful feeling washes over you. Do not imagine a glass skyscraper with a supersonic elevator and a voice-activated underground parking. We are in Ploiești, in the city center, in a beautiful house where, 14 years ago, an idea came to life. It took root and later grew to become a positive example, a reference in the financial-accounting field, a notable presence in the industry, and recognized by national bodies for its merits. Stepping into the firm, you feel that unmistakable buzz specific to the job of an economist, but more than that, there is an atmosphere of positive focus, involvement, and passion. The 30 colleagues who meet every morning at the office on Ana Ipătescu help over 150 companies untangle complicated issues related to taxes and levies, mergers and acquisitions, audits, management, accounting, payroll, human resources, personnel leasing, IT, etc. Being able to help represents, in fact, the satisfaction of well-done work, and identifying your passion in the practiced profession is the only way to feel truly fulfilled. At Geseidl, it has always been about professionalism and continuous improvement, with an open door for valuable people, for whom a conducive environment for professional development has been created. Training sessions are organized regularly, client visits take place, there has always been and continues to be a precious amount of ‘hot’ information and ‘cold’ feedback, and every year the team has gained added value through each person who has come with their personality, expertise, and enthusiasm.

About people

Mrs. Gela Popa, the founder of the company, had this dream, now called Geseidl, because, first and foremost, she always believed in people. She felt that everyone is good at something, capable of doing things for their own development, through experienced individuals. She tried to be the right person in the right place. And for the Geseidl team members, she represented an example of strength, organization, and consistency. They felt even more attracted to the financial field, to accounting, being motivated by the firm’s director, who instilled the desire to be better every day in everything they do. Even though Mrs. Popa is no longer physically present, the positive trajectory she charted with talent remains and continues to bear fruit. It is primarily about very well-prepared professionals who seek to help clients and, at the same time, help themselves through a process of perpetual self-learning. The company’s journey began in the summer of 2003. Four people with big hearts and many dreams focused all their energy and professional experience on this project. By December, there were already four employees and two interns. Slowly but surely, the wheels began to turn, and it was just the beginning. A major investment in IT equipment and infrastructure followed, then, after two years, in 2005, the quality management system was implemented. Two years later, Geseidl signed contract number 50, a “milestone” that delighted everyone and confirmed that they were on the right path.

The team has constantly grown, selecting enthusiastic young economists eager to learn from the day-to-day practice at Geseidl, which has stood out, first and foremost, as a school-firm. “Among other things, Geseidl is also a school that aims for excellence in accounting and human resources, through which we aim to always bring value to the society we live in, to offer chances to young people, to open the way to success for them, and this is what distinguishes us the most from competitors,” explains Robert Popa, the manager of Geseidl. For many, Geseidl has represented a nursery for specialists, some of whom later held top positions in other companies. People are the soul of any business, and when you invest in employees, when you listen to their opinions, ideas, and projects, that is when real opportunities arise for the company. A motivated employee means satisfied clients, and the company’s management has known this basic principle from the very beginning. Every year, several team-buildings are organized and, of course, informal meetings take place as well. This way, the right framework is created where people get to know each other better, open their hearts, and recharge with positive energy for their projects. Sports are practiced, courses and workshops are organized, team competitions take place, unique moments occur, and gifts are given from the company, celebrating special moments, both for the company and for colleagues, personally. Special time is granted to the person – not the employee – and their family.

About family

Surely, in life, everything begins with a mission that each one has outlined. Why do we exist? “We, the Geseidl team, exist to make the world a better place! We care about those around us! We want to help those who start a business, we want to be a real support to those who are established, and we want to give everyone confidence and assurance that they will achieve their goals, on time, every time, through the professionalism of our team. We have sought and will always seek the best solutions in everything we do, to make life more beautiful for everyone,” emphasizes Robert Popa.

Family has always helped us stay anchored in the essential values of life: love, altruism, honesty, and perseverance in the work we do, with our own strengths. At Geseidl, there is a middle ground, a balanced framework, if we think of a company as a place where we carry out our activities, where we practice – attention – what we like, but without taking family out of the equation. Simply put, personal problems can often be shared, some can thus be solved, even with the help of the company, namely the colleagues. Transparency and honesty have always led to the best solutions. Often, in the business environment, there tends to be a significant gap between job and family, and the discrepancy is deepened precisely by those in management positions. At the other end, there are cases where companies focus exclusively on family relationships. In neither of these extreme situations can that optimal level of emotional and professional “comfort” of employees be achieved.

Demands and professionalism have remained ingrained in the Geseidl label, being auspicious for new, larger projects that were on the horizon. In March 2013, the Geseidl brand was relaunched, a landmark moment in the company when the team realized that the firm had grown healthily, developed a lot, and it was time to operate within different parameters. Among other things, a very well-received project was implemented in Ploiești, namely the Geseidl Association for Sport and Health. Given that team members are sports lovers and practitioners, the company decided to get actively involved in the local community by financially supporting some projects, providing concrete support to athletes, but also implementing their own ideas. And future plans go beyond the city’s borders, as the company intends to support sports for all, as a long-term investment in the health and quality of life of the community.

About excellence

At Geseidl, nothing is left to chance, everything is the result of many hours of work. But passion does not pay attention to the weather outside, nor to day or night. In the end, what remains is the joy of success and the satisfaction of having been useful to someone, having helped, through your work, someone. By extrapolation, it can therefore be said that an accounting firm helps directly and indirectly, a great many people. “Having entrusted with a very large responsibility, we can easily, with a stroke of the pen, use it to help thousands of people. It depends on us whether we choose to use this responsibility to bring a smile to their homes, a hope, a drop of security in an uncertain world, a ray of sunshine. They will never know about us, and perhaps we will never know about them,” says Robert Popa.

After only three years of activity, the company is certified according to the ISO 9001:2000 standard by AJA Registrars, and in 2009 it receives this recognition from TÜV Rheinland. The TÜV certification took place around the time of the economic crisis, a moment when the Geseidl team resisted and, more than that, managed to invest in IT and emerge strengthened from the crisis. The proof? It secured first place among accounting firms in Prahova County in 2009, for the second consecutive year. And that’s how the ascent began.

The recipe was kept: hard work, without compromising quality, years sprinkled with moments of respite, team trips, benefits granted to families, and personal time. Time, this important factor – because excellence is achieved over time, but also with time.

In this case, while the company grew, the employees became increasingly confident in their abilities. The management tactic adopted was a simple one, but with the desired effect: grant trust and respect to people, and they will take care of the company’s clients. Among other things, trust and respect are reflected in kind words, career (or even personal) advice, flexibility in working hours, personalized training, or certain benefits, depending on each employee's hobbies.

At Geseidl, self-improvement occupies a very important place. Learning is not a limited process; on the contrary, almost every day something new is learned, in a context where everything moves extremely fast. Whether it’s about communication, accounting, human resources, IT, or any other field, tasks are solved “by the book,” according to procedures and within the letter of the law. For this, learning is first necessary, followed by deepening and updating.

By definition, the profession of economist implies being informed about all legislative changes in the field, having a daily update of the market, and a comprehensive view of the Romanian, European, and global economy. This is exactly what we find in every member of the Geseidl team, starting, first and foremost, with the one who took over the baton from his mother, Mr. Robert Popa.

We emphasize “doing,” we do not shy away from “making mistakes,” and we never give up

F.D : Although thousands of accounting or tax consultancy firms operate on the Romanian market, at Geseidl, a special attitude is felt, a wave of enthusiasm in a profession considered cumbersome and even complicated. How do you manage to instill this state in the team?

R.P : For us, Geseidl is not just a workplace but a way of life. Our personal mission, each of us, is to make the world a better place, to help those around us… that is what motivates us to live. Our job interviews are atypical, we are nearly always told this, because we place a lot of emphasis on each candidate’s way of thinking and their vision of life. Once we find someone who shares the same motivations as us, we invite them to the team and from there everything is simple.

F.D: In 7 years, more than 20 team-building activities have taken place; it’s an impressive number for a relatively small company. I noticed you moved with the team even abroad. How much do outings with colleagues matter, and in what context is it most appropriate for them to take place?

R.P: We just returned from a team-building! For us, it is extremely important to get to know each other as well as possible and to discover our teammates' potential. We did our first team-building in the firm’s second year when we were 8 people. We learned a lot since then; today we have conducted 36 team-buildings and many other shorter similar activities. In a Geseidl team-building, everyone has the chance to discover new things about others, especially from coordinators, and, in the end, to discover a bit about themselves. Everything is surrounded by a cheerful atmosphere, lots of fun, and, of course, a lot of care for each team member. Usually, Mrs. Popa was the one who cooked while we, those in charge, served the table. I find it natural to convey to colleagues how much you appreciate them and to show them through your actions that you care about them, and love goes through the stomach, right?

F.D: The Geseidl team is relatively young; what is the average age? And how much does this aspect matter in the activity you are currently conducting?

R.P: The average age is 34 years. From day one, we considered that Geseidl is and must remain a school. It is one of the four ways we understand to make the world better for those around us. Even though it’s not always easy, we maintained this policy, and our best colleagues, in fact, the oldest, are those who started their career with us right after university. Over the 14 years of experience, more than 50 colleagues have debuted at Geseidl and then moved on to management positions at Timken, Cameron, Michelin, Wabag, Lubbers, or even as general managers at multinationals. However, in life, everything must be in balance, and as the old Romanian saying goes: “those who do not have elders should buy some,” we seek to have people with experience on our team from whom to learn fine things.

F.D: Family is at the core of Geseidl, and employees form, within the company, a large family. Who is the youngest member of the team and how is communication with the oldest? Are there major differences in opinion?

R.P: The oldest Geseidl member is 65 years old and the youngest is 24. A considerable difference at first glance, but in reality, it doesn’t feel that way. Those who have worked with us know that. We encourage direct communication without making the hierarchy visible in the organizational chart. Just the last quality audit, which took place three weeks ago, noted this achievement of ours: when you’re in our midst, there’s no way to see who is boss or subordinate. Furthermore, those who are “subordinates” feel free to confront us. We have fought hard to implement this attitude and we want to maintain it always because it brings us many advantages.

F.D: What CSR projects have you undertaken, which one is closest to your heart, and what future projects do you have in this regard?

R.P: Here’s another one of the four ways we want to make the world a better place! We currently have established the Geseidl Association for Sport and Health because we want to get as actively and efficiently involved in local community development. We believe that encouraging mass sports is very important for the development of future generations, for everyone’s health, and for a better quality of life. As an achievement in this field, I could mention the Geseidl football club, GFC, and the Geseidl team with which we participated in 2008-2011 in local events and managed to achieve a beautiful growth in the local mini-football championship. From there, we started and realized that much more was needed. We have supported and continue to support the school athletics club and the cycling and triathlon club. As a future project, which we are currently working on intensively, is the development of neighborhood sports fields, with free access for anyone. In this regard, we are developing a partnership with the Municipality of Ploiești and with foreign firms interested in CSR.

F.D: To what extent does Geseidl engage with the local community? Are you only looking at Ploiești or do you intend to expand CSR activities to other areas?

R.P: For now, we want to develop mass sports in Ploiești, where we have fallen behind compared to other cities. In a few years, after we achieve this goal, we will certainly move forward. .

F.D: You have 3 children. What do you consider are currently the dangers for the young generation? And the opportunities?

R.P: It’s a sensitive topic and there’s much to say. Personally, I worry about the ineffectiveness of the current system in conveying to the young generation the pleasure of working and the satisfaction of a job well done, but I’m not in a position to give a proper analysis. I believe that many dangers and potential derailments for young people stem from this. At Geseidl, the emphasis is on family, first and foremost one’s personal family, above all, and then the Geseidl family. At home, in family, we emphasize “doing,” we do not shy away from “making mistakes,” and we never give up. I’ve discovered that as my wife and I step back and allow our children to flourish, they immediately surprise us with wonderful things. With a little patience, each flower blooms in its own time!

Opportunities have always been and will always be there… Access to information, just as it is now, combined with consistency, the desire to know, and perseverance cannot fail to lead to a good result when the young person starts from a united and loving family.

F.D: In the case of a general director, can we talk about a balance between the time dedicated to family and profession? To what extent is this possibility available?

R.P: Yes, for me, there is a balance between personal family, profession, and personal activities. Two necessary ingredients are a successful family at home and a successful family at work! A book written by Patrick M. Lencioni has been very helpful to me: “The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family,” and in fact, almost everything he has written. “I have lived,” “I have died,” and “I have resurrected” through his books.

F.D: What is your favorite book (or the one you have read recently/or the one you recommend)? But your favorite quote? (or motto)

R.P: The Bible seems essential to me as a person, father, and manager. Regarding business, a book with a positive impact on the company, family, and quality of life for us is “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t” written by Jim Collins.

Our motto is “Getting better every day in everything we do!”.

It is difficult for me to have a favorite quote because, depending on the discussion and especially the person you are addressing, the quote must be chosen carefully for the message to be conveyed as effectively as possible. For me – today – the response from Jim Collins to the question: “Why Greatness?” is relevant as a conclusion to his book: “Because when all these pieces come together, not only does your work move toward greatness, but so does your life. For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work. Perhaps, then, you might gain that rare tranquility that comes from knowing that you’ve had a hand in creating something of intrinsic excellence that makes a contribution. Indeed, you might even gain that deepest of all satisfactions: knowing that your short time here on this earth has been well spent, and that it mattered.”

F.D: What do you prefer to do in your free time? Hobbies?

R.P: To learn! I spend at least a few hours each day studying new things, reading. I also like to play sports. I have a regular exercise schedule and I combine cycling with athletics. And, not necessarily as a hobby, but more as a healthy lifestyle.

F.D: What would you do in a sabbatical year?

R.P: I would study something new just like Steve Jobs did when he was fired, and I would travel as much as possible for that. I would love to return to Japan. Life seems very short to me, and I don’t want to waste my time.

F.D: Is there a recipe for success? In your case, what is it?

R.P: It depends on what everyone understands by that. I am sure there is a recipe for success! I believe that an actively and wisely lived life in church, from which to draw your values, moral conduct, and way of action in any situation, will always lead you to success. I have seen this with many people around me, especially with my mother. She fought cancer for 22 years, and what a beautiful life she had, how much she laughed and enjoyed, and how demanding she was of herself in everything. Even in her last year of life, she managed to pass another exam. I am still fighting to reach that point, but I still have a lot, very much to learn…

F.D: What advice would you give to young people? Especially for those undecided, sketching their future, looking for a job, optimistic but lacking experience and eager.

R.P: It’s hard to give advice… That means you really have to know what you’re talking about, which is a bit much for me; I’m still too young… I’m reminded of the words of someone very dear to me: “Seek first the Lord … and all these things will be added to you!”