BestTalk
BestTalk is a web-based voting application that provides real-time feedback to the organizer on the quality of lectures. Petr and Martin founded the company back in 2018 and since then their polling solution has been used by thousands and thousands of visitors to a wide variety of events – from small workshops to large conferences and festivals.
Petr
Martin
Our #SuccessStory
We are Petr and Martin and together we create BestTalk – an online solution for conference organizers – a web tool for obtaining and real-time processing feedbacks and date from event participants. First of all, BestTalk was created only as the online tool addressing current needs. However, after the launch of MVP the reactions of the first (non-paying) customers (more or less testers) that we want to give this project a framework, both organizational and time-oriented.
On the beginning (autumn 2017), I had the most interesting and moving meeting with my friend from business who gave me useful opinions and advices that we use even now. In April 2018, BestTalk s.r.o. was created with one executive – me (Petr Dolejš) and one partner (Martin Hora). Martin is the developer of the entire tool and is the key person, similar to most IT startups. We know each from high school and that is our advantage because we know our values and priorities. We have launched a full upgraded version of BestTalk web in January 2019, and since then BestTalk has been undergoing virtually continuous development on the frontend and backend.
More information at besttalk.cz.
1. How did you get into what you want to do in business?
Petr: I attended dozens of conferences during my studies where I either lectured by myself or was inspired by the topics of other students and academics. Some conferences were amazing, rewarding, others were literally a waste of time. No conferences were systematically evaluated in my field. Neither I know the speaker feedbacks. Therefore, it was not possible to find out what can I expect from the conference or which one attend and which one don´t. The logical step was to create a simple system for obtaining feedback from participants directly during the events, and start creating so-called soft-skills database – online, in real time and intuitively, so that it does not annoy anyone. And since I’m not from IT, I asked a friend from high school if we could do it together.
2. What was your biggest fear at the beginning, what was the hardest part of starting business?
Petr: I was afraid that Martin would stood me up with the idea but he didn´t! He was excited and within 3 months we have had a beta version of the online tool. Then we have created the company within half a year.
3. The biggest fuckup?
Petr: When we provided feedback and facilitation for an international two-day conference with 1000+ visitors and the system was shattered by so many users. Our web solution didn’t work for hours. Even now, when I remember that day, I have a goosebumps. But it happened, and thanks to that, we realized the priorities where invest time and resources, and it clearly moved us further.
4. The best feeling I had when…?
Petr: Our beta version, totally untested, was suddenly used at one conference with 300 participants by 80% of present people. When I saw those people browsing our app and rating by hundreds on their mobile phones. That day, I have realized that we do something really interesting and that we are responsible for our service to users and customers. I have also realized that it is not just a hobby, but business, and since then I have seen BestTalk as our child for whom we have a responsibility.
5. What are your business plans for the future, what is your goal?
Petr: Our goal at BestTalk is to improve the conference environment by providing feedback. Our plans are based on cooperation with organizations and personalities with whom we have personal or professional ties and whom we value. So far, we have over 100 customers and I have met each one of them in person or at least indirectly. We care about 100% meeting customer expectations and we do our best. We enjoy developing of opportunities. For us, feedback is an absolutely essential source of information.