says Jan Hasík, the founder and chairman of the board of directors of HSF System.In a reflective, and at times personal interview, Jan Hasík will take you through what twenty years of business in the construction industry has been like. He shares how he always kept his head held high and introduces his life‘s philosophy about living a life  filled with joy and optimism. He also confirms that HSF System wants to continue to be one of the best construction companies in Europe.

Twenty years in the construction industry is a long time. What would you say are the most important milestones?

A simple evaluation can be seen in the figures. We went from an annual turnover of several tens of millions to two billion in sales and from a share capital of CZK 200 thousand to CZK 310 million. We have 920 successfully completed buildings and zero debt.

Where do you get the motivation?

I think I’ve kind of got it in me. I always want to achieve something, change something and create something.

Has any period of business been more difficult than the current one?

Business in the construction market has always been complex and specific. For example, the years 2009 and 2010 were much more difficult for our company.  The construction market came to a complete standstill at that time, at least in our market segment.

One of the reasons why it was more challenging was that we were not yet sufficiently established on the market and did not have the reserves that we have had in recent years.

And what if the next big crisis is yet to come for you and the whole Czech construction industry. Are you prepared for it? 

We are preparing for it, should it come. That’s just the way the economy is, after the boom comes the recession. We have reserves, a strategy and a plan in place if it does happen. If we have less work on the actual construction sites, we will focus more on improvements of internal processes, implementation of digital technologies or training of our employees. 

When you are at your worst, what do you think of?

I wasn’t at my worst yet and I am not planning it for the future (smile).

Has there ever been a moment in your business when you wanted to give up?

I don’t want it to look like I’m bragging, but I have to say I’ve never had a moment like that, where I wanted to give up. Yes, we had some very difficult moments, especially in 2009 and 2010. There was a crisis in the construction industry and a lot of customers owed us huge sums.   But, the more hopeless the struggle looks, the more fiercely I can fight! And since the vast majority of my colleagues are “from the same construction dough”, we kept fighting together... and in the end we made it. 

What do you think has earned you such loyalty from your employees?

I think, at the heart of it all, is the fact that I deeply respect their work and that I am not afraid to stand up for them in any complicated or uncomfortable situation.

Life is not just work. How do you “recharge your batteries”?

Due to my age, I need to be alone sometimes, so I recharge either during hiking or cycling (smile). But now seriously, my main source of energy and joy comes from my family and friends. Last but not least, it’s also music. When I play with the band, the normal flow of thoughts stops and I focus on the individual notes and the overall harmony. And that’s very refreshing.

So you still play in the big beat band Skrat?

Yes, we founded it in 1981 in high school. After all that, we had a 30 year break until 2011 and then the concerts died down because of covid, we revived the line-up and added some young musicians.