As part of the Click Young Wave project, Click CEO Ulugbek Rustamov gave a detailed interview to a Click ambassador, sharing his views on career, youth, money, and the future of technology. Here are the key takeaways from the conversation.
Great companies are often started by young people. When Click was founded, its creators were just over twenty years old. “It took us almost a year to convince banks to work with us. Many didn’t believe in the idea or that a group of young guys could change the market,” Rustamov said. Today, the company celebrates its 15th anniversary, and many employees have grown alongside the product.
Money is no longer a goal. According to Rustamov, the new generation views money differently: previously people sought to accumulate, now money is a tool to achieve goals. “For young people, money is no longer a goal. It’s a resource. Just like time or energy,” he emphasized. This shift shapes new user expectations and influences future digital products.
The winner solves the user’s problem faster. Over 15 years, competition in fintech has changed dramatically. “If a competitor solves a task in three seconds and you take five, you lose. If a user makes six clicks instead of two, you lose. If others have a clearer interface, you lose,” Rustamov stated.
Click is not just a payment company but a lifestyle platform. “A person’s goal is not to transfer money to an insurance company or airline. Their goal is to buy insurance or a ticket,” the CEO explained. Modern users want to solve tasks quickly and conveniently, with payments remaining nearly invisible. Hence, Click is evolving into a service ecosystem offering complete solutions.
Experience is both an advantage and an anchor. Rustamov compared experience to a backpack: “A young specialist is a runner weighing 60 kg. An experienced specialist is the same runner but with an extra 60 kg backpack.” Experience provides stability but can hinder seeing new opportunities. “Young people aren’t afraid to make mistakes; with age, we fear errors more. To create truly new things, we need to look back less and not be afraid to try,” he added.
Young people should be listened to, not controlled. Rustamov believes future companies will win by hearing the new generation. “If someone hadn’t listened to us 15 years ago, Click might not exist,” he noted. At Click, many product areas are entrusted to young specialists who better understand future user expectations.
Talent cannot be retained with money. The modern labor market has changed; salary is no longer the sole factor. “There will always be a company offering more. The business’s task is to create an environment for growth and impact,” Rustamov said. Talented specialists choose the scale of tasks, team, and the opportunity to create products used by millions.
The interview was recorded as part of the Click Young Wave ambassador program, an initiative to engage with the student community and introduce young professionals to the fintech industry. Participants held 13 events at universities and directly interacted with company leaders. The full interview is available on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Telegram.
Source: uznews.uz