Mark Seremet will be the name to know this year when he and his team launch the highly anticipated Repliqa that is said to change the way that the world uses the internet. pretty neat stuff. we were able to get a hold of him for an interview and here it is:
1. So where did it all begin? Where did you come from, what makes you tick?
I'm from Latrobe, PA and I've been interested in businesses and the freedom they can bring since I was a kid. I grew up working on a par 3 golf course called Statler's. Marty Statler owned it and I really admired him along with the freedom he had.
I am most interested in personal growth. And I am hoping to really be part of building something that changes the world. Take Two was cool and it was definitely a nice success but, in the end, we just made video games. I'd also like to contribute on a greater scale to helping people and funding research into neurological diseases.
2. What made you decide to venture to the business of gaming?
In college we had a small business installing commercial software. For down time we used to go to the mall and play Karate Champ for hours on end. One day we realized we could make games and just shifted gears.
3. What games are you and the companies that you worked with responsible for?
The most famous ones were Grand Theft Auto, Jet Fighter, The Marvel Comics games, and to a lesser extent Hell and Ripper. I always thought the best game we did was Star Crusader. The worst I was involved in was BattleCruiser 3000 - a complete debacle from nearly every angle.
4. Why did you leave the gaming business?
Truthfully I jumped ship so I could sell some of my stock. I had nearly my entire net worth wrapped up in Take Two so I wanted to get a piece off of the table. Simultaneously I was recruited by Heidrick and Struggles to work for a company as COO and being based from Spain. It seemed like a cool assignment.
5. After Take Two, you were the CEO of Spreadshirt, Inc. did you do anything between the two?
I took two years off traveling and relaxing. I was also working on my spirituality too. I did a masters degree in Christian Ministry with a focus on psychology. Wrote a book about love and pursuing a life not self-centered.
6. Why did you leave Spreadshirt?
I wanted to explore my entrepreneurial side again and Repliqa was a revolutionary concept in my opinion. Truth be told, I really don't do well working for other people.
7. What exactly is Wallhogs? What are your plans with it?
We print big - from 24" up to 7ft. Wallhogs allows users to upload their graphics or photos and print them on semi-adhesive vinyl, poster paper, or canvas. The vinyls can be applied to any clean, smooth surface - once applied, you can move them or even store them to be placed later on. We also will launch a catalogue this week whereby users can contribute content for anyone to buy. Moreover, we licensed a lot of content (most not announced) including Nine Inch Nails, Greek Letters, Gwen Stefani, and Social Distortion.
8. Will Repliqa change the way that we use the internet?
Yes.
9. How did you come up with the concept?
I smoked a big bowl...just kidding. We started out wanting to apply the technology to social networking. We realized early in the summer that we could utilize the power across a broader spectrum to general discovery. We are still a little stealthy now so sorry for the quality of this response.
10. What's your future? Are you still planning on start-ups after the launch of Repliqa, or is that your last business venture?
I am intently focused on seeing Repliqa revolutionize our experience on the internet by shaping it to the individual. Until that vision is realized I don't even want to think beyond it.
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