Blogs

KAYWEB Angels Portfolio People
Sean Stavropoulos, Cafrino


KAYWEB Angels Portfolio People is a section in our Blog that features profile interviews with the people behind our companies! In this interview, we feature Sean Stavroloulos of Cafrino.com.


Tell us your name and where are you from?

My name is Sean Stavropoulos, and I’m from Moorpark, California, right near the border between Los Angeles and Ventura counties. I lived there until I went to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California to study Aerospace Engineering.

What you had for breakfast this morning?

Started the day off with a delicious breakfast burrito and some orange juice.

What are your favorite television shows and movies?

While I don’t have the time to keep up-to-date with television shows, I’ve always been a fan of The Colbert Report and Family Guy.  My favorite movie of all time shifts between Gladiator and Night at the Roxbury, depending on the mood I’m in.

Any favorite books?

I had always given books the cold shoulder growing up, however my older brother recently talked me into reading Terry Goodkind’s “Sword of Truth” opening book during a vacation to Japan, after which I addictively read the following 10 books. I would highly recommend this series to anyone interested in fantasy novels.

iPhone or Android or what?

I currently am sporting an original Motorola Droid, however both Microsoft and Apple have very tempting upcoming releases.

Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or what?

I spend the majority of my social networking time on Facebook, however recently I have started branching out more. Facebook is certainly enough for my personal life, but the power of social networks is indisputable for tech startups.

Who are the hottest startups outside the KAYWEB Angels group right now and why?

I really enjoy following startups that I personally would use in my day to day life.  One of the most promising startups from my perspective right now is Bitcasa. Almost too good to be true, their promises to bring unlimited storage with convergent encryption is nothing short of revolutionary.

What areas / opportunities are ripe for startups to tackle?

Social gaming is always a booming industry. Furthermore, converged applications that make use of multiple devices, such as a TV, tablet, or phone are just starting to become viable. With companies like Samsung offering over $200,000 in prizes to developers who take advantage of this, the future of multiple-device applications is exciting to imagine.  Jumping into the converged application market early could be extremely profitable.

Have you done any previous startups?

I have participated in numerous small projects and games, but none of them have taken off to the level Cafrino has.  My largest project so far has been as lead programmer for an online role-playing game which has a couple thousand players online at any given time and tens of thousands of accounts created.  Nothing extreme, but it is very satisfying knowing players are enjoying your work.

Outside of your startup what are you passionate about?

I try to do something new every week. As I recently relocated to the Caribbean this has been relatively easy. This week’s new adventures include visiting Palomino island and kayaking through a bioluminescent bay at night, which were both absolutely breathtaking.

Who has been or currently is an inspiration to you?

My mother has been a driving inspiration in my life.  Through both physical and emotional hardships she has always been a beacon of light.

 

YOUR STARTUP

You are currently in stealth so don't tell us what you are doing but give us a hint of the problem you are addressing?

I’ve been an avid online poker player since the PartyPoker days, but with the recent United States restrictions with online gambling, it has been nearly impossible to win a decent amount of money playing online poker.  Cafrino is here to fill these gaps with the safety and security of a U.S. company.

 

What led you to this right now instead of anything else?

A combination of timing and passion.  I used my free time to pursue the idea with Cafrino’s co-founder, Jonathan, and all the cards seemed to be in the right place.

What is your current biggest challenge?

Without a shadow of doubt: Time. There truly aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish every task while enjoying all of life’s wonders.  Learning to sacrifice and utilize my time more efficiently has truly been the biggest challenge throughout the development of Cafrino.

How can our readers help you get to your next step?

If you are searching for a reliable way to enjoy the rewards of traditional online poker sites, help spread the word.  Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to be the first to know about our major upcoming news announcements.

Let's play a prediction game. Let's say we are 12 months from now, and you are about to present to your board. How would you describe your progress?

In twelve months Cafrino’s main goal is to have executed a smooth launch, have an average userbase surpassing the thousand player mark, and start integrating our next phase of development.

 

Now let’s play the reflection game.  Think about who you were five years ago.  What advice would you give the former you (any topic)?

Refocus my priorities. With my bachelor’s studies underway, stresses building, and my future up in the air, it was easy to lose sight of long term goals. What I needed more than anything was to relax, breathe, and plan my time better.