18 Years of SOLID means 18 questions with each of the SOLID Senior Management team who, along with your support, keep the wheels of our successful business moving ahead.
Designed to be insightful and fun (what our brand is really all about) – this series is really a ‘the-people-behind-the-business’ type of thing. Please join me in getting to know our Senior Management Team a little more.
Next up we have: Charles Musto
Charles is SOLIDitech’s COO and one of our esteemed co-founders. Starting with just 2 people, Charles and Manuel have grown SOLID to over 130 team members, based all over the globe. A true family man with a heart as big as his smile, Charles’ journey has taken him from Johannesburg to Cape Town and now Edinburgh, Scotland. Fun fact: his eldest son is nearly the same age as the company – almost 20! Charles cares deeply about SOLID and its people, pouring his passion into every aspect of the platform, from its functionality and aesthetics to the wellbeing of the entire SOLID team. Always quick with a joke or a comforting word, he’s also a passionate learner with a keen interest in AI and its potential, constantly sharing his insights with the team.
His 18 questions went a little like this:
Question 1: What’s your favourite time of day?
Late evening – after everyone else has gone to bed – when dependencies on me are low and I have some me-time. That’s pretty much right now when I get to answer these questions
Question 2: What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had?
Moving to another country with your family after having settled down for 45 years prior to that. Definitely easier said than done. 2 years in and I’m still learning!
Question 3: What’s one vice you wish you could give up?
Making excuses not to exercise – I’ve joined a gym now though, so I’m busy tackling this one head-on
Question 4: What’s a cause that is important to you?
Mental Health Awareness and Support – particularly Neurodiversity and then more specifically Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Question 5: What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
Being told that I’m kind, loving and helpful.
Question 6: When are you the most inspired?
Usually late at night or the early hours of the morning when I should be going to sleep but then a spiral of thoughts hit me. Sometimes in the shower too!
Question 7: Sweet or savoury?
Hmm… I like both, but pushed for a choice, I’d have to say sweet
Question 8: What song can you listen to on repeat?
Everlong by Foo Fighters.
Question 9: What are the three things you can’t live without?
My wife and 2 kids – everything else is just “stuff”.
Question 10: What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve done in your life?
Oooo… I cannot talk about the “most” adventurous thing I’ve done… but the next best thing I can mention is probably snowboarding in the Catskill Mountains in New York. That was pretty epic!
Question 11: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
True happiness occurs only when you find the problems you enjoy having and enjoy solving.
Question 12: What’s something you notice about someone when you first meet them?
Usually their body language and whether or not they smile when they greet you.
Question 13: What’s your favourite board game?
Backgammon
Question 14: What’s one city you’ve always dreamed of traveling to?
New York, which I’ve been fortunate enough to visit a couple of times now, but I’d always dreamt of visiting… then there’s Paris, which I haven’t been to (yet!)
Question 15: What’s the one talent you wish you had?
I wish I could shred on guitar- I love to play, but I can’t shred.
Question 16: What’s your favourite fast food order?
Tough one, because I’ve tried to stop eating fast food, but one of my favourite dishes that I can’t resist would be the Chicken Jambalaya from Banana Jam Cafe in Kenilworth, Cape Town.
Question 17: Do you like surprises?
Depends – if they’re friendly, then yep. If they’re frightening, then not so much!
Question 18: What did you want to do with your life at age 12?
I wanted to be an Animatronic Engineer and design and build awesome robotic creatures for movies. CGI dashed those dreams, so I switched to wanting to be an Animator instead.
And that’s a wrap!
We hope you enjoyed this ’18 Questions’, know a little more about Charles and enjoyed getting to know our Senior Management Team with this series.