Building the Team That's Transforming Poker

The Right People for the Right Mission

When I started Vulti, I knew that the vision of transforming poker operations would require more than just great technology—it would require an exceptional team with diverse expertise and a shared passion for the poker ecosystem.

Building that team has been one of my greatest challenges and proudest accomplishments. Today, I want to share some thoughts on how we've assembled the talent that's making Vulti's vision a reality.

Blending Industry Knowledge with Fresh Perspectives

From day one, I believed that our team needed to balance two critical factors: deep poker industry knowledge and fresh technological perspectives.

The poker industry has unique characteristics that outsiders often fail to appreciate. The economics of poker room operations, the psychology of players, the regulatory landscape, and the cultural nuances all shape what solutions will and won't work. Without this insider knowledge, even brilliantly engineered products can miss the mark.

At the same time, true innovation requires freedom from "that's how we've always done it" thinking. We needed people who could look at poker's longstanding problems with fresh eyes and apply cutting-edge technological approaches.

This balance guided our early hiring decisions. We brought in veterans from major poker rooms and tours who understood the operational realities, alongside technologists from fintech, gaming, and blockchain backgrounds who could envision new possibilities.

"My dual background as both a 20-year poker player and a 16-year veteran of UX product design gave me unique insight into what Vulti needed to become. But building a transformative platform requires more than one person's vision—it requires a team that combines deep poker expertise with technological innovation. When Amit joined as CTO, bringing 25 years of IT experience and his own passion for poker, I knew we had the foundation for something special. Each team member since has added another critical perspective to our collective vision."

Cross-Functional Expertise

Vulti sits at the intersection of multiple disciplines: gaming operations, financial technology, user experience, regulatory compliance, and blockchain technology. Building a product at this intersection requires team members who can speak multiple "languages" and bridge different domains.

Our CTO Amit came from fintech with experience in both traditional payment systems and blockchain architecture. His 25 years in IT development combined with his enthusiasm as a poker player himself gives him a unique perspective on our technical challenges. Our UX lead Przemek brought 10 years of experience designing interfaces for both gaming and financial applications. Our head of compliance worked previously in both gaming regulation and cryptocurrency compliance.

This cross-disciplinary approach extends throughout our organization. We don't just have separate poker experts and separate technology experts—we have people who understand how these worlds connect and can translate between them.

The Importance of Player Perspective

Perhaps the most critical perspective on our team comes from the players themselves. We've intentionally recruited team members with extensive playing experience, from recreational players to professionals.

These team members provide invaluable reality checks on our product decisions. They can immediately spot when a feature design doesn't match the realities of tournament play, or when a cash game workflow would create frustration in real-world conditions.

Beyond our core team, we've established a player advisory group that includes professionals from various backgrounds—tournament specialists, cash game grinders, mixed game players, and more. Their ongoing feedback ensures we're building a product that truly serves the diversity of the poker community.

Building a Remote-First Culture

From the beginning, Vulti has embraced a remote-first approach to building our team. This decision wasn't just about operational flexibility—it was about accessing the best talent regardless of location.

The poker world is global, and our team reflects that reality. We have team members based in Las Vegas, Barcelona, Manila, Melbourne, and a dozen other locations. This global perspective helps us build a product that works across different poker cultures and regulatory environments.

Remote work presents challenges, particularly for a startup building complex technology with multiple integrations. We've developed specific practices to maintain cohesion: regular synchronous collaboration sessions, comprehensive documentation, clear communication channels, and periodic in-person gatherings at major poker events.

Balancing Execution with Innovation

In a startup, there's always tension between immediate execution and long-term innovation. We need to deliver a working product today while still building toward our ambitious vision for tomorrow.

Our team structure reflects this balance. We have dedicated teams focused on immediate deliverables—the features that will be in our MVP and early releases. Alongside them, we have innovation teams exploring more speculative capabilities for future releases.

This dual approach allows us to maintain momentum on our roadmap while still investing in the revolutionary features that will define poker's future.

Cultivating a Unique Culture

Beyond skills and experience, we've worked to build a company culture that reflects the unique intersection of poker and technology. We value many of the same traits that make for successful poker players: analytical thinking, risk management, adaptability, emotional control, and the ability to make decisions with incomplete information.

At the same time, we embrace the collaborative, innovative spirit of the best technology companies. We encourage experimentation, welcome constructive dissent, and emphasize continuous learning.

The result is a culture that's both competitive and collaborative—one where team members push each other to excel while working together toward our shared mission.

Looking Ahead: Growing Our Team

As we continue to scale, we're always seeking exceptional people who share our vision for poker's future. If you combine poker expertise with technical skills, have experience in gaming or fintech, or simply bring a unique perspective that could enhance our mission, we'd love to hear from you.

Building the team that's transforming poker has been an incredible journey so far, and we're just getting started. Together, we're creating the technological foundation that will support the next generation of poker players and venues worldwide.