Discover how Tiberius Pîrcălabu, CEO of Pragmatic Solutions, uses technology for innovation and effective solutions, building trust-based relationships.
Tiberius Pîrcălabu, CEO of Pragmatic Solutions, develops custom software solutions, using modern technologies to solve real business problems and to build trustworthy relationships based on client satisfaction.
C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in a way that would make those who don’t know you yet curious?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: I am an entrepreneur who, beyond personal success, aspires to transform technology into a tool dedicated to the good of humanity, developing innovative solutions for the most pressing challenges of the contemporary world – from business, to medicine, environmental protection, and education.
C&B: If we were to look at the storyline of your career or business, what key moments defined you?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: Looking back, I believe there were a few key moments that defined my path. The first was when I moved to Bucharest for my studies, in 1998, which opened the door to a new world: I attended many events and met people from various fields, with whom I discussed technology and how I envisioned solutions to problems in their industries.
This inevitably led to a second key moment, in 2003: when my first client, whom I met this way, asked me to develop a software solution. But I didn’t have a company yet, so he couldn’t pay me legally. I had just won 2nd place in an idea competition (“E-idea,” I think it was called), and the prize was a desktop computer. I already had another computer I worked on, so I sold the prize one and used the money to establish my software company.
Later, more and more clients started contacting me exclusively through referrals from existing clients or people who knew my passion for technology. I don’t think I even had a website for several years, as I didn’t have time to build one.
A third key moment was in 2005, when I hired my first employee – a childhood friend, followed by a second, a former high school classmate. That came with a whole new set of challenges, since from that moment I became responsible for other people, and that’s how I began developing my management skills.
In 2010 came another key moment: through connections made at various science and technology events I was attending, I was offered the opportunity to launch a startup in the United States, together with two Romanians living there. I accepted and ran both the Romanian company and that startup in parallel. Unfortunately, the startup failed, but it came with many valuable lessons and experiences for the future. From that moment on, I connected with the U.S. business world and have had constant clients there, even to this day.
C&B: What has been the most difficult moment so far in your journey, and how did you overcome it?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: One of the most difficult moments in my business journey was in 2016, when I got involved in a second U.S. startup, alongside a Romanian partner based there, and decided to dedicate myself 100% to the project. I scaled down the Romanian company’s activity, had no employees left, and was on the verge of moving there to focus exclusively on the startup, when, unexpectedly, my U.S. partner accepted a job he had long dreamed of – his life-long goal. So, he had to give up full involvement in the startup, which fell apart, and I had to restart almost from scratch with the Romanian business. It was a difficult time, but I managed to recover by relying on the connections I had built here over the years.
C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: As a child, I was inspired by the ideas presented by Alexandru Mironov in the TV show “Science and Imagination.” I remember it aired every Sunday, right before the Star Trek series, of which I probably missed only a handful of episodes. That opened an entirely different world for me – one of imagination, but also of possibilities.
That’s how I came to believe in the potential of technology to help us become better and evolve as a species. My ambition has always been, and remains, to be one of the vectors that push humanity forward, beyond everyday problems and beyond the limits drawn by the edges of knowledge.
C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you’ve transformed until today?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: At the beginning, after moving to Bucharest, I was a typical student: curious, enthusiastic about everything science and technology, always eager to talk with people and find technical solutions everywhere, even to planetary problems. I carried a list of ideas and a pen in my pocket, so I could jot down any solution that came to mind throughout the day.
Now, I probably still keep that core somewhere deep down, but over time I’ve become much more pragmatic, focusing on the most common problems in practice, aimed at helping people and clients as much as possible – saving them time, money, and energy. I’m still passionate about the newest discoveries and technological inventions, in software and beyond, but I prefer to wait for them to be validated over time before applying them to my daily activity.
C&B: If we met your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: They would probably say that I’m always attentive to my clients and that I go above and beyond to make sure they are satisfied. I can’t stand the thought that an application I built could have an error, slow people down, or display incorrect results. This was probably my competitive advantage in client relationships, since my clients could always reach me whenever they needed support.
C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: The most important decision was to start my own company instead of working for an IT company, where salaries were high, and jobs relatively secure. If it hadn’t been for that first client insisting on a legal way to pay me, I don’t know how my path would have looked. Most of my colleagues were already employed by their 3rd or 4th year of university, but I never liked the idea of not having control over my schedule or missing events I cared about.
C&B: How did you build your leadership style or your way of making decisions? Was it a natural process or learned?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: It was definitely learned. I had to make many decisions, both pleasant and unpleasant, especially regarding employees. I learned that there are no perfect decisions, only pragmatic ones, made based on context and available resources. What matters most is that they align with the right intention and that I can adapt later. Pragmatism is what helped me move forward and stay focused on real results, not ideal scenarios. Whenever I tried to control all possible outcomes to “make sure it turned out well,” I failed. Postponing decisions too long became a decision in itself, usually a bad one. I learned to be guided by the principle of intention – what matters most is the intention behind a decision, not the final outcome. Over time, I built the confidence that I can adapt to any outcome, especially in business, where very few things are truly irreversible.
C&B: What do you think differentiates your business or professional approach from the rest of the industry?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: For me, the most important aspect has been maintaining an excellent relationship with the client, from the very first contact, through defining specifications, gathering data and approvals, all the way to delivery and maintenance. I am pragmatic in how I approach problems: I look for the fastest and most efficient solution that works in practice. At the same time, I remain results-oriented, ensuring that every solution brings real impact and strengthens client trust.
Support requests are often addressed – and most of the time solved – the same day or within 24 hours at most.
C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and which moments bring you the greatest satisfaction?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: For me, a typical day starts at 6 AM, when our family begins preparing the kids for school. At 8:00, after dropping them off, I head to the gym. I try to stay away from emails and news to keep my mind clear and focused on family and myself. After the gym, around 10:00, I start working. Usually, I first check for any client issues and resolve them as quickly as possible or give a resolution timeline and follow up later. Then I get into actual project work. If I have meetings, I prefer to hold them in a café.
I work until the afternoon, when I pick up the kids from after-school, and then I switch to working with U.S. clients until late in the evening. Sometimes I take the kids to swimming lessons, but I bring my laptop with me, just in case support is needed somewhere.
On regular days, the morning brings me the most satisfaction, when I enjoy that oasis of calm until about 10 AM. On business event days, the greatest satisfaction comes during networking breaks, when I enjoy walking around, meeting people, and engaging in conversations. I’m curious about their work and try to come up with ideas to help them, even when it doesn’t bring me a business project in return.
C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them daily?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: For me, the most important values are responsibility, pragmatism, and results orientation. Responsibility means fully owning every project. Pragmatism makes me choose simple, applicable solutions that work in the client’s real context. And results orientation means always focusing on the concrete impact these solutions have on the business.
C&B: How did the idea of starting this business come to you, and how did you choose its name?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: As I mentioned earlier, the idea came from the concrete need of my first client to pay me legally. He wanted me to build him a more complex website, which was a challenge for me, and I accepted it. Initially, the company name was “Qensis International,” as I wanted a unique name that didn’t mean anything in particular. Over time, however, it became clear that the name wasn’t memorable and didn’t represent my business. So, I chose a name aligned with one of my values: pragmatism. And what better name than “Pragmatic Solutions”?
C&B: If you could send a message to people who want to follow in your footsteps, what would it be?
Tiberius Pîrcălabu: I would tell those who want to follow a similar path to be patient and consistent, because success doesn’t happen overnight. Take full responsibility for every decision and every project, no matter how small, because over time it’s those details that make the difference. Always put the client first, pay attention to real needs, and make it a rule to deliver what you promise. I’ve learned firsthand that there are no shortcuts and that difficult moments, no matter how tough they seem at the time, are what shape you and give you the strength to move forward. If you work seriously, stay curious, and remain open to learning, the road takes shape on its own, and even failures become stepping stones toward better things.
Tiberius Pîrcălabu demonstrates that passion, pragmatism, and responsibility can turn technology into a tool that brings real value and builds trust. His example teaches us that true innovation starts with the courage to begin and the perseverance to continue.
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