Christopher Salis’s Interview

Robin H. Milton
4 min readJun 20, 2024

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Christopher Salis is an SAP expert, business mogul, and startup advisor. eBay, Business Objects, Adecco Employment Services, Gap Inc., and SAP are some companies where he has worked before. HeyHQ and Pakks.com were some of his ventures. Currently, he has started the Secure Our Schools Foundation and is more in charity work.

What’s new was I sat with him for an interview to talk about his past career, how were things, and what now.

Christopher, let’s take a trip down memory lane. How did you kickstart your career?

Christopher Salis: Oh man, where do I even begin? It feels like a lifetime ago. I started off at eBay, which was just a wild ride. It was the early 2000s, and the internet at that time was not wild, controlled, or influenced much. We were all just figuring things out as we went along. Call that time the Wild West of tech. One minute you’re debugging code, the next you’re in a meeting with execs planning domination in the tech sector.

I remember my first big project there — it was this huge integration challenge. The stakes were high, and we were working around the clock. I think I practically lived in the office for weeks. But, those were the moments that shaped me. You know what they say, “Pressure makes diamonds,” right?

From eBay to SAP, that’s quite a leap. What drew you to SAP?

Christopher Salis: SAP was a completely different ballgame. By that point, I’d gained experience on several big projects, but SAP was like tackling Mount Everest after a few hill climbs. What drew me in was their vision. They weren’t simply interested in developing software; they also wanted to change the way businesses worked throughout the world.

I joined SAP at a key moment. They were migrating to a cloud-based paradigm, and everyone was on board. My duty was to drive strategic ideas that would help the organization move forward. I had the opportunity to work on some incredibly exciting projects, such as next-generation technology, which is now the foundation of most current corporate solutions.

Tell me about your ventures, HeyHQ and Pakks.com. What was the inspiration behind them?

Christopher Salis: Ah, HeyHQ and Pakks.com are my babies. After years in the corporate world, I wanted to start from scratch and build something unique for myself. HeyHQ was founded with the goal of assisting small businesses in improving their efficiency. We noticed a vacuum in the market where SMEs were dealing with the same difficulties as large corporations but had the means to address them.

Pakks.com was created to meet a different requirement. It was a social commerce network, and I’d say it was extremely ahead of its time. We want to combine the best of e-commerce with social networking to create a community-driven purchasing experience. It was undoubtedly tough. But the learning curve was severe and exciting.

Now you’ve pivoted to charity work with the Secure Our Schools Foundation. What led to this shift?

Christopher Salis: It was a succession of events that made me understand the necessity for change. I’ve always believed in giving back, but after years in technology and business, I wanted to do something more important, something that would have a long-term influence.

The Secure Our Schools Foundation is very near to my heart. It is about providing secure places for children to study and develop. In today’s society, school safety has become a critical concern. We are discussing everything from physical safety to mental health services. It’s a large task, but one worth undertaking.

Reflecting on your journey, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts?

Christopher Salis: Oh, where to start? First and foremost, do not be scared to take chances. My career has been a succession of calculated gambles. Some paid off, but others didn’t. However, each failure served as a learning opportunity. You have to roll with the punches.

Second, surround oneself with intelligent, enthusiastic individuals. Your teammates may make or break you. Finally, keep curious. The technology world is always developing. Today’s cutting-edge technology will become obsolete tomorrow. Keep learning and exploring.

And a tiny piece of advice: don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s a wild journey, so buckle up and enjoy it. You will have ups and downs, but that is what makes it intriguing.

Any last thoughts?

Christopher Salis: Just that I am really appreciative of the adventure thus far. From eBay to SAP, my own businesses, and now charitable work, each phase has been unique and fulfilling. I’m excited to see what the future brings.

Life is a lovely yet unexpected path. And I am here for it all.

References

https://vocal.media/interview/interview-with-sap-s-chris-salis

https://vocal.media/journal/chris-salis-time-at-sap

https://www.reddit.com/user/Caspian_Tiger555/comments/1djgqot/i_interviewed_saps_chris_salis_his_time_at_sap/

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Robin H. Milton

Robin Milton after being a part of the marketing industry for several years, he took the opportunity to pursue blogging full time.