Gor Elchyan

Co-founded Puzl with the mission to empower retailers through AI-driven profitability automation. As Head of Product, I defined the product vision, led strategy and execution from Day 0, and was instrumental in building the company's foundation. • Architected the Puzl platform from initial concept, leading product strategy, roadmap definition, and UX design for our AI-first retail profitability solution. • Built and directed the foundational product and technology team, scaling to 15+ engineers (AI/Web) and data analysts, fostering a culture of innovation and agile execution. • Co-led successful seed fundraising efforts, securing over $650k ($600k investment + $50k grants) by articulating the market opportunity and product vision. Personally drove early adoption, acquiring and onboarding the first 20+ B2B clients across the US & Middle East with 250+ individual stores. • Established Puzl's initial market presence through direct engagement, conducting 200+ product demonstrations for key prospects and investors, and ensuring customer success via 100+ targeted training sessions. • Drove significant client ROI, increasing profit margins by an additional 3-8% and cutting Promotional Planning time by over 90% (from days to hours). • Slashed user drop-off from 40% to 10% (a 75% reduction) through strategic UX improvements and iterative design. • Reduced average client onboarding time by over 65% (from 3-6 months to 1-1.5 months), significantly accelerating customer time-to-value. • Embedded deep customer understanding into the company DNA through continuous market/competitor analysis and insights from 100+ user interviews, driving iterative product development and value delivery. • Established core product processes including release management, acceptance testing, and knowledge base creation (documentation, guides), leveraging Generative AI (Gemini, ChatGPT) for enhanced efficiency.

• Led the end-to-end delivery and successful launch of the new Cost Estimation product, managing it from concept through to market release within 6 months. • Developed and delivered compelling product demonstrations and comprehensive supporting materials for 5 key stakeholders (including partners, sales teams, business developers) and clients (Wayfair, Google, etc.) to drive adoption and enable sales enablement. • Defined and documented the strategic 12-18 month future roadmap for the Cost Estimation product, outlining next 4 planned enhancements and the product's evolutionary path. • Initiated and presented at least 3-5 actionable proposals for product development process improvements directly to executive leadership, leading to the adoption of 2 specific changes that enhanced workflow efficiency by an estimated 15-20% and improved output quality. • Effectively coordinated and collaborated with three distinct development teams (comprising of 13 engineers in total) simultaneously, ensuring alignment, managing 5+ critical dependencies, and facilitating timely delivery of Cost Estimation features. • Enhanced domain expertise in global mobility by successfully completing the ECA 'Principles of Global Mobility' certification first in the product team, deepening understanding of the relevant industry landscape to better inform product strategy and guiding the rest of the product team about key aspects of certification program.

• Spearheaded the establishment and operational launch of Avetiq GmbH's engineering center in Armenia, building the entire function from the ground up in 1.5-2 months. • Orchestrated all setup logistics for the 250sqm facility, including office space acquisition, furnishing, IT infrastructure and equipment procurement for 20 workstations, and negotiating favorable vendor contracts, achieving an estimated ~15% in cost efficiencies. • Led end-to-end talent acquisition, successfully sourcing, interviewing, and hiring 16 top-tier engineers and technical professionals within the first 12 months, establishing the core team from zero. In the following 12 months hired another 4 brilliant engineers. • Directed, mentored, and scaled a high-performing engineering team, overseeing daily operations, optimizing workflows, and driving a ~20% improvement in project delivery timelines through enhanced processes. • Achieved and sustained an exceptional employee retention rate, maintaining an average annual turnover of less than 5% over 3 years, significantly outperforming regional industry averages. • Cultivated a positive company culture and built local brand awareness through strategic community outreach, regular team-building events (monthly/quarterly), and active management of social media presence. • As a Product Owner, managed the implementation and launch of a business-critical mobile version for a complex crew management platform, serving 2000+ end-users. Championed modern UX solutions to optimize a challenging nested data structure, resulting in a 22% reduction in user information update delays.

Managed challenging innovation projects within Volo's IT boutique environment, including leading the 'Contra' cybersecurity service initiative from inception. • Defined project scope with senior management, developed detailed schedules/work plans, allocated resources for teams of 3-10 engineers, and managed release planning, delivering projects on average within 10% of budget/ schedule. • Served as Product Owner for key projects (including Contra, Elevator Face Recognition, Obstacle Avoidance System for Robots, KYC Platform for Middle East, Real Estate Scraper for Japan, etc.): established vision, facilitated Scrum ceremonies (daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives), managed sprint backlog & team capacity for 3-10 member teams, and conducted release demos. • Secured new business by engaging potential clients (including international travel) through technical business analysis and consulting, crafting 5+ tailored proposals for innovative, high-value projects. • Led the Contra cybersecurity service initiative: analyzed emerging threats, technological trends, and service landscapes to inform strategic planning and maintain a competitive service portfolio. • Researched and advocated for emerging technologies (IoT, Cybersecurity, ML) to drive project innovation and inform Volo's technical strategy. • Led cross-functional team collaboration throughout all project phases, fostering effective communication and driving successful outcomes across internal teams and client stakeholders. • Produced detailed progress reports, charts, and queries for project analysis, ensuring accountability and clear communication with stakeholders and leadership.