What personal habit or behavior helped you accelerate your personal growth?
I once received a quirky compliment from an Investor: “Achim, you are not afraid to ask questions that make you look stupid." I lean into that a lot now because many things that people take for granted don’t have a reason to be the way they are.
What was a pivotal moment where your business made a big leap forward?
In year 5, we hired our first CRO (Chief Revenue Officer) from the US. The mindset shift from having an American leader is incredible. He dared us and our Board of Investors to think bigger. He boosted our confidence and reminded us to be proud of who we are.
What book do you recommend the most?
"The Almanac of Naval Ravikant" -- It’s dense, deep and unpretentious. I find these are rare qualities in business books.
What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
Leadership is far less glamorous than people think. In the end it is a service to your team. They are thestars of the show, you’re just cheering them on.
What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
I love woodworking and power tools. Nothing like a screaming table saw to pull your attention away from work and into the moment.
What’s your favorite ritual or meeting in your team?
Once a year we gather the whole team for our three-day off-site event. I love working remotely for efficiency, but to fuel up on social energy, this is the meeting I need.
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Here’s More, From Other Founders Around the World
What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?
I always thought that my life can be balanced between personal, business, health, family, finances and love. In that sense how much energy I put in and get back. But with the years, I learned that life is imbalanced by nature. It's still a goal for me and I believe if all parts are some kind of balanced, this speaks of a highly valuable life, but accepting that there will always be a certain imbalance, helped me a lot.
What's the biggest insight you learned in recent years?
It’s always a good idea to be connected to your product – even if you have to deal with high-level topics, always remember the things you offer.
What personal habit helped you accelerate your personal growth?
In one of the hardest times of my life so far, I started journaling for 1-2h on Sundays. Not digital, but with paper and pen. Always answering the same questions related to self, social life and work. This brutally honest and regular reflection once a week helped me identify problems early and iterate fast.
When times are tough, who or what is an anchor for you?
My co-founders are my anchor in work-related topics. Having an environment where failure is welcomed with a helping hand and where weakness is valued as openness, once you are down those people will drag you up.