What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
Be passionate about your venture, but avoid becoming overly attached to it. Otherwise, you might be the reason your growth and the growth of the venture stalls.
What personal habit or behavior helped you accelerate your personal growth?
Meditation and reflection. As a founder you live mostly in the future, but life happens now in this moment.
What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
Curiosity often starts when you're bored. Make space for boredom.
What can we do to create a great workplace for our colleagues?
I strive to create a safe space for people and a dangerous space for ideas. Everyone should feel that they can express their ideas and suggestions to anyone, regardless of position. Every idea, no matter its origin, should be challenged, iterated, and refined.
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Here’s More, From Other Founders Around the World
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.
What's a mistake that you're happy you've made?
When I was 16 (way before the internet) I founded a travel-partner agency to connect people from different backgrounds seeking travel companions. After a year, I had to close the agency due to a lack of customers and the confusion some callers had regarding the nature of the “service.” Despite this setback, I gained invaluable insights into sales, communication and people’s needs, solidifying my desire to run a business that helps people.
What motivated you to become an entrepreneur?
After graduating, I worked for an extremely well-paying automotive company. But I always had the feeling that there was more out there. So I quit and went into research with the aim of becoming a founder.
What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
There are no overnight miracles, it's very hard work: both physically and emotionally. Requires resilience, grit, strategic approach and grind.