What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
Me Time — Balancing work and private / family life has been challenging, so I sought regular therapy for better reflection. I've learned that while I love my family, I need personal time to relax, read, and refresh my mind, and I definitely prefer listening to music over podcasts.
What's a perspective that we should pay more attention to in the workplace?
Business acumen or business sense — Many people excel at their specific jobs, like coding or managing, but few also possess strong business acumen. Understanding financial markets, business sustainability, identifying business opportunities and your own strengths and limitations is crucial. Developing these skills will help people succeed in any profession.
What's a mistake that you're happy you've made?
Solutions looking for a problem — We initially developed a solution without a clear problem in mind, which is a common reason for startup failure. This experience taught me to challenge every idea and code line, ensuring there's evidence of a well-defined problem. I've also learned it's more effective to start with a niche problem.
What's your secret sauce for building a great team?
Drive and passion over skills — Building a great team differs between an early-stage startup and scaling a mature company. But in both cases, I prioritize drive and passion over skills. Skills can be learned, but attitude, resilience, and passion are crucial and best assessed through personal interactions (dinner, rollercoaster, sports). For early-stage startups, I generally avoid hiring from corporate or big tech backgrounds.
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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.