What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
What I learned way too late is that it's my responsibility to facilitate communication flow and knowledge transfer, especially when team members are full into details not everyone sees the bigger picture all the time. Therefore it's also important to make sure people have their focus area and are not doing many things at once, it makes them feel overwhelmed, reduces creativity, quality and speed of results
What was a pivotal moment where your business made a big leap forward?
This may sound trivial but has a magnificent impact: when we found a shared goal and a single direction to put all the effort in when we were working on many different products before.
What personal habit or behavior helped you accelerate your personal growth?
Intentionally taking a step back from operational work to keep the focus on the bigger picture gives me space to reflect and make better decisions.
What's a mistake that you're happy you've made?
We once had a phase where the team was quite small and we needed to make some tough decisions. I was not persistent with my approach and listened to too many ideas. This led to a big mess and I learned the hard way that in such situations, it needs a single informed decision.
What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
Taking care of physical well being by doing regular sport sessions and daily walks, as well as psychological well being by taking care of healthy family relationships through a super honest communication culture.
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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.