What shift in mindset has allowed you to see things differently?
The biggest game-changer for me was accepting that I can’t control everything, no matter how hard I hustle. Once I embraced this truth, I found the peace to calm down and focus on moving at my own sustainable pace – a pace I can maintain for years, not just weeks.
What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?
Never outsource what you enjoy. I learned this the hard way. At one point, 90% of my day was consumed by tasks crucial to the company but draining for me. Meanwhile, I had hired someone to handle the tasks I was eager to do myself. Not a good scenario.
What's the biggest insight you learned in recent years?
In my experience, relieving pressure from smart and driven individuals, rather than applying it, results in significantly better and more enduring outcomes.
What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
The magic happens when leaders step back and delegate responsibility to their team. Your role isn't about controlling every outcome but rather about fostering a safe and trustworthy environment that enables your team to excel. To achieve this, it is crucial to connect with each team member on a personal level and genuinely understand them.
What was a pivotal moment where your business made a big leap forward?
Pivotal moments arise from consistently acting on small ideas and seizing opportunities. I strive to maintain sufficient mental capacity to recognize these opportunities and enough energy to pursue them. The big leaps become obvious when I take a moment to look in the rearview mirror and reflect on where I was a couple of months ago.
What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
The first step is to identify what I need to maintain balance. For me, this includes physical activity, eight hours of sleep, nurturing close relationships, and allowing time for boredom. When any of these are missing, I notice a significant decline in my motivation, energy and overall capabilities. So to sustain balance, I intentionally schedule dedicated time for each of these activities in my daily and weekly routine, treating them with the same priority as critical work meetings. They are essential, so I ensure I never skip them.
What’s an important belief / a guiding principle that informs the way you build and run your business?
I believe that high-performance companies are the result of a people-first culture, where every team member feels safe enough to be vulnerable and confident that their voice will be heard. With this foundation, I can identify each individual’s unique zone of genius - the skill in which they truly excel - and effectively assemble the puzzle pieces. I am convinced people inherently strive to achieve great things, and my company should be the place where they can bring their aspirations to life. This approach is, in my view, the most effective path to my company's success.
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Here’s More, From Other Founders Around the World
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.
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.