What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?
I wish I'd understood that a product doesn't need to be perfect; it needs to be simple, user-friendly, and most importantly, you have to sell it.
What motivated you to become an entrepreneur / leader?
During my university days, I developed a recipe app that gained some downloads on the app store. The real turning point was seeing people use my app on the subway; realizing how my work could simplify everyday life was incredibly inspiring and pushed me to build meaningful software solutions.
What's your secret sauce for building a great team?
The key to building a great team is to love what you do and to trust your team members. This passion and trust not only motivate but also empower everyone to contribute their best, creating a strong unit.
What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
Leaders should understand that their role isn't to do everything themselves. It's crucial to inspire and motivate the team while also placing trust in them to execute their responsibilities. This approach not only enhances productivity but also creates a positive and empowering work environment.
What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
To maintain balance in my life, I ensure that my team can operate independently for periods of time. This approach allows me the freedom to spend extended time with my family. Ensuring autonomy at work not only encourages responsibility among team members but also supports my personal life balance.
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What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
Your own time and energy is the most precious resource you have. Use it wisely, and learn what gives you energy, and what saps you. In the early years of building something, you need to throw a huge amount of time at it - and do many things you perhaps don’t like doing. But as you scale, it’s vital to take a step back and build a business that can grow rapidly beyond the time you put into it.
What shift in perspective has allowed you to see things differently?
It may sound simple, but realizing and truly understanding that we are all different and driven by different things has made a significant impact on me. This insight has changed the way I approach relationships and leadership.
What’s a guiding principle that informs the way you build and run your business?
One of our core values at Cozero is radical candor. It is the idea that the willingness to repeatedly enter uncomfortable situations to speak the truth benefits everyone in the long run. We believe that in order to grow and improve as an organization, we need to create an environment where our team is not afraid to challenge processes and decisions. Making this a core value guides us in difficult situations when it’s not clear which road to take.
What's a mistake that you're happy you've made?
I'm happy I chose a highly regulated market, even though it was tough. It taught me a lot about patience, attention to detail, and the importance of doing things right. These lessons have made me better at what I do.