What quote or saying has stuck with you?
"Love the problem, not the solution." - Too often, we become enamored with our ideas and solutions, losing sight of the user's problem. Always return to the user - engage, understand, and address their pain points.
What's your secret sauce for building a great team?
Empower people with purpose and the right amount of freedom to pursue a meaningful mission. Support them on their way. Everything else is a bonus. Why? Smart individuals thrive on challenges and aspire to contribute to something greater than themselves. The more responsibility they hold, the more dedicated they become.
What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
Trust is foundational. Onboard the right people, have trust in their skills to do the right things. Align them with the mission & support them on their journey. As you lead more people, operational task is not your job anymore. Learn to delegate early.
What motivates you to work as a leader / entrepreneur?
I love solving problems. Seeing people use my solutions, saving significant time with a sparkle in their eyes, is my life's elixir.
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What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?
I always thought that my life can be balanced between personal, business, health, family, finances and love. In that sense how much energy I put in and get back. But with the years, I learned that life is imbalanced by nature. It's still a goal for me and I believe if all parts are some kind of balanced, this speaks of a highly valuable life, but accepting that there will always be a certain imbalance, helped me a lot.
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.