What personal habit or behavior helped you accelerate your personal growth?
I don't just want to know things, I want to understand them. That leads to different questions and discussions and different answers. It makes the basis for decisions much thicker. Never get tired or embarrassed of asking to go deeper into a topic.
What shift in perspective / mindset has allowed you to see things differently?
Always be yourself to stay happy and go where you belong. If you must pretend you will reach dead ends.
What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
Kyudo (Japanese Archery) and my wife help me to maintain my balance. And coding as the best hobby there is ;)
When times are tough, who or what is an anchor for you?
Humor and calmness help to weather the storm. There will always be another storm somewhere waiting to be faced. Do not worry, you will get through it.
What's your secret sauce for building a great team?
Always check the mindset of new candidates for a team. Skills take a team where it needs to go, mindset takes it beyond.
What’s an important belief that informs the way you build and run your business?
Doing good things will lead to good things. Don’t be naive but be good - always.
What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
Leading means taking risks and also letting go of control. Building trust and collecting metrics along the way will give you peace of mind and a good foundation for a great product and balanced work-life.
We’re building the largest library of insights and wisdom by and for founders and entrepreneurs.
Once a month we'll send you the latest interviews straight to your inbox. No fluff, just value. For free.
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.