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 or behavior helped you accelerate your personal growth?
The ability to endure situations with high psychological stress without losing composure.
What shift in perspective has allowed you to see things differently?
My mentor once gave me a piece of advice: to always believe that 99% of people are not evil. If they don't act like you wish they did, it's not because of an "evil intention." They mean well, but in a different way.
What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?
I don't think there's anything specific. Even if I had known that some steps forward are just much easier with the right connection to the right people at the right time, I wouldn’t have had these connections 10 years ago.
What was a pivotal moment where your business made a big leap forward?
It was primarily overcoming challenges and continuously developing our products that helped us as a young company the most. This also includes the support and collaboration with renowned institutions, research facilities, and our long-term partners.
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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.
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.