What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
I don't separate my life into distinct categories like job, personal life, hobbies, or family. I see my life as a whole and focus on the aspects I truly want to pursue in various contexts. Continuously challenging myself to reflect on my inner balance allows me to make ongoing adjustments. This is a continuous process that will never be complete.
What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?
Relax and follow my own path without worrying too much about others. During my first job as a business consultant at Bain & Company, I constantly questioned everything. I became obsessed with whether I would get promoted a few months early or if my reviews were perfect. None of those thoughts benefited me in the long run. Focusing on what I believed in helped me more in achieving my goals. Understanding this earlier would have greatly benefited me during my early years.
What’s an important belief / a guiding principle that informs the way you build and run your business?
When all team members share a common vision, communicate effectively, handle setbacks constructively, and treat each other with respect, the team can achieve extraordinary results. This collective harmony not only fosters a deep sense of personal happiness but also leads to business success.
What's your secret sauce for building a great team?
I only want to work with team members who are proactive, enthusiastic about their job and tasks, and genuinely want to collaborate. Trust, commitment, and mutual conviction in the working relationship between employer and employee is the secret sauce for a great team. If either the employer or employee feels they are not in the right place in their life, I believe it is best to part ways.
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Here’s More, From Other Founders Around the World
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.