What shift in mindset has allowed you to see things differently?
Asking myself what failure truly means. Realizing it's just my ego, not a real threat to lose everything, gave me the confidence to think much bigger and simpler.
What's a mistake that you're happy you've made?
Literally working myself into burnout. This painful experience helped rewire my mindset about life and business.
What book do you recommend the most?
Courage Is Calling by Ryan Holiday. Helped me to understand that anything worth pursuing should be a bit terrifying. Without that, we remain in the status quo.
What's a question you like asking — yourself or others?
What keeps you up at night? Helps me to understand the challenges and realities my peers (or myself) are dealing with.
When times are tough, who or what is an anchor for you?
Seeing my wife and children smile puts all business matters into perspective. And grounding myself by doing sports in nature.
What's a skill that we should pay more attention to in the workplace?
Prioritizing work that really matters and being okay with failures, instead of projecting false importance and knowledge.
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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.