What quote or saying has stuck with you?
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -- Maya Angelou
It shifts the focus from the what to the how we should communicate or meet.
What book do you recommend the most?
“The Tools” — It consists of 4 easy applicable methods to tackle mental states which helped me coping with feelings like fear, anger and ponder.
What's your secret sauce for building a great team?
Hire people who match our values. Because values are hard or impossible to change.
Important: Find your company values first. We used the "mission to mars" method and it was great.
What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?
That I knew so little about entrepreneurship and leadership. Fortunately, with EO ("Entrepreneurs Organization") I have found a very valuable place to learn and exchange ideas among entrepreneurs.
What’s your favorite ritual or meeting in your team?
Our monthly TownHall Meeting: Where the managing team shares updates on several topics, like Vision, Financials oder Product Development to improve transparency in our company.
What personal habit or behavior has shaped you as a leader / entrepreneur?
In conversations with other entrepreneurs, I always try to be honest, humble and inquisitive. Only then can I receive good experiences from others as a gift.
What motivates you to work as a leader / entrepreneur?
Having the opportunity to create a very good workplace for my colleagues and myself. And the freedom to make my own decisions.
When times are tough, who or what is an anchor for you?
Thinking about times that were tough (or seemed like). Most of them never turned out to be as tough as my brain thought they would be.
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Here’s More, From Other Founders Around the World
What's a question you like asking — yourself or others?
I like asking, "What can I learn from this experience?" This question helps me reflect on challenges and successes, fostering continuous improvement and a mindset of growth and learning.
What’s an important guiding principle that informs the way you build and run your business?
“Lead by ideas, not by hierarchy.” The “position” of a person has nothing to do with the ability to contribute great ideas to improve the company. You should always strive for a company culture where everybody can talk to everybody.
What shift in perspective has allowed you to see things differently?
Understanding that you cannot control the decisions other people make, you can only influence and inform them. Not every deal or decision will go your way and this mindset helps avoid self-loathing, anger, and depression.
What was a pivotal moment where your business made a big leap forward?
Understanding the 80/20 principle or even 64/4 and that it's a law of nature applicable everywhere. It's one of the biggest levers for doing more with less or in less time. (E.g. 20% of the streets in the world handle 80% of the traffic.)