Founder and General Manager
 at 
OCX GmbH
   

What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?

In hindsight it’s so obvious but I had to learn it from experience first:

„If you lose the conversations in your business, you lose your business“. This may sound kind of extreme but it is true not only regarding customers but also with regard to your team members. Great, honest, and trustful conversations are the glue that keeps an outstanding team together.

What’s an important belief / a guiding principle that informs the way you build and run your business?

People over money. It’s that simple. I’m very ambitious and, for sure, to a certain degree economically driven. However, when it comes down to prioritizing between people and money, I’m for sure on the people side.

What helped you accelerate your growth as a leader / entrepreneur?

Developing the skill of seeing things how they really are and not how we wish they were is so important for every leader. I think, this is the only chance to create a basis for making good and sustainable decisions.

What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?

Leadership is a long-term game. Understanding this helps me keep an eye on all things beside business, especially health since those things are an essential part of a wealthy and fulfilling life.

What book do you recommend the most?

"Principles of Life and Work“ by Ray Dalio and „Anything your want“ by Derek Sivers.

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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.

  
from
 
Peter
 
Sänger
CEO + Co-Founder
 at 
Green City Solutions GmbH

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.

  
from
 
Florian
 
Dostert
Co-Founder & CEO
 at 
Syntinels

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.

  
from
 
Robin
 
Römer
CEO
 at 
Pelicad

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.

  
from
 
Tobias
 
Forster
Founder / CEO
 at 
GOstralia!-GOmerica!