Every two weeks I share lessons and tools from my work as a coach, host of mastermind groups and podcast conversations. Today I share some of my thoughts after the interview Arnout Visscher had with me as the guest.
Normally I get to pick my favorite insights from the conversation and give my spin on it.
This time… Well, I have the ability to do something my guests can’t.
I get to come back to things that I think I could have phrased better during the interview.
1. It’s all connected
It’s a surprise that your personality comes through in everything you do.
Still, it surprised me to see the extent to which it does for me.
To see how much some core experiences come back in so many aspects of life and work now.
In ways both positive and negative.
Specifically, feeling misunderstood as a kid myself, comes back in how I love passionate nerds, artisans, creatives, and entrepreneurs.
Who all want or have an interest in something special, which is often misunderstood, and still pursue it.
But it also relates to how I dislike apathy.
It comes back in my love for curiosity: An uninhibited drive for learning.
That I evangelize it because when we all are curious, it creates a place where I can be nerdy.
And to be honest, it comes back, in how I “fight” to be seen and to be of value.
In how I can shy away from sharing what I want, for fear of taking up space.
Or hold in criticism, for fear of the response.
I know I don’t have to. But still, hard to “untrain” the behavior.
It was interesting to really relive these connections. To see the extent and the inter-relatedness of these through-lines.
2. Starting a company
Arnout asked me if one of the reasons behind all these interviews is that I on some level want to be like all of them.
That I also want to build a “company-company” (rather than a freelance business).
That I’m biding my time and waiting for the right moment to do so.
And in some way, that’s right.
Building a company and team has always been my desire.
I never started out to be a freelancer.
And, over the years, I’ve tried several times to join up and build something.
It’s also part of why I do less client-work projects and build out my own brand and offerings.
In the last few years though, I’ve gotten in the groove of freelancing work.
There are many reasons for this.
It was simpler this way. That I like my autonomy, with everything that comes with a young family, corona, etc.
And also, simply, how I love doing the work with entrepreneurs myself.
But many of these reasons are also, shall we say, a bit convenient.
It’s not a necessity that they’re incompatible with running a company.
The desire to be in the arena with other mission-driven entrepreneurs, and not just support them from the side.
The desire is still there. Slighty re-awoken.
Time will tell.
3. Who/How would a co-founder need to be?
I’ve written before about how tricky or delicate co-founder relationships are.
Perhaps, these are also the questions that I ask mostly for myself.
You need a shared drive and complementary skillsets. And it helps if you’re in somewhat similar circumstances.
And that’s before you get to the real tricky business: You need to bring out the best in each other.
All good qualities come with a challenging side.
For me, to be a great co-founder to you, I need your help as well.
I can be fun to work with. Powerful and knowledgable in what I do too.
And I genuinely care to create the circumstances for what you want and need.
But, also…
I have a strong need to know that what I bring is valued. That my position is secure. That the other is looking out for me.
So, to be effective together, I might need more reassurance than I let on.
4. Tegelspreuk
I didn’t really have an answer for a Tegelspreuk (wisdom you can put on a tile and hang on a wall)
But if I’d create one now, it would be:
““Curiosity is wanting to understand.
If you understand, you can comprehend.
If you comprehend someone, you can’t be mad.””
