Wondering what is going on at Epicenter Amsterdam, the House of Digital Innovation? Then you have come to the perfect spot. In the Epicenter Amsterdam blog you will get the chance to meet the Epicenter members, get knowledge from the digital field and read success stories. This blog is brand new and we would love to get your feedback! Enjoy your read.
For this week’s blog post, we had the pleasure of meeting with quite a special person. Not only is he a successful speaker having keynoted events at companies such as Google and Microsoft. He’s also generated $3 billion in exits and sold one of his companies to Yahoo for 50 million dollars (!!). To put this in perspective, that’s the most expensive app purchase Yahoo ever made. We’re of course talking about Navin Thukkaram, the Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor with the most incredible story.
Ever thought of how far the right mindset could potentially take you? With all of his achievements, Navin is a great source of inspiration of how entrepreneurship, boldness and focus can take you through both Harvard and Princeton and to the absolute top of Silicon Valley.
For all of us working at Epicenter, getting some tips and tricks from Navin on how to succeed as entrepreneurs and take our businesses to the next level, would indeed be of great value. And guess what, we will not disappoint you.
To get some juicy insights behind his success, as well as an introduction to the concept of “Innovation Bootcamp” from Navin Thukkaram himself… Make sure to keep on reading.
A strong yet flexible mindset has been critical to my success, especially in rapidly changing markets. I’m always looking for new ways to improve my mind. Lately, I’ve added meditation and ice baths to the mix.
When I started meditating three years ago, I could not even do 3 minutes! Now, I meditate at least 30 minutes per day. Meditation has helped me think more clearly and creatively. It also forces me to step back and consider what my real outcome is in any situation. Meditation helps separate us from our ego and act towards the greater good, whether that is your business or something else.
This winter, I got into ice baths. Why? Because they are terrible! But they also really improve willpower and the ability to overcome other mental challenges that have nothing to do with ice. Even though I dread them every time, I keep coming back. You step out of the ice bath with a sense of confidence that you can handle anything.
I’ve been fortunate to succeed in multiple industries and roles. Being the board member / COO of a Silicon Valley startup is very different than being a partner at private equity firm. I succeeded by always following my 75% / 25% rule.
The 75% / 25% rule means that you already have experience and skills necessary to succeed at 75% of your next job. The remaining 25% could represent a new industry, a new geography, more senior responsibilities, or expanded duties.
It’s seductive to want to make huge jumps in your career. And sure, sometimes those work out. But careers are a marathon, not a sprint. By outperforming at every step, you’ll have a better chance of reaching your goals without tripping along the way.
Finally, Scandinavia has played a major part in my success. Scandinavian hospitality has been very important for me and my family. I’ll save this story for the Fireside chat!
Innovation Bootcamp is an immersive online workshop that trains entrepreneurs to:
Here’s a simple truth: every business today is in the tech business. You can choose to accept this truth or fall behind. Nearly every business today uses technology platforms to communicate, market and transact with customers.
But here’s the problem: technology trends move incredibly fast, which means that every entrepreneur must learn to evolve along with the trends. Entrepreneurs must create a business flexible enough to adapt to changing markets and customer preferences. Or, as I like to say (in the U.S.)..“innovate or die”. I’ll have to figure out a nicer way to say that in Swedish!
I created Innovation Bootcamp to train entrepreneurs to evolve with these trends.
Innovation Bootcamp will change the world one entrepreneur at a time. After all, where can entrepreneurs learn innovation? We love that so many entrepreneurs are self-taught, but this path naturally leaves many blind spots.
Over time, I noticed that entrepreneurs often make the same mistakes. What if I could create an online course that would prevent these mistakes and help entrepreneurs succeed? Well, that’s Innovation Bootcamp and we’re just getting started.
Luckily for us, Navin Thukkaram is a big fan of Stockholm and has been coming here for quite a few years. In June 2020, we had the pleasure to welcome him once again to our amazing city, and guess what? During his visit, he also came to Epicenter!
Watch recorded webinar with Navin from June 11th 2020 to get even more insights behind his business, as well as personal success.