What is an entrepreneur? By definition, it’s a person who starts up their own business, in reality it’s a self-starting game with no rules, no game master, and no identical paths to success… We took your questions and asked our very own co-founder and CEO Tash Grossman. From learning to fail, to Sheryl Sandberg, we’ve got you!
What does a typical day look like for you?
“Probably one of the hardest questions to answer as everyday is so different when you are an entrepreneur. At the moment, most days consist of team check in’s, catch-up with our advisors and investors, a lot of sales activities and feedback sessions with customers. I guess every day being different is the beauty of the role?”
What’s your fav aspect of being an entrepreneur and its biggest challenge?
“For me, the best aspect of being an entrepreneur is waking up every morning knowing I can take the day to work on something I’m so passionate about, and that I am solving a problem that will not only impact me, but many others around the world. However, rejection is one of the toughest parts to the role - it is important to know that not everyone will love your idea, in fact, there will be loads of people who do not like it at all, and that is okay. Being able to filter through noise and extract constructive feedback is a real challenge, but becoming resilient definitely helps.”
3 pieces of advice you’d give fellow young founders/entrepreneurs when embarking on their journey…
- “Mentors are essential - take time to find experts in your field and learn from them. Not only will this help with any problem solving required but help raise your confidence too, providing invaluable insight.
- Surround yourself with other entrepreneurs - underrated but it is important to talk to people who can relate to what you’re going through and learn from each other, acting as a support network.
- Fail fast, fail quick - most things aren’t right the first time around, but it is important to extract all the learnings from failure and use them to build something better, then move on.“
What daily habits have helped you succeed in your position?
I think switching off every now and again is so important for productivity - I love going to the gym in the morning, even if it’s just for 30 minutes. It puts me into a positive headspace and is a great way to kick off the day. Another habit is to try and get out at lunchtime, even if it’s sitting to eat outside. Desk lunches, albeit sometimes essential, can make the afternoon feel really long and unproductive.
What has surprised you the most about starting a company?
“How important the team is! I always knew that culture is crucial to success as I’ve worked at companies with great culture, but finding good, high-performing people is a challenge, but one I have enjoyed thoroughly.”
Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would done differently if you were to start over again with Slip?
“Don’t be afraid to dive in - I spent ages debating whether it was a good idea to quit my job and start working for myself and the only thing I wish, is that I did it sooner”
And finally, who’s you biggest fellow entrepreneur/founder idol and why?
“Sheryl Sandberg is my business idol - she may not be famous for necessarily starting her own company (she is most famously known for holding senior roles at Google/Facebook), but her book ‘Lean In’, and the consequent community she has created on the back of it, inspired me from a very young age to push boundaries and pursue the best possible career for myself. “
