Kadri Tammai: fast food is not fashionable, even in business

Society has changed – fast food, fast fashion, fast actions and in fact almost all fast activities or things are no longer fashionable. This principle also applies to business.

People and their needs are different, therefore there are also very different approaches to starting your own business. Those who already have experience in setting up several companies don’t really need the training programs at most business accelerators or incubators – the famous accelerators in the USA and Europe are usually only joined for contacts and investors. A very sensible step.

Some believe that despite lacking previous experience, entrepreneurship cannot be rocket science, which must be studied somewhere and decide to conquer the world on their own. There is nothing wrong with this approach either, but the journey to success is usually much longer and tortuous.

However, there are more and more people with a clear vision and a lot of experience, but also enough wit to learn from the experiences and mistakes of others to avoid them themselves. I meet such people at the Startup Incubator every day and their eyes really shine with curiosity.

In an age where we are talking more and more about people’s mental health and, believe me, this is a very important issue in the start-up ecosystem, time is vital. No, this does not mean you have to rush, it means that you need to plan and be strategic. Like in chess. Is chess slow and boring? In my opinion, quite the opposite. It keeps your mind constantly sharp, you can’t lose your vigilance, and success accompanies those who think several steps in advance instead of rushing.

I certainly do not want to say that participating in a short-term accelerator is tantamount to rushing, there are many strong short programs both in Estonia and elsewhere. My idea is that every entrepreneur must find a program that suits their stage of development, and not jump over important stages for the sake of rushing.

This is exactly what I recommend for beginner entrepreneurs. Take a moment to think about why you founded or will found your startup-up and where do you aspire to develop. Reaching a realisation will help you make the right choice for you. And if this option is not currently the Tehnopol Startup Incubator, then we will probably be waiting for you around the next bend!