Mia's Personal Updates 2022
Hello! This is my update for 2022. It is a way of staying in touch with the people that I've valued in my life. If you are not interested (all good!), feel free to unsubscribe at the bottom.
Here are a few updates:
First, I closed my startup, Just Juno. 😢
It’s probably the hardest thing I have done this year: to kill my baby. I held onto it as long as I could. Probably too long. According to research, 90% of startups fail. I knew it but it still sucks to be part of this statistic.
There are a few reasons why Just Juno failed:
No one is working full-time on the startup
As soon as I took a full-time job on the side, my priority shifted.
Failure to find Product/Market fit
We created a game to inspire young girls, but parents are the decision-makers in the end.
Not an expert in gaming
I had a vague idea of what I was doing with the game. I never made a game before and did not know how the gaming industry works. I learned the hard way.
Despite failing, I learned much from the process, which will stay with me forever.
I would like to thank my co-founder, Bree Westphal, and my mentors & advisors: Ferdinand Mühlhäuser, Kai Malkwitz, Stefan Jørgensen, Fawzi Mesmar, Peter Hense, and Kolja Heskamp for your generosity & trust. And of course, to all who have supported Just Juno. 🙏
I got a new job. 🕵️
After working in advertising for years, I jumped ship as a Sales Engineer in the payment & fraud prevention industry.
In the beginning, it was hard to work fully remote and in a very formal environment - People do wear suits here 👀. After a painful few months of adjusting and learning, I started getting the hang of it.
This job kind of brought me back to Founder Institute, where I learned how to pitch.
Now marks the 6th month I have been at Forter and I have pitched to over 50+ merchants, even auf Deutsch. I learned so much about sales strategy, framework, and most of all, attitude. A wise man once said:
Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman -- not the attitude of the prospect.
I thought I was making a wrong decision at first, but now I truly enjoy it. I even got awarded Employee of the Year 2022, despite my short stint on the job. 🏆
I am officially a flat owner. 🏠
Instead of paying rent every month, I thought of getting a mortgage instead. And I received a lovely mortgage plan back in 2020 - thank Hypofriend. #NotAnAd I just like how they consulted me and optimized my mortgage plan to get the best bang for the buck.
In the end, I only needed to pay a down payment of €250 with an interest rate of 0.75%. Therefore, it was a quick decision for me to sign the contract.
After two years of construction, my new flat is finally ready. I collected the key this month and am ready to move in by January 5th, 2023.
Thanks for reading! While I still have you here, let me know how you are doing these days. Don’t hesitate to hit reply. I’d love to hear from you. 😊
Cheers,
Mia