What’s Your Principles?

In my view, it’s important to have life and business principles. Here are some of mine: 

1. History is a great teacher, not a judge
In hindsight you learn many lessons, but you shouldn’t judge your actions too much.

2. The best people live by the RALF-rule
Recognize their mistake
Admit it
Learn from it
Forget it

3. Perception versus value
The biggest investment and career opportunities are where there is a big gap between perception and real value. 

4. Find asymmetry
Search for every bet that has a big potential upside. Taking a coffee meeting, trying a new hobby, or joining start-ups are all asymmetry bets. 

5. Find great people
In order to scale you need people. If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.

6. Level up to your best
Once you find great people to work for, you will level up to your potential. It’s hard to push your limits without a great environment around you. 

7. Screw what society wants
If you find a passion, try as hard as you can to make it your livelihood. It’s worth the risk. If not possible – you can always return to something close enough to still enjoy your passion.

Plan Less, Act More

You can’t plan your career in an excel spreadsheet. Instead you should think of your career as an unpredictable adventure based on luck, timing, skills and preparation. My small career so far. 

1. Hurtigruten Group – I chased down the CEO and asked him for a coffee meeting. Then I presented a powerpoint with my ideas and got a two-month trial to prove myself. 

2. Nova Founders Capital – Read an article about Mads Faurholt, and decided I wanted to learn more about their way of thinking and operating. Then I moved to Portugal, and joined one of their companies.

3. Norwegian Seafood Council – I stumbled upon Bacalhau every time I had lunch in Lisboa, and decided I wanted to learn more about Norwegian seafood. So I started working there, and stayed for three years. 

4. BYNN – Always wanted to build my own company. So I spent 4-5 years working on several products on weekends and nights with good friends. Today I can work on it full time with William Johan Frantzen and many other great partners. 

None of this was planned after I finished my bachelor degree in US. It just happened because I was lucky to get in touch with the right people, and I had prepared what I wanted to bring to the table.