CEO Talk: Karoli Hindriks

Karoli Hindriks is the CEO and Founder of Jobbatical a disruptive leader in the hiring industry which sits squarely at the intersection of the future of travel, work and talent mobility.

Hindriks founded her first company at the age of sixteen (officially becoming the youngest inventor in Estonia). In total, she has founded three and directed five companies in the media, marketing and recruiting fields. This includes successfully leading the launch of seven television channels in Northern Europe, from National Geographic Channels to MTV and Fox entertainment.

In 2016 Hindriks was listed among the 50 most influential women in the European startup and venture capital space by EU-Startups.com. Early in her career, BusinessWeek named Hindriks one of the 20 most promising young entrepreneurs under 25 in Europe. In 2017 she was chosen as one of the most inspiring women in European tech by Wired Magazine.

Tell me about your early years.

My entrepreneurial journey started very earlyI was just 16 years old. At school we had an economical study program, and part of the program was to create a student company project. My group and I established a student company and started brainstorming product ideas. As I come from Northern Europe where it is very dark outside for most of the day from October to March, traffic safety is an issue, especially for pedestrians. I had an idea to create a traffic safety accessory that look fashionable enough for young people to wear.

My father encouraged me to go to the patent office with my invention. It turned out to be a unique idea, and I became my countrys youngest inventor. His encouragement opened my eyes to the fact that I could make a difference and be capable of being an entrepreneur. I then decided to start a real company and to produce and sell those reflectors.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Building a startup is a constant barrage of challenges since you are always in search of answers and trying to figure out new business models in order to understand the new market in a different way. I think all the challenges along the way are tiny compared to coping with your own self-doubt and establishing a personal belief that you can actually do it and are the best person for the job and know how to push these things in the right direction. I think the biggest challenge of being an entrepreneur is interrogating my own outlying doubtsovercoming them will help solve any challenges.

What are some key leadership lessons youve learned?

I think one of the biggest lessons for me has been developing the skill to say no to anything that does not help you get closer to your goals. The more my reputation as an entrepreneur was established, the more likely I was to become distracted by things that are unrelated to my business that can take my time. Learning how to narrow ones focus and being able to say no is my personal leadership journey.

What is your must-ask interview question?

I like to ask: Where do you see yourself in five years? This question can give a sense of how the candidates career goals align with the companys. I want to understand more about the candidates career goals and how the position would fit into their grand plan.

How to build a great company culture?

Inclusiveness is a very important part of our culture. We have employees from different cultures and backgrounds. We are trying to build a more inclusive workplace culture where everyone feels included. We have a traditionevery week we meet with two different people on our team where they interact and share their life stories instead of talking about work. We embrace their having the freedom and space to share their stories. It gives us a chance to listen to what they have to say, recognize them for who they are as individuals, value their input and make them feel welcome in the company. This way they are far more likely to engage fully and enjoy job satisfaction.

How do you overcome indecision?

I like to make decisions quickly. As the saying goes: Done is better than perfect. I think in many ways, if indecision will halt progress, then making a decision even if its wrong is sometimes better than indecision in the long run. I overcome indecision by simply knowing the cost of indecision and encouraging myself to make a decision.

Do you have any tips for managing millennials?

Ten years ago, the Fortune 500 companies were the ideal companies to work for. It was a steady job, a safety zone for employment. Nowadays, people especially millennials, are looking for purpose. I think when working with millennials, you have to communicate the whythe impact of the work that the person is doing, how it will change the world and make something better. Communicating the why of the work has become very important, and it will continue to do so in coming years.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

This post is part of CEO Talk series, which features leaders around the world speaking about their journeys. What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur or CEO? What is the path to success? What challenges did people face and how did they overcome them? Lan Anh and her guests answer all these questions and much more. To view the entire series, visit here .