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Want to learn the best business insights from remarkable speakers at Slush 2023, but don’t have the time to watch the full speeches on YouTube?
You’ve come to the right place. Below is a summary of a speech by (Supercell) Ilkka Paananen.
(psst: the notes were automatically generated with Wudpecker's AI notetaking tool. If you'd like to check these notes + transcript + audio recording without needing to log in, press here.)
<p class="h1-rich">🤏 TL;DR</p>
The meeting discussed the importance of mentoring and advice for startups, common struggles for founders, advice for winning and non-winning startups, utilizing connections made at Slush, and changes and similarities in Slush over the years. Action items include following up with non-winning startups for feedback and connections, focusing on the future, staying in touch with valuable connections, and planning a successful after party.
<p class="h1-rich">✨ Summary</p>
Importance of Mentoring and Advice for Startups
- Attendees at Slush find the event to be a highlight of their year, filled with optimism, positivity, and inspiration.
- Founders should listen to advice from others but ultimately make their own decisions, as blindly following successful people's advice can be dangerous.
- Founders often struggle when they start companies with friends instead of building diverse teams with different perspectives.
Common Struggles for Founders
- Founders often struggle with repeating past success and staying focused on the future.
- Success is not predictable at an early stage, and the most successful companies are often not obvious from the start.
Advice for Non-Winning Startups
- The outcome of a competition doesn't define a startup's value or potential for success.
- Participating in competitions provides valuable feedback, connections, and learning experiences.
- Founders should continue focusing on their customers, product development, and long-term journey.
Advice for the Winning Startup
- Celebrate the win but quickly refocus on the work ahead, including product development and customer satisfaction.
- Awards and past successes shouldn't define a company's future, so it's important to maintain an open mind and focus on continuous improvement.
Utilizing Connections Made at Slush
- Follow up with the connections made at Slush and stay in touch with them.
- Focus on developing deeper relationships with the most valuable connections rather than trying to connect with everyone.
Fun Anecdote and Networking Tips
- An anecdote about running out of drinks at a previous Slush after party was shared.
- Networking tips were not provided, as the speaker mentioned being bad at networking.
Changes and Similarities in Slush Over the Years
- The weather and the slushy atmosphere have remained similar since the first event in 2008.
- Slush has evolved from a focus on putting Finnish tech entrepreneurship on the map to becoming a larger celebration of entrepreneurship in general.
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