Stealth startup: From the break to the dream team.

How I came up with my idea, and what kind of team I’m looking to build.

The break

It’s kind of wild to think that my journey into the world of business started when I was just 15. Since then I’ve been running my own company, getting a Master’s degree from Aalto University, building projects and community actively in startup society Aaltoes, helping startups in Kiuas, and leading a consumer product at Wolt– it has been quite a journey. But this summer, I hit the brakes. I needed a moment, not just a breather, but time to reconnect with my passions.

You see, I’ve always envisioned a place where brilliant minds unite to solve real, pressing problems. People kept asking, “When will you start your own thing?” and I always answered, “I’m waiting for the right idea.” The truth is, I haven’t taken the space to really realize how many ideas I had. With my +10 years of building knowledge of how successful startups operate, I feel like I’m in a good place to give it a try.

The idea

During my time off, I wasn’t just kicking back. I was actively trying to see the bigger picture, chatting with people about some ideas brewing in my head, and jotting everything down in my notebook. I dug deep, thinking about what truly motivates me and what I’d be happy doing for the next decade: things like personal development, the importance of privacy when it comes to our personal data, and how technology keeps reshaping our world.

AI became my brainstorming buddy, helping me flesh out my thoughts. I also dove into podcasts, articles, and talks about themes I care about. It’s like feeding your mind with the best kind of food to help it grow. I noticed there’s a thing that’s been bugging me: companies are hoarding our data to sell ads instead of using it to actually make our lives better. And it seems like most folks don’t even realize how valuable their data is.

It’s about creating a fair, impactful product, addressing consumers’ possible doubts, and ensuring this is a worthy endeavor.

At the same time, emerging adults, those between 18 and 29, are riddled with challenges: managing their lives, setting goals, building resilience, and maintaining productivity through life’s curveballs. Moreover, the prevalence of mental health issues in this demographic is on the rise, partly fueled by these unfavorable habits and a culture that promotes self-solving and often stigmatizes seeking help. I’ve been there, feeling like I lost control of my life and had to fight to get back on track. The path is even more daunting as emerging adults are prone to forming habits that may have detrimental long-term effects on the stage for their future.

The feel

Once I had something that felt right, I started the real work. Chats over cups of coffee about the nuggets of ideas in my mind and pages of thoughts and sketches. I learned to use AI effectively, throwing even more ideas into the mix and challenging it. From the start, I wanted to dig into research about the topic. It was about creating a fair, impactful product, addressing consumers' possible doubts, and ensuring this is a worthy endeavor.

After spreading all my thoughts and ideas wide, I zoomed in, focusing on making the idea clearer and cherishing the focus. And then, to get a real feel for it, I started coding a bit just to test things out privately. What I noticed was that after two weeks of 12h days used for thinking and testing, I just got more and more excited. I was so excited that I started to automatically wake up at 6:30 am just to jump right back to work on the idea. The idea was too compelling to leave unexplored.

The dream team

And now, here I am, at the next thrilling crossroads. It’s not just about what we’re building, but who we’re building it with. I’m envisioning a team — not just colleagues, but a team driven by trust, passion, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. I’m searching for those who are not just talented but also embody trust and resilience, especially when things get tough.

I seek masters of their craft, those whose passion for solving this problem matches mine, to build a diverse culture together, where ownership, proactiveness, and transparent communication are the cornerstones of our collaboration.

“The successful team is productive with quality hours over counting hours.”

But it’s more than just work. It’s about nurturing a team that cares, learns, and grows together. I strongly believe a happy team is productive with quality hours over counting hours. And we’re all about learning and sharing that knowledge every day. A team where happiness fuels productivity and knowledge sharing is a daily practice.

So, as I stand on the brink of this new adventure, I’m not just excited about the ‘what’ and the ‘how,’ but immensely about the ‘who.’ Because with the right people, the possibilities are limitless. Let’s do something unique together.

So, are you ready to make a mark, to build not just a product but the next big thing? Let’s embark on this journey together. Let’s craft something phenomenal. Join me as a co-founder or an early team member, and let’s turn this vision into reality. 👉 Start by dropping me a DM on LinkedIn.