There is one extraordinary, strong, and inspiring woman that is part of the team that made Tesla Carsharing possible in Latvia. Her name is Egija Gailuma.
She is a startup-preneur, animal advocate, athlete and so much more. And she is the co-founder of OX Drive. OX Drive is a free-floating carsharing on Teslas. It's a mobile app through which you can rent a car anywhere in Riga from 1 min to even years!
Despite her busy schedule, she was more than happy to have a chat with us. And may I tell you - energy and motivation boost coming your way.
What are some of the key skills or qualities that you think are essential for success as an entrepreneur?
“Discipline, being a bit delusional and not giving a fuck what other people think.”
You mentioned discipline but what about motivation when faced with setbacks or challenges in your business?
“Discipline, you won't always be motivated but you have to train yourself to be disciplined and deal with whatever comes your way. Remember the big goal and if it would be easy then everybody would be doing it.”
And what have been some of the biggest lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?
“If you don't believe it yourself, it won't work even if the idea is good.”
That’s an awesome insight. I think everyone deep down knows that, but we tend to forget. Thank you for reminding us.
Continuing good insights could you tell us how do you balance your personal life with the demands of running a startup?
“What is the balance? I love working on our start-up, I have surrounded myself with people who have the same mindset, and I chill when needed. I constantly keep learning about mindset, I listen to podcasts and eventually, you just learn not to get overwhelmed but it's never perfect. There are always some sacrifices.”
And what do you use to stay up-to-date on industry trends and new technologies that could impact your business?
“Podcasts, LinkedIn, community events, news.”
It’s time to say goodbye to our readers. Maybe any advice?
“When you get anxious or worried, take 30 seconds and write down everything that frustrates you, then cross out everything that you can’t control and deal with the things you can control.”