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Today’s article is about WeLovestartups board of directors, concerns our media-guru and communication expert, Nicolai Danmark Johannesen, founder of Singleplus.dk and Reshopper.
What are your biggest entrepreneurial successes?
Creating a team. One of the most important things I have discovered through my entrepreneurial career, is the importance of hooking up with the right co-founders to ensure success. I have started and closed companies and projects, in collaboration with my old classmate Anders Dahl Pape. I have had ups and downs, sleepless nights and worries, because we have failed along the way, but it has given us a ballast and valuable experience, for when we execute new ideas.
Coming out. The biggest feeling of success, were when I was able to quit my job in 2010 and pursue my dream of becoming an entrepreneur. I hired myself fulltime in my company Singleplus.dk (A network for single parents) which I had cofounded some year before leaving my job, it is still running and is a part of my everyday work now.
Creating a good product, the biggest entrepreneurial success I am a part of is the concept Reshopper, which we started a couple of years back. It is an App for purchasing and selling used second hand items for kids. Reshopper was cofounded with three other individuals, Anders Dahl Pape, Jonas Funk and Anders Munk and the App has been downloaded more than 130,000 times in Denmark – a result we have achieved without spending money on marketing, you can reach far with free PR and a solid product, because it increases the mouth to mouth recommendations. The next step is scaling Reshopper for the international market.
Why are you passionate about entrepreneurs?
I have experienced drive, creativity and passion, whilst being amongst entrepreneurs and in the startup environment, which truly inspires me. I especially experience warmth, openness and helpfulness in the industry, which is unique to this specific industry. If you reach out for some help, you get fast and useful feedback from skilled people. This type of spirit and mentality is something I want to further progress, so that we can get more passionate entrepreneurs in Denmark, who can “pay it forward” to new startups and entrepreneurs.
Why have you chosen to join the board of directors in WeLoveStartups?
Because I am inspired by the idea, of creating a movement like WeLoveStartups, with the goal of spreading good karma in a blossoming entrepreneurial environment. There are a lot of talented entrepreneurs out there, who risks everything they got on their idea – they say no to well-paying jobs, they work up debt, work 24/7 and so on. I think they deserve attention and a seal of approval –and if a WeLoveStartups grant can help give that recognition in the startup phase and help create a future entrepreneurial star, then that is great.
What do you contribute with in WeLoveStartups?
I work with communication, branding and concept development on a daily basis. I bring that experience with me into WeLoveStartups board of directors. I see a prominent goal in working with all the other skillful people in the organization – to fight for spreading the messages and awareness of WeLoveStartups in the entrepreneurial community and if WeLoveStartups can make a difference for up and coming entrepreneurs, to ensure a better start, then we have come a long way.
Up for grabs next is our vice chair(wo)man, Sussi Bianco, innovation consultant, CareWare-expert and networking specialist.
This article was originally posted on WeLoveStartups
