Growing a Startup: Attracting the Best Talent
It takes courage to transform an idea from a project into a startup, but the founders of a company aren’t the only team members willing to accept risk as a part of their daily working life. Each employee must also be motivated by confidence in the concept and not discouraged by the uncertainty of success.
Lene-Kristine Garsjø is a developer for Headshed and is one of just six employees at this growing startup that moved into the NTNU Accel space in 2017. She is a great example of how believing in and working for a startup can be a unique and unparalleled career choice. After graduating from NTNU with a degree in cybernetics, she sought out a job where her contributions would have an appreciated impact. She embraced the potential for growth with Headshed and is quick to admit the risks of startup employment are far more motivating than they are daunting.
She knew working for a large company would offer stability and few doubts of long-term potential, but she was also certain that being one of hundreds of employees was not for her. This idea motivated her to pursue employment in the startup community. Her passion for software development and high personal standards make her a valuable member of the Headshed team as they continue to grow.
As if accepting the uncertainty of working in a very new company wasn’t unique enough, Lene is also one of just a few women in the local startup community. While she has noticed no difference between interactions with male versus female coworkers, she is aware of how teams of mixed gender can be more effective than homogeneous teams. She specifically notes how both herself and her female supervisor, lead developer Ellen Lippe, are often the team members more likely to listen equally to all contributions during company discussions. This quality improves and enhances the environment of innovation that is so vital to a growing company. Furthermore, she notices how a woman’s more natural tendency to express empathy penetrates every facet of her work. Headshed’s product focuses on sales and marketing, a field that is definitively improved by empathy for both companies and their customers. Beyond that, however, Lene noted how empathy also applies to the coding for the product that often requires customization for the customer’s needs.
When asked to give some advice to women concerned about choosing a job with a startup, Lene responded…
Working in a startup requires a lot of work, perhaps more effort than a large firm demands, but that’s why it’s fun. Everyone contributes their maximum and because of that everyone has ownership of the company’s success.
Working in a startup is the right fit for anyone who wants to feel like their involvement and contributions are responsible for a lasting impact to change something, and that “something” has no limits. While the stability and security of working with a large firm may be a strong motivating factor for most people, startups tend to attract people who are driven by seeing the immediate impact of their actions.
Headshed moved in to NTNU Accel in 2017 after the concept transformed into a marketable product. While not every member of the Headshed team is physically located at NTNU Accel, they all benefit from the community and resources at NTNU Accel. The network of investors, legal advisers, and mentors make up the ideal environment for new startups. Product exposure moves an idea from concept to reality, and the resources at NTNU Accel function to encourage a company’s scale-up operations.
