Meet Alan Mamedi of Truecaller

During one week each November, Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) engages millions of people in an active celebration of entrepreneurship. ESBRI is the country host for the Swedish GEW efforts. As part of our work with GEW, we asked some profiled Swedish entrepreneurs, and a couple of our GEW partners to answer a few questions – about their entrepreneurial journey and about GEW. Their answers will be published here at Esbribloggen within the next week. We start today with Alan Mamedi, entrepreneur, CEO and co-founder of the global phonebook app Truecaller. Today, November 18, Alan participates in "Finalen av Sveriges Ungdomsentreprenör" (the final of the competition Sweden's young entrepreneur), a GEW event. You can reach Alan via Twitter: @AlanMamedi

Hi Alan, where did you draw most inspiration from while starting up your business?
The speed at which technology develops and changes has always been fascinating to me. This is something I knew I always wanted to work with, developing technology that would improve our daily lives. I have always been excited about building something with my best friends and starting a business was not just about work. It was a complete passion to create something big together with my friends. Then of course, companies like Google and entrepreneurs like Niklas Zennström gets you even more excited about the opportunities that are out there.

What personal strengths have been critical for your success?
I believe in working hard with commitment, and taking no shortcuts in order to make something ‘become great’ faster. Great things don’t just happen; they need thought and hard work behind them. In order to grow, it is essential to be able to adapt to new ideas quickly, and remain receptive to change.

What was the greatest challenge you have experienced in your entrepreneurial career so far?
Something that I have learned while working with a great team, is that you can’t focus on your mistakes, and it is essential to continue to move forward with new solutions and ideas effectively. Focusing on mistakes, or past problems, can hinder innovation and cool new ideas. We try to learn and adapt every day.

On a more personal level, finding that work-life balance is always a challenge for any entrepreneur. You obviously have a strong sense of responsibility to the company, and to your team. It is important to take time to recharge, and bring a fresh mindset to the team on Monday, after a weekend doing the things you love.

What is your view on Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)? Do you think an initiative like this can boost entrepreneurship worldwide?
I think that there has been a significant shift in how people view entrepreneurship during the past 5–10 years. I see more and more young people, straight out of school, who have a clear ambition to start something of their own. So an initiative like GEW is a good way to inspire people.

/Jonas