Kaidi Ruusalepp: “Successful people see opportunities where others see risks”

Hero of the week - Kaidi Ruusalepp is the founder and CEO of Funderbeam, the global funding and trading platform of private companies. Kaidi is a former CEO of the Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange and of the Central Securities Depository. She was the first IT lawyer in Estonia and co-author of the landmark legislation that enables secure digital identities. For the fourth year running, she has been listed among TOP 50 Europe’s most influential women in the startup and venture capital space.

Kaidi is one of the speakers of sTARTUp Day 2020. She is giving a speech on founders’ tips about fundraising on the 31st of January in Tartu!


What are the personality traits that help a person to become successful? 

An open mind and respectfulness. To see the opportunities where others see risks, to listen and to hear, not to ridicule outliers and first of all - to give yourself a chance and a second chance. By respectfulness, I mean to respect yourself, your team, partners and in a broader perspective - life.

 

What are the questions to ask yourself to find out what you want to do in life?

There is only one question and it is "What do I care about?”. If this is unclear, the next step is hard to take.


Why is now the time for Funderbeam to exist? 

Because startup and growth capital needs liquidity or to put it more simply - investors get in, but they also need to get out. Stock exchanges around the world are becoming on the other hand too local, considering the global need, and over-regulated. So this is where Funderbeam plays - a global platform to fund and trade private companies.  

 

What have been the biggest victories along your journey? 

Not to give up. It sounds ridiculous, but during the entrepreneurship years, you face more tough times than victories. Sleepless nights, the stress level is normally in red and the problem is facing the problem, sometimes the closest people hit the hardest. So not to give up is rarely mentioned, but often the most important victory in every founder’s life.

 

Why do you do what you do? 

Because I have a dream! :) Because of the team, the people I meet, the changes Funderbeam makes and the challenge founders' journey present.

 

What makes you excited about the future? 

2020 is going to be rather remarkable for Funderbeam. We have some important milestones planned for this year and that is what makes me excited. After that Funderbeam in 2025. In the future, I think my kids and the world they start living in is going to be something to wait for.


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Funderbeam is one of the partners of sTARTUp Day. You can meet the Funderbeam team on 30-31 January at the sTARTUp Day demo area, too!

Hero of the Week is a column focused on inspirational entrepreneurial people around us – their journeys, success stories and lessons learned from failures; goals, inspiration and everything in between. Get inspired and be the Hero of your own life!



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