Munich Startup: What motivated you to start the company?
Jennifer Dussileck, Finway: I came to the field of entrepreneurship because I wanted to make a difference. I did an internship in New York and met some founders there. I found it incredibly inspiring to be able to implement my own idea, but at the same time, with my previous professional experience – which I still value very much – I felt that I was not able to push forward enough. However, I came to Finway by chance. I met my co-founder at a startup conference in St. Gallen. I didn't necessarily plan to start a company immediately after graduating, but when this opportunity arose, I knew I had to take it. Especially because our approach with Finway combines exactly what has always fascinated me – accounting & finance.
Munich Startup: Did you have any role models when you started your business?
Jennifer Dussileck: Actually, it's not so much the "well-known" founders who have inspired me in this, but rather people in my personal circle. I find it impressive when someone builds their own company – regardless of whether it's considered a typical startup or not. Ultimately, you can learn something from every self-employed person. You just have to be able to properly fit it into your own context.
“Three heads add up to more than one”
Munich Startup: When and where do you get the best ideas?
Jennifer Dussileck: For me, this usually happens in conversations with others. Hearing the thoughts of others often indirectly triggers new, more developed ideas in me. In general, I'm a fan of drawing ideas from the team. I simply believe that three heads are more effective than one.
Munich Startup: Your greatest talent?
Jennifer Dussileck: I'm a structure-analysis-numbers type. I'm good at breaking complex topics down into individual components, developing a plan, and demonstrating concrete implementation. I also enjoy running scenarios, trying to understand the potential impact of individual inputs, and what trends can be identified based on past data. However, the past can only offer a limited insight into the future.
Munich Startup: How do you deal with doubts?
Jennifer Dussileck: Unfortunately, I still keep them bottled up too often. But ultimately, I've realized that talking about it with trusted people helps me the most. Getting other people's opinions helps me see things from a different perspective. I often take doubts very personally, and then it's hard for me to step back from them – but talking to other people works well.
Munich Startup: The three worst prejudices you encountered when starting a business?
Jennifer Dussileck"That won't work" – I think that's the phrase every founder hears most often – at least in some form. However, I haven't encountered any prejudices beyond that.
Weekly structure with theme days
Munich Startup: How do you set priorities? And which ones?
Jennifer Dussileck: I try to regularly remind myself where we are at the moment and what our biggest challenges are. I think it's important to take a bird's eye view of the company every now and then so that you don't get lost in the day-to-day grind. Even if there are always lots of important and urgent issues to deal with, you also have to consciously make time for projects that will only have an impact in the long term or indirectly. At the beginning of the week, I set my priorities and then divide them up over individual days. I'm currently trying to introduce theme days, e.g. team topics on Friday, financial topics on Monday. That doesn't always work though, because everyday life is often more chaotic than you'd like. Important and urgent things pop up spontaneously that ruin your plan. For me as a planner, that's sometimes hard to accept, but I think that's normal when you're starting a company.
Munich Startup: Does this seem like a good time to start a business? Why?
Jennifer Dussileck: If you want to, you can always find a reason not to start a business. That's why the important thing is: Just do it, try things out, and learn quickly. A successful start-up requires a lot, including being in the right place at the right time, but I think that's impossible to predict.
Do not reduce women and men to their gender
Munich Startup: Do you think it is important that more women start businesses in Germany?
Jennifer Dussileck: Yes, I think more women should dare to start businesses. I find it difficult to understand why there are still so few women who start businesses. I think it's partly due to our society's behavior and how we categorize girls and boys, in particular. It's important to me that we achieve equality in society and that both women and men are not reduced to their gender.
Munich Startup: What’s on top of your desk right now?
Jennifer Dussileck: I'm currently working on Finway's presence beyond customer contact, especially for our general brand awareness and recruiting. I'm also evaluating which partnerships might be useful for Finway in the future and what they might look like. This also has something to do with the product vision and the path we'll take in the coming years.
Munich Startup: What makes you happy?
Jennifer DussileckAt Finway, it's when I see the whole team pulling together, pushing each other, and everyone wanting to move Finway forward, and when I receive positive news from a customer who is so happy with our product. Outside of work, it's when I can ride up or down mountains on my mountain bike, when I spend time with friends or family, or when I eat good food.
