DeepSummary
In this podcast episode, Sami Inkinen discusses his journey from growing up on a farm in Finland to becoming a successful entrepreneur and the co-founder of Trulia and Virta Health. He shares insights into his relationship with money, identity, marriage, and parenting.
Inkinen reflects on the lessons he learned from rowing across the Pacific Ocean with his wife for 45 days, unsupported, and the impact it had on their relationship. He also discusses the challenges of working with a spouse in a startup and the importance of maintaining separate identities.
Inkinen acknowledges his biggest regret in parenting, outsourcing a significant portion of childcare during the early years of Virta Health. He emphasizes the importance of being a present father and the changes in his relationship with his wife after having children.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Money and material possessions do not bring lasting happiness or fulfillment.
- Tying one's identity too closely to a company or professional endeavor can be dangerous and lead to burnout or mental health issues.
- Maintaining separate identities and cultivating different aspects of one's life, such as parenting, athletics, and personal relationships, is essential for balance and well-being.
- Perseverance and grit are crucial for founders and entrepreneurs in overcoming challenges and achieving success.
- Shared experiences and projects, such as the 45-day row across the Pacific Ocean, can strengthen marriages and personal relationships.
- Being present and involved as a parent is essential, and outsourcing too much childcare can lead to regret.
- Authenticity and vulnerability, while important, should be balanced with self-awareness and discretion in different contexts.
- Developing self-awareness and understanding one's own mind through practices like meditation can help prevent burnout and maintain perspective.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Startups and companies only fail when founders stop trying. Startups only fail when founders stop trying.“ by Sami Inkinen
- “Honestly, I don't know if you believe my answer, but in some ways, never. I've always felt I've had enough at any given time because I've been pretty happy with very little.“ by Sami Inkinen
- “The truth is, I don't know. Obviously, I was reading a lot of magazines, computer magazines. I think even in Finland we had fast company and so forth. I could see that there's a larger, bigger world out there. And I got very excited about computers through the pages of magazines. And I somehow convinced my parents to find the money to buy a Commodore 64.“ by Sami Inkinen
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Episode Information
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Harry Stebbings
2/28/24
Sami Inkinen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Virta Health, the company reversing type 2 diabetes. Before Virta, Sami was the Co-Founder of Trulia, steering the company to a successful IPO and its eventual sale to Zillow Group. Outside of the boardroom, he launched Fat Chance Row, a daring venture to row 2,750 miles across the Pacific, unsupported with his wife, rowing 18 hours straight per day.
In Today's Episode with Sami Inkinen:
1. From Farm in Finland to IPO Founder: Relationship to Money
- How did Sami's humble upbringing on a farm in Finland impact his early mindset and ambition?
- How does Sami analyze his relationship to money today? How has it changed over time?
- Why was the two weeks following Trulia's IPO the worst two weeks of his life?
2. The Secret to Marriage: Rowing 2,750 Miles Together:
- What are some of the biggest lessons on marriage Sami has from spending 45 days rowing the Pacific with only his wife for company?
- What was their single biggest argument over the 45 days? What did Sami learn from it?
- Sami worked with his wife, what are the biggest pros and cons of working with your spouse? Would Sami recommend it?
- What does Sami believe are the core fundamentals that underpin the best marriages?
3. The Secret to Parenting: The Regret of Delegation:
- What is Sami's biggest regret when it comes to parenting?
- How does Sami think about what it means to be a great father today? How has that changed?
- How did Sami's relationship with his wife change when they had kids?
4. Relationship to Identity:
- Why does Sami believe tieing your identity to the company, as a founder, is so dangerous?
- How does Sami advise on creating multiple personas to prevent this?
- Why does Sami believe that all the best founders are addicts to some extent?