Founders stories or What I gained and lost living the startup life by Andy Dravecky

#1: What is the most important lesson that the startup world has taught you?

Don't shit your pants.

#2: What has been the most challenging obstacle you needed to overcome with Shipvio?

Trying to find a scalable strategy. We're not the only ones trying to make a difference in logistics. There have been many startups that burned tens of millions of euro without finding any way to "hack" the market.

We weren't immune to making mistakes, either. Luckily enough, ours weren't that expensive. Now we know which direction we should and shouldn't go and we "just" need our numbers to show it.

#3: Is there anything that your startup life has taken away?

My life outside of Shipvio is close to nonexistent. I don't see my friends often, I don't work out enough, and I'm not with my family as much as I'd want to.

That's just how it is now, and I'm not complaining. But I couldn't live like this forever. It's only bearable when you see it as part of the startup game.

#4: How "fit" do you think our startup scene is when compared with the rest of the world?

Honestly? It's tragical. We have plenty of potential and great minds, but the Czech startup ecosystem needs more than great founders and technology.

Too many outstanding projects end up being sold to a competitor or corporation from abroad. The question is, are we OK with this? If we are, then our scene is doing just fine. I'd like to see more Czech startups acquiring their foreign counterparts that the other way around. But this would be a long debate.

#5: What was the primary impulse to found Shipvio?

The fact that logistics, in general, is highly fragmented and doesn't work as it could and should.

#6: What is the best thing about running your startup?

Happy carriers who are recommending Shipvio among themselves.