All posts tagged: entrepreneurship

Maltese Start-Ups Do Exist

Published by Anna Kazakova

Life as an Investment has asked again our dear friend – Anastasiia Linnas  – a finance and marketing consultant, start-up lover and blogger, to be our guest author and  introduce our dear readers this time to Maltese start -ups.  If you haven’t heard of Maltese start-ups, you soon will because right now they are major players in Europe’s hub of start-ups. In Malta, there is an impressive range of start-ups emerging, and in this article you will learn about the more significant ones which contribute to the islands start-up DNA. Similar to Estonian’s start-up scene with Skype at its centre, the Maltese start-up concept is quickly catching on with the help of GFI Software. GFI Software is now a global IT company valued at approximately $500million (2013), with one of its divisions planted in Malta and responsible for key developments and progressions. GFI is probably best known for its TeamViewer product (acquired by Permira in 2014), as well as security, anti-malware and cloud services. One very successfull start-up in Malta, Altaro, was founded in 2009 by two …

Startups: How to get funding?

Published by Anna Kazakova

Sooner or later all startups need funding, and cash is the fuel to get it driving in the right direction. But where will that cash come from? There are a lot of variants involved—such as size, age and industry in which the startup will operate. These elements as well as desired growth expectations will need to be defined before pinpointing and attaining financial resources. For those who are in the beginning phase (seed phase), finding the right partnership with an investor is crucial. A solid and trustworthy partnership with an investor takes time and effort. Again, it’s a b**** because you need to minimize failures and maximize successes. You need to know HOW to choose your target group of possible investors. Ok, you are at the beginning of making your business a reality. You have a clear picture of how it’s supposed to work….and maybe you have already developed the product (or service). And now you need the fuel. The best investors are actually 1. Your clients! Make your clients pay you first, explains Anna Söderblom, …

Women’s Personal High Heaven

Published by Anna Kazakova

Women are usually considered risk averse in the investment world. In business too, women are stereotyped as being cautious of risk and responsibility—and prefer mostly support roles. Recently we talked with Nina Nordling—entrepreneur, motocross enthusiast, and a woman thriving despite these stereotypes. We are grateful that Nina has agreed to share with Life as an Investment of how she followed her passion of sports and how she changed her world among many doubters.                                                           Facts box: Name: Nina Nordling Age: 31 Family:  Nina is in a relationship with  the love of her life, who also happens to be her ex-husband. She is a legal guardian of three kids. Bio Startup entrepreneur and CEO of the social venture High Heaven, a worldwide digital meet-up for women looking fortheir next adrenaline adventure.                                           …

Friday people vs. Monday people

Published by Anna Kazakova

Officially, Friday arrives in the morning when I open Facebook—and that’s when the majority of my friends are posting pictures and status updates for one single purpose: to share with the world that Friday has finally Rolled Up! Why is Friday so worthy? For many folks Friday is rightfully the end of a week worth of prison time—popularly known as “the job.” So, Monday’s are always the first day of going to prison. Most of us tend to dash out of the office at exactly 5 p.m. every Friday (yep, happens here in Sweden too), or even earlier if the opportunity arises. So, for the most part when the office door is closed and the badge comes off—thankfully, life begins again. Friday symbolizes a chance: To rest with the family. To get drunk because we have Saturday and Sunday to recover. To fly away on a mini vacation. To hit the clubs, meet up with friends, etc. To do something we really like. Does this mean that some of us don’t really like what we …