The building block(chain) of entrepreneurship with Thijs Maas

This week on Open Mic Life, Dutch entrepreneur Thijs Maas shares his remarkable journey from academia to building and selling a successful startup. Thijs dives deep into his expertise in blockchain and startups, access to crypto, offering valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs navigating the challenges of starting and scaling a business.One of the key themes Thijs emphasizes is the importance of believing in yourself and your vision. For most entrepreneurs, that initial belief often comes from family and friends, who are typically the first to fund your idea.Thijs doesn’t shy away from sharing the gritty details of raising capital. He breaks down the different stages of funding, from the early bootstrap phase to the more sophisticated world of venture capital. In the beginning, Thijs stresses the importance of building relationships and leveraging your personal network.As your company grows, the stakes get higher, and so does the complexity of raising funds. Thijs offers practical do’s and don’ts for approaching any investors from angels to venture capitalists.Thijs also discusses the emotional and psychological side of fundraising. Focusing on the right investor in terms of vision fit, raise capital when you have to raise and hire when you have to hire. His success didn’t come overnight—it required discipline, resilience, and an openness to learning from every experience.Interestingly, Thijs credits his first mentor, his grandfather’s brother, as a profound influence. Despite having no formal education, this man founded a university and even met the pope.In addition to business strategy, Thijs shares tips for staying grounded in the fast-paced startup world.Whether you’re dreaming of starting a business or looking to take your startup to the next level, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiration. Tune in to hear Thijs Maas on Open Mic Life, and don’t forget to subscribe for more stories, insights, and conversations from trailblazers across industries.