

20VC: Startups Only Fail When Founders Stop Trying, Why the Two Weeks Following Our IPO Were the Worst of my Life & Why Tieing Your Identity to Your Company is the Most Dangerous Thing and How to Avoid It with Sami Inkinen, Co-Founder & CEO @ Virta Health
29 snips Feb 28, 2024
Sami Inkinen, co-founder and CEO of Virta Health, shares his inspiring journey from a humble Finnish farm to Silicon Valley, where he founded Trulia. He discusses the emotional aftermath of Trulia's IPO and the lessons learned from a challenging marriage adventure of rowing across the Pacific with his wife. Sami reflects on his parenting regrets and the dangers of tying personal identity to business success. Throughout, he emphasizes authenticity, resilience, and the importance of maintaining diverse identities amidst entrepreneurial challenges.
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Humble Beginnings, Big Dreams
- Sami Inkinen grew up on a farm in Finland with factory worker parents and no professional role models.
- Despite humble beginnings, his access to a Commodore 64 sparked a fascination with computers, shaping his career trajectory.
Intrinsic Motivation
- Money has never been a primary motivator for Sami Inkinen.
- His drive stems from a desire to achieve more in life and create something meaningful for others.
Fleeting Riches
- After selling Trulia secondary shares, Sami Inkinen briefly felt rich, spending lavishly at Best Buy.
- This feeling was short-lived, revealing that money doesn't bring lasting happiness.