We would like to continue with our introduction of the Aeroji team members in more detail. The second part here will be about our co-founder Maximilian Sieben, who is a great partner with regard to strategy and finance.
What is your professional background?
I studied business administration and mechanical engineering in Berlin and started my internship at MTU Maintenance in an early phase of my studies. Since then I have been enthusiastic about aircraft engines. During the last seven years at MTU I got a deep insight into the MRO supply chain, gained experience in medium to long term material planning and development of material sourcing strategies. Data analysis and financial indicators have always been an important part of my work. Finally I got the chance to manage digitization projects across MRO locations. Besides my main job, I supported small local businesses developing websites and managing digital projects within a team of freelancers for several years.
How did you come to Aeroji?
Just last year we were sitting in a Berlin cafe with my co-founders and talking about the idea of an aero-engine platform. We felt it could become an extraordinary project and started to draft the concept of Aeroji. The idea was so convincing, that the right team was found quickly. Today I am proud to be a co-founder and see the incredible progress.
How would you characterize Berlin / Germany where the majority of the team comes from and does it support entrepreneurship?
Berlin is a wonderful city and I really love it. But it has gone through difficult times in the last few decades. Socialist mismanagement, post-turnaround chaos and disinterested politics led to Berlin becoming the economically weakest metropolis in Germany, even though it is the capitol. But things are changing for better. "Poor, but sexy!" This sentence from our ex-mayor sums it up pretty well. Berlin offers the necessary freedom, affordable residential and commercial space, intercultural diversity, young, qualified staff and therefore obviously the perfect basis for a new kind of start-up scene. Many creatives are drawn to these general conditions. External impulses from people who think differently are welcome and encourage new ideas and new foundations. And investors go along with it. There are also numerous funding programs that support start-ups. This has created a strong start-up scene in Berlin that is now also attracting attention in Silicon Valley. I think, Aeroji is well on its way to becoming a part of it.
How would you describe your mind set and what are your personal values?
I believe that it is essential to be open to new things, not to remain in existing structures and not to constantly think in existing patterns and of course to be engaged with your personal development. Following these rules, life becomes more interesting.
Well, there are many personal values in my life, to name few important ones in the Aeroji context, I would point out the following three:
- Dependability, because it is the basis for good relationships and realization of plans. It facilitates cooperation and is important because of respect for others.
- Understanding how people feel and react in a certain situation. It supports appreciative communication and prevents misreading.
- Simplicity makes things easy. It allows to be creative and to focus on the essentials. Keeping things simple and breaking down complex problems often helps with problem solving in the professional as well as in the private environment.
It is not always easy to live by all of your personal values, but I try to bring as many as I can into my life.
How do you feel about success and do you think there is a formula for success?
We all know that there can be many different factors for personal or corporate success. I like the version that talent, practice and passion for what you do lead people to success. Related to it, grit seems to have a major impact on success, as demonstrated by Angela Duckworth in her book "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance". There the formula for success looks like this:
Talent x Effort = Skill
Skill x Effort = Achievement
In this context effort is far more important as any natural gift or talent. I totally agree and I see it as a guiding principle, which helps me to achieve personal and professional goals.
What is your biggest dream?
It might sound big and general, but in the global context my dream is world peace, economic prosperity, freedom, equality and sustainability. I have an idea of a world I would like to live in and I tend to evaluate my actions based on whether they fit into this world or not. In doing so, I always strive to improve the world a bit or to change it the way I see it. Even if it's only a very small impact, I think it is important to start with yourself and probably do more, depending on the opportunities you get. Aeroji's vision of a world, in which the aviation industry meets at eye level and does business as easy as booking a flight, fits in very well with my personal vision of the future world.
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We wish you a relaxing and safe weekend.
Your Aeroji Team
