First, let’s recall the interview I gave at egirişim. After watching this video, you can read the rest of the article:
“Destroying Your Comfort Zone”
I’ve experienced many ups and downs in my entrepreneurial career, which I started in 2011. The key was to step out of my comfort zone and realize the things I had in my heart. At a time when all the real companies were under my control and I was perfectly comfortable in every aspect, I left the family business at Süzer Holding and entered the solar energy business, a business no one even mentioned, with CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) technology, which generates heat and steam. What I did isn’t called “leaving your comfort zone,” it’s called “destroying your comfort zone.” Because leaving this comfort and a system where everything is established, risking yourself in this way, and starting something from scratch isn’t every brave man’s cup of tea. In fact, I don’t know of another example in Turkey like mine. I can say this much.
You know how they tell me, “Brother, you didn’t start from scratch. Your family was rich, so you continued from there.” And I tell them, “No, brother, you haven’t read my actions and writings carefully. What I’m doing is more difficult than starting from scratch. I managed to start from scratch by voluntarily giving up everything I had, facing all the challenges on my own, and venture into businesses no one else had even considered. If you were in my position, would you do what I did?”
I’d like to explain my motivation for this action. I entered the solar energy and fintech fields because I wanted to focus on sustainability for the survival of humanity. Technological solutions that would make things easier for humanity were also among my interests. So, a year before I began my entrepreneurial career in 2011, I founded TİDER and began contributing to civil society. This wasn’t enough for me; I wanted to initiate and advance solar energy in our country to combat climate change. I realized my vision.
An entrepreneurial success story
I eventually successfully (profitably) sold two of my companies (one in solar energy and the other in fintech) and three solar power plants. Most recently, at the beginning of this year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, business became increasingly difficult, and the economy was deteriorating. After selling my startup, Moka Payment Organization Inc., to İşbank, I began receiving calls from university entrepreneurship clubs, engineering faculties, and entrepreneurship publications to tell Moka’s story and share my entrepreneurial experiences.
Hilmi Öğütçü, the founder of egirişim, had been in contact with me since Moka’s first KAP announcement in July. I finally secured him the first interview. The result was a wonderful and candid interview. I thank everyone involved, especially Hilmi. I touch on a wide range of topics in this interview. At one point in the interview, I mention that I can foresee the work that needs to be done and that I’ve achieved many ‘firsts’ accordingly, which can be quite exhausting. I list these “firsts” as follows:
‘Firsts’ I mentioned in the interview:
1) I entered the internet sector (web hosting) in the second half of the 1990s. I would have been one of the first to do so. I tell my story and explain why I didn’t.
2) I was one of the first to enter solar energy in Turkey.
3) I was one of the first to enter the fintech field.
4) I am the founding president of TİDER (Basic Needs Association), the NGO that launched food banking in Turkey.
5) I am the first-term spokesperson of the Disaster Platform, a joint effort of 23 NGOs (including TİDER) to combat disasters.
The list of firsts is actually longer than it is.
I’m generally modest, but I won’t be modest about this. There are other firsts I’ve accomplished that I haven’t touched on in this interview. I continue the list:
1) I was the project director for the Coca-Cola factory investment, the first investment in Iraq after the war.
2) When I became honorary consul of Costa Rica in 2008, I was one of Turkey’s youngest honorary consuls. I accomplished the first official visit from a Central American country to the Republic of Turkey by bringing President Oscar Arias to Turkey in 2009.
3) During my tenure as Honorary Consul of Costa Rica, I brought renowned Costa Rican director Hilda Hidalgo to Turkey for the first time and premiered her film “Love and Other Demons” at Istanbul Modern. In 2017, we brought sculptor Jose Sancho, one of Costa Rica’s most important artists, to Turkey for the first time and organized the exhibition “Erotic Nature” at the Pera Museum.
4) I was the first to initiate the Vending Food Bank in Turkey. I say this both as the originator and founding president of TİDER.
5) During my tenure as CEO, we opened the first green-certified (LEED-certified) KFC restaurant at Yum International in Bostancı, specifically with my personal push.
6) I was one of the first to voice the goal of 100% renewable energy in our country.
Who is a “braveheart entrepreneur”?
I wanted to share these facts with you because, after writing all this, I want to define a braveheart entrepreneur:
It’s someone who, despite all the challenges they face, doesn’t hesitate to break new ground and strives to undertake projects that are beneficial to humanity and economically sustainable.
The braveheart spirit is generally innate. It also develops in many people through the influence of their environment. The world we live in today needs braveheart entrepreneurs who strive to benefit humanity even more. We need more braveheart entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs who are always on the side of making things happen and actively implementing their projects. There’s no need for the kind of selfish and troublesome entrepreneurs I described in the video who act with the mindset of a shopkeeper and exploit their surroundings. I have no business with these people; they should stay away from me.
Therefore, I want to emphasize that the advice I give in the video is for braveheart entrepreneurs. For my bravehearted brothers and sisters with an entrepreneurial spirit, I’d like to list and expand on the advice I shared in the video. Here’s the list:
1) Cash: Cash management is crucial. Your cash position is paramount.
2) Partners: You need to choose your partners very carefully. No partner at all is much better than a bad one.
3) Professionals: Professionals need to be chosen very carefully. You need professionals who are honest, ethical, and knowledgeable.
I’d like to add the following advice to this list:
1) Preparation and planning: Before entering a business, you need to work out all the details and revise your plans periodically.
2) Timing: If you enter a business at the right time, it will flow smoothly, and your chances of success are much higher.
3) Being customer-focused: Ultimately, your success depends on customer demand for your products. Therefore, satisfying your customers should be your top priority.
4) Setting international goals: Whatever you do, be sure to set international goals. Don’t limit yourself to Türkiye.
5) To benefit humanity: Make sure everything you do has a genuine benefit for humanity. Simply earning money is both temporary and offers no spiritual fulfillment.
6) Persistence and Continuity: Never give up on your goals and vision. Sometimes, achieving the goals you set for yourself may be delayed or postponed due to circumstances beyond your control, but never consider giving up. Therefore, continuity in your work is crucial. Despite all the challenges you face, continue working and producing.
I share all this advice with my brave, entrepreneurial brothers and sisters. We continue on our path, and we continue to fight for a better world!
Tag: education
