The entrepreneurial journey: “I’ve always been a sore loser. Now I’ve learned that getting frustrated is useless.”

This post is also available in: Danish

When Matias Bøgvad Appel graduated from commercial high school, he considered studying further – political science or something in the field of economics. First, however, he had to take a sabbatical and got a job at the startup To Good To Go. It was a defining time for Matias Bøgvad Appel as he entered a dynamic work environment and was attracted by the community and determination he experienced in the startup world.

The first germ of an idea for his own business came during a spring break in 2019 when he visited a family member. She was in the middle of a difficult process of looking for a new job after being in the same job for many years. Matias observed how the public system could be difficult for job seekers to navigate and expensive for the municipality. This inspired him to create a digital solution that could offer job search support in a more efficient way.

The idea evolved and in early 2020, Candeno went live. Today, the platform is not only a success in Denmark, but has also expanded to Norway and is expected to launch in Sweden soon.

When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

My parents are both physiotherapists, so the idea of becoming an entrepreneur was never something I seriously considered. My aunt, on the other hand, has a large IT company. It always fascinated me to hear about her busy schedule and the challenges she faced, but it still wasn’t something that felt like a natural career move.

It wasn’t until I started working at Too Good To Go that I realized how quickly you could gain responsibility in a smaller company. I realized what a difference you could actually make by creating something new yourself. For me personally, it’s about going to work and feeling like I’m making a difference. I decided that I wanted to work with something that had a purpose – a project that could create real impact. I wanted to be part of something bigger and have the freedom to shape it. Even though it ended up being my own company, it could just as easily have been in another startup.

What has been the wildest moment in your entrepreneurial journey?

Probably the wildest experience I’ve had on my entrepreneurial journey is getting my first full-time employee. It was a very special feeling to be able to pay someone else’s salary. In fact, it felt even wilder than paying my own salary. The sense of responsibility that comes with knowing that if we went bankrupt, there would be another person suddenly without a job was also quite overwhelming.

It was also a great moment when we got our first customer – it was a great feeling to see that our product was actually something a municipality would invest in. Of course, there have been other milestones too, like reaching a million in revenue and later 10 million. I’m sure it will be just as big when we reach 100 million. But even though those numbers are impressive, the first steps and the experiences of creating a workplace and getting the first customer have been the most important.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself?

I’ve always been a sore loser and extremely competitive. As a kid, I could be angry for a week if I lost a soccer game. I’ve learned that it’s no use being frustrated by adversity. The most important thing is to find out what went wrong in the process and then move on from there. In the beginning, I struggled a lot with letting frustrations take over, especially because entrepreneurship is about spending a lot of time solving problems and dealing with challenges. I’ve had to adapt to that so that it doesn’t become a draining experience.

I’ve also learned to deal with insecurity. I’m the type of person who always wants to be the best and win, and that can lead to insecurity. In the past, this could mean avoiding asking for help or being completely honest about my challenges. But over time, I’ve learned that it’s okay to be insecure and to reach out for help. That openness has been important for me, both in relation to my coworkers and for my own development.

Where will you be on your entrepreneurial journey in five years?

In five years, I see myself still being part of Candeno. Even though I could imagine starting another company one day, it’s our current vision that drives me and that I love. As long as I’m happy to be here, and as long as I find the tasks exciting and we create value for both our users and colleagues, I will continue. I will be here as long as it’s not about maximizing profit for the sake of the owners alone, but about making a real difference.

My metrics are about how we can help as many people as possible and ensure that our employees thrive. I believe that if we stick to this vision and continue to grow in line with the values we have today, we will be successful. In five years, I hope that we are still performing as well on these parameters and continue to grow, help people and create a workplace that everyone is proud of. If we do that, I will feel that we have achieved something really meaningful.