[11-15] The next 5 Lessons Learned after Launching WinGravity - The First Business Trip

In my first 2 articles "The first 5 lessons learned [1-5]" and “The next 5 lessons [6-10]” I went over the first 10 lessons learned in the challenging and exciting months following the launch of WinGravity.

In my entire career I’ve been on several business trips but this was the first time when I was representing my own company and all my emotions and experiences were completely different. These lessons learned are exclusively about my first official business trip to Vienna as the Technology Interpreter? of WinGravity and I’m super excited and proud to share them with you.

Without more ado, here’s a list of 5 lessons that will help you get through your first business trip like a pro:

Lesson 11: Before buying the flight tickets check if there is a day of/national holiday.

I must confess that I didn’t, so while planning my meetings I received the following message: “Hi Corina, May 25th is a national holiday. Days before 25th could work.” Awesome girl, you're doing great. In fact, you’re killing it.

While bearing in mind that

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell,

check to see if there are any major events or holidays that coincide with your trip so that you don’t get caught by surprise with availability problems like I was.

Lesson 12: Dress royal and like a leader, if you want to be treated like one

It’s about projecting YOU. Being a woman in tech who encourages and embraces creativity, I’m paying special attention to the details of my personal style. Definitely, I’m not the “uniform” (black pants and white blouse) type of woman.

So, for this trip, I decided to wear outfits that are showing the real me: royal,  powerful, feminine and confident. So I went for a unicolor scheme: navy, white and grey. This is how two pairs of pants, two jackets and 4 shirts can turn into several different outfits during the 4 days of my stay. Also, I accented each combination with my mid-heeled red shoes.

"Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world." - Bette Midler

Lesson 13: Do it with style so that people you meet with don’t forget you and your business easily

Having in mind

“What sets the winners of the world apart?”

I decided to do it in my own unique way or not do it at all.  After I’ve successfully arranged all my meetings, the plan was to go and be remembered. So I went to Vienna by plane and met with the first Viennese leader. After we discussed what can we do for each other, I asked the big question: “Would you participate in my campaign?”

I explained that it represented my “Thank you” for meeting with us and it would be an honor and a pleasure at the same time if he could answer 2 questions:

• ‘What is so cool about your company?” and
• “What are your 3-5 key ingredients for business success?”,

which would be included in one article that was going to be published when I’d be back home.

Of course, he said yes and this is how the “The Technology Interpreter? Meets the Coolest Entrepreneurs and Their Companies” campaign, only for face-to-face meetings, was born.

Starting February 2018, in my quest to conquer the world, new cities and new successful entrepreneurs are ready to accept the same challenge. So, stay tuned for more.

Lesson 14: Be prepared for 2 or more meetings that weren't even planned in your schedule

Getting to meet successful people isn't a walk in the park, especially when no one heard about you and your business. After 4 weeks of research and sending messages, I finally got 8 entrepreneurs on my list for my 4 days of stay (2 meetings/day) and I was ready more than ever to conquer Vienna.

When I arrived I sent another round of messages and 3 of the entrepreneurs who were supposed to meet with us didn’t answer.

“Don't take it personal, it's just business”

Definitely, It was their loss, not ours. This is how we had only 5 meetings left, which I knew would be perfect for a first experience.

The funny thing is that the second Viennese entrepreneur we’ve met with recommended us to another Viennese company and this is how the awesome meeting no. 6 took place.

At the same time, can you believe it that we also achieved to get meeting no.7 without planning? How crazy is that?

"Things might not always go as you planned, but they’ll always end up as they should.”

Being tired after 6 meetings in 4 days and running from one corner of the city to another in a completely unknown and beautiful world we decided on our last day to go and eat in a beautiful restaurant based in the center of Vienna. When we arrived the waitress told us that there is another couple who might stay with us at the same table and asked us if it was okay. Of course, we said yes. After she took our order we started to talk and discovered that the couple sharing the table with us was from the USA and they were in Vienna for a short vacation. Once we introduced ourselves as the owners of WinGravity, they replied “That is awesome. I might have some projects for you.” We exchanged our business cards and the rest is history as they say.

Lesson 15: Fighting misconceptions

Before visiting Vienna, I’ve read that the Viennese people are “straight-forward and grumpy on the outside, but warm-hearted and jovial on the inside”. Actually, I haven’t discovered their grumpy side, on the contrary, only their friendly one.

What I can mention about Austrians that might come handy when doing business with them are the following facts:

• Even though I didn’t meet any women occupying senior positions, I’ve noticed that businesswomen who are visiting Vienna are treated with a great deal of professional respect.
• They take great pride in dressing well and appearance is very important.
• They are hard-working and well-educated. There is an old-fashioned sense of politeness and courtesy in their workplace that I found fascinating.
• They are extremely punctual. If you are going to be even slightly late, call ahead and explain your situation.
• Depending on the industry they work in, they might be really conservative and formal.
• They are generally prudent and moderate in their behavior.
• Business is conducted at a slow pace. Be patient.
• Even though German is the official language, English is widely spoken in business circles.

Some other useful takeaways for your next trip:  

• Plan it rigorously, especially the addresses of the companies to make sure you are there on time - I’m always 10 minutes early
• Read about what they love/their culture and some words that they use in their language because this is common sense
• Download the city map to have it on your phone
• Analyse their business carefully and arrive at meetings well-prepared
• Be mentally ready to meet different people than you are used to
• Send a thank you email after each meeting
• Be open-minded to receive and embrace other opportunities than the ones that you strictly planned for at home.

Overall this city is a grand experience, as it is one of the most iconic capitals and by far my favorite one. Even from the beginning, it was love at first sight, and I had this awkward feeling of familiarity and this insane thought that I had lived there once.

Even though my first business trip had a tight schedule, the best part is that in the evenings I had time for myself, to visit the surroundings and relax in their coffee shops while saying these magical words “Ich h?tte gerne ein bier/kaffee, bitte’.” Also if you are a vegetarian like I am, finding restaurants isn’t a problem because they have lots of them.

Remember, this big world is your canvas, and you are the proud owner of a great company and this is a fantastic opportunity to visit new places. This is what success looks like, so be grateful and live every moment like it’s your last!

At the same time, don’t forget to be confident and to show everyone you meet that you do mean business by the way you dress, act, and work.

Wondering if I’m enjoying it? Of course, even more, than I was while writing my previous article. Still no rainbows, unicorns and butterflies, or at least not yet, but I’m proud of my achievements and I'm ready to put all these well-learned lessons into action for great success.

What other lessons have you learned on your first business trip?

Creating history, not repeating it.

Corina Craescu | Co-Founder & CEO | www.wingravity.com |

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