At least we thought so... We may be twins and have lived side by side for thirty years now, but starting our own business has made us realise that we're probably not so similar anymore. Throughout our school days we were referred to as 'the twins', went to the same group of friends, played football together and were pretty much inseparable. We were two peas in a pod because we shared an everyday life together and could almost finish each other's sentences like Anders and Torben from Holstebro, a TV programme about a pair of twins in their late fifties who have practically grown together. Fortunately, we decided to try to stand on our own two feet and chose our own career paths.
A decision that has shaped us as two individuals and our business start-up has really made us realise that we are no longer an extension of each other. Being an entrepreneur places great demands on the individual because it's a constant jumble of emotions and ups and downs. We were pretty much prepared for the entrepreneurial rollercoaster when we decided last year that Hunt & Hike would be for real, but we weren't prepared to deal with a sibling crisis at the same time. We thought that if you were going to start such a big life project, why not do it with the person who was practically you, until we realised that a lot of water had flowed in the river since we took each other's exams in primary school.
Here we just can't cheat, and we had to admit that we needed help to listen and understand. We know each other inside out when it comes to pitching a tent, climbing mountains and misplacing a piece of game. Now it's also about strategy plans, finances and sales, which is so far away from what we both normally do. Rikke is a trained veterinary nurse, where she has been responsible for training students, and is used to an environment where there is a plan for the day and where she is surrounded by colleagues.
Trine is a trained physiotherapist, and has practically worked independently all these years, where the framework has been very free, so she could unfold her creativity. Instead of meeting each other's needs, there have been days when we've screamed at each other and threatened never to see each other again. We called Lars Rasmussen, the founder of Mindness. A man who coaches companies for a living when things get a bit stuck and communication has gone off the rails. On the phone, we had to put into words what the programme would be about, and we told him about our differences. Here he simply replied: "What you have there is basically a luxury problem if you can learn to manage it properly.
All the great companies are founded on the foundation you have, which is a bit of volatility mixed with structure. One is not better than the other as long as you can get the two players to work together." We met in Lyngby where, for the first time, we were allowed to talk where the other just sat and listened. Lars asked if we had played soccer, to which we both answered 'yes'. Here he asked what position on the pitch we each had. Rikke was an eminent defender and always had a great overview. Trine was a hanging striker, and had a hand in the whole game, often making the final finish when the ball was going into the net. It was at this moment that we realised that we had always had these roles - the difference was that the football pitch was our familiar territory, while running a business was completely new to both of us. We left Lars' office with our shoulders relieved, knowing that if we just started the day with a hug, everything would be fine.
There will still be days when we will yell and scream at each other, but now we can stop and use the tools Lars has taught us. Hunt & Hike is our brainchild, but in the end, the title of sister is the most important.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read along.
Best regards,
Rikke and Trine
