Coffee Break with Ebbe Groes

Without further introduction needed, this week we catch a coffee break with Ebbe Groes – CEO & Co-founder of EveryMatrix.

How did your career in EveryMatrix start? What’s your favorite thing about working here?

I started the company together with Stian. Well, I guess you know about that one.

As for my favourite thing, it is hard to choose a single one. I think we overall do things in the right way, taking genuine pride in our work, letting revenue be a byproduct of excellence rather than trying to be excellent in order to make money. I think people in the company in general get along really well, maybe surprisingly well for a company our size. I think we remain ambitious to improve our products, our operation, ourselves. We’ve put in serious efforts and we’ve been justly rewarded as a company. I cannot think of a job I’d rather have.

What was your first job?

I worked part-time when I was a student, intern-like you could say. But my first full-time job was to be a student, doing my PhD. Pretty cool to just get a salary in return for studying, reading, writing, focusing on what you think is fun.

What’s one of your biggest work pet peeves?

When people don’t care about their own work or accept poor effort from others. We are not all blessed with great talent, I am certainly not, but we can give it a good shot. It’s just more fun, more rewarding, to work with others that are as engaged as you are. And to be sure, let me add that by far most of people I interact with really do care. It’s the single most important reason for our company does so well!

Are you an early bird or a night owl? Give us your top productivity piece of advice.

Used to be more of a night owl, now I tend to be more of an early bird. Old age, I guess.

Productivity? For me it has been to get time uninterrupted by chat, etc. For instance I don’t have email alerts on my screen or mobile phone. But overall, my top advice is to be conscious of your own productivity – and that of those around you, your colleagues, team members, whatever. We all have good and bad habits, but if you don’t even see them then you won’t improve. So don’t take it for granted that certain things must be done in certain ways “because that’s how we do it”. Worst reason ever. Take a step back from time to time and help be an influence for the better.

What personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why?

I’ll mention four rather than one:

1. A high ability to handle risk.
2. A good ability to grasp new stuff.
3. A good ability to surround myself with capable individuals who can do, think, argue where I cannot.
4. A high ability to make decisions; not too much deliberation but enough to be a reasonably informed one .

What would you tell your younger self?
Everything is possible. (Lame? Well, my younger self would be shocked to see my older self.)

What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

I’m trying not to have any. If it’s a pleasure (and it doesn’t harm others) then why feel guilty? Just do it. There’s no big judge looking down on you in disgust.

Name one thing everyone should add to their Bucket List.

I’ve enjoyed reading other suggestions for this list, but I fail to really come up with anything. Is there such a thing as a universally applicable Bucket List that all humans should abide by?

Well, I’m expected to give a reply, so here it goes: I believe everyone would find it useful – at least for a period – to try to be free of financial commitments, monetary fears.

Maybe because you have saved up money. Maybe because you’ve managed to create a personal set-up without a mortgage, a car loan, a needy partner, or a bunch of hungry offspring. Just for a while, be independent of the need of money!

You don’t need to be rich, it’s enough that you just don’t have any demands that push you to make money. Sell what you own and have no expenses – or not more than you can afford even if you make no money at all. Have that freedom to then be able to turn down demands on you. So, if you study archaeology or write software or compose music or start up a company, you can do it with absolutely no consideration of money. Do what you want just out of passion and maybe you can make a living from it. This freedom allows you to take chances, because if you don’t need anything, then there’s nothing to lose. Try it!

What would you do if you were gifted a million dollars, no strings attached?

Well, I’ve been gifted that already, so I can tell you what I did: Buy a place to live. Pay for that place in full. And if all Hell breaks loose then you have that place to fall back on. You can sit there and enjoy the silence and plan your next move. Or just chill.

Share a photo of your favorite pet!

What are your most-used emojis?

Since EveryMatrix right now is doing so well, I’ll say 🍾

Name 3 apps you couldn’t live without.

Are there apps that don’t have a substitute? If no Netflix then HBO. If no Whatsapp then Signal. If no Spotify then YouTube Music. If no Maps then Waze. If no Instagram then … Well, some content is exclusive, so I will go for sports! Eurosport, NFL Gamepass.

And finally, give us an idea for the next EveryMatrix Party. Pick a theme!

I’ll come with an idea for summer party 2023: Peace!

A million thanks for sharing and indeed Everything is possible.