Ahti Heinla

Could you share your journey with us?

Imagine you have amnesia and have forgotten all aspects of your life. To remember who you are and the type of person you've become, please reflect on key moments, realizations, and milestones that have shaped your evolution from the earliest memories you can recall until the present day.

Okay. So, from a young age, I have had some beliefs and mental or philosophical positions. I think some of them came from parents and friends. They helped shape some of my early choices. One thing that always felt true from kindergarten onwards is that I'm not like other people in various ways. I've never been someone who walks into a room and instantly feels part of the group. It's been hard for me to connect with people who understand me, and I'm accustomed to others thinking I'm unusual or weird. That's fine with me. This has changed a bit since I became a successful entrepreneur because many people look up to me, but I still don't connect with many other people. I like the human experience and try to value others, but I have never sought recognition from others. I never wanted to stand out or have people look up to me.

I think people want flashy cars or big houses to either impress others or live a comfortable life. I'm not doing things for others' approval.

Some think wealthy people only use private planes and own yachts, but it is not true. I live in a house like a middle-class Estonian family, with one car, and we don't go on vacations all the time. For me, it's about having a nice experience, not impressing others with material possessions. I enjoy traveling, experiencing new places and cultures, and music, which is a personal and fantastic experience. I also strive to be useful to the world and to the people around me.

Can you recall a specific moment or realization that had a profound effect on you?

I have never experienced an event that fundamentally changed me as a person, but there have been different events, some of which have influenced many of the choices I have made. One thing for sure is that both of my parents were computer programmers, and my mother taught me programming when I was 10 years old. Apparently, I was fairly good at it, as well as mathematics and physics. These were areas where I excelled, and while others spent time partying, I spent my time studying. This was especially true during my teenage years, which happened to coincide with Estonia's time as part of the Soviet Union. During this period, it could be said that, regardless of profession, everyone made roughly the same amount of money. Consequently, it did not occur to me to pursue software development for the money.

However, when the Soviet Union fell, and Estonia became a market-based economy, I found myself in a highly valued profession. I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset and a desire for adventure and discovery. Although banks offered huge sums of money in the 90s, I was more interested in pursuing my own path and did not want to work for a traditional company. While this attitude may have been unfounded, I have since learned that working in a bank can be just as rewarding and fun.

What drives you, and why are you doing what you're doing today?

In my younger years, particularly in my teens and twenties, I was interested in having new and exciting experiences. I sought out activities that were fun, cool, or interesting to me. At that time, like many young people, I was also trying to figure out my place in the world and how I related to others. This period was formative for me, and the friendships I made during that time were essential in shaping me.

As a successful entrepreneur, I have achieved financial stability, and I no longer need to work for money. For example, when I founded Starship, it was not to make money but to be useful in the world. Nowadays, I am motivated by the desire to use my skills to contribute to society. I recognize that some people might not understand why I work since I do not need the money, but for me, it's about being useful and making a difference. I want to use my skills for the world, and I will not sit on the sofa, watch TV and do nothing; I even don't have a TV.

Building something from scratch is difficult, and it can be stressful when things go wrong. But it's a challenge that I embrace because I want to make a positive impact on the world. Although I sometimes feel tired and just want to relax, but this is not for me to sit and do nothing.

Do you stop thinking about work when you are with your family?

It depends. I'm not very good at switching off my mind. I started to feel that it is more harder to switch off my mind since COVID; when work went remote, there were a lot of chats and multitasking, which is not so good for concentration. But it's easier to switch my mind off and be present when I'm in nature or traveling.

Which holds greater significance, the outcome (results) or the process involved in achieving it?

Personally, I think both are important. If it's all about the result, life would be empty. The process of getting the result is important, but you also need a goal in mind. Without a goal, there's no result or process.

Are you emotionally attached to the outcomes of your actions? Sometimes results exert control over a person, but not the person controls the results.

Yeah, that's true. I think sometimes people get so caught up in the end goal that they forget about the process and the journey to get there. They might also forget to communicate the importance of the result to others. This can be seen in society too, where some people perceive that the government and businesses only care about increasing GDP and forget about the well-being of the people. While there is some truth to this, people who criticize the pursuit of GDP often don't realize that it ultimately leads to better lives for everyone. GDP growth means that people have more resources and opportunities to improve their material well-being. However, those who pursue GDP need to do a better job of explaining this to others. At the same time, those who criticize the pursuit of GDP need to understand that it's actually aligned with their own interests, as they themselves benefit from the resulting increase in salaries and lower prices.

What does it mean for you to lose your business completely? What will happen to you? Of course, theoretically.

Yes, I understand. It's a very theoretical question, but it's also important for every entrepreneur to consider. Most startups fail, so you have to be prepared. As an entrepreneur, you have to be ready for the possibility that your business might fail. For me, it would be like a shattering of dreams. If you invest a lot of time into something and it doesn't work out, it can be devastating. It's not just a financial loss, but a loss of something you've worked for and believed in. It's emotionally painful for everyone, I think.

Do you consider yourself a proactive or reactive person?

I think there's evidence of both in me. Overall, I would say I lean more toward being proactive. However, emotions are important to me because they give me the drive to take action. Without emotions, I wouldn't even think about being proactive. But I don't let my emotions dictate my decisions every day. I don't change my direction completely every time I experience a new emotion. So, in a sense, I am anti-reactive. I've noticed that when big news comes out, a lot of people immediately jump to calling for swift action or a complete change in direction. But I prefer to take a step back, assess the situation rationally, and then make a decision.

How do you feel about people in general? What do you think about friends, family, colleagues, enemies, envious, and competitors?

Well, I don't have many enemies, especially on a personal level. In terms of business or entrepreneurship, my company has competitors, but I don't see them as personal enemies. We are pursuing similar goals, and while I may want my company to perform better than theirs in the short term, I still see them as similar to me. My strongest negative feelings are reserved for those who behave badly on a personal level, such as those who do harm to others to compensate for their own problems.

It is good that you understand why those people behave in such a way.

Yes, I think I understand the reasons in many cases, but it is impossible to understand certain oppressive rulers who have caused mass harm and destruction. I find it difficult to view these individuals as anything other than entirely wicked. However, this is not the case for most individuals. For instance, when someone is angry with me while driving, I do not become agitated since I realize it is just a car, and there are many people with different driving styles.

Nevertheless, I recognize that some individuals place great importance on how they drive and view it as an essential component of their life. As a result, they believe that others should drive the same way as they do, which can lead to frustration when encountering different driving styles.

How do you react to pleasant and unpleasant humans in your life?

Anything can happen. Typically, I remain composed externally, even when significant events occur. I don't jump to conclusions or react immediately. Instead, I take time to reflect. However, if I notice a systemic change or the event is part of a larger pattern, this is the time to react.

Have you ever had a strong desire for something?

Yeah, it's like everyone has been in love.

Do you do any charity work? And do you share information about it on social media or leave it to yourselves?

Yes, I do donate to various organizations, and I donate a significant amount, but I don't advertise it. I don't like being a public figure who just does charity work for shows. I have a different relationship with society, and I don't feel comfortable creating an image of myself as a charitable person.

Do you regret anything? Something that you did and can't accept?

I think everybody makes mistakes, definitely. But I try not to agonize over them. If things are going wrong in my life, I don't really worry about it, and some of those things may be the result of mistakes I've made. However, I don't dwell on them. Nobody's perfect, and we're all constantly learning. When I was growing up, I thought of life as a continuous learning experience. It's not like you go to school, learn a bunch of stuff, and then become a fully-formed person. Instead, you continue to learn and develop throughout your life, regardless of your age. You can be 30, 40, or 50 years old and still be clueless about many things in the world, within yourself, and in others. You're always making new discoveries.

Do you eat a lot, and how often? Do you sleep a lot?

I would say that eating is not a big passion of mine. Food is not something I am particularly passionate about. While I do appreciate good food, it's not a passion for me as it is for some others. On the other hand, sleeping is nice. I have had multiple periods in my life where I had difficulty falling asleep, even struggling with some kind of insomnia until I was around 35. Going to bed was always an anxious moment for me, as I was unsure if I would be able to fall asleep or stay awake for hours. This made sleeping a stressful experience for me. I have often woken up in the middle of the night and stayed up for an hour, doing activities like reading, before trying to go back to sleep. However, around the age of 35, I learned new skills to help me switch off my brain and fall asleep. While I don't necessarily enjoy sleeping or try to prolong it, I have started to appreciate it more in the last two years. I sleep for around seven hours a day, and I can fall asleep quickly.

How do you understand the term “call of the soul”?

Mm, it's hard to understand. Let me put it this way - I'm not good at dramatizing things or labeling them in a dramatic way. However, there have been situations in my life where I've had to make big decisions and felt the need to do it a certain way, regardless of the rational consequences. I felt that staying true to myself meant making a specific decision, even if it was hard or painful at first. But in the end, I never regretted those decisions, as they were the right thing to do. I've had a lot of experiences like that, perhaps similar to your own.

Could you please share your inner wins?

Well, to start, I would say that one of the biggest learning experiences for me has been going through big arguments or breakups in relationships. When both sides are unhappy with each other, it can be really tough. However, I've found that through these situations, I've been able to see myself through the eyes of others and reevaluate certain parts of my life. It's not always easy to do this, as it's much simpler to just blame the other person and move on. But when I've managed to reevaluate myself and certain parts of my life, I feel like I've achieved something. This ties into what I mentioned earlier about the importance of continuous learning and growth.

I've had some other wins in my life as well, where I've managed to reevaluate certain aspects of myself. I think this is a really important part of personal growth that goes beyond business or material possessions.

There were also some events where I made some choices that I don't know why I made. But I'm proud of myself for doing them because they were the right things to do. One of these events is a bit silly. I love traveling and have traveled a lot in Asia, but never visited South America. I had a long discussion with another traveler who had been to South America, and he told me that traveling there was hard, stressful, and tough. He described a lot of bad experiences that he had, which painted a picture that South America is a real hardship. This was completely wrong. But for some reason, I took it to heart and thought I needed to go to South America. I don't understand why I made that choice because I wasn't looking for challenges or hardships in my life. So, I took two classes, studied Spanish, and traveled to South America. I had the best experience possible and enjoyed it. I've traveled to South America about five to seven times now. I'm thankful to the person who told me about the hardship because it pushed me to take that challenge and check it personally.

What are your self-development/self-expression/mental and physical health activities?

I've always been the kind of person who needs a certain amount of rest. Even if there are negative consequences, I'll stop doing something if I don't get enough rest. I think this has helped my mental health as well as my physical health. While I'm not really into sports, I enjoy cycling, orienteering, hiking in the mountains, and high-altitude hiking. I don't participate in competitions much, but I think physical activity is important for mental health. I've noticed that my body and mind both functions differently when I exercise regularly.