Wow! Welcome to 2020
I hope you had a great start to the new year – I certainly did. Full speed ahead.
New cases have come on board, and more exciting talks and travels are on the horizon.
One of the cases I’m particularly proud to work with, and which I see great potential in for 2020, is my friends from Myselfie.
You might have heard of them, or maybe the name rings a bell – they were featured on the Danish version of Shark Tank, where they got all five investors on board.
I’m genuinely excited about the journey we’ll be on in 2020, so I sat down with the guys to talk about what has happened since the show, what they’ve learned, and what the future looks like.
So with applause and camera flashes, I now hand the floor over to my friends and “business partners” – Thomas and Peter from Myselfie.
Welcome, guys – what exactly is Myselfie?
Myselfie develops and rents out selfie screens for private and corporate use. The company was founded by Thomas Bennedsen as a fun idea back in 2007, but it wasn’t until 2015 that the concept was really brought to life, and Peter Lynggaard joined as co-owner.
Where does an idea like that even come from?
It all started as a fun interaction during Thomas’s mobile disco, Thunder-Power.
The idea was to create a gimmick so people could take pictures of themselves without needing a photographer.
On a normal “good” night, a photographer might take 200 photos at a high school party, but when we tested Myselfie for the first time, it captured 1,200 images. It became clear this was something truly unique with special potential.
How did you find each other as a team?
Peter and Thomas have been friends since their teenage years. It began when they both did gymnastics, and the friendship stuck even when Peter pursued his dream of becoming a professional dancer in Copenhagen and Thomas stayed in Vejle to grow his DJ business. When Myselfie was created, Peter was looking for a new challenge beyond dancing, and the timing was just right.
Shark Tank – what made you go on the show?
At first, we were very nervous. It’s national TV, and we had no idea if the investors would find us interesting. But it was far too good of an opportunity to turn down, so we took the chance and prepared ourselves the best we could.
What have you gained most from Shark Tank?
It’s been a cocktail of only good things. When we entered Shark Tank, our main goals were knowledge and networking, but we’ve gained so much more. All of our investors have helped us grow both professionally and personally. Our learning curve has probably never been steeper than the year after the show.
And the publicity should not be underestimated. It’s incredible what 12 minutes of national TV can do, and the entire Shark Tank experience engaged our friends, network, and customers in ways we never dared to hope for.
All in all, it has been a truly positive experience that opened doors we never thought possible.
What would you say to others thinking about starting a business or joining Shark Tank?
Prepare! And test yourselves. We spent about two weeks getting ready, and when we thought we were 90% there with only 10% left, we pitched our presentation to people who had already been on the show. It quickly became clear that we were only 10% ready and had 90% to go! If we hadn’t invested so much effort into preparing and testing our level, we wouldn’t have done nearly as well.
Also, it’s important to ask yourself whether you actually need an investor. For us, it made perfect sense, but since the show, we’ve been contacted by many people looking for advice, and not everyone would benefit from an investor in the same way.
What challenges have surprised you the most?
Germany – without a doubt. Starting up in another country with entirely different rules and culture is a challenge. It’s been tougher than expected but another learning experience that will make future expansions easier.
And doing something for the first time has been the recurring theme of 2019. We constantly have to absorb new knowledge, and it’s tough to start from scratch again and again. But on the other hand, it’s incredibly valuable because we keep growing and lifting ourselves to new levels.
What does the future look like for Myselfie?
We have big ambitions for Myselfie, and we’ve already surpassed the dreams we had when we entered Shark Tank. We’ve proven that our concept works in Denmark and that we can fulfill our vision of creating joy and memories between people. Now, the rest of Europe is next – one country at a time.
We recently received the Entrepreneur of the Year award from Vejle Municipality, which still gives us goosebumps.
The stage is yours
Myselfie has grown from a small company with two guys – unpaid – to eight full-time employees and seven part-time. We currently deliver Myselfies in Denmark, Germany, the UK, and Spain.
We’re the top-rated company on the Danish Trustpilot in the photography category. Myselfie is most commonly used for birthdays, weddings, confirmations, and corporate events. But it’s also a product that easily fits in at trade shows, nightclubs, or sports races. That makes us proud – seeing Myselfie in so many different settings is something we never imagined in our wildest dreams.
Thanks for your time, guys. There’s no doubt you’ve really hit something with this product – and I’ve had the great pleasure of using it myself.
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