I went to my country's biggest mindset event

3 insights I stole from founders, investors, and people younger than me

In one hour, I met more ambitious people than in my entire life.

Why I went

My goal was simple:

I wanted to meet people who think like me.

I didn’t know anyone my age who cared about business or self-improvement.

This changed fast.

The event opened with a talk about 3 ways to fund a business.

Useful, sure. But the real value only came after.

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1. The best way of networking I’ve tried so far

Next, we had an hour of speed-dating (not the romantic kind).

Here’s how it worked:

• Two lines of people facing each other

• 5 minutes per conversation

• Switch pairs, repeat

No awkward pauses, no small talk. Pure networking.

I met 8 incredibly driven young builders, some even younger than me.

For the first time, I felt like I wasn’t alone.

It’s only been 2 days, and I’ve already started messaging them.

This time, I’m not letting these connections disappear.

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2. The pitch that changed my view on audience

Then came the pitch section (basically Shark Tank).

One pitch stood out, but not why you’d expect.

The pitch section (not my image)

It was about math. The presentation was choppy, boring, and I just wanted it to end.

But the judges loved it.

One even started talking about how he struggled with math in school, and completely understood the need.

This was when it hit me.

The problem wasn’t the pitch. It was the audience.

I wasn’t part of the target audience, but the judges were.

If you can really identify and find the right people, selling your product is easy.

On the other end, a 17-year-old pitched belts made from used rock-climbing ropes.

Perfect delivery. Zero hesitation from the judges.

He walked away with a contact card from the owner of Hungary’s first McDonald’s operating on a franchise basis.

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3. Failure isn’t a warning sign, but the curriculum

The event closed with an interview with the founder of Billingo.

His timeline was shocking:

• Starting building around 14-18

• Failed 3 businesses by the age of 20

• Built a 7-figure company

• Lost everything in 2008

• Rebuilt from zero

I finally understood it:

Failing several times before succeeding is literally normal.

This made me feel lighter instantly.

I’m 17, and have failed 4 projects so far.

But they weren’t wasted attempts. They were training rounds.

And honestly? This might be my greatest competitive advantage:

• I learn from my mistakes, and each attempt was better than the previous.

• This is clear proof of my persistence, proof that I’m not here to just play.

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What’s next

I’m going to the next meetup in March. I want more convos like these.

In the long term, I want to get into the pitch section of the meetup. (Probably not in March, once I've built something worth presenting.)

In the short term, I’ve already started reaching out to the 8 people I met. I really want to get at least a few long-term connections out of this.

If you’re like them (and me), drop a DM - I want more conversations like these.