Stefan Klumpp: Why Focusing on Happiness Makes this Company more Money

Property of Stefan Klumpp

From high school dropout in Germany, to a self-driving car engineer in Silicon Valley, Stefan’s journey to co-founder of Mobile Jazz is anything but expected.

I heard about Stefan’s innovative ‘happiness first’ business model from Johannes Voelkner of the Nomad Cruise, and knew I had to get Stefan on the show.

In this interview Stefan shares his philosophy on prioritizing happiness over a paycheck, his love for travel, living in a Fiat camper van and spending his days kiteboarding.

“Even today when I talk to people, I sometimes say, ‘If all my businesses went bankrupt, my bank account was set to zero, I wouldn’t be worried because I could leverage my network, leverage my skills and just start up again.'” – Stefan Klumpp

Travel Topics:

  • How a high school dropout can become a successful entrepreneur [2:08]
  • Moving to Silicon Valley to race self-driving cars through the desert [6:29]
  • Getting hooked on kiteboarding [8:30]
  • Yes…. Island fever is real! [10:10]
  • What to do when you go broke in Spain [13:06]
  • How to become a self-taught mobile app developer [13:20]
  • Ha! Turns out, mobile was not just a fad! [13:49]
  • The simple principles of entrepreneurship [17:57]
  • How to create a unique office environment and pay model for your startup [21:52]
  • Organizational advice: First up – Start spreadsheets! [27:52]
  • Why Stefan took a personal financial hit to grow the business [29:00]
  • Low overhead = Personal freedom [29:46]
  • The simplicity of camper van life [31:11]
  • Security issues inherent with traveling in a camper van [34:32]
  • How Stefan measures happiness [38:06]
  • The nomad working on the beach myth dispelled! [40:13]
  • Clickbait vs Quality content [43:46]

Stefan Klumpp’s Talking Points:

Email | Facebook Website | Vantrepreneur FB Group

  • Connect with Optimizing for Happiness:

Website |  Twitter  | Facebook | Instagram

  • Connect with Mobile Jazz:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Music Credit:

Take Action:

Money can’t buy you happiness, right? So what makes you happier than money and what are you willing to do for it?