TexT: risTo pakarinen illusTraTion: ossi pirkonen

Tale of a STarT-up

The liTTle BoyWho WanTed

To See over The fence

**Tale of a STarT-up**

The liTTle BoyWho WanTed

To See over The fence

**Tale of a STarT-up**

CommenTs:rovio's

peTer vesTerbaCka

Hello!

a boy called frank lived in a little house in a little town. Frank was a little, little boy, the smallest in the town, but he did not mind because he was quick and agile, and pretty smart. But often he was lonely, because nobody paid attention to him. The others simply talked over his head.

Once upon a time,

a boy called frank lived in a little house in a little town. Frank was a little, little boy, the smallest in the town, but he did not mind because he was quick and agile, and pretty smart. But often he was lonely, because nobody paid attention to him. The others simply talked over his head.

Once upon a time,

All the boys and girls played together in a playground at the edge of the little town. On the far side, a wooden fence separated the playground from … nobody knew what. Not even the tallest boys knew. But Frank decided to find out. Then they would notice him!

a boy called frank lived in a little house in a little town. Frank was a little, little boy, the smallest in the town, but he did not mind because he was quick and agile, and pretty smart. But often he was lonely, because nobody paid attention to him. The others simply talked over his head.

Once upon a time,

All the boys and girls played together in a playground at the edge of the little town. On the far side, a wooden fence separated the playground from … nobody knew what. Not even the tallest boys knew. But Frank decided to find out. Then they would notice him!

Do not think that you can just do what the others are doing – but a little better. It is probably not good enough.

Frank was smart and handy, so one day, he decided to make a pogo stick for himself. He found some pieces of wood and rubber lying around and got to work.

A good idea can be really tiny, it does not have to be a huge thing. Just something that makes things better or changes them.

Frank was smart and handy, so one day, he decided to make a pogo stick for himself. He found some pieces of wood and rubber lying around and got to work.

Frank worked hard all day, and the pogo stick turned out perfect. However, no matter how hard he tried, the stick only got him some ten centimeters off the ground. And most people still did not notice Frank – but some did notice the pogo stick.

Frank worked hard all day, and the pogo stick turned out perfect. However, no matter how hard he tried, the stick only got him some ten centimeters off the ground. And most people still did not notice Frank – but some did notice the pogo stick.

All the exciting stuff nowadays goes on at start-ups. Start-ups are the place to be, especially if you want to have an impact on the world.

But Frank was still little!

The pogo stick had not helped. Now Frank decided to build stilts. Then, for sure, he would be tall enough. But, for that, he needed help.

But Frank was still little!

The pogo stick had not helped. Now Frank decided to build stilts. Then, for sure, he would be tall enough. But, for that, he needed help.

If you want to get stuff done, it’s good to know the people who can make things happen. Find people you do not hang out with every day. Get out of your territory and comfort zone.

Frank could not carry the wooden sticks he needed. Fortunately, the ants that Frank had built an aqueduct for a few weeks earlier, offered to help. Together – one small boy and a thousand ants – they carried the sticks to Frank’s shed.

Frank could not carry the wooden sticks he needed. Fortunately, the ants that Frank had built an aqueduct for a few weeks earlier, offered to help. Together – one small boy and a thousand ants – they carried the sticks to Frank’s shed.

Everything is always a give and take, you cannot always think what is in it for me. Maybe there is something in it, but it only becomes obvious in five years. You have to have the best possible team, because they will make a business out of anything.

Frank proudly hopped around the park, carefully avoiding stepping into rabbit holes – he had once helped the rabbits build a subway system – learning to walk like a (tall) man. But he still could not see over the fence. He tried jumping up to reach the knothole and get a peek of what was on the other side, but came only close.

Frank proudly hopped around the park, carefully avoiding stepping into rabbit holes – he had once helped the rabbits build a subway system – learning to walk like a (tall) man. But he still could not see over the fence. He tried jumping up to reach the knothole and get a peek of what was on the other side, but came only close.

The best idea does not always win. If the idea is no good, of course it is not going anywhere, no matter how hard you work at it. Then you just call it quits and move on to the next thing.

That night Frank stayed up all night drawing up plans for a big tower. It would be the biggest tower ever. He got all his friends to help: the ants, the squirrels, all the kids. And the birds. But not the pigs. They would just mess everything up.

Frank sent the message to all his friends and went to sleep. In the morning, he asked his mother to make sandwiches. A lot of sandwiches!

That night Frank stayed up all night drawing up plans for a big tower. It would be the biggest tower ever. He got all his friends to help: the ants, the squirrels, all the kids. And the birds. But not the pigs. They would just mess everything up.

Frank sent the message to all his friends and went to sleep. In the morning, he asked his mother to make sandwiches. A lot of sandwiches!

Of course, you always need money. It is just one of those things. But you can always get financing, if you have the idea and the team – one way or another.

At dawn, Frank and his friends got to work. They worked hard and by the end of the day, Frank’s tower was finished.

At dawn, Frank and his friends got to work. They worked hard and by the end of the day, Frank’s tower was finished.

You have to stick to what you are doing. Most things are not an overnight success.

At the top, there was a chair in which Frank could sit and watch the world on the other side of the fence. But it was too dark to see anything, so they all went to bed. It was so dark that Frank did not see that they had built the tower in a mud puddle.

At the top, there was a chair in which Frank could sit and watch the world on the other side of the fence. But it was too dark to see anything, so they all went to bed. It was so dark that Frank did not see that they had built the tower in a mud puddle.

The objective should not be to make mistakes, but when you do a lot of things, things happen. You should not do stupid things, and it is not a bad idea to talk to people with experience, but it is important to learn stuff and fail fast.

At sunrise, Frank ran to his tower. As he got closer, he saw some footprints he had not seen the day before. “Pigs!” Frank said and ran faster.

Frank shouted when he saw his tower demolished, now only half as high as the night before.

“PIIIIIIIIIGS!”

At sunrise, Frank ran to his tower. As he got closer, he saw some footprints he had not seen the day before. “Pigs!” Frank said and ran faster.

Frank shouted when he saw his tower demolished, now only half as high as the night before.

“PIIIIIIIIIGS!”When you do a lot of things, things happen. Not everything is a mistake in the end.

Frank sat in his chair, crying. His friends tried to make him feel better. The ants tickled his feet, the cats danced, and the dogs sang, but nothing helped. Then a small squirrel, the smallest of them all, gave Frank a hug and handed him an acorn. “Thanks,” Frank said quietly. When the night came, and his friends went home, Frank just sat in his chair. The acorn rolled off his fingertips and got buried in the mud.

That night, as Frank slept in what was now just a chair, a flock of birds flew over his house. Frank had invited them over to help him with the building, but the birds had got into a bit of an argument along the way and had been delayed. As they came closer to Frank’s chair, the birds saw the pigs’ footprints.

“I think I saw one!!!” yelled one of the birds and launched a poop attack. And then another one. And then another. The poop hit the acorn in the mud. And none of them knew that it was a magical acorn.

“I think I saw one!!!” yelled one of the birds and launched a poop attack. And then another one. And then another. The poop hit the acorn in the mud. And none of them knew that it was a magical acorn.

Of course, we have looked at lot of hits, but it is hard to say what the Thing is. If we knew it, all we would do are hits.

When Frank woke up, he felt a breeze on his face. As he stretched his arms and legs, he heard a bird sing. Very close. Frank opened his eyes and gasped. He was still sitting in his chair, but the chair was now high up in a big oak tree. The birds were standing on the branches around him. “Frank,” said one. “I did not know you could fly.”

When Frank looked down, he saw everybody looking up to him. “What is on the other side?” shouted one girl. Frank looked up.

When Frank looked down, he saw everybody looking up to him. “What is on the other side?” shouted one girl. Frank looked up.

“The world,” he said. “The world.”

“How far can you see from there?” asked a boy. “Farther than I could ever have imagined,” said Frank.

The birds carried Frank back down at nightfall. “What are you going to do next?” asked the Mighty Eagle. Frank looked up. The skies were clear, and the first stars were coming out. He looked at the moon and smiled.

“What do you think is up there?” he said.

The end.

The end.Right now our focus is on our fans and our brand. You have not seen anything yet.

magazine 3/2011

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