Issue link: http://endeavor.uberflip.com/i/670114
industry e-Commerce flag selected 2012 jobs 75 Entrepreneur Hakan Bas y Before founding Lidyana, an Endeavor Catalyst portfolio company, Hakan Baş co-founded Peak Games, another Endeavor Catalyst portfolio company. is interview has been edited and condensed. Q: WHY DID YOU BECOME AN ENTREPRE- NEUR AND HOW DID YOU GET THERE? A: When I was in high school, I always wanted to start my own company, and I had a roadmap in my mind as to how to get there. I'd go to the United States to get my undergraduate degree, then I would work for two years, get my MBA, and then I would start my own business. During my MBA, I interned at Endeavor Turkey. ˜roughout my time there, I met all types of entrepreneurs and was exposed to business planning and strategy. In school you learn the theories and cases, but at Endeavor I was expe- riencing it in real-time and could really feel the startup struggle and excitement. In time, I found my co-founder, came up with an idea, and we started our company – Peak Games. Q: YOU'VE NOW STARTED A SECOND COMPANY, LIDYANA. WHO HAS INVESTED IN YOU AND WHO HAS MENTORED YOU THROUGHOUT THESE EXPERIENCES? A: At Peak Games, Sidar Şahin was not only my co-founder, but also my mentor, because it was my first entrepreneurial experience. At Lidyana, Nevzat Aydın from Yemeksepti invested in us, as did Sina Afra from the Endeavor Turkey Board, which really meant a lot. Endeavor Catalyst also invested in both companies. Q: WAS THE SECOND TIME BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST TIME? A: ˜ere are pros and cons. By the second time, you know how to start a company, how to build a team, and how to seek talent. ˜at said, it's not a painless experience, but you're more informed. Q: WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN THE TURKISH ENTREPRENEURIAL LANDSCAPE SINCE BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR? A: ˜ings have definitely pro- gressed and changed in the past six years. For example, every month or so I speak to students at universities as a way of giving back. In 2010, the top students graduating from top schools were trying to get jobs at large, multi- national companies. Now most of them at least have business plans to be executed in the near future. ˜ankfully, many organiza- tions have emerged in Turkey helping to shape entrepreneurs and promote entrepreneurship, like Endeavor. Also, we are begin- ning to see more venture capital activity. Of course the ecosystem is still in its early stages, but it has changed a lot in the last six years. 30 ENDEAVOR CATALYST ANNUAL REPORT SPOTLIGHT ON: "Every month I speak to students at universities as a way of giving back." HAK AN BAS Founder & CEO, Lidyana.com