Meet Jón Gunnar Thordarson, CEO of Mussila
Jón Gunnar Thordarson is the CEO of Mussila, the winner of the Bett Awards- the best International Digital Educational Resources. He has an Executive MBA degree from the University of Reykjavik and a BA in directing from Drama Centre London, with broad experience in marketing, theatre, and project management. He has directed over 40 productions in Iceland, the UK, and Scandinavia. Including the opera Der Freizutch and Macbeth at the Arcola Theatre in London. By directing and producing from small fringe theatre to large-scale productions, Jón has gained experience in team-building and the know-how to make something from scratch.
Jón Gunnar is passionate about EdTech and the future of learning.
What keeps you motivated as an entrepreneur when you hit bumps in the road?
To believe in and trust that everything happens for a reason. It is essential to realise as an entrepreneur that it’s ok to make mistakes because you are doing something new. Fear is the enemy of creativity, and therefore it is alright and accepted to make mistakes; the most important thing is to learn and constantly improve yourself.
Working with a co-founder can be tricky, so understanding and compromise are essential. How have you both found the process of building a business together? What makes it work?
What makes it work? It works because we leave our egos out of business. Hilmar Thor Birgisson is the perfect co-worker. What makes it work for us is to share our vision and be both involved in the planning. He is also an expert in technology, so I need to step back when decisions are taken regarding the technical feasibility of our products; of course, I learn, but he is the expert. It’s important for us to be in our elements, that is also how we think about the team building, to let every individual be in their elements so they can thrive and become their full potential.
What does your business offer its target audience?
We make digital learning solutions for children. Through Mussila, the children learn through play. We have two learning solutions on the market; a music learning solution called Mussila Music and a reading comprehension app called Mussila Wordplay.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
Mussila has won several awards and recognition from all around the world. In our apps, the children learn through play and put what they know into practice and create. The children learn by exploring at their own pace. Therefore the children feel empowered and motivated to play on their own. Mussila is modern and has an engaging look, made by experts from the gaming industry. Our apps are based on evidence-based practice, developed in collaboration with experts in education and therefore suitable for children with special needs. Mussila is a LiveOps company, we constantly look at data and customer/teachers feedback to improve our learning solutions. We offer schools and families solutions, with multiple accounts and the possibility for remote learning.
What plans do you have for Mussila over the next two years?
In two years, Mussila will be a globally known methodology, and children and teachers will be asking for Mussila when they want to learn or teach through play.
How influential is company culture, and what is your top tip to get it right?
Without the team, Mussila would not exist; the team is our biggest asset. A highly talented team of artists, computer scientists, and marketers. Together we are working on changing the way children learn worldwide. Every member of the group is a maker of Mussila, every voice is heard, so we are building this together. The collective mind is much stronger than the individual mind. Mussila is a family-friendly workplace, meaning that the team members should feel trusted, respected, and loved; each member decides their work effort because we trust each other.
What would be your top marketing tip to grow a business that is a niche?
Think local- be global. Build a business in your local area, meet your customers, gather customer feedback, and build the product based on that relationship. When the product is working efficiently in your immediate area, it is time to scale, but never forget your local community; that is the asset that can build the product with you; they are your developers.
What are your thoughts on the ‘no sleep’ culture as an entrepreneur?
It’s completely ridiculous! Sleep and health are the most important for your company. At Mussila, we work from 9-4; we try not to answer or send emails after work. It is essential to live, meet friends and family after work, and come the day after with a fresh new mind and ideas.
What would be your top three tips to fellow entrepreneurs to look after their mental health?
Don´t think you have all the answers; please ask for help; no question is a stupid question.
Share the responsibility with your colleagues.
At the same time, try to spend quality time outside of work. Don’t bring your work home, and give your attention to your closest ones.
How is digitization empowering your business?
The school system was mainly designed and developed for the Industrial Revolution in the 19th Century. At the same time, as the world has been changing rapidly, somehow, education has been left behind. In the last 10-15 years, more and more schools have taken up digital education, and when the pandemic broke out in 2020 and schools started to lockdown, the need for digital education became essential. Today digital education is no longer a need for schools; it is a must. Therefore schools are being digitised at the moment. When schools are taken on this new technology, it is wise to use it as part of the moment to change the system and reshape the future of education. Education needs to be built for the 21st Century. Mussila can play a huge role in this transition.
Where do you draw your inspiration from to continue pursuing and innovating in the tech space?
I get inspiration from Sir Ken Robinson, and we need Technology to empower the change. Schools are not creative, but children are. Therefore, we need to offer children digital learning solutions that spark curiosity and motivate them to learn.
I want to end this interview by Quoting Sir Ken Robinson:
Imagine if we could control fire,
Imagine if you could fly from one side of the world to the other,
Imagine if we could land on the moon,
Imagine if two people could marry regardless of gender,
Imagine if we value dance as much as mathematics,
Imagine if we had a cure for cancer,
Imagine if we recreated the systems we take for granted, and it would encourage every person to thrive.
Imagine if.
