It’s never too late for happiness – can you learn how to become happy in Finland?

Frank is a German engineer and entrepreneur with a passion for technology, innovation and building businesses. After a decade in research, he co-founded Blacklane and helped grow it into a global chauffeur service during ten years of hard work. In March this year, Uber announced an agreement to acquire the company.

Today, he divides his time between Helsinki and Berlin, focusing on family, his next career step, and exploring happiness and well-being and how to bring more of both into everyday life.

Why did you choose to participate in the Happiness Science from Finland summer course? 

I was looking for an interesting summer course for our son, who studies economics and computer science in Berlin. However, he had some exams to take during the summer, and by chance, I stumbled upon the “Happiness Science from Finland” course at Aalto University Summer School and immediately thought, this is something I need to join! 

It perfectly aligns with what I’ve been focusing on for some time, and I’m eager to dive deeper into well-being, happiness, and what it means to live a good life – as well as the science behind it.

Can happiness really be taught? 

No – not directly. But rather, I wanted to develop a broader understanding of what it takes to live a happy life: the concepts and perspectives, the preconditions for well-being and happiness, what contributes to them, and what can negatively affect them. That can definitely be taught. 

For Frank, happiness and employee satisfaction in the workplace have become very close to his heart, especially during his years at Blacklane, where his main goal was to create a work environment where people could thrive, with a strong emphasis on company culture and the team members' well-being. 

‘We wanted our team members to look forward to Mondays on Sundays and not to wait for Friday already on Wednesday. This led to a high priority on our company culture, which I also believe is the reason why our company survived various crises and tough competitors,’ says Frank. 

‘The corona pandemic hit us hard, and we lost 99% of our business. We didn’t let anyone go – everyone knew that we were all in this together. Fortunately, the company survived, flourished and grew phenomenally after the world came back to normal and people were travelling again,’ Frank concludes.  

When asked how organisations and employers could benefit from a course like Happiness Science from Finland, Frank emphasises that it’s a topic he could talk about for hours.  

‘I’m convinced that a high-performing organisation can only be sustainable and successful in the long run when the people who work there are able to be themselves, feel happy, and genuinely enjoy what they do. This is when you get competent employees who walk that extra mile for your company.  

Employers should put more effort into recognising how the well-being of their teams correlates directly with company success and results,’ Frank comments. 

What was the best part of the course? 

I wish I had more professors and lecturers like Ashish Thapliyal when I did my master’s. He did an amazing job with the course, keeping the group motivated and engaged from start to end. There wasn't a single lecture or activity that stood out; it was just overall a great experience. I also liked the field trip to Nuuksio National Park, where I met students from the other summer courses. 

Simply put, the course at Summer School turned out to be two really good weeks and a meaningful investment. I am eager to come back for another course. 

Would you recommend this course to others, and why?   

Yes. It’s never too late to be happy. As I mentioned earlier, the well-being of teams within an organisation is crucial for creating a thriving and successful business. This is one of the main reasons I would highly recommend this course, and why I believe companies should encourage their managers and HR professionals to take part in it.