Growth Leap: Recent Episodes
Stun and Awe
Welcome to Growth Leap, a Stun and Awe podcast that looks into how business builders are designing and growing their companies for performance and impact.
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In this episode, we sit down with Dario Berrebi to unpack one of the most overlooked shifts in brand storytelling: becoming the guide, not the hero. Think Yoda, not Luke Skywalker.
We explore why purpose-driven brands struggle with positioning, how to tell stories that resonate without sounding self-important, and why solving boring problems beats chasing cool ideas.
You’ll walk away with a smarter way to communicate your value, one rooted in empathy, simplicity, and timeless storytelling structure.
WE COVERED:
- Why most purpose-driven brands get storytelling backwards
- The “Hero’s Journey” framework—and how to flip it for your customer
- How to stand out by solving boring, painful problems
- Real talk: what scrappy SMBs can do instead of trying to look “premium”
- Tactical brand building on a tight budget: second-hand gear, focused offers, and positioning
- How to make your brand feel human, not polished to death
- The power of telling the truth, even when it’s messy
FOR WHO?
If you’re a founder, marketer, or creative working on a mission-driven product, and you're tired of performative branding that doesn't convert, this episode gives you a more grounded, actionable playbook.Most brands position themselves as the hero.
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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Account-based marketing (ABM) used to be expensive, slow, and reserved for enterprise teams. But that’s changed. In this solo episode, we walk through a smarter, faster, more human approach to ABM, one that even small B2B teams can run using AI, psychology, and clear structure.
We break down how to build a focused account list, how to personalize outreach without sounding robotic, and how to align sales and marketing around real signals, not wishful thinking.
You’ll learn how to combine AI agents and human-first strategy to warm up leads, engage buying committees, and track what actually moves the needle. If your team is sick of spraying cold emails and hoping for the best, this one’s for you.
WE COVERED:
- Why modern ABM works best with small teams and smart tools
- How to build a high-intent target list using AI and intent data
- The psychology behind warming up accounts before outreach
- What real personalization looks like (and why most teams fake it)
- Why buying committees need tailored messages, not a single CTA
- How to use AI agents to do the heavy research for you
- The playbook for launching multitouch campaigns that actually convert
- How to measure success beyond clicks: engagement, velocity, and pipeline
FOR WHO?
If you’re a founder, GTM lead, or marketer inside a B2B startup (especially in tech, sustainability, or Web3), and you’re trying to make outbound work without burning your list or your reputation, this episode gives you the playbook.
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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Michael Maximoff is the co-founder of Belkins, the #1 B2B appointment-setting agency, and a leader in revenue growth strategies. In this edition of Growth Leap, Michael breaks down how he scaled Belkins to 8 figures by focusing on acquisition, retention, and revenue alignment.
We dove into why traditional marketing and sales silos no longer work, how to make outbound effective in 2025, and why retention is the key to sustainable business growth. Michael also shared insights on structuring sales teams, setting up shared KPIs, and integrating marketing, sales, and customer success into a single revenue engine.
Michael discussed the importance of founder-led sales in the early years, how he structured compensation to drive retention, and why the best growth teams obsess over long-term value instead of short-term wins. We also covered the role of partnerships, content-driven outbound, and how to stay financially disciplined while scaling.
We covered:
- Why acquisition and retention must go hand in hand for growth
- Outbound sales in 2025: How to make it work without spamming inboxes
- Sales and marketing alignment: How shared KPIs transform results
- Founder-led sales: Why early-stage CEOs must drive sales themselves
- Financial discipline: How tracking every dollar helped Belkins scale
- Building trust in B2B: Why relationships matter more than volume
Whether you’re a startup founder, sales leader, or marketer looking to scale without burning cash on ineffective tactics, this episode is packed with insights on how to build a sustainable growth machine.
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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David Pereira is the CEO of Omoqo, and Büşra Coşkuner is a seasoned product coach, both experts in helping teams build products that actually matter. In this edition of Growth Talks, David and Büşra break down the biggest challenges in product management, from prioritization and experimentation to balancing discovery with execution.
We dove into how to avoid wasting time on ideas that won’t work, test assumptions quickly, and make ruthless prioritization a habit. David and Büşra also shared insights on working with business pressures while maintaining a strong product vision and execution strategy.
David discussed the importance of setting outcome-based goals instead of getting caught up in feature-building, while Büşra outlined a framework for effective assumption testing that ensures teams learn fast. We also covered how to prevent roadmaps from becoming feature factories and the common mistakes teams make when trying to scale their product development.
We covered:
✅ Prioritization strategies: How to decide what’s worth building (and what’s not)
✅ Experimentation 101: How to validate assumptions before committing resources
✅ Balancing discovery vs. delivery: How to manage roadmaps without overloading teams
✅ Ruthless focus: How saying no leads to better, faster decisions
✅ Real-world case studies: Examples of what worked—and what failed—in product teams
✅ Managing business pressure: How to balance leadership expectations with product strategy
Whether you’re a product manager, startup founder, or team leader trying to build high-impact products without drowning in unnecessary work, this episode is full of actionable strategies to help you focus, learn fast, and execute effectively.
Follow David & Büşra on LinkedIn
🔹 David Pereira
🔹 Büşra Coşkuner
Where to Find Michel:
📰 Newsletter: Stun and Awe
🔗 LinkedIn: ichel Gagnon
🐦 X (Twitter): @michelgagnon
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Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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Laura Erdem is a Sales Manager - Americas at DreamData and a social selling powerhouse who’s helping redefine how B2B companies connect with their audience. In this episode, Laura shares her journey from traditional outbound sales to building a multi-million-dollar pipeline through LinkedIn and social selling strategies.
We dove into how Laura uses LinkedIn to create meaningful connections with buyers, track measurable revenue impact, and build trust through authentic, human-centric content. Laura also discussed the balance between structured and flexible approaches to social selling, offering practical advice for sales teams and leaders alike.
Laura highlighted how DreamData aligns sales and marketing efforts to drive results, with shared reporting and insights that ensure everyone is pulling in the same direction. She also gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how DreamData is expanding into the U.S. market and adapting its sales processes to meet the demands of a fast-moving, transactional environment.
We covered:
- Social Selling 101: How Laura’s approach to LinkedIn has generated over $2 million in measurable revenue for DreamData.
- Metrics that Matter: Beyond likes and comments—tracking engagement, clicks, and conversions that drive real business results.
- Cold Outreach vs. Warm Outreach: Why traditional outbound sales is struggling and how social selling creates higher-quality leads.
- Scaling Social Selling: Practical tips for sales teams to personalize and implement social strategies at scale.
- Aligning Sales and Marketing: How DreamData creates shared goals and accountability between teams to drive growth.
- Market Expansion: Lessons from DreamData’s move into the U.S. market, including the importance of hiring local expertise.
- The Future of Social Selling: How AI is enhancing social strategies while keeping human connection at the center of sales.
Whether you’re a B2B sales pro, marketer, or founder looking to build stronger relationships with your customers and scale your pipeline, this episode is packed with actionable tips and insights to help you take your sales game to the next level.
Where to Find Laura
- LinkedIn: Laura Erdem
- DreamData: dreamdata.io
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: Stun and Awe
- LinkedIn: Michel Gagnon
- X: @michelgagnon
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a text
Adam Boita is the Chief Marketing Officer at Ecologi and a seasoned marketing leader with over 17 years of experience across iconic brands like PlayStation and Pernod Ricard. In this episode, Adam shares his journey from consumer marketing to leading climate action initiatives, guiding businesses to embed sustainability into their operations.
We discussed how Ecologi helps companies fund high-impact climate action projects, tackle the complexities of carbon credits, and leverage innovative tools to integrate sustainability seamlessly. Adam shared insights into Ecologi’s transparent approach, the importance of trust in climate action, and how his team ensures businesses achieve measurable impact.
Adam also highlighted the role of creative storytelling and humor in climate messaging, showcasing how Ecologi’s campaigns inspire businesses to take their first steps toward sustainability. He provided practical advice on balancing brand-building with performance marketing, creating awareness campaigns that drive long-term results.
We covered:
- Climate action for businesses: Ecologi’s transition from consumer subscriptions to B2B solutions, empowering companies to fund impactful sustainability projects.
- Navigating carbon credits: Tackling controversies and ensuring transparency and quality in climate action initiatives.
- Engaging messaging: Using humor and wit to break down barriers and inspire businesses to act.
- Campaign planning: How Ecologi balances brand awareness and performance marketing to drive measurable results.
- Lessons for startups: Building trust through transparency, investing in brand identity early, and aligning profit with purpose.
- Practical insights: Strategies for integrating sustainability into operations and communicating impact effectively.
Whether you’re a startup founder, marketer, or corporate leader looking to align your business goals with meaningful climate action, this episode will give you the insights and actionable strategies to achieve the impact you're aiming for.
Where to find Adam:
- LinkedIn: Adam Boita
- Ecologi's website: https://ecologi.com/
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: Stun and Awe
- LinkedIn: Michel Gagnon
- X: @michelgagnon
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a text
Mariana de la Roche Wills is the founder and CEO of de la Roche W Consulting and a leading voice in the blockchain and Web3 space. Mariana shared her journey from law and public policy to becoming a prominent advocate for using blockchain technology to address global challenges.
We discussed how blockchain empowers individuals by returning control of data to the people, creating opportunities for financial inclusion, and fostering transparency and accountability. Mariana highlighted the transformative potential of blockchain through projects like Ethic Hub, focused on agricultural financial inclusion, and the Demia, which leverages blockchain for carbon credits and sustainability.
Mariana also explained the role of stablecoins in driving financial inclusion in underserved regions and how startups can responsibly implement blockchain technology. We explored governance models, open-source tools, and the importance of aligning blockchain solutions with real-world problems.
We covered:
- Blockchain’s potential: Empowering individuals and fostering transparency in critical sectors
- Real-world applications: EthicHub’s decentralized finance solution for Global South farmers and Demia, focused on enhancing carbon credits.
- Financial inclusion: How stablecoins are reshaping access to financial tools in underserved regions
- Best practices for startups: Leveraging blockchain thoughtfully to address real needs
- Governance and collaboration: The importance of open-source tools and community-driven decision-making
- Mariana’s insights: Lessons from her work with INATBA, BC100+, and global blockchain initiatives
- Practical advice: Balancing innovation and regulation while aligning blockchain solutions with long-term impact goals
If your a startup, innovator, or impact-driven leader looking to use blockchain and Web3 to create meaningful change, this episode is for you.
Where to find Mariana:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariana-de-la-roche-es/
- Website: De la Roche W. Consulting
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: Stun and Awe
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a text
In this episode, I spoke with Julia Zhou, co-founder of Tidal Impact, and President of the Sigma Squared Society. Julia shared her journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family to co-founding Tidal Impact with a focus on shifting businesses from merely reducing harm to creating a meaningful impact.
We explored how startups can play a pivotal role in building a regenerative economy and why they are uniquely positioned to adopt sustainable practices faster than larger corporations. Julia also explained the importance of redefining success beyond financial metrics, stressing the need to focus on the positive societal and environmental outcomes a company can achieve.
We discussed the work of the Sigma Square Society, a network fostering connections among young entrepreneurs, and how building emotional intelligence and personal awareness are crucial for driving systems change.
Julia emphasized the need for businesses to develop a theory of change to measure long-term impact and shared her thoughts on the evolving world of impact investing, where diverse funding models are necessary for different types of impact-driven companies.
We covered:
- Tidal Impact’s mission: Helping businesses measure and manage ESG and create positive impact
- Startups' role: How they can lead the charge in building a regenerative economy
- Redefining success: Moving beyond financial metrics to focus on impact
- The Sigma Square Society: Supporting young entrepreneurs and fostering systemic change
- Theory of change: A framework for measuring long-term goals and impact
- Impact investing: The need for diverse funding models to support various businesses
- Personal stories: Julia’s journey and insights on aligning business goals with personal values
- Lessons learned: Challenges in systems change, team building, and securing funding
Where to find Julia:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-zhou-3a94a5b3/
- Website: Tidal Impact, Sigma Squared Society
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: Stun and Awe
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a text
Ever feel like your team has the potential to be great, but you’re stuck in slow motion? I’ve been there. In today’s episode, I’m sharing my story of leading a tech company that was bursting with talent but got bogged down by endless discussions, bureaucratic red tape, and a mountain of old tech debt. It was frustrating to watch our competitors launch products while we debated—and missed opportunities.
I’ll break down the common barriers that hold teams back, like “selling” ideas instead of truly assessing them, or letting the highest-paid person’s opinion dominate (a.k.a. HiPPO Syndrome). I’ll also share my approach to getting things moving again: creating a playbook that gets everyone from marketing to engineering on the same page and speeds up execution.
Tune in to hear some hard-learned lessons, real-world stories from billion-dollar corporations and nimble startups, and actionable strategies that can help turn your team into an execution powerhouse. If you want to break free from innovation paralysis and get your team’s great ideas to market faster, this episode’s for you. Let’s dive in!
Check out our Fast-Track Innovation Workshop if you'd like your team to execute faster.
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: Stun and Awe
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a text
I sat down with Christian Chegne and Avery Schwartz, co-founders of Coral Tribe NFT and ReFi Hub. They are using blockchain to push forward regenerative finance and make a big impact on sustainability.
They shared how they raised $1 million from their Coral Tribe NFT and used part of the proceeds to fund five major impact environmental restoration projects. They are now launching ReFi Hub, a marketplace that enables members to invest in vetted businesses that fight climate change, promote clean energy, and foster sustainable development.
We dove into the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), which allows for fractional ownership and opens up new ways for entrepreneurs, especially in the Global South, to get more attractive access to funds than through traditional very-high-interest bank loans. This approach makes high-impact investments more accessible and strengthens the connection between communities and environmental causes.
Christian and Avery highlighted how building strong communities has been critical to their projects' growth. Their stories offer some great insights for anyone curious about how blockchain can drive both sustainability and local business support.
We covered:
- Coral Tribe NFT: Raising $1M and funding coral restoration and other impact projects
- Tokenizing real-world assets: How it democratizes access to sustainable investments
- ReFi Hub’s mission: Supporting small businesses and sustainable growth in emerging markets
- Regenerative finance: Applying it to ecosystem restoration, carbon credits, and beyond
- Community building: How platforms like Discord and Twitter play a key role in Web3 success
- Personal stories: Christian and Avery’s path from traditional industries into blockchain
- Lessons learned: Building teams, securing funding, and overcoming challenges
- The future: How blockchain and tokenization can reshape global sustainability
Where to find Christian and Avery:
- LinkedIn: Christian Chegne, Avery Schwartz
- Twitter: Christian, Avery
- Website: ReFiHub, Coral Tribe NFT
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: Stun and Awe
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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Send us a Text Message.
In the latest episode of the Growth Leap Podcast, I had a great chat with Sharath Kuruganti. Sharath’s a serial maker, a successful SaaS founder, and a key player in various online communities. He’s the brain behind projects like Guest Lab, an AI research assistant that helps podcast hosts streamline guest research.
You’ve probably seen his influence across platforms like Product Hunt, Draft Bit, On Deck, and Threado, where he’s been instrumental in driving community engagement. On top of that, he’s also the host of two popular podcasts: Undefeated Underdogs and YC Founder Stories.
We dove deep into the art of building authentic communities and audiences—a space where Sharath truly excels. We talked about the challenges podcasters face, especially when it comes to the often time-consuming task of guest research. That’s where his project, Guest Lab, comes in handy, offering a solution to make this process smoother. We also covered his use of no-code tools, his work with technical co-founders, and his journey through Y Combinator, sharing the lessons he’s learned along the way.
We covered
- Guest Lab: From a Spark to a Full-Fledged Tool
- Podcasting Pains and How to Overcome Them
- No-Code Development: Challenges and Winning Strategies
- Y Combinator: The Application and What’s Next
- Sharath’s Playbook for Community and Audience Growth
- Should Every Company Invest in Community Building?
- Top Tips for Creating a Thriving Community
- Why Founders Should Lead Community Building
- Balancing Audience Growth with Daily Life
- Sharath’s Podcasting Journey: The Inside Story
- Unforgettable Podcast Guests and Their Stories
- Podcasting Takeaways and Future Ambitions
- Looking Forward: Goals and Final Thoughts
Where to find Sharath:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarath-kuruganty
- X: https://x.com/5harath
- Website: 5harath.com
- GuestLab: https://guestlab.ai/
- Podcast: undefeatedunderdogs.com
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: https://www.stunandawe.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- X: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the Show.
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a Text Message.
Most OKR frameworks focus on what you want to accomplish, but not how. They’re great for setting strategy and direction, but they don’t help you identify the tactical tasks that will get those things done. The real stumbling block ain’t the strategies or the OKRs, it’s how they align with daily tasks. That’s where most OKR frameworks fall short.
In this episode, I share how you can make OKRs work better for you and your team. To come up with a framework that works in real life, we borrowed some elements of Andy Grove’s OKR model and Richard Rumelt’s kernel of good strategy and then connected them to the projects and daily work.
I work you through the key sections including a shared diagnosis, a clear strategy, measurable objectives, and a practical roadmap. This simple structure then syncs daily activities with overarching goals and helps your team connect the big-picture strategy with the daily grind.
You can get our Notion OKR Template here: https://stunandawe.gumroad.com/l/strategy-okr-notion-template
Here's what I cover:
- The Problem with Traditional OKRs
- Building a Better OKR Framework with Notion
- Diagnosing Your Current Reality
- Designing Your Strategy
- Setting Objectives and Key Results
- Creating a Roadmap and Initiatives
- Implementing with Sprints and Tasks
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: https://www.stunandawe.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- X: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the Show.
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a Text Message.
On this episode of the Growth Leap Podcast, I chat with Christian Hoppe, co-founder of Forwrd Agency. This digital marketing agency has cracked the code for driving revenue for sustainable e-commerce brands with YouTube ads. With over 15 years of experience in digital marketing and advertising, Christian shares how he discovered the power of YouTube ads as a performance channel and his unconventional approach to designing effective creatives.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube ads are a powerhouse for direct response marketing, driving significant revenue for e-commerce brands.
- Success hinges on precise targeting and smart creative content. The goal is to engage the right audience and prompt action, not just chase high view-through rates.
- Start your YouTube ad budget at $10,000 to $20,000 monthly, but ensure your product or service truly fits the market.
- Quality and structure of creative content are critical to ad performance.
- Close collaboration with clients on creative development and media buying is essential for achieving top results and exceeding client expectations.
Where to find Christian:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianmhoppe/
- Forwrd Agency: https://www.forwrd.agency/
- Blog & Newsletter: https://www.forwrdthinking.com
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: https://www.stunandawe.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- X: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the Show.
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a Text Message.
In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Melissa Kwan, co-founder and CEO of eWebinar. eWebinar is a platform that automates webinars using prerecorded videos. Melissa is a three-time bootstrap founder, digital nomad, and host of the Profit Led Podcast. As an entrepreneur, she's driven by her desire to create a business that aligns with her personal values and lifestyle. In our conversation, Melissa shared a wealth of insights on webinar automation, remote team management, and the importance of prioritizing happiness over revenue.
Key Takeaways:
- eWebinar's Automation: The platform automates webinars with prerecorded videos, saving time and enabling business growth without the need for constant live presence.
- Unique Approach: eWebinar offers a "Netflix of webinars" experience, featuring interactive elements, chat functionality, and a user-friendly design.
- High Attendance Rates: Thanks to flexible scheduling and on-demand options, eWebinar boasts high attendance rates, catering to various business verticals.
- Bootstrapped Growth: Melissa's zero-dollar marketing strategies include podcast marketing, LinkedIn engagement, and content SEO.
- Remote Team Management: Successfully managing a remote team of contractors requires clear communication and well-defined processes.
- Happiness Over Revenue: Prioritizing lifestyle and happiness is crucial for building a fulfilling and sustainable business.
- Aligning with Values: Align your business with your personal values and non-negotiables for long-term success and satisfaction.
- Continuous Improvement: Constantly refine your platform and deliver value to customers to drive growth and retention.
Where to find Melissa:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissakwan/
- ProfitLed Podcast: https://ewebinar.com/profitled-podcast
- Website: https://ewebinar.com/
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: https://www.stunandawe.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- X: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the Show.
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Send us a Text Message.
David Pereira is CEO of Omoco and a seasoned product leader with 15 years of experience, primarily in the digital product development sphere. David shares his journey from a software engineer to a leading role in product management, and now as the CEO and CPO of Omoco, a company innovating in the maritime industry with a user-friendly Terminal Operating System (TOS).
He highlights the common traps that product teams face and elucidates on the criticality of distinguishing between customers' wants and needs, especially in the B2B segment. David also delves into how he manages product discovery, prioritization, and the integration of AI into product management.
He shares practical advice on the importance of direct customer interaction, experiential learning, and the risk of planning without action. The conversation also touches on the nuances of product strategy, the evolution of the product management field, and fostering a collaborative team environment across departments to ensure alignment and success.
Key Takeaways:
- Product discovery is about separating good and bad ideas and de-risking ideas through validation.
- A company's unfair advantage lies in the speed of learning and adaptation.
- AI will likely serve as an empowerment tool for product managers rather than a replacement.
- Fostering a collaborative and accountable team culture is crucial for success.
- Merging roles and building team spirit across departments can lead to better product management.
- Continuous learning and skill development are essential for aspiring product professionals and startup founders.
Support the Show.
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
I had the pleasure of speaking with Kjael Skaalerud, seasoned sales executive, investor, and President of Skaling Ventures. He has found success in acquiring and growing micro SaaS companies.
Kjael's contrarian approach focuses on small, profitable, and enduring businesses rather than chasing larger, venture-backed companies that often prioritize growth over profitability.
Kjael shares his insights on why micro SaaS companies can be just as safe and stable as their larger counterparts, despite conventional wisdom suggesting otherwise. With lower valuations and less competition from institutional players, these businesses present a unique opportunity for investors like Kjael.
We dive into his first acquisition, a vertical niche SaaS for photographers and creative professionals that had been profitable for years and boasted impressive retention rates - a clear indication of the product's usefulness and the founder's deep understanding of their target market.
Key Takeaways:
- Micro SaaS companies can be just as safe and stable as larger businesses, offering lower valuations and less competition from institutional players.
- Founder-product fit is crucial, as founders solving their own problems often create useful products with great retention.
- Founder burnout can be a buying signal, indicating a solid business with a founder ready to move on.
- The first 90 days post-acquisition should focus on visibility, documentation, transition, and validating diligence assumptions before pursuing growth.
- Building transparently and maintaining open communication with users post-acquisition helps preserve the human element and avoid the pitfall of going silent.
- Simplicity equals mastery - if it takes a complex explanation to justify an acquisition, you probably don't fully understand the business.
- Establishing reasonable incremental growth goals based on baseline performance (systems over goals) is more effective than setting arbitrary targets.
- Fostering a culture of care and respect enables honest feedback and allows teams to move faster through a shared commitment to truth-seeking.
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Brandi Susewitz, the founder and CEO of Reseat, a groundbreaking marketplace that aims to solve the pressing issue of office furniture waste. Brandi's journey from industry expert to tech entrepreneur is a testament to her passion for sustainability and her commitment to driving positive change.
After being laid off during the pandemic, Brandi recognized two key problems plaguing the office furniture industry: the lack of a plan for existing furniture when companies move or renovate, and the staggering statistic that 98% of all contract furniture ends up in landfills, with less than 2% being properly recycled or given a second life.
This realization sparked the idea for Reseat, a platform that connects companies with excess furniture to those in need, fostering a circular economy and reducing waste. As Brandi eloquently stated, "I really believe with all of my heart and soul that reuse is the future. It's the only way to really save this planet."
Building Reseat from the ground up was no easy feat, but Brandi's determination and industry expertise paved the way. By leveraging technology and forging strategic partnerships, Reseat has become a driving force in the circular economy, enabling companies to track their carbon emissions and make informed decisions about their furniture assets.
Brandi's journey from industry expert to tech entrepreneur is a testament to her resilience and unwavering commitment to sustainability. As she navigates the challenges of scaling Reseat, her vision for the future is clear: a world where every piece of furniture has a unique identifier, enabling companies to track their assets and make informed decisions about their environmental impact.
In this episode, we delve into the intricacies of Reseat's business model, the role of technology and partnerships in enabling a circular economy, and Brandi's insights on the future of sustainable office furniture solutions.
Key Takeaways:
- Addressing Office Furniture Waste: Reseat tackles the critical issue of office furniture waste, providing a platform for companies to repurpose excess furniture and reduce their environmental impact.
- Enabling a Circular Economy: By connecting buyers and sellers, Reseat fosters a circular economy, giving furniture a second life and reducing the strain on landfills.
- The Power of Technology: Leveraging technology and partnerships, Reseat enables companies to track their carbon emissions and make informed decisions about their furniture assets.
- Brandi's Entrepreneurial Journey: From industry expert to tech entrepreneur, Brandi's story is a testament to the power of passion, resilience, and a commitment to driving positive change.
- Envisioning a Sustainable Future: Brandi's dream of a world where every piece of furniture has a unique identifier highlights the potential for technology to revolutionize sustainable practices.
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Matt Wolach, a seasoned SaaS sales coachand entrepreneur. With roles as CEO of ToroWave and Chief Revenue Officer at RingBot, alongside his B2B sales coaching at Xsellus, Matt brings a wealth of experience in dramatically scaling SaaS businesses. His insights into shortening sales cycles are critical for any SaaS company looking to accelerate growth.
Matt shared his journey from a hospitality management background to becoming a SaaS sales expert, highlighting the pivot points that led him to discover and refine his sales strategies. His DEAL process, centered around understanding customer pain points rather than pushing product features, will help you improve your close rate and shorten your sales cycle.
We cover:
- Understanding Customer Pain Points
- Mastering Discovery Calls
- Creating Urgency
- AI and Personalized Communication
- Fostering Cross-department Collaboration
- Building a Strong Brand
- Matt's D.E.A.L. Process
Tune in for a comprehensive guide on drastically improving your SaaS sales strategies.
Where to find Matt:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwolach/
- Website: https://mattwolach.com/scale-time
- ToroWave: http://www.torowave.com/
- Matt's podcast: Scale Your SaaS
- RingBot (text widget): https://www.ringbot.io/
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: https://www.stunandawe.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- X: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Luis Valente, the CEO and co-founder of iLoF, for an enlightening conversation about his journey in the deep tech world and the pioneering work iLoF is doing in personalized medicine. Luis, who has been honored in the Forbes 30 under 30 list, shared the story behind iLoF, a company at the forefront of using AI to transform our approach to treating complex diseases.
During our chat, Luis opened up about the passion driving him and his team to tackle some of the healthcare sector's most pressing challenges. He detailed how iLoF is making it easier and faster for pharmaceutical companies and researchers to develop personalized medicines, ultimately aiming to deliver more effective treatments to patients. Luis didn't shy away from discussing the hurdles they've faced, including sourcing the right talent, navigating unforeseen challenges, and the ongoing quest for funding.
We also delved into some of the technical and strategic aspects of iLoF's work, from their approach to personalized medicine and data handling to their innovative strategies for patient selection in clinical trials. Luis even shared insights into the startup's business model and their 'foot in the door' strategy, which has been pivotal in navigating the complex regulatory landscape of the healthcare industry.
Tune into this episode of Growth Leap to hear our deep dive into the story of iLoF and Luis Valente's entrepreneurial journey, and learn about the exciting potential of AI in revolutionizing personalized medicine.
Where to find Luis:
- LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/luisvalente28
- Website: https://ilof.tech/
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: https://www.stunandawe.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
- X: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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Double Your Revenue in 90 Days with Strategy Sprints CEO, Simon Severino
Imagine doubling your revenue in just 90 days—sounds too good to be true? Our guess doesn't believe so. In fact, he has done that repeatedly with his clients.
Simon Severino is CEO of Strategy Sprints, a seasoned B2B advisor who developed a simple approach to growing revenues and building businesses.
In this episode of Growth Leap, Simon explains his agile business strategies, his focus on marketing, sales, and operations, and his tireless emphasis on simplification.
We cover:
- Doubling Revenue in 90 Days: Uncover the secret that's driving growth for many businesses
- Discover the benefits of staying nimble and responsive in a dynamic marketplace
- Pipeline Management: Keep track of your leads and never let another opportunity slip
- Stay on top of your game by monitoring the right data and performance
- Understand the importance of choosing the right KPIs and how it affects your growth
- Learn the importance of crafting offers that are simply too good to resist
- Keep a finger on the pulse of your business with real-time updates
- Strengthen your daily and weekly routines to drive consistent progress
- Meaningful Business: See how agile methods improve not just your bottom line, but your overall quality of life
___
You can download Simon's Strategic Value tool at https://www.strategysprints.com/tools
Where to find Simon:
- X: https://twitter.com/simonseverino
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonseverino/
- Website: https://www.strategysprints.com/
Where to find Michel:
- Newsletter: https://www.stunandawe.com/
- X: https://twitter.com/michelgagnon
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/
In this episode, we cover:
00:27 Intro
03:22 How Simon doubles his clients' revenue in 90 days
05:48 The top mistakes Simon finds in underperforming businesses
07:14 The three key numbers Simon puts in his dashboard
11:05 Simon's strategy to simplify and have a better life
15:28 Why Simon believes niching down doesn't work
17:16 How to build an irresistible offer
22:10 Simon's take on AI and automation
25:55 What Simone borrowed from his triathlon coach
29:16 Measuring inputs to get real time data and successful projects
31:47 60% of what you do is not important
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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Would you turn down a great Sales Executive job to start your own startup? That’s exactly what our guest did.
We're launching our new podcast season with the driven and generous Frank Sondors, co-founder and CEO of Salesforge, an AI-powered app that enables salespeople send personalized cold emails at scale.
Frank believes sales tech is in for a massive disruption, and he's keen on being in the driver's seat.
We talk about his thought process, decision-making, and reasons behind transitioning from a sales expert to a tech entrepreneur. We delve into how he plans to disrupt the sales tech space with Salesforge.
He shares tons of tips including:
- His multi-thread approach to winning new accounts
- How he found early customers in a coffeeshop in Berlin
- Consumption-based pricing
- And more
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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Imagine a world where we could significantly reduce our carbon footprint, effectively giving our planet a much-needed breather. What if I told you that is the goal of my guest, Carla Glassel, the co-founder and CTO of Ucaneo Biotech?
With an ambitious target to extract 1 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2030, Carla joins us today to explain the cutting-edge technology and innovative methods her startup uses to combat the climate crisis.
In this fun and enlightning conversation, we talk about the intricate world of climate tech, exploring the challenges of bringing a hardware product to market. Carla shares a ton of advice and anecdotes about the importance of assembling a World Cup-level team, hacks to reduce experiments timelines with hardware, her plan to scale a hardware tech, and the secret to get to the finish line. And she doesn't shy away from sharing some of the mistakes she's made.
We conclude with a deep dive into the investor landcape for climate tech and the expected timeline for Ucaneo's product development. Plus, Carla shares her outlook on climate tech, why putting a value on CO2 is critical, and emphasizes the need for multiple solutions to tackle the climate crisis.
If you're a tech entrepreneur interested in fighting climate change, building a meaningful business, or getting into a hardware tech, this is the perfect episode for you!
Support the show
- Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast or feedback to share? Leave me a message here.
- You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
- Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course
- For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com.
- Support the show on Patreon
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Andrew Gazdecki is a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Acquire.com. After going through two successful exits, he decided to build the world’s number one startup acquisition marketplace.
If you're thinking about selling your startup or are building a venture with the goal to sell, you'll find the episode rich in actionable insights and pitfalls to avoid.
Andrew shares all his secrets:
- The mistakes he made when selling a company for the first time
- His preferred marketing strategy, and why it's the most defensible approach
- How Andrew builds teams as a non-tech founder and the three attributes in he looks for
- What types of businesses sell better than others
- What types of buyers are buying companies on Acquire.com
- What Andrew focuses on to run a successful marketplace
- What can you expect if you want to sell your company on Acquire.com
Support the show* You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com * Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course * For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com. * Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
Support the show* You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com * Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course * For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com. * Support the show on Patreon
Follow us:
In our latest podcast episode, we had a blast chatting with Henning Heinrich, a seasoned product growth expert who's driven millions in incremental revenue for companies across the globe. As the Group Product Manager at Hootsuite, Henning knows a thing or two about creating disruptive and meaningful products.
Product-led growth is all about putting the product front and center of your growth strategy. This means creating a product so damn good that customers will want to shout it from the rooftops and bring their friends along for the ride. It's all about using data, feedback, and experimentation to inform product development and drive growth.
Support the show* You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com * Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course * For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com. * Support the show on Patreon
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Design a digital channel strategy to gain leads and win new customers.We don’t talk enough about how a smart digital channel strategy can drive customer acquisition, retention, and overall satisfaction. I have probably wasted months of my life on either the wrong marketing channel or doing a poor job using one of them. And I still cry sometimes alone in my bed, thinking about it ;)
Marketing channels are how you get your message to prospects and customers. Picking the right channels and using them properly can help you find new customers, increase sales, and build your brand.
You're probably already using email marketing, social media, and maybe podcasts or video. They are many ways for you to make the same mistakes I’ve made.
Many people often waste time trying to increase their productivity per channel. It's not necessarily wrong, but your first step should be to have a coherent digital channel strategy. You can then avoid wasting time on the wrong channels.
In this episode, I cover:
- What are marketing channels, and how to think about them
- What are the top marketing channels
- All marketing channels have distinct cost structures, reach, and ROI.
- Typical mistakes people make with channel strategy
- An overview of our own marketing channel strategy example for 2023
Selected Links:
- Arvid Kahl's book The Embedded Entrepreneur
- Arvid on Twitter
- Luca on Twitter
- Luca's lead generation product: https://www.hivoe.com/
Support the show* You'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com * Up your growth game with our hands-on Growth Marketing Course * For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email marketing@stunandawe.com. * Support the show on Patreon
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Today’s guest is Jimmy Coleman, a talented salesman and LinkedIn genius. He is the founder of LeadBaller, a US-based agency that offers done-for-you lead-generation services. His clients include TikTok, Northwestern Mutual, The Real Brad Lea, and others.
Releasing this episode is long overdue. For a variety of reasons, we were not able to do so earlier. But the insights and advice that Jimmy offered were just too valuable not to share with all of you.
Jimmy’s approach to generating leads on LinkedIn is totally out-of-the-box. He doesn't use the same boring, automated, spammy methods everyone else is teaching. In fact, he’s mastered three key elements that most have a hard time replicating:
- The numbers game
- Authentic selling
- Personalization
If you want to up your B2B lead generations and sales game, that’s the episode for you. We talk about the numbers game, how his sales experience evolved into his outbound process that beats advertising, his trick to finding the right prospects, and his idea about making lead generation for good.
Support the showYou'll find all the show notes, transcripts, and past guests at stunandawe.com
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After a long and well-deserved summer break we're back in full force with another season of Growth Leap and we have somebody very special to kick things off.
Our guest today is Fabian Wesemann co-founder and CFO of wefox a Germany-based digital insurance company. wefox recently closed a $650 million Series C funding round led by Target Global and reaching a post-money valuation of $3 billion.
Founded in Berlin in 2015, wefox decided to make an important strategic bet. The company has focused on tech enabling insurance advisors instead of seeking to cut the middleman. The results so far have been quite positive. The company posted 119 million in revenues last year and is on track to reach 325 million this year.
We talk about what it takes to be an entrepreneur, wefox' journey to becoming a unicorn, and the importance of employee equity compensation.
What you will learn:
- Why Fabian decided to quit a corporate job and become an entrepreneur
- Key challenges and skills to have to be a successful entrepreneur
- wefox' strategic positioning and channel strategy
- How to build and grow your team
- Remote working, the pandemic, and preserving your company culture
- wefox' plan for the next 12-18 months
- The importance of employee ownership
Enjoy the show and happy listening!
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
Today’s guest is Alexej Habinski, a multifaceted growth expert who has developed his growth hacking craft at Rocket Internet and later at foodora (later acquired by Delivery Hero). Alexej was Global Director of Performance Marketing & Rider Growth there and scaled annual GMV turnover from close to €0 to >€500M.
Growth advisor and angel investor, he now develops growth systems and teams for venture backed startups, including TIER Mobility, Sharpist, Weezy.co.uk, vation.io., and Jodel.com.
In this episode, Alexej shares his personal philosophy and outlook on growth. He talks about the importance of making your product social and speaks on the fortune he has had in working with diverse business models.
What you will learn:
- Background to his career and the businesses he is involved in
- The biggest growth hack he has discovered and implemented
- Common mistakes startups make and the still relevant 4Ps of marketing
- The value of talking to your customers
- Simple growth tactics startups can use to approach potential customers
- Typical mistakes startup founders make
- His advice on channel strategy why he believes you need to crack marketing on TikTok
If you tend to overthink and procrastinate, Alexej has a few solutions for you that you can implement in your business. He favors focused actions, values customer feedback, and has a unique perspective on marketing and why he recommends not using paid advertising early in your startup development.
He shares simple tactics to approaching customers that are often overlooked, common mistakes founders make such as being unfocused, and how to strategically prioritize your to-dos.
Enjoy the show and happy listening!
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
Today’s guest is an entrepreneur, investor, author, and mentor every German entrepreneur looks up to. He founded alando, which was acquired by ebay, then ran ebay Germany for 7 years.
He’s a Member of the Board of Bahlsen, Co-founder of betterplace.org, Co-Founder and Lecturer at UNTERNEHMERSCHULE from ESCP Europe and so much more. Most importantly, he’s just a great human being who played a significant role in turning Berlin into a startup hotspot.
Joerg Rheinboldt is Managing Director APX - a joint venture between Axel Springer and Porsche investing in early-stage startups from around the world.
In this episode, we talk about his experience in building and growing startups as an entrepreneur and as an investor, his investment strategy, and his views on the startup ecosystem in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What you’ll learn about:
- His experience with startups from opposite perspectives
- APX’s investments in teams with ideas
- How the pandemic impacted APX and the VC realm
- Common mistakes startups make on the venture path
- What APX looks for in a team to invest in
- Mental Mining: APX’s mental health programme
APX is also one of the few who has taken a stance and acted on startup founders' mental health. Joerg discusses APX’s approach to equipping these people with the skills needed to maintain a healthy balance. He discusses how being busy is the new stupid and how imperative it is to own your time.
APX provides much needed support to startups with big ideas. If your business is just starting out and you want to know how to go about seeking out a VC or to approach APX, this episode will be your roadmap to success. A very captivating interview, thank you Joerg Rheinboldt!
Enjoy the show and happy listening!
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://academy.stunandawe.com
Notion is shaping the work-from-home revolution, by offering an application that simplifies and declutters your digital home office. Think of it as an all-in-one workspace for notes, docs, wikis, projects, and collaboration.
The company is on the fast-track to becoming the new normal and its recent presence expansion in EMEA and APAC is a testament to this.
Here to discuss the company’s growth and how he is pioneering its development in the region is General Manager EMEA Robbie O’Connor, whose career spans across the globe’s most prominent tech companies: Microsoft, Google, Dropbox, and Asana.
In this episode we discuss how to take a Series B company and expand it across international boundaries, the elements a startup needs to go global, how Notion drives growth, Robbie’s personal favourite frameworks and the secret ingredients to building high-performing teams.
What you’ll learn
- Robbie’s background and experience
- His experience in rapid growth of tech companies, what other companies can do to follow suit.
- How to prepare your startup for international growth
- How to define your vision and clear objectives
- His perspective of the EMEA market.
- How to stay relevant and competitive
- How to overcome growth challenges in your career
Getting your company from zero to hero has never had a clearer path thanks to Robbie O’Connor’s insights, tips, tricks, trials and tribulations.
The most impactful tools for learning come from other people’s experience. If ever there was a time to unpack an industry leader’s career, this podcast is your blueprint.
A very interesting and insightful interview, thank you Robbie O’Connor! Happy listening!
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://academy.stunandawe.com
Isn’t there a fundamental conflict between running a business and solving global problems? Our guest today doesn’t think so. He believes that designing innovative partnerships can accelerate the development of sustainable businesses.
Nadim Choucair is Founder of 2030 Cabinet, an impact-oriented ecosystem builder and partnership architect. His goal: to enable sustainable innovation using the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nadim also coordinates the UN Global Goals Jam in Germany. The Jam is a two-day design sprint held in over 90 cities around the world, during which multidisciplinary teams work out solutions for real world problems.
In today’s episode, we go all in on sustainability and business. We touch on a couple of themes, such as:
- How to make your startup more sustainable using the SDGs framework
- Enabling innovation to advance the SDGs
- Running 2-day design sprints to solve global challenges
- Moving from human-centered to life-centered design
- The need for different incentives to drive entrepreneurs and businesses
- Lean approaches to measuring your startup impact, and a lot more.
If you want to build a meaningful tech startup that will make a positive impact, that’s the right episode for you.
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
If you’re interested in building a startup that works like clockwork, you need to listen to our guest today. He’s done it, and he’s done pretty much everything right. He co-founded Feedbackpanda.com, a SaaS startup and went from launch to selling it in just under two years. Arvid Kahl is an entrepreneur, investor, author, software engineer, and bootstrapped startup expert. He’s the author of the book Zero to Sold: How to Start, Run, and Sell a Bootstrapped Business and he’s busy writing a second one.
We talk about what to do to build a sellable company, his approach to automation, how to stay in touch with end users, how he made build or buy decisions, his secret to onboarding employees quickly, and his take on founders’ mental health and bootstrapping. It was such a fun and insightful interview. Enjoy!
We cover:
- Arvid’s background and what he’s been up to since selling his startup
- What problem Arvid and his partner faced that led to the launch of FeebackPanda
- The simple marketing strategy that generated a constant influx of customers
- How Arvid avoided previous product validation mistakes
- The resources and frameworks that helped Arvid built an automated and sellable bootstrapped startup
- Arvid’s advice to allow engineers to do coding deep work without losing touch with the end users
- The automations Arvid put in place to increase effectiveness and productivity
- How Arvid made made or buy decisions while developing his product
- The biggest hiring mistake Arvid made
- Arvid’s secret to hire and get people up and running in a matter of hours
- Arvid documented his processes
- The habit you need to acquire to
- Why Arvid prefers startups who ride a sustainable linear curve instead of a hockey stick
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
If you don’t own any Bitcoins yet, this episode is for you. We talk to Dave Pouliot, Founder and CEO of Coinmiles, a Montreal-based startup that gives you free Bitcoins when you shop online. Dave is a former detective and lawyer turned tech startup founder. He’s extremely authentic. He’s passionate about cryptocurrency and the positive impact it can have in our society. Dave shares his experience and practical advice on how to raise money, build a tech startup with a non-tech background, hire engineers, and how to survive an app launch in the middle of a pandemic.
We talk about:
- What’s Coinmiles’s offering
- Coimiles’s business model
- How Coinmiles complied with regulation on Bitcoins
- Coinmiles’s go-to-market strategy
- Dave’s journey from being a detective cop to founding Bitcoin Startup
- Dave’s advice on fundraising
- What investors looked into while investing in Coinmiles
- How Dave managed to get first prototype without tech background
- Dave’s team building strategy
- Dave’s approach to manage remote and distributed team
- Dave’s experience on launching app in pandemic times
- Coinmiles’s incredibly effective customer acquisition strategy
- What does Bitocoin mean for average consumer according to Dave
- The Cryptocurrency’s future from Dave’s prospective
- How does Dave measure success at Coinmiles
- Dave’s advice on being an entrepreneur
- Coinmiles’s growth plans
- Dave’s key takeaways from his journey and advice to young entrepreneurs
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
Our guest today isn’t afraid of challenges. She founded a startup to take on not one, but two sustainability problems. Alina Bassi is Founder and CEO of Kleiderly, a Berlin-based startup that aims to reduce the fashion footprint and the usage of oil based plastic by replacing it with its patent-pending sustainable plastic alternative. She’s a Google for Startups Female Founder alumni, she recently joined the Forbes 30 under 30 and holds a Masters in Chemical Engineering. She’s converted coffee into biofuel, and she just launched Tech in Color.
We talk about Kleiderly’s business model, her approach to prioritization, the metrics she uses to measure progress, and what’s the future of the fashion industry.
We talk about:
- Why Alina decided to launch Kleiderly and what it's all about
- Kleiderly's supply chain
- Keiderly's target and customer acquisition strategy
- The impact of the circular economy on fashion brands
- Kleiderly's current production operations and future plans
- Alina's funding strategy and the challenges she's faced
- Alina’s experience in going from zero to 7 employees
- How putting your team members in the deep end can be a great path to growth
- How Alina prioritizes and set goals to align her team and drive progress
- What metrics she uses to measure success
- Alina's view on what is missing for us to accelerate the change towards a more sustainable world
- Alina's experience as a female founder and how the Google Female Founder Program helped her
- And more
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
Today’s guest made it his mission to reduce online misinformation & abusive content from the internet. Dhruv Ghulati is Founder and CEO of Factmata, a London-based tech startup who uses unique algorithms to score and classify content. Since 2017 he has raised 3.5 million from the likes of Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, but also from the Founders of Zynga, Brightmail, Twitter, and Craigslist, to name a few.
He’s building an AI to bring more truth to the world. Dhruv has a truly outstanding experience. We talk about how he went from investment banking to launching his own company, traction, fund raising, and we cover some of the mistakes he made along the way.
We talk about:
- Factmata’s Unique Selling Proposition
- Dhurv’s path from investment banking to founding AI-powered startup
- How Dhruv balanced impact and profitability
- Factmata’s incredibly effective customer acquisition strategy
- Some early mistakes Dhruv made with go-to-market strategy
- Dhruv’s advice on fundraising and the story about how he bring investors like Mark Cuban, Mark Pincus, Founder of Zynga, Sunil Paul, Founder of Brightmail, Biz Stone, Co-founder of Twitter, Craig Newmark, Founder of Craigslist
- How Factmata approached challenges such as algorithmic biases
- Dhruv’s top mistakes as a first-time tech startup founder
- His ideal employee profile
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
In this episode, our guest wants to bring transparency to the environmental impact of our online shopping. Marissa Liu is Co-Founder of Neutral, a browser extension that allows users to understand and offset the CO2 emissions generated by the products they buy online. The startup is on a roll. Neutral has been selected by the Mozilla Builders Incubator and was recently featured in Fast Company.
We talk about:
- Neutral’s unique selling proposition and business model
- The challenges of feature prioritization in product development
- Finding product/market fit
- What’s the company’s vision and true north
- The importance of rapid feedback loops
- Neutral’s key metrics to measure impact and progress
- The most challenging part of building a startup
- Neutral’s approach to user feedback
- Marissa's view on the progress of women in tech
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
Today we look into how you can finance your startup without losing your shirt and your conscience. Julia Profeta Johansson is Co-founder and Chief Investment Officer at Conscious Growth, a Berlin-based company that offers founder-friendly, non-dilutive lending. She’s seen it all in finance, having worked in investment banking, private equity, VC, and impact investing.
We talk about:
- Smarter ways to finance your tech startup growth with revenue-based financing
- Their customer acquisition strategy to generate solid traction
- The problems with VC funding
- Her strategy to use technology, business and investments to generate social and environmental impact.
- Tools that you can use to measure the impact of your tech startup
- How women are doing in tech and business
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
In this episode, we talk to a serial entrepreneur who’s launched 6 startups and went through a few successful exits. Joseph Fung is Founder and CEO of Kiite a sales enablement software and of Uvaro, an Online Tech Sales Training program.
He has lots of experience and shares a ton of advice on:
- Joseph’s secrets to gain traction, find product market fit, and acquire customers
- The revolution that’s happening right now in tech sales
- Kiite's sales and marketing strategy
- What you need to be successful in sales today
- Joseph's secret weapon to scale startups
- What Joseph recommend early-stage startups to do as early as possible
- The three components of a startup culture
- Joseph's perspective on the startup CEO
- The single biggest challenge for entrepreneurs
- What kind of hires should early-stage startups look for and how to grow people
- How to build and grow the right team
- The importance of having a clear True North or positioning
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
Today, we deep dive into how LinkedIn develops products and innovates. Our guest left Germany a few years ago to work for some of the top tech companies in Silicon Valley. Christian Byza is Principal Product Manager, InMail & Premium Messaging at LinkedIn. He’s also Co-Founder of the OMR Festival, one of the world’s largest events for digital marketing and technology.
We talk about:
- LinkedIn’s approach to feedback loops and user engagement
- What KPIs or North Star metrics Christian’s team uses to measure success and manage new feature prioritization
- How LinkedIn encourages innovation, tests ideas before starting to build, and measures success.
- LinkedIn's product development and vision, How Might Wes, and experiments
- How Christian interacts with users and creates fans
- The importance of experience in designing remarkable events
- The secret that helped OMR scale into one of the world’s largest events for digital marketing and technology
- How Christian sees the future of event in a post-COVID19 world
- Silicon Valley’s secret ingredient to driving innovation
- The personality traits of successful people in Silicon Valley
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
Our guest today is a very inspiring woman on a mission to fight climate change with technology and education. Lubomila Jordanova is CEO & Founder of Plan A, a Berlin-based tech startup who helps companies reduce their environmental impact, engage their employees, and drive their own agenda towards carbon neutrality.
We talk about:
- Setting a clear strategy
- The power of purpose-driven tech startups
- How she uses OKRs to align her team
- Which metrics she uses to measure her startup performance and impact
- What the future holds for sustainability
- Her recommendations to upgrade your skills in growth, entrepreneurship, management, and scaling your startup
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
With the rise of AI and robots, what’s the future of work for us mere mortals? Our guest today has an answer to that question. Sallyann Della Casa is Founder and Chief Identity Hacker at GLEAC, an edtech company based in Dubai who benchmarks, maps, develops, and measures soft skills to current and future jobs.
We talk about:
- The courage it takes to become an entrepreneur and follow your own path
- The challenges and pitfalls of launching a tech startup when you’re a non-tech founder
- How GLEAC helps Prada, Accenture, and Deloitte with sales training and augmented reality
- How GLEAC tackles the forgetting curve and differentiates itself from well established players with a clear USP
- Sallyann's growth mindset and approach to going for the $1 million deal
- How to scale and manage a distributed team
- The challenges of product development when you’re a non-tech founder
- How the COVID-19 crisis impacted the GLEAC business
- What GLEAC is doing to help people develop 21st century skills.
- Sallyann’s not-to-do list and why dropping sales leads is sometimes the right thing to do
- Which tools Sallyann uses to manage product development with teams in different time zones
- The challenge of building a company culture in distributed team
- Sallyann’s advice to other startup leaders on managing their own psychology
For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com
If you want to accelerate traction, hit the growth stage, and upgrade your scaling skills, check out our Growth Leap online course. It’s a step-by-step guide to design your tech startup for high performance and impact. It’s packed with actionable and proven frameworks and tools to improve your startups performance, from better customer acquisition to clear prioritization and more productive meetings.
Learn more here: https://growth.stunandawe.com/course
Suzaan Sauerman is a consultant, tech columnist, advisor, and investor with a clear focus on wearables and hearables in the fitness, wellness, and fashion space. She sits on the Board of PreCure and NoviPel, and runs her own consultancy firm. On this episode, Suzaan talks about the need to make wearables more design-led and gender neutral, how they could make us live longer, and touches on the rise of women in tech.
Matias Søndergaard is Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Rokoko, a startup based in Copenhagen and San Francisco. They developed a smartsuit that gives indie film and game makers access to a complex technology that used to be only accessible to deep-pocket Hollywood studios. On this episode, Matias talks about how it all started, the challenges they've had to overcome, and how they plan to further democratize motion capture.
Rey Buckman is the Airbus BizLab Campus Leader in Hamburg, Germany. Through this accelerator, Rey's job is to find innovative people both inside and outside the company, support them in developing their ideas and technologies, and ultimately enable them to implement their projects or win Airbus as a new customer.
Philipp Wehn is Digital Innovation Manager at Siemens Mobility. Over the past year, he has been piloting a new approach to innovation at the company involving rapid prototyping, wearable technology, and external partners. The goal: become as fast as startups in terms of innovation. The result is quite impressive.
Timothy Brownstone is Founder and CEO of UK-based Kymira, a smart fabric and wearable technology company. Kymira's products have been used or tested by the British Special Forces, Olympic athletes, and astronauts. Kymira produces wearable products that react and interact with the human body using patented technology to convert heat into energy and information, enhances the performance of athletes, aid circulation and recovery, and even monitors the well-being of unborn babies.