The Start-Up (R)evolution: Recent Episodes
Viola Eva
This show is about rethinking leadership paradigms.
When I say leadership, I am not talking about your title or seniority level, or being in upper management.
What we are talking about is enabling oneself and others to do what is right, and lead our communities towards a better future.
We believe that mental well-being belongs in the boardroom, breath work and ice baths in our team retreats and sustainability in our product development.
On this show, we explore the entrepreneurial zeitgeist with the aim to work and lead differently.
We invite those to the show who are not just dominant in their field, but that are kind, compassionate and want to make a difference.
In today’s episode, I’m joined by Valentin, a serial entrepreneur with a background in product. We first met at the SaaStr conference a few months ago. I was immediately drawn to his unique journey—from accidentally founding his first company to building and scaling multiple startups.
We discussed co-founder relationships, among other things. This is especially interesting for me since I am a solo founder and always wonder what a cofounder could have been like for my agency.
We discuss:
- Balancing Work Styles and Expectations: How co-founders can navigate differences in work habits, productivity levels, and lifestyle choices, such as work hours and personal responsibilities.
- Navigating Conflict and Having a Structured Process: The value of having regular, dedicated time for discussing sensitive or unresolved issues, like “elephant walks” or other reflection practices to address potential conflicts early.
- The Role of Self-Awareness and Personal Growth: Why co-founders need to continuously work on self-awareness and emotional intelligence to foster a positive, resilient working relationship over time.
Lets dive in.
⭐Follow Valentin on his socials:
🌀LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentinbinnendijk/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
Welcome back to the Startup (R)evolution podcast, where we explore the journeys, challenges, and successes of leaders who are reshaping the way we think about business.
Today, I’m joined by Joe Allen who has made the remarkable transition from running a marketing agency to building a software business.
As agency owners, I believe we have all been there - and dreaming about the scalability of a SaaS. Joe has actually taken the leap of faith.
In our conversation, we dive into his decision-making process, lessons learned from managing an agency, and the differences in running a product-based business.
We talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly - and why some people from the agency were not fit for the software business.
Let's dive in.
⭐Follow Joe on his socials:
🌀Company website: https://launchedtech.io/
🌀LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeallen20/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
Today’s episode is with Sofie Couwenberg, a writer, SEO strategist, and brilliant thinker.
If you follow my agency, you might have seen her great content on the Flow Agency blog. She has been our leading writer over the last three years and created the majority of articles currently displayed.
But this episode is not about writing or SEO.
Instead, we dive into a topic we all wrestle with: Success.
Capitalism and entrepreneurship tend to have a very specific definition of success.
But what does success actually mean, and how do we define it for ourselves?
Sofie shares her journey, reflecting on how her relationship with success has shifted, especially in the wake of health challenges and lifestyle changes.
I love the section where we talk about relaxing and rest. It inspired Sofie to create the brilliant article “Resting Is Not Another Thing to Check off Your To-Do List”.
In short: You don’t have to hit 10.000 steps when you take a walk. It is okay if you don’t want to do a gratitude practice or learning session after work. Sometimes we can just BE.
Sofie and talk on the phone on a regular basis. All of these conversations could have been great podcast episodes, so I am excited that you are now getting a first glimpse of the inspiring conversations that I get to have with her.
Lets dive in.
⭐ Follow Sofie on her socials:
🌀 Website: https://sofiecouwenbergh.com/resting-not-doing/
🌀 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sofiecouwenbergh/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀 Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀 Website: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
Kahn Osborne is the founder of Summerdays Agency.
In this conversation, we talk about branding. We discuss how branding is more than a logo - it is your reputation, how people feel about you and what they say when you are not in the room.
As a marketer, I tend to start every strategy with “define your target audience” but Kahn taught me to go one step further than that: Define your vision, core values, and what you stand for first.
We discuss emotional branding and brands that we love, from Apple to Slowness, Flussbad, and Companion Coffee here in Berlin as well as the amazing Women in Tech SEO community.
Insider info: Kahn is not only a talented brand strategist but also my partner, so this episode was extra special for me. Enjoy!
⭐Follow Kahn on his socials:
🌀Company website: https://www.summerdays.agency/
🌀LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kahnosborne/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
This episode is somewhat of a special one. My personal background, community and context is largely based on marketing and my relationships with marketing leaders. So when I talk about leadership and building teams, I often talk about it from the context of marketing.
So this time I wanted to talk to the other part of B2B success, sales. Manuel Hartmann and I met at SaaStiest in London this year. His company SalesPlaybook builds and scales B2B sales, and my agency builds and scales B2B marketing.
So in this episode, we talk about preconceived notions and prejudice between the teams, the different personality types, and how to create trust and alignment. We not only cover Manuel's extensive experience with consulting B2B SaaS startups, but we also discuss the creation of his own agency and how he has built and scaled his own marketing and sales functions.
So let's dive in.
⭐Follow Manuel on her socials:
🌀Company website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-sales-playbook/
🌀LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hartmannmanuel/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
Today's episode is with Sally Page. She's the Co-Founder of WorkTrip, a platform to organize off-site and team retreats.
At my agency, we've run two offsides in the last 12 months, So this episode turns almost into coaching for me. I learned that most people, including myself, focus on logistic airports and travel dates when it comes to planning team retreats, what we really should be thinking about, though, are the goals, the vibe and the culture we want to create.
So as someone guilty of creating an agenda mere days before the event, I felt both called out and deeply inspired at the same time, Sally walked me through the core pillars of a successful retreat. Why you want to run it for small teams only, and how nature is key.
In the aftermath of this interview, I wrote pages worth of notes, reflections and ideas. I'm thinking it will be the same for you. So let's dive in.
⭐ Follow Sally on her socials:
🌀 Company website: https://www.worktripp.com/
🌀 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-page/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀 Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀 Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
My conversation today is with Bruna de Guimarães from Be Bold.
Bruna has an amazing personal story and career - from a lawyer in Brazil to business development for Pipedrive to Chief Product Officer to starting her own consultancy.
We discuss how curiosity and courage led her to take these leaps of faith over the last ten years.
You will learn about positive mindset, community and collaboration, and the importance of mentors.
Bruna is smart, emotionally intelligent, and well reflected, I really hope you enjoy this episode.
Let’s dive in.
⭐Follow Bruna on her socials:
🌀Company website: https://bebold.business/
🌀LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruna-de-guimaraes/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
Today’s conversation is with Amy Snook. Amy is one of my business coaches and we have been working together for the last year.
Amy is who I turn to if I want to be more thoughtful, more empathic, and a better communicator.
So, it makes sense that this episode focuses on the importance of people in business, different leadership styles, and effective communication.
The key to all of this is an Individualized approach: As leaders, we need to recognize that people interpret and respond to communication differently. For instance, direct feedback might work for some, while others might need a more nuanced approach. I know I have made that mistake before and broken trust with team members.
We also discuss creating and embodying clear values and principles: They provide a North Star for behavior and decision-making, ensuring everyone is aligned.
You will learn about daily practices, effective 1on1s and reviews, culture alignment, and continued learning.
Let's dive in.
⭐Follow Amy on her socials:
🌀Company website: pareabooks.com
🌀LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-snook-9392ba23/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
Today, I sat down with my friend and peer Batul. Batul works as a consultant and fractional marketing leader.
We have crossed paths with several clients over the last four years and co-hosted a SaaS event in Berlin in 2023.
In this episode, we discuss Batul's journey from traditional employment to freelancing. We both started as digital nomads and even lived in Bali at the same time.
The conversation focuses on entrepreneurial thinking, accountability, and ownership - how to embody these virtues when you have no one telling you what to do.
Batul explains how she learned to identify what she enjoys and is good at.
This self-awareness helped her make informed decisions about her projects and clients. She advocates for taking time to reflect, reassess, and ensure that one's work is meaningful and aligned with personal and professional goals. I am not sure about you but I needed that reminder.
Let's dive in.
⭐Follow Batul on her socials:
🌀Company website: https://batul.me/
🌀LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/b2b-growth/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
In this episode, I talk with Tory Gray founder of the Gray Dot Company.
In our conversation, we decode new ways of leading. And difficult decisions and trade-offs, we encounter on a day-to-day basis.
We discuss the unconventional business decisions she made and the importance of questioning standard advice.
We both decided to consciously ignore some advice around agency building such as processizing everything early on or hiring only junior staff to save costs.
Spoiler: Tory's most controversial take is her rejection of value-based pricing. She argues that this model often leads to inflated prices for larger clients without necessarily providing additional value.
For more hot takes, including hiring, remote-first culture and the future of work. Tune in.
Let's dive in.
⭐Follow Tory on her socials:
🌀Company website: https://thegray.company/
🌀LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torygray/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
And we are back. The new season of the Startup (R)evolution podcast is going live!
This is the show for leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs wanting to do things differently.
For those of us who want to lead and work in a new way but have come to realize that good leadership is more complex than simply having that one great idea.
True leadership is about the difficult decisions and trade-offs, we encounter whilst executing against our vision.
The first episode in 2024 - this very one - is with John Schneider. He is the CMO at Betterworks, a performance management software. In this role, he is responsible for marketing, which includes brand, product marketing, public and analyst relations, demand generation, events, and customer marketing.
Five facts about John:
- John has been working in Silicon Valley for more than 20 years
- He recently led a start-up to IPO on Nasdaq with a $2B valuation.
- Taught at Santa Clara University’s business school for 7 years, alongside his regular job.
- Has 3 boys with his wife, and lives in San Diego
- John and I have worked together since 2021.
In this conversation, we discuss John’s approach to leadership: head, hands, and heart.
If you are surprised or excited to hear the word heart - this episode is for you!
We cover why John opted for being a generalist and visionary vs specialist, what he learned from the 4-year journey to IPO at his last company, and when he last admitted a mistake to his team.
Let's dive in!
⭐ Don't forget to follow John:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schneider/
Betterworks page: www.betterworks.com
⭐ For more of The Startup (R)evolution you can check out our links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_startup_revolution/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
Viola Eva’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/violaeva/
New episodes coming in spring 2024!
We are excited to change the world of startups for the better.
But trying to make a difference and turning out good intentions into reality has proven to be more complicated than expected.
We constantly encounter unexpected second-order effects: When we solve one issue, we end up unintentionally creating another one.
It is dawning on you that being a good leader is more complex than simply having that one big idea.
True leadership is about the difficult decisions and trade-offs you encounter whilst executing it.
On this show, we explore the entrepreneurial zeitgeist with the aim to work and lead differently.
Between all of us, we can decode what it will take to be a leader today.
New episodes coming in spring 2024!
This week’s guest is Frederik Hermann, the VP of digital marketing at software startup Beekeeper. We met two years ago when he started the role and have worked together directly since then.
Interestingly enough, Frederik studied in Karlsruhe, near my hometown. He has lived in California for almost two decades, serving as a marketing leader for various startups.
In today's conversation, we talk about the turbulent year that 2023 has been so far - and why AI changes everything.
Frederik shares with us how he measures engagement and happiness in his team, what he looks for when he hires, and what it takes to progress from individual contributor to VP.
Let's dive in.
⭐ More about Frederik Hermann
Frederik is a senior marketing executive passionate about technology and innovation with a focus on marketing strategy, user acquisition, and growth.
He’s a resourceful, dynamic, and effective marketing executive with a record of achievement in developing and directing strategic marketing activities in challenging and highly competitive markets. Frederik is an influential leader with exemplary business sense and expertise, leading cross-functional teams and efficient campaigns that drive pipeline and revenue.
⭐ Follow Frederik on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederikhermann/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/frederikhermann
Company website: https://www.beekeeper.io/
Personal website: https://www.frederikhermann.com/
⭐ Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
Brett and I met at a B2B marketer mastermind led by Jay Acunzo, a previous guest.
In the mastermind, Brett was working on The Juice, and I was working on the premise of this very show, The Startup Revolution.
We kick off this episode by discussing what it takes to go on vacation without your laptop. And I must admit that I am very guilty for not turning off my laptop during holidays this year - and planning to be better at it again.
Brett McGrath is The Juice's VP of Marketing and the Modern Day Marketer podcast host. We discuss the difference between working for a small early-stage startup vs. bigger and more corporate companies.
This is really a conversation of two marketers feeding off each other, talking about personal brands in B2B, pipeline creation, email marketing, experimentation, and building a brand.
⭐More about Brett McGrath
Brett has spent 13 years in the B2B SaaS industry in various marketing functional and leadership roles. His passions are messaging and positioning, sales alignment, demand generation, and content creation. Brett is highly focused on building out go-to-market strategies that elevate the organization's brand and develop sales pipeline. He’s results-driven and believes it's all about bringing in the right people.
⭐Follow Brett on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettmcgrath/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IndyMcGrath
Company website: https://www.thejuicehq.com/
Podcast & Newsletter: https://www.thejuicehq.com/modern-day-marketer
⭐Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
My guest today is Grant Donovan PhD, Grant and I met whilst developing a Search marketing and content strategy for his new company Chaos Cultures.
His perspective on leadership immediately inspired me: He embraces the Chaos that is inherent to organizations.
All workplace cultures are complex and chaotic by nature because they contain an array of genetically diverse people, with varied personal experiences, a range of intelligence levels, differing belief systems, broad personality variations, mixed motivations and assorted aspirations that are all thrown randomly together in a group where productive outcomes normally rely heavily on collaborative efforts.
I don’t know about you but acknowledging that leadership and teams are chaotic by nature was a relief for me!
⭐More about Grant Donovan, PhD:
Grant Donovan is a specialist in culture change and the development of leaders.
With a background in performance psychology, Grant moved to corporate coaching and
consulting in 1984.
He is a frequent presenter at International Management Conferences and has led many management tours to the best performing worksites in Europe and North America.
Grant has written five management books including the best-selling, “The Customer and the Performance Power of Self-Managed Work Teams,” and is co-author of the very popular “Coffee Conversations: The Simple Leadership Secret of High Performance Workplaces.”
⭐Follow Grant on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantdonovan/
⭐Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
My guest today is Alison Murdock - Alison has worked as a marketing leader for many tech startups in the Bay Area, including Firstup and 6sense.
On today's episode, we talk about what is working for startups in the wild year that 2023 has been so far. We dive into go-to-market motion and how it affects marketing, the channels we use, the metrics we track, and the teams we build.
Alison and I meet at a conference in Austin this spring and immediately hit it off. Her consultancy offers startups and growth-stage companies the marketing resources, experience, and talents to make a greater impact on their business.
If you're wondering how to build your marketing team from scratch, this episode is for you!
⭐Follow Alison on her socials:
🌀Company website: https://www.trustedcmo.com/
🌀LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonmurdock/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
The SaaS marketplace is getting more and more crowded by the day. We are more distracted than ever as we get flooded with content, especially this year with the rise of AI content tools. So the voices advocating for uniqueness and creativity for B2B brands are getting louder and louder.
However, saying you need to build a strong brand is always easier said than done. Today, we take a dive deep with Nick Gaudio into what it truly means to make it weird as a B2B brand. We discuss creating unique brand messages and building your marketing organization around that.
Nick is a former seventh-time AP award-winning writer and creative writing professor. He has served as a brand and marketing expert for the last 10 years. Most recently, he's been working for the revenue workflow tool Rattle.
Let's dive in.
⭐Follow Nick on her socials:
🌀Company website: www.gorattle.com
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaudio-a88229132/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/
🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
My guest today is April Lombardi; we met a few months ago when she wrote me this bold message from LinkedIn: “The truth is, I really admire your work, and I follow your webinars regularly, and since I'm looking for a new remote work opportunity, I thought you were one of the big ones I wanted to contact.”
Since then, she has supported Flow as an SEO specialist. But this episode is not about SEO.
It's about April's journey from a journalism degree to marketing professional. It's about outreach, job hunting, and the challenges of remote work. April is bold, and she doesn't give up. She is a great example for Gen Z and millennials that want to dream bigger and take a leap of faith, especially when searching for a new job.
So let's dive in.
⭐ More about Abril
Abril's career path began at the age of 15 as a fashion model. Four years later, her passion for communication and journalism led her to obtain a degree in the field and quit modeling. By then, she began creating content for her social media, which sparked her love for marketing and growing businesses online.
Driven by her passion for telling stories, Abril has honed her SEO Specialist, Copywriter, and content marketer skills, collaborating with remote teams and startups from the U.S., Canada, and Germany. She's now looking forward to combining her marketing and journalistic skills as a business storyteller.
⭐Follow Abril on her socials:
🌀Instagram: @abilombardi 🌀Tiktok:@abiroad__ 🌀Youtube: https://youtube.com/@abilombardi 🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/abril-lombardi/
⭐ Don’t forget to follow us:
🌀Instagram: @the_startup_revolution 🌀LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-startup-revolution-podcast/ 🌀Website: http://the-startup-revolution.com
In today's episode, Juliana Mendez and I decode some of the myths around startup growth and what it takes to be successful in B2B SaaS.
Juliana is a Fractional Growth Marketing leader for B2B SaaS startups. She leads growth marketing teams for a fixed time of three to six months. So she needs to make good things happen quickly.
She gets hired to sell specific growth challenges to build, hire, and develop growth marketing teams and implement cross-functional processes and a culture of growth. Growth marketing is a cross-functional approach across marketing, product, and sales that is looking to optimize end to end, from acquisition to retention and monetization.
Juliana has a very data-led lean and experimentation-based approach, and I really appreciate her learnings from knowing the behind-the-scenes of a variety of startups and teams.
So let's dive in.
⭐More about Juliana:
Juliana is a tri-lingual fractional VP of growth marketing and startup advisor for B2B SaaS, with more than a decade of professional experience in creating data-driven growth strategies from the early stage to the growth stage (0-30M ARR).
Her industry focus: (product-led, hybrid, Sales-led) B2B SaaS, product-led Sales transformation, TravelTech, FinTech, PropTech.
⭐Follow Juliana on social media:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/julianamendez/
⭐Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
⭐ My guest today is Jay Acunzo, a podcast host of many shows, writer, speaker, and a major inspiration of mine on the intersection of art and marketing.
He was also our coach for developing the premise of The Startup (R)evolution, which is this: It always sounds easy in the business books and Ted Talks. But the kinks and second-order effects get unraveled in the implementation.
So in this episode, we talk about creators and authenticity in B2B, the creative process, and AI.
Jay says: The problem isn't bots replacing tons of creators; the problem has tons of creators acting like bots.
Let's dive in.
⭐ More about Jay
He’s an author, show host, speaker, and brand consultant. His narrative-style podcast, Unthinkable, has been heard by over a million people worldwide. (It’s kinda like Radiolab but for creators.) Jay also writes books, develop & hosts original series for brands, and offer 1:1 coaching to help you resonate more deeply and build your brand and audience.
In 2023, Jay founded a membership program to help you push yourself creatively: the Creator Kitchen.
Previously, he worked in marketing and editorial roles at Google, HubSpot, and ESPN and as a creative leader for a tiny startup and the VC firm, NextView.
Jay’s grand aspiration/delusion is to be the Anthony Bourdain of workplace storytelling.
Make sure to follow Jay:
⭐ Website: https://jayacunzo.com/
⭐ Twitter: @jayacunzo
⭐ Instagram: @jacunzo
⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo/
Follow us:
⭐ Instagram: @the_startup_revolution
My guest today is Julio Taylor. He is the CEO of Hallam Agency, a digital marketing agency with 60 employees and almost 5 million pounds in revenue.
In this episode, we discuss the path to becoming CEO and embracing the visionary and oneself. What is special about Julio is that he compares his business journey to his time playing full-time and an alternative metal band.
⭐ We discuss creative differences, power struggles, and setting the right incentives. He talks about how you need to know your instrument, but also your role in a band, and that not everyone needs to be a songwriter or front center. From here, we have a side discussion about agency operations and time tracking specifically; again, this is all about incentives.
For many agency owners, just like myself, time tracking is at the core of capacity planning and profitability analysis. But now that AI is making us so much more productive, time spent might have just become obsolete as a way to evaluate the value of our work. Who says that if you could start over again, he would build a culture without time tracking poorly is open, honest, and well-reflected; you will enjoy this one.
Let's dive in!
⭐ More about Julio:
Julio is a highly experienced leader with a proven track record of leading successful teams on demanding and high-performing projects and campaigns. Skilled in Digital Marketing Strategy, UX, and brand strategy.
CEO of Hallam, winner of Google's Growing Business Online 2019 award and 6 of The Drum's awards including Agency of the Year 2019. Hallam is an emerging force in the digital space, helping clients to thrive in a digital world.
He also works closely with senior leadership teams at global companies to improve the way they think, work and deliver digital experiences for their audiences.
Don’t forget to follow Julio:
⭐LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliotaylor/?originalSubdomain=uk
⭐ Website: https://www.hallaminternet.com/team/julio-taylor/
Welcome back to the show, everyone! In this episode, we sit down with Helene Jelenc, a fascinating anthropologist turned SEO expert.
Helene shares her journey, which started with a master's degree in anthropology from the US and led her to live in various countries before settling down in Slovenia. Helene has gained extensive experience in research, consulting, editing, content writing, SEO, and cultural consulting as a freelancer. In 2022, she joined my Agency, Flow SEO, as part of the team and has inspired everyone ever since.
Our conversation centers around Helene's decision to transition from a successful career in entrepreneurship to becoming part of a team. We explore what motivated her to make this change and how she has grown personally and professionally since the switch.
As two marketing enthusiasts, Helene and I also discuss the ever-changing landscape of search and what excites us about new marketing strategies.
So, get ready for an insightful conversation with Helene. Don't miss out!
⭐More about Helene:
She’s an American living in Slovenia, a curious traveler, and a mother of chickens who travels for food and music.
Coming from a research background, Helene stumbled upon marketing when she began blogging in the early 2010s. Her interest in SEO quickly blossomed, and she started working with brands to create authentic and intentional content that ranks.
Helene is a huge fan of collaborative projects, original research, creative content that pushes the boundaries of what’s out there, and anyone who at least gives an honest effort.
⭐Follow Helene on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenejelenc/
Blog:https://wanderinghelene.com/
Instagram: @wanderinghelene
⭐Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
My guest today is Pablo Fernandez, a community builder passionate about human connection. He is the Founder of Secret Table, a renowned experienced design company that connects leaders, innovators, artists, and entrepreneurs.
In our conversation, we talked about my well-made events, deep connection, and psychological safety. No one wants a sleazy networking event with business cards. But we are all burnt out from zoom and small talk as well. We are so eager, and we're so meant to connect deeply.
Pablo shares about consciously creating community and why you might want to spend time with those who are different from you. Let's dive in.
⭐ More about Pablo
Pablo Fernandez is the founder of Secret Table, a renowned experience design company that connects leaders, innovators, artists, and entrepreneurs. On a mission to share the importance of in-person connection and a supportive community, he advises multiple start-ups and serves on the board or leadership team of various nonprofits, such as the San Diego Food Systems Alliance.
He is also a start-up mentor through the Founder Institute. Pablo has hosted and produced over 300 events over the past decade. Most recently, is advising Experience House, a one-month creative mastermind and artist residency for experienced designers and community builders.
⭐ Follow Pablo on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pabloafernandez/
Website: https://www.secrettable.co/
⭐Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
In this episode, we explore the psychology of change and why organizational shift is more than just tools and practices with my guest, Ken Paskins, an expert executive coach and fractional CEO.
Together, we delve into the importance of vulnerability and honesty in leadership and how fostering trust within your team can lead to success.
At the beginning of the episode, we talked quite a bit about EOS. This is short for Entrepreneurial Operating System. It's a management methodology by Gino Wickman, which emphasizes the importance of clear goals, success metrics, and check-ins to enable business growth.
Whether you're looking to implement a new system or scale up your business, this episode is for you. Because, as usual, these systems are easy in their best-selling books. But complexity arises during implementation.
⭐ More about Ken
Ken Paskins, Founder of GCE Strategic Consulting and COO of The Shift Spot™, is an accomplished CEO / COO and Executive Coach. Ken brings a broad range of leadership experience, including operations, sales, acquisitions, strategic planning, and P&L management (up to $500M) while leading teams north of 400 people across North America and Europe for Fortune 100 companies such as Oracle.
Ken is a results-oriented, decisive, and strategic executive with proven success in leading and scaling organizations. He has worked with a wide range of industries and company sizes in various funding stages by helping companies get "unstuck” so they can scale to the next level!
⭐ Follow Ken on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenpaskins
GCE Website: https://www.gcestrategicconsulting.com/
The Shift Spot: https://www.theshiftspot.com/
⭐Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
In this episode, we explore the psychology of change and why organizational shift is more than just tools and practices with my guest, Ken Paskins, an expert executive coach and fractional CEO.
Together, we delve into the importance of vulnerability and honesty in leadership and how fostering trust within your team can lead to success.
At the beginning of the episode, we talked quite a bit about EOS. This is short for Entrepreneurial Operating System. It's a management methodology by Gino Wickman, which emphasizes the importance of clear goals, success metrics, and check-ins to enable business growth.
Whether you're looking to implement a new system or scale up your business, this episode is for you. Because, as usual, these systems are easy in their best-selling books. But complexity arises during implementation.
⭐ More about Ken Paskins
Ken is the founder of GCE Strategic Consulting and COO of The Shift Spot™, is an accomplished CEO / COO and Executive Coach. Ken brings a broad range of leadership experience, including operations, sales, acquisitions, strategic planning, and P&L management (up to $500M) while leading teams north of 400 people across North America and Europe for Fortune 100 companies such as Oracle.
Ken is a results-oriented, decisive, and strategic executive with proven success in leading and scaling organizations. He has worked with a wide range of industries and company sizes in various funding stages by helping companies get "unstuck” so they can scale to the next level!
⭐ Follow Ken on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenpaskins
GCE Website: https://www.gcestrategicconsulting.com/
The Shift Spot: https://www.theshiftspot.com/
⭐Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
JR and I first met in 2018 in Black Rock City. John D. Russell is a photographer, content creator, and adventure guide. He's also my friend who taught me what to do when stuck in a sandstorm where you can't see at arm's length.
Yes, he is the leader of my Burning Man Camp Hex Collective. I wanted to talk with him because of the wild conditions when leading at Burning Man. Everyone is a volunteer gifting their time and energy, and the conditions are extreme between the heat, sandstorms, and cold.
But everyone is ultimately united in a shared vision and common values. So in this episode, we talk about becoming a leader, choosing your language carefully, letting go, and letting people make their own mistakes.
They say a burner can endlessly talk about Burning Man. Let’s dive in!
⭐ More about John D. Russell
John D. Russell is a Visual Storyteller passionately driven to help businesses stand out from their competition through persuasive visual media, marketing, and education. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accountancy from CSU, San Marcos.
A Best Selling Author, John is internationally published and has been on assignment in over 30 countries. His client list includes brands such as Toyota, Airbnb, Skechers, Habitat for Humanity, and many more.
Follow John D. Russell on social media:
⭐Website: www.johndrussell.com
⭐Hex Collective: www.hexcollective.org
Don't forget to follow us:
⭐Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
Kevin Indig is a strategic growth advisor who has run SEO organizations for companies like Shopify, G2, and Atlassian. He has also consulted for brands like Ramp and Eventbrite.
Kevin is on a mission to accelerate technology that can solve the world's biggest problems and on today’s episode, he shares his new journey as an independent advisor.
We talked about the advantages and disadvantages of working in a big company versus working for yourself.
We dive into the world of Chat GPT/AI and have a wild conversation about copyright, the definition of art, first-order thinking, creativity, and the ethics of promoting oneself on social media.
And finally, we discuss leadership and the meaning of success to him. It's a wild and interesting conversation that you won't want to miss. Let's dive in!
⭐ Make sure to follow Kevin on his socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kevin_Indig
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinindig/
Website: https://www.kevin-indig.com/
Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/KevinIndig
⭐ Don't forget to follow us:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
In today's episode, we talk about holacracy, asynchronous communication, and remote-first culture
These are three modalities that embrace autonomy and ownership within your team.
I love talking with today's guest, Lavinia, because she's so thoughtful.
And she also has more than 10 years of experience in building remote teams.
She is the managing partner of Livit International. a support system for entrepreneurs, startups, and remote workers who build tech and digital businesses.
She's also the founder of The Remote Skills Academy, an education platform for Indonesians who want to learn to work remotely.
In this episode we uncover what it takes to work collaboratively in a remote and cross-cultural organization.
⭐ More about Lavinia:
Livit has been incubating and nurturing remote-capable teams, projects, and companies for the last 10+ years. They’ve worked with over 1000 clients from across the world, and their partner portfolio at any given time spans 10-25+ countries.
Lavinia is also the founder of the Remote Skills Academy, an education platform for Indonesians who want to learn to work remotely, and a founding member of the Remote-First Institute.
Livit recently won the Flexible Workplace Award for "Outstanding Employee Wellbeing" at Running Remote in Montreal, are amongst the 2% happiest and most engaged teams worldwide according to OfficeVibe, and is a top 3 Best Workplace in Indonesia in 2022, and a top 25 Best Workplace across Asia & Middle East according to Great Places To Work®.
Lavinia has lived in 8 countries on 4 continents, and explored 35+ others. She is a fan of jazz, heritage architecture, food, nature, and a future of work enthusiast.
Follow Lavinia on social media:
⭐ LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laviniaiosub/
⭐ Livit: https://www.linkedin.com/company/livit-ecosystem/
⭐ Remote Skill Academy:https://www.linkedin.com/company/remote-skills-academy-by-livit/
Don't forget to follow us:
⭐ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
If you're like me, and you find yourself glued to the laptop way too often, this episode is for you.
Today's episode is about what can seem like contradictions:
Laptop work and flow states, the office and movement, entrepreneurship and embodiment, discipline, and creativity.
But throughout the episode, you will learn how one can serve the other.
My guest today is Annika Rhea, a performance artist and Flow coach from New York. The basis of her art is Flow, a combination of rapid creative problem-solving, energized presence in the moment, and mastery of her craft.
She even changed her last name to Rhea the goddess of Flow to commit herself entirely to the art form.
Her teachings on art and business, as well as the business of art, are about the absence of resistance and a constant process of exception and adaption to push through assistance and find Flow.
⭐ More about Annika:
Annika Rhea is an immersive action painter and movement artist based in Brooklyn, NY.
She is the creator of BODY MEDIUM, a painting technique that utilizes the body in motion as a painting tool. Her work merges visual art, performance art, and video art. Rhea is a process-oriented artist and is inspired by the relationship between motion, color, rhythm, and emotion.
Follow Annika on social media:
⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annikarheaart/
⭐ Website: https://annikarhea.com/
Don't forget to follow us:
⭐ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
We all read the same business books and watch the same Ted talks. However, our visions for success are radically different.
Do you really know what you are optimizing for when growing your company? Growth, headcount, revenue, profit, freedom, impact or creativity?
In this episode, we talk about why great advice for one leader, one vision and one company might be the wrong advice for another one.
You will learn about the 4 stages of your entrepreneurial journey. And we will decode why certain ideas work for certain stages - and not for other ones.
In this episode, I am speaking with Jodie Cook. She built and sold her social media agency over a ten-year period and writes books and articles about entrepreneurship. Fun fact: She also competes internationally in powerlifting.
Follow Jodie Cook on social media:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cookjodie/
Website: https://jodiecook.com/ten-year-career
Don't forget to follow us for more insightful content:
https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
Today, we discuss why having good intentions is not enough to have an impact on the world.
You will learn about the intricacies and second-order effects of some of the hottest trends in start-up culture:
⭐What are the downsides of financial transparency and profit sharing?
⭐Why would a wellness program lead to more stress?
⭐And do we really want radical ownership from our team members?
In this episode, I am speaking with Gareth Hermann. He is the founder of the digital marketing agency Magic. They are first and foremost catering to conscious companies. They famously worked on the presidential campaign for Marianne Williamson or the Denver Psilocybin Initiative.
We talk about some of the creative new ways of working and leading that he implemented - the ones that worked out - and the ones that lead to struggle, challenges, and unexpected consequences. Let’s dive in!
Follow Gareth Hermann on social media:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gareth-hermann
Don't forget to follow us for more insightful content:
https://linktr.ee/the_startup_revolution
I am excited about our guest today: Ian-Michael Hebert.
I specifically wanted to discuss rethinking organizations with him. Here is the truth: when I find myself thinking about leadership, I still catch myself predominantly thinking about business and hierarchy.
On the other hand, Ian-Michael has worked for some very interesting organizations like Esalen Institute in Big Sur and the Canadian psychedelic Association. Today, he is building his own community and thinking deeply about participation, and stewardship.
In this unique conversation, we discuss balancing structure and intuition. rigidity and fluidity. Guess what - we talk about flow within organizations. And more importantly: Building organizations with integrity.
Ian-Michael introduces the idea of the membrane or relational field to this conversation about leadership.
The membrane is the facade or the image we are creating, especially as marketers - Who are we serving? How are we serving them? That interface is what the world responds to and what we need to work out.
And so, we specifically talk about honesty and authenticity. We both believe that people are going to become more discerning about what is an authentic message and what is real value.
This is a conversation about the collective, somatic experience and building business based on your vision and intuition.
Let’s dive in!
Follow Ian Michael on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianmichaelhebert/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-michael/
Website: https://www.ianmichaelhebert.com/
Holos Global: https://holos.global/
Don't forget to follow us for more insightful content:
https://www.instagram.com/the_startup_revolution/
Kat's journey began with a mission to positively impact our global food and soil system, a journey that led to steeping in the wisdom of the Sacred Valley of Peru for nearly a decade, learning from the land, herbalists, sacred medicines and ancient wisdom holders. Kat chose the path of the heart, valuing social and environmental impact over profit.
Kat realized that to show up for the well-being of our communities and environment, we must first show up for ourselves.
Kat spends much of her time weaving with the sacred, serving as a bridge between ancient wisdom holders and the modern world through ceremonies, ritual co-creations with nature, and plant dietas/immersions with everyday plants and herbs.
Let's Dive in!
Kat's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-gordon-a6043b15/
Follow us on social media: https://www.instagram.com/the_startup_revolution/
The voice you are hearing is Shane Melaugh. Shane is the founder of WordPress company Thrive Themes and personal development company Ikario.
We met a few years ago at a conference and became friends when creating an SEO online course together. The course was two weeks of intense video recording and Shane teaching me about how to outline a course, structure my thoughts and speak to the camera. In the end, more than 2.000 solopreneurs studied with us.
Shane is known as a successful entrepreneur and inspiring marketer. I invited Shane to the show because he is a great teacher and mentor, too. Whether it is marketing, working effectively, or taming your own mind, he is a large resource of frameworks and practices. His online classes & experiences help people unlock their potential, level up their life and give them the power to live life exactly how they want to.
In this personal conversation, we go deep into shifting your state to experience more flow, the building blocks of personal productivity and why we do want to play entrepreneurship on hard mode. What we mean by that is - not just considering finances and revenue but the well-being of the company and everyone in it holistically.
Let's dive in!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-melaugh-a3559318/
And follow our podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_startup_revolution/
My guest today is Luanne Tierney. Luanne has been a marketing executive in Silicon Valley for the last 20 years. Not only has she constantly developed and progressed in her own career, she has also contributed to the leadership development of many women along the way.
We first met in 2020 and have since then collaborated on SEO projects for a variety of startups. Luanne currently works as a fractional CMO - she advises companies on their marketing on a consulting basis. She is also a board member for an AI company, a CPG company and one privately held marketing agency.
But why I really wanted to speak with her is that she is also a strong advocate for women in tech and mentor to many.
You will drop into our conversation as we quickly touch on web 3. Though, this is not a crypto episode - it is an episode about staying relevant, advocating for yourself and being part of the conversation.
We will discuss the crucial habits of successful people:
Excellent communication skills to rally people behind your vision.
Building a personal brand and showing up authentically.
Defining success by your own standards.
Finding mentors and supporters for you and your goals.
Lastly, you will also learn about trust and appreciation at work - and what we can do as leaders for our team to feel appreciated as well as safe enough to share their failures. So, stay tuned and you will know why “experience is simply the name we give to our mistakes.”.
Let’s dive in!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luannetierney/
And follow our podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_startup_revolution/
Our guest today is Dr. Brent Hogarth. He is a leader in the field of high-performance psychology and the Head Coach at the Flow Research Collective.
The Flow Research Collective is the organization of bestselling author Steven Kotler, Rian Doris and Conor B. Murphy. Which is where we met!
As you can guess from the name of my own company, Flow SEO, I am a big believer and seeker of flow states. That whimsical state of being in the zone where we feel our best and perform our best.
And guess what - flow and peak performance is what we will discuss today. We talk about flow in the office - and home office - and how to get more of it.
But it is not all sunshine and roses, we also discuss the dark side of flow - and the danger of becoming a flow junkie.
To contextualize our conversation: Brent helps leaders overcome stress, overwhelm, and burnout in order to feel and perform at their best. He has earned his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and completed a Masters in Sport Psychology. His passion is helping sport and corporate athletes live in alignment with their values and to execute on their highest and hardest goals.
Let’s dive in!
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/brent.t.hogarth/
Website:https://www.brenthogarth.com/
And follow our podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_startup_revolution/
Welcome, Kevin Indig. His official title is director of SEO for Shopify. But he really has two roles: Leading the SEO and secondly, leading the organic growth mission at Shopify, which is a cross functional team of about 100 people. Interestingly enough, Shopify decided to go 100% remote forever, when the pandemic broke out.
Now, I knew I wanted to have Kevin on the show after we met at a panel about SEO. And don’t worry this episode is zero about SEO and all about conscious leadership. Which is what we realized at the panel: We both share that passion and curiosity!
And guess what, we talk about trust and feelings at work. Why they matter and why you need to factor them in.
I love Kevin’s perspective on leadership, he said: One is to inspire a team or organization to go after a shared goal. And the second one is to foster maximum trust within the team. I think that all of leadership really comes down to two of those two things.
Kevin is a clear thinker and very insightful. I know you will love this episode. Enjoy.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kevin_Indig
Website: https://www.kevin-indig.com/
And follow our podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_startup_revolution/
You know all the current hot trends in startup culture. You truly believe that mental well-being belongs in the boardroom, breathwork and ice baths in our team retreats and the 4 day work week rolled out across your company.
Yes, we are excited to change the world of startups for the better and yet - our team ended up burnt out from deadlines, project management tools and video calls.
Turning our good intentions into reality has proven to be more complicated than expected.
Big words, best practices and easy solutions have crept in. And somehow, the right thing to do became hard and messy.
It is dawning on you that being a good leader is less about having that one big idea, then it is about the difficult decisions, trade-offs and second-order effects you encounter whilst executing it.
On the show “The Startup Revolution”, we talk with a guest about how they turned their vision of “doing the right thing” into reality. The struggles, push-backs and contradictions as well as the creative new ways of thinking it took to overcome them.
You are not alone! Let’s stop talking about big ideas and start implementing a new way of working!