The Start-Up (R)evolution

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 yearsHe 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 DiegoJohn 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 Abril 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 Abril'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 creativity and authenticity in B2B. Jay says: "The problem isn't bots replacing tons of creators; the problem is 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