Growth Leap

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 Where to find Christian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianmhoppe/https://www.forwrd.agency/https://www.forwrdthinking.com‍ Where to find Michel: https://www.stunandawe.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/https://twitter.com/michelgagnon Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

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 AutomationUnique ApproachHigh Attendance RatesBootstrapped GrowthRemote Team ManagementHappiness Over RevenueAligning with ValuesContinuous Improvement Where to find Melissa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissakwan/https://ewebinar.com/profitled-podcasthttps://ewebinar.com/‍ Where to find Michel: https://www.stunandawe.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/https://twitter.com/michelgagnon‍ Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

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: Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: Tune in for a comprehensive guide on drastically improving your SaaS sales strategies. Where to find Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwolach/ https://mattwolach.com/scale-timehttp://www.torowave.com/Scale Your SaaShttps://www.ringbot.io/Where to find Michel: https://www.stunandawe.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/https://twitter.com/michelgagnonSupport the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/luisvalente28https://ilof.tech/Where to find Michel: https://www.stunandawe.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheljgagnon/https://twitter.com/michelgagnonSupport the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: ___ You can download Simon's Strategic Value tool at https://www.strategysprints.com/tools Where to find Simon: https://twitter.com/simonseverinohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/simonseverino/https://www.strategysprints.com/Where to find Michel: https://www.stunandawe.com/https://twitter.com/michelgagnonhttps://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. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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 an exit in mind, you'll find the episode rich in actionable insights and pitfalls to avoid. Andrew shares all his secrets: Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. Are you worried about the impact of generative AI on the job market? In this episode of "Growth Leap", I discuss the importance of becoming AI literate and adapting to the transformation. I cover three AI marketing tools that can help with content creation, image generation, and video editing, including Copy.ai, Midjourney, and Runway. But the most valuable lesson is the need to stay ahead in the marketing and growth game by embracing the opportunities presented by AI technology. Don't miss out on the chance to learn how to effectively use these tools to drive customer acquisition, create content, and generate sales by signing up for the paid AI marketing workshop mentioned in the episode. Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: Selected Links: The Embedded EntrepreneurTwitterTwitterhttps://www.hivoe.com/Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: 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 Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: Enjoy the show and happy listening! For detailed show notes and relevant links, visit www.stunandawe.com Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: 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 Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: 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 Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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 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 Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter

Send us a Text Message. 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: 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 Support the Show. Leave me a message herestunandawe.comGrowth Marketing Coursemarketing@stunandawe.comPatreon Follow us: LinkedInTwitter