The Pursuit of Scrappiness Sat, 18 Apr 2026 20:06:24 -0400 https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ en-us © 2026 The Pursuit of Scrappiness yes Baltics Support this Podcast c00416bd-6a12-587f-a664-3af91b86721f Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps episodic true Whether you are building a business, running a team or just starting out in your career we are here to bring you scrappy and actionable insights to help you become more productive.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) startup, business, tech, education, leadership, growth, productivity, entrepreneurship, vc, investment, baltics Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps https://storage.buzzsprout.com/fyvw0uak61oh7vczkda2cwnnd983?.jpg The Pursuit of Scrappiness https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ Janis Zeps Uldis Teraudkalns 211. 420M downloads, 80M Active users, $200 M raised. Dmitry Gurski (Flo Health): “Don’t Listen to Negative Opinions. I Was Shy & Nerdy—20 Years Ago No One Would Believe I Could Lead a $1B++ company.” Leadership Lessons Behind the World’s #1 Health App 211. 420M downloads, 80M Active users, $200 M raised. Dmitry Gurski (Flo Health): “Don’t Listen to Negative Opinions. I Was Shy & Nerdy—20 Years Ago No One Would Believe I Could Lead a $1B++ company.” Leadership Lessons Behind the World’s #1 Health App Dmitry Gurski founded Flo Health in 2015, turning it into the leading women’s health app globally with over 420 million downloads and 80 million monthly active users. From bootstrapped beginnings to a $200M Series C from General Atlantic in 2024 (valuing Flo at $1B+), Dmitry has scaled the company to profitability, with offices in Lithuania and the UK. 

🎓 Expect to Learn:
- How Flo became a $1B+ company without a clear playbook — and why long-term planning is mostly fiction
- What 20 years of founder experience really teaches you — from stress tolerance to “rollercoaster immunity”
- Why all big organizations are ‘shiny outside, messy inside’ — and why that’s totally normal
- The hidden leadership lesson: never punish honest mistakes, but always bet on people with ownership mentality
- AI’s real challenge isn’t tech — it’s building interfaces that people actually want to use
- Why you should ignore negative people who question your background, pedigree, or ambition
- How crises shaped Flo’s evolution
- Why hiring interviews are overrated — and how real-world test work beats charisma every time
- The myth of growth = hiring — and how limiting headcount can actually make your company better
- How to stop bloated orgs: “Every layer you add cuts 30% efficiency.”

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


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]]> Dmitry Gurski founded Flo Health in 2015, turning it into the leading women’s health app globally with over 420 million downloads and 80 million monthly active users. From bootstrapped beginnings to a $200M Series C from General Atlantic in 2024 (valuing Flo at $1B+), Dmitry has scaled the company to profitability, with offices in Lithuania and the UK. 

🎓 Expect to Learn:
- How Flo became a $1B+ company without a clear playbook — and why long-term planning is mostly fiction
- What 20 years of founder experience really teaches you — from stress tolerance to “rollercoaster immunity”
- Why all big organizations are ‘shiny outside, messy inside’ — and why that’s totally normal
- The hidden leadership lesson: never punish honest mistakes, but always bet on people with ownership mentality
- AI’s real challenge isn’t tech — it’s building interfaces that people actually want to use
- Why you should ignore negative people who question your background, pedigree, or ambition
- How crises shaped Flo’s evolution
- Why hiring interviews are overrated — and how real-world test work beats charisma every time
- The myth of growth = hiring — and how limiting headcount can actually make your company better
- How to stop bloated orgs: “Every layer you add cuts 30% efficiency.”

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


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]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-17959566 Tue, 07 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0300 2773 6 211 full true 210. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges: “Russia Is Already at War With Us” — Making Decisions Under Uncertainty, Taking Ownership Without Blame & Ethical Dilemmas in AI Decision-Making 210. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges: “Russia Is Already at War With Us” — Making Decisions Under Uncertainty, Taking Ownership Without Blame & Ethical Dilemmas in AI Decision-Making Lieutenant General Ben Hodges is a retired U.S. Army officer who served as Commanding General of United States Army Europe from 2014 to 2017. With a 38-year career spanning infantry roles, combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and leadership in NATO exercises, he is renowned for his expertise in military strategy, alliance building, and deterrence. Post-retirement, Hodges has become a prominent analyst on European security, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and transatlantic relations, advising think tanks like CEPA and speaking at events such as the Nordic Business Forum. He advocates for strong Western support for Ukraine and emphasizes the need for societal resilience against hybrid threats.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How military leaders operate without perfect information
  • Building a culture of responsibility
  • Role of AI in decision-making
  • Geopolitical outlook for 2025-2026
  • Countering Russia
  • Societal preparedness

This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Nordic Business Forum, a leading summit of global leaders with 7500+participants, 25000+ online spectators and a lineup of world class speakers, such as Rick Rubin, Simon Sinek, Milda Mitkute and many more! The in-person event is sold out, but you can join online by following this link: https://registration.nbforum.com/product-category/online-tickets/

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Lieutenant General Ben Hodges is a retired U.S. Army officer who served as Commanding General of United States Army Europe from 2014 to 2017. With a 38-year career spanning infantry roles, combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and leadership in NATO exercises, he is renowned for his expertise in military strategy, alliance building, and deterrence. Post-retirement, Hodges has become a prominent analyst on European security, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and transatlantic relations, advising think tanks like CEPA and speaking at events such as the Nordic Business Forum. He advocates for strong Western support for Ukraine and emphasizes the need for societal resilience against hybrid threats.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How military leaders operate without perfect information
  • Building a culture of responsibility
  • Role of AI in decision-making
  • Geopolitical outlook for 2025-2026
  • Countering Russia
  • Societal preparedness

This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Nordic Business Forum, a leading summit of global leaders with 7500+participants, 25000+ online spectators and a lineup of world class speakers, such as Rick Rubin, Simon Sinek, Milda Mitkute and many more! The in-person event is sold out, but you can join online by following this link: https://registration.nbforum.com/product-category/online-tickets/

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-17886269 Tue, 23 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0300 2437 6 210 full true 209. No Cards, No Phones, Just Your Hand: How Handwave Raised €4.2M to Build the Future of Payments With Palm Biometrics w/ Janis Stirna 209. No Cards, No Phones, Just Your Hand: How Handwave Raised €4.2M to Build the Future of Payments With Palm Biometrics w/ Janis Stirna Jānis Stirna is the co-founder and CEO of Handwave. The company’s palm-scanning tech enables cardless, phoneless payments and identity verification, emphasizing security (two-factor biometrics) and affordability to outpace rivals like Amazon One. With $5M raised—including a $4.2M seed from Practica Capital in August 2025—Handwave partners with Visa and targets retail pilots in Europe, the U.S. and beyond.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How fintech innovations like Apple Pay inspired Handwave
  • Navigating $5M in funding for hardware B2C fintech
  • Leveraging Riga’s fintech hub for talent and pilots, challenges in U.S./EU markets (regulations/privacy)
  • Visions for mainstream palm payments by 2030, AI’s role in scaling and the next big platform
  • Scrappy tips for Baltic founders—like focusing on technical edges and avoiding hype pitfalls.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Jānis Stirna is the co-founder and CEO of Handwave. The company’s palm-scanning tech enables cardless, phoneless payments and identity verification, emphasizing security (two-factor biometrics) and affordability to outpace rivals like Amazon One. With $5M raised—including a $4.2M seed from Practica Capital in August 2025—Handwave partners with Visa and targets retail pilots in Europe, the U.S. and beyond.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How fintech innovations like Apple Pay inspired Handwave
  • Navigating $5M in funding for hardware B2C fintech
  • Leveraging Riga’s fintech hub for talent and pilots, challenges in U.S./EU markets (regulations/privacy)
  • Visions for mainstream palm payments by 2030, AI’s role in scaling and the next big platform
  • Scrappy tips for Baltic founders—like focusing on technical edges and avoiding hype pitfalls.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17767102 Tue, 09 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0300 2689 6 209 full false 208. Bootstrapped, Profitable (€2.2M) & Paying Dividends: How HackMotion Turned a Niche Golf Gadget Into a Global Hardware Business w/ Atis Hermanis 208. Bootstrapped, Profitable (€2.2M) & Paying Dividends: How HackMotion Turned a Niche Golf Gadget Into a Global Hardware Business w/ Atis Hermanis Atis Hermanis is the co-founder of HackMotion. With a Ph.D. in electronics, sensor systems, and signal processing, Atis brings a research background to the company’s wrist-worn tech for golf swing analysis. HackMotion has bootstrapped to profitability, hitting €7.3M revenue in 2024 (160% growth) and 476% profit increase, while pioneering paying €30K in dividends to employees in H1 2025. Winners of the Baltic E-Commerce Star award, they’ve scaled globally, partnering with PGA Tour pros and focusing on amateur precision improvement—proving scrappy Baltic innovation can conquer a competitive niche.


On this episode we talk about:

  • HackMotion’s founding, turning golf swing pain points into wearable tech
  • Atis’s journey from prototype to serving PGA pros, key milestones like €7.3M revenue in 2024, and balancing B2C e-commerce with global scaling challenges.
  • Exploring AI’s role in swing analysis (e.g., real-time feedback), why not all use cases fit AI hype, and staying focused on client value amid tech trends.
  • Atis’s strategies for 160% revenue growth without VC, including employee dividends (€30K in H1 2025), efficiency in marketing, and lessons for Baltic founders on sustainable scaling.
  • Visions for AI-driven precision in golf, navigating hardware pitfalls, and scrappy tips for turning technical expertise into a profitable


==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

Support the show

]]> Atis Hermanis is the co-founder of HackMotion. With a Ph.D. in electronics, sensor systems, and signal processing, Atis brings a research background to the company’s wrist-worn tech for golf swing analysis. HackMotion has bootstrapped to profitability, hitting €7.3M revenue in 2024 (160% growth) and 476% profit increase, while pioneering paying €30K in dividends to employees in H1 2025. Winners of the Baltic E-Commerce Star award, they’ve scaled globally, partnering with PGA Tour pros and focusing on amateur precision improvement—proving scrappy Baltic innovation can conquer a competitive niche.


On this episode we talk about:

  • HackMotion’s founding, turning golf swing pain points into wearable tech
  • Atis’s journey from prototype to serving PGA pros, key milestones like €7.3M revenue in 2024, and balancing B2C e-commerce with global scaling challenges.
  • Exploring AI’s role in swing analysis (e.g., real-time feedback), why not all use cases fit AI hype, and staying focused on client value amid tech trends.
  • Atis’s strategies for 160% revenue growth without VC, including employee dividends (€30K in H1 2025), efficiency in marketing, and lessons for Baltic founders on sustainable scaling.
  • Visions for AI-driven precision in golf, navigating hardware pitfalls, and scrappy tips for turning technical expertise into a profitable


==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-17730565 Tue, 26 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0300 2897 6 208 full false 207. From Managing Partner to Startup CEO: Mariana Hagström (Avokaado) on Automating Legal Workflows, Building AI That Replaces Repetition (Not Humans) & Why Corporate Professionals Must Learn to Trust AI 207. From Managing Partner to Startup CEO: Mariana Hagström (Avokaado) on Automating Legal Workflows, Building AI That Replaces Repetition (Not Humans) & Why Corporate Professionals Must Learn to Trust AI Mariana Hagström is the Founder and CEO of Avokaado. Based in Estonia, Avokaado’s cloud-based contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform automates drafting, oversight and workflows. With over €2M raised from Tera Ventures, ParticleX and others, Mariana’s scaled a legal tech tool that is used not only by law firms, but also companies of various sizes across the globe. A 2020 European Woman of Legal Tech, she’s a vocal advocate for AI in legal teams, ethical innovation, and empowering women in tech, bringing Baltic grit to a global stage.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Avokaado origin story and Mariana’s career transition
  • Avokaado’s role in automating contracts and navigating AI adoption challenges
  • Insights from raising €2M+
  • Mariana’s vision for AI-driven legal future
  • How to balance AI and human intelligence 

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Mariana Hagström is the Founder and CEO of Avokaado. Based in Estonia, Avokaado’s cloud-based contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform automates drafting, oversight and workflows. With over €2M raised from Tera Ventures, ParticleX and others, Mariana’s scaled a legal tech tool that is used not only by law firms, but also companies of various sizes across the globe. A 2020 European Woman of Legal Tech, she’s a vocal advocate for AI in legal teams, ethical innovation, and empowering women in tech, bringing Baltic grit to a global stage.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Avokaado origin story and Mariana’s career transition
  • Avokaado’s role in automating contracts and navigating AI adoption challenges
  • Insights from raising €2M+
  • Mariana’s vision for AI-driven legal future
  • How to balance AI and human intelligence 

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-17690962 Tue, 19 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0300 2811 6 207 full false 206. Turning Mixed LEGO Bricks Into a VC-Backed AI Startup: €1.5M Raised, Benefits of Iterative Fundraising, Real-World Complexity of Building Hardware & a New Frontier in Circular Tech w/ Ilya Malkin (Sort A Brick) 206. Turning Mixed LEGO Bricks Into a VC-Backed AI Startup: €1.5M Raised, Benefits of Iterative Fundraising, Real-World Complexity of Building Hardware & a New Frontier in Circular Tech w/ Ilya Malkin (Sort A Brick) Ilya Malkin is the co-founder of Sort-A-Brick, a Vilnius-based startup that raised over €1 million in pre-seed funding at the end of 2024. Sort-A-Brick leverages AI-powered computer vision to analyze and sort mixed Lego bricks sent in by customers, identifying which complete sets can be rebuilt from them—breathing new life into unused collections and promoting a circular economy in toys. With a background in management consulting, Ilya spotted an opportunity in the massive Lego market while dealing with his own family's overflowing brick bins. Sort-A-Brick combines hardware and software to tackle the tedious task of sorting, serving both kids and "kidults" in a world where Lego continues to thrive amid digital threats.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Turning a personal pain point with kids' Lego chaos into a global business
  • How the toy giant Lego is growing at 10% annually, outpacing the market, and the rise of "kidults" driving demand
  • Why physical products are harder (and more defensible) than pure software, including longer iteration cycles and higher costs
  • Raising in tranches tied to milestones, using investor feedback as reality checks, and the "hidden revenue" of the process
  • Attracting top talent without prior exits, grinding harder as a first-timer, and embracing a no-ego mindset to get things done
  • How tariffs and re-commerce trends boost businesses like Sort-A-Brick, plus the potential for acquisitions by big players like Lego

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA



Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


===============



Support the show

]]> Ilya Malkin is the co-founder of Sort-A-Brick, a Vilnius-based startup that raised over €1 million in pre-seed funding at the end of 2024. Sort-A-Brick leverages AI-powered computer vision to analyze and sort mixed Lego bricks sent in by customers, identifying which complete sets can be rebuilt from them—breathing new life into unused collections and promoting a circular economy in toys. With a background in management consulting, Ilya spotted an opportunity in the massive Lego market while dealing with his own family's overflowing brick bins. Sort-A-Brick combines hardware and software to tackle the tedious task of sorting, serving both kids and "kidults" in a world where Lego continues to thrive amid digital threats.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Turning a personal pain point with kids' Lego chaos into a global business
  • How the toy giant Lego is growing at 10% annually, outpacing the market, and the rise of "kidults" driving demand
  • Why physical products are harder (and more defensible) than pure software, including longer iteration cycles and higher costs
  • Raising in tranches tied to milestones, using investor feedback as reality checks, and the "hidden revenue" of the process
  • Attracting top talent without prior exits, grinding harder as a first-timer, and embracing a no-ego mindset to get things done
  • How tariffs and re-commerce trends boost businesses like Sort-A-Brick, plus the potential for acquisitions by big players like Lego

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA



Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


===============



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-17634321 Tue, 12 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0300 2615 6 206 full false 205. AI Startup Founded in 2024 Raises €15M Seed Round, Signs 7-Figure Deals With No Outbound Sales & Aims to Lead the Next AI Breakthrough Beyond LLMs Into Physics and Industrial Simulations w/ Miks Mikelsons & Dennis Just (Emmi AI) 205. AI Startup Founded in 2024 Raises €15M Seed Round, Signs 7-Figure Deals With No Outbound Sales & Aims to Lead the Next AI Breakthrough Beyond LLMs Into Physics and Industrial Simulations w/ Miks Mikelsons & Dennis Just (Emmi AI) Dennis Just and Miks Mikelsons are the co-founders of Emmi AI, a deep-tech startup revolutionizing industrial engineering through cutting-edge AI simulation technology. Based in Austria and founded in 2024, Emmi is already making waves with a €15 million seed round led by top-tier investors like Speedinvest, 3VC, and Serena. With a team heavy on researchers and a foundation in serious academic publishing, Emmi is tackling complex, unsolved physics-based simulation problems across industries like aerospace and energy—aiming to become the “Palantir of industrial AI.” 

On this episode we talk about:

  • Emmi’s Origin and Vision
  • Selling Complex AI Solutions to Enterprise
  • Productization Challenges
  • Inbound Sales Through Research Credibility
  • Fundraising Strategy and VC Dynamics
  • How to make distributed teams work

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Dennis Just and Miks Mikelsons are the co-founders of Emmi AI, a deep-tech startup revolutionizing industrial engineering through cutting-edge AI simulation technology. Based in Austria and founded in 2024, Emmi is already making waves with a €15 million seed round led by top-tier investors like Speedinvest, 3VC, and Serena. With a team heavy on researchers and a foundation in serious academic publishing, Emmi is tackling complex, unsolved physics-based simulation problems across industries like aerospace and energy—aiming to become the “Palantir of industrial AI.” 

On this episode we talk about:

  • Emmi’s Origin and Vision
  • Selling Complex AI Solutions to Enterprise
  • Productization Challenges
  • Inbound Sales Through Research Credibility
  • Fundraising Strategy and VC Dynamics
  • How to make distributed teams work

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17337462 Tue, 17 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0300 3075 6 205 full false How Revolut Hacked Growth With No Budget: Guerrilla Tactics, Partnerships, and Product-Led Virality (INSIGHT #18) How Revolut Hacked Growth With No Budget: Guerrilla Tactics, Partnerships, and Product-Led Virality (INSIGHT #18) This is an insight from our previous conversation on growth hacking and building Revolut customer acquisition early on:

  • You can grow fast without budget by trading value with the right partners.
  • Putting your product where people already are makes them more likely to try it.
  • Local, targeted efforts work better than big, generic marketing.
  • It’s more important to get people using your product than just seeing it.

Andrius Biceika is a non-executive director at Revolut. He was one of the early employees and has held many leadership roles at Revolut. Prior to that he did stints at such well known Lithuanian companies as Citybee and Transfergo.

Listen to the full conversation with Andrius here on Episode 120:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on growth hacking and building Revolut customer acquisition early on:

  • You can grow fast without budget by trading value with the right partners.
  • Putting your product where people already are makes them more likely to try it.
  • Local, targeted efforts work better than big, generic marketing.
  • It’s more important to get people using your product than just seeing it.

Andrius Biceika is a non-executive director at Revolut. He was one of the early employees and has held many leadership roles at Revolut. Prior to that he did stints at such well known Lithuanian companies as Citybee and Transfergo.

Listen to the full conversation with Andrius here on Episode 120:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17301309 Tue, 10 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0300 844 full false Influencer Marketing 101 for Startups: “If It Works in Your Industry, Your Competitors Are Already Beating You to Death With It” & “If You’re So Small That You Need Every Creator to Deliver Super High Return, Then Don’t Do It.” (INSIGHT #17) Influencer Marketing 101 for Startups: “If It Works in Your Industry, Your Competitors Are Already Beating You to Death With It” & “If You’re So Small That You Need Every Creator to Deliver Super High Return, Then Don’t Do It.” (INSIGHT #17) This is an insight from our previous conversation on how to work with influencer marketing:

  • When you should and shouldn’t start influencer marketing.
  • Why a portfolio approach to creators mirrors venture investing logic.
  • The importance of creator enthusiasm and authenticity.
  • Lessons from successful campaigns with consumer and B2B angles.

Avery Schrader is the founder and CEO of Modash, a leading influencer marketing platform that helps brands scale partnerships with content creators. With a background in building relationships and driving results for companies like Bolt and Verif, Avery’s journey to creating Modash stems from firsthand experience in the creator economy. Modash now serves over 1,500 customers globally, including brands like Victoria’s Secret and Birkenstock, enabling them to discover and manage influencer campaigns effectively. The company recently raised an impressive 11mEUR Series A round.

Listen to the full conversation with Avery here on Episode 190:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on how to work with influencer marketing:

  • When you should and shouldn’t start influencer marketing.
  • Why a portfolio approach to creators mirrors venture investing logic.
  • The importance of creator enthusiasm and authenticity.
  • Lessons from successful campaigns with consumer and B2B angles.

Avery Schrader is the founder and CEO of Modash, a leading influencer marketing platform that helps brands scale partnerships with content creators. With a background in building relationships and driving results for companies like Bolt and Verif, Avery’s journey to creating Modash stems from firsthand experience in the creator economy. Modash now serves over 1,500 customers globally, including brands like Victoria’s Secret and Birkenstock, enabling them to discover and manage influencer campaigns effectively. The company recently raised an impressive 11mEUR Series A round.

Listen to the full conversation with Avery here on Episode 190:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-17198647 Tue, 03 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0300 818 full false 204. Mintos CEO Martins Sulte on How to Handle Market Volatility as a Retail Investor & Fintech Founder. Practical Tools To Increase AI-Efficiency Today. Why Retail Investors Are Spoiled For Choice & Why You Shouldn’t Start Investing With Trumpcoin 204. Mintos CEO Martins Sulte on How to Handle Market Volatility as a Retail Investor & Fintech Founder. Practical Tools To Increase AI-Efficiency Today. Why Retail Investors Are Spoiled For Choice & Why You Shouldn’t Start Investing With Trumpcoin Martins Sulte is the co-founder and CEO of Mintos, the largest investment platform of its kind in Europe, with over 700 million euros in assets under administration and more than half a million users. Since launching in 2014, Martins has led the company from a peer-to-peer lending marketplace to a full-scale multi-asset platform, offering access to loans, ETFs, bonds, real estate, and soon—crypto and stocks. With a background in finance and management consulting, Martins brings a disciplined yet product-driven mindset to fintech innovation, building solutions for everyday investors across Europe.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Evolution of Retail Investing in Europe
  • Finance 101 and the Psychology of Investing
  • Fintech Business Strategy Amid Market Volatility
  • AI as a Competitive Edge in Fintech
  • Scaling Without Scaling Headcount

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Martins Sulte is the co-founder and CEO of Mintos, the largest investment platform of its kind in Europe, with over 700 million euros in assets under administration and more than half a million users. Since launching in 2014, Martins has led the company from a peer-to-peer lending marketplace to a full-scale multi-asset platform, offering access to loans, ETFs, bonds, real estate, and soon—crypto and stocks. With a background in finance and management consulting, Martins brings a disciplined yet product-driven mindset to fintech innovation, building solutions for everyday investors across Europe.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Evolution of Retail Investing in Europe
  • Finance 101 and the Psychology of Investing
  • Fintech Business Strategy Amid Market Volatility
  • AI as a Competitive Edge in Fintech
  • Scaling Without Scaling Headcount

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-17207926 Tue, 27 May 2025 04:00:00 +0300 2684 6 204 full true 203. Monthly Tech Brief: Wise Founders Outrank Ed Sheeran on UK Rich List, €100K Salaries in Lithuania’s Startups, Crypto Founders Getting Kidnapped, Slack and ChatGPT Can Be Used Against You in Court & Klarna Rehires Humans in AI Reality Check 203. Monthly Tech Brief: Wise Founders Outrank Ed Sheeran on UK Rich List, €100K Salaries in Lithuania’s Startups, Crypto Founders Getting Kidnapped, Slack and ChatGPT Can Be Used Against You in Court & Klarna Rehires Humans in AI Reality Check Welcome to the Pursuit of Scrappiness Tech Brief. A monthly discussion on topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. 

On this episode we talk about:

🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪 BALTICS

• Wise founders on UK Rich List – Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus rank among UK’s wealthiest.

• Lithuanian startup salaries – Average tech salary at €4.6k/month, possibly more favorable than Berlin after tax and cost-of-living adjustments.

• Vinted launches VC arm – Vinted Ventures to invest €0.5–10M in re-commerce startups.

• Trafi exit – Lithuanian mobility startup acquired by Enghouse Systems.

• Latvian co-founder at Austria’s Emmi AI – Raised €15M, Austria’s largest-ever seed round.

• Glasses finally disrupted? – Finnish startup IXI raises €36.5M to reinvent vision tech.

• Bolt sounds alarm over Lyft buying Free Now – Bolt sees itself as the last European alternative in mobility.

• XData Group SPAC deal – Estonian B2B tech company to go public in the US via a $180M SPAC.


🇪🇺 EUROPE

• VC/angel activity booming in CEE – Investment up 28%; Startup Wise Guys and Mikko Silventola among top performers.

• Slush Startup Struggles survey – Top founder struggles: fundraising, revenue growth, and team building.

• AIN Capital’s report – 26,000 active startups in CEE worth €213B; Poland leads in unicorns and enterprise value.

• Klarna delays IPO – Valuation rebound to $15B, but postpones IPO due to Trump tariffs and market volatility.

• AI reversal at Klarna – After replacing 700 staff, now rehiring humans due to poor AI service quality.

• Crypto founder kidnappings in France – 3 shocking abduction cases in 2025, spotlighting the need for founder security.

• DoorDash buys Deliveroo for £2.4B – Expands European dominance; previously acquired Wolt for $8.1B.

• Salesforce acquires Convergence in <12 months – From seed round to acquisition in record speed.

• Optics11 raises €17M – Dutch startup building fiber-optic infrastructure to defend Europe’s subsea cables.

• Belarus jails Imaguru founders – Sentenced to 11 and 12 years for startup support and protest involvement.


🇺🇸 USA & GLOBAL

• AI education mandate in schools – Trump signs executive order for mandatory AI curriculum (K–12) starting 2025–2026.

• OpenAI drama continues – Stays nonprofit but restructures as a public benefit corp; judge orders full retention of user logs.

• Slack turns snitch in corporate spying case – Rippling traps a Deel spy via fake Slack channel; used in court.

• Apple forced to allow external payments – Major US court ruling challenges 30% App Store commission model.

• Microsoft layoffs & Skype shutdown – 3% workforce cut; focus shifts fully to AI development.

• Nissan closes 7 factories – 20,000 layoffs amid EV transition and global tariff uncertainty.

• VCs immune to AI? – Marc Andreessen claims VCs are irreplaceable in a bold podcast statement.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Lin

Support the show

]]> Welcome to the Pursuit of Scrappiness Tech Brief. A monthly discussion on topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. 

On this episode we talk about:

🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪 BALTICS

• Wise founders on UK Rich List – Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus rank among UK’s wealthiest.

• Lithuanian startup salaries – Average tech salary at €4.6k/month, possibly more favorable than Berlin after tax and cost-of-living adjustments.

• Vinted launches VC arm – Vinted Ventures to invest €0.5–10M in re-commerce startups.

• Trafi exit – Lithuanian mobility startup acquired by Enghouse Systems.

• Latvian co-founder at Austria’s Emmi AI – Raised €15M, Austria’s largest-ever seed round.

• Glasses finally disrupted? – Finnish startup IXI raises €36.5M to reinvent vision tech.

• Bolt sounds alarm over Lyft buying Free Now – Bolt sees itself as the last European alternative in mobility.

• XData Group SPAC deal – Estonian B2B tech company to go public in the US via a $180M SPAC.


🇪🇺 EUROPE

• VC/angel activity booming in CEE – Investment up 28%; Startup Wise Guys and Mikko Silventola among top performers.

• Slush Startup Struggles survey – Top founder struggles: fundraising, revenue growth, and team building.

• AIN Capital’s report – 26,000 active startups in CEE worth €213B; Poland leads in unicorns and enterprise value.

• Klarna delays IPO – Valuation rebound to $15B, but postpones IPO due to Trump tariffs and market volatility.

• AI reversal at Klarna – After replacing 700 staff, now rehiring humans due to poor AI service quality.

• Crypto founder kidnappings in France – 3 shocking abduction cases in 2025, spotlighting the need for founder security.

• DoorDash buys Deliveroo for £2.4B – Expands European dominance; previously acquired Wolt for $8.1B.

• Salesforce acquires Convergence in <12 months – From seed round to acquisition in record speed.

• Optics11 raises €17M – Dutch startup building fiber-optic infrastructure to defend Europe’s subsea cables.

• Belarus jails Imaguru founders – Sentenced to 11 and 12 years for startup support and protest involvement.


🇺🇸 USA & GLOBAL

• AI education mandate in schools – Trump signs executive order for mandatory AI curriculum (K–12) starting 2025–2026.

• OpenAI drama continues – Stays nonprofit but restructures as a public benefit corp; judge orders full retention of user logs.

• Slack turns snitch in corporate spying case – Rippling traps a Deel spy via fake Slack channel; used in court.

• Apple forced to allow external payments – Major US court ruling challenges 30% App Store commission model.

• Microsoft layoffs & Skype shutdown – 3% workforce cut; focus shifts fully to AI development.

• Nissan closes 7 factories – 20,000 layoffs amid EV transition and global tariff uncertainty.

• VCs immune to AI? – Marc Andreessen claims VCs are irreplaceable in a bold podcast statement.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Lin

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17191623 Tue, 20 May 2025 04:00:00 +0300 3780 6 203 full false 202. Tax Expert Reveals How Startups Can Take Advantage of Tax Opportunities, Where the Baltics Rank in Competitiveness Globally & How to Use Niche Content to Build Your Personal Brand w/ Janis Taukacs (Sorainen) 202. Tax Expert Reveals How Startups Can Take Advantage of Tax Opportunities, Where the Baltics Rank in Competitiveness Globally & How to Use Niche Content to Build Your Personal Brand w/ Janis Taukacs (Sorainen) Janis Taukacs is a seasoned tax advisor and partner at Sorainen law firm, where he leads the tax and customs practice. He has nearly 30 years of experience across the Baltics and internationally. Known for his deep expertise in corporate taxation, international structuring, and tax dispute resolution, Janis is also a passionate content creator, running the “Tax Stories” blog and podcast. Through his work, he bridges complex legal frameworks with practical insights for founders, investors, and global businesses navigating tax systems.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Baltic Tax Systems Explained
  • Opportunities and Risks of Distributed Teams and Remote Setups
  • Global Trends in Digital and Corporate Taxation
  • Succession Planning and Tax Structuring for Exits
  • The Hidden Power of Content for Professionals


==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Janis Taukacs is a seasoned tax advisor and partner at Sorainen law firm, where he leads the tax and customs practice. He has nearly 30 years of experience across the Baltics and internationally. Known for his deep expertise in corporate taxation, international structuring, and tax dispute resolution, Janis is also a passionate content creator, running the “Tax Stories” blog and podcast. Through his work, he bridges complex legal frameworks with practical insights for founders, investors, and global businesses navigating tax systems.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Baltic Tax Systems Explained
  • Opportunities and Risks of Distributed Teams and Remote Setups
  • Global Trends in Digital and Corporate Taxation
  • Succession Planning and Tax Structuring for Exits
  • The Hidden Power of Content for Professionals


==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17145912 Tue, 13 May 2025 04:00:00 +0300 3236 6 202 full false 201. Sales Expert with $2Bn in Deals Signed Reveals Why People Fear Sales, Why Good Writing Is Critical, How to Do Founder-Led Sales, Common Mistakes, How to Build a Sales Process in a Startup, and the Impact of AI w/ Zoltan Vardy (Launch Code) 201. Sales Expert with $2Bn in Deals Signed Reveals Why People Fear Sales, Why Good Writing Is Critical, How to Do Founder-Led Sales, Common Mistakes, How to Build a Sales Process in a Startup, and the Impact of AI w/ Zoltan Vardy (Launch Code) Zoltan Vardy is a seasoned sales strategist, startup mentor, and now also a published author whose career spans over 30 years, more than $2 billion in closed deals and more than 200 startups assisted in building their sales function. From leading multinational sales teams to advising early-stage B2B startups, Zoltan has dedicated his work to helping founders build scalable, recurring revenue engines. His signature methodology, “The Launch Code,” is now also the title of his debut book—a practical, story-driven guide to founder-led sales and sales organization design. With a background in journalism and a family of prolific writers, Zoltan combines clear thinking with structured methodology to teach founders not only how to sell, but how to love the process.

On this episode we talk about:

  • What it Means and Takes to Write a Book.

  • Founder-Led Sales vs. Sales Teams

  • Common Sales Mistakes in Startups

  • How to Use Storytelling in Sales and Pitches

  • Diagnosing Fixing a Broken Sales Process

  • AI and the Future of SaaS Sales


Resources referenced in the episode:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Zoltan Vardy is a seasoned sales strategist, startup mentor, and now also a published author whose career spans over 30 years, more than $2 billion in closed deals and more than 200 startups assisted in building their sales function. From leading multinational sales teams to advising early-stage B2B startups, Zoltan has dedicated his work to helping founders build scalable, recurring revenue engines. His signature methodology, “The Launch Code,” is now also the title of his debut book—a practical, story-driven guide to founder-led sales and sales organization design. With a background in journalism and a family of prolific writers, Zoltan combines clear thinking with structured methodology to teach founders not only how to sell, but how to love the process.

On this episode we talk about:

  • What it Means and Takes to Write a Book.

  • Founder-Led Sales vs. Sales Teams

  • Common Sales Mistakes in Startups

  • How to Use Storytelling in Sales and Pitches

  • Diagnosing Fixing a Broken Sales Process

  • AI and the Future of SaaS Sales


Resources referenced in the episode:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17099310 Tue, 06 May 2025 04:00:00 +0300 3346 6 201 full false INSIGHT #16: VC Reveals The Inside Pressure Of Hitting 3X Return Benchmarks And Having To Wait 6–8 Years To Know Whether The Fund Succeeded (And Most Don’t) INSIGHT #16: VC Reveals The Inside Pressure Of Hitting 3X Return Benchmarks And Having To Wait 6–8 Years To Know Whether The Fund Succeeded (And Most Don’t) This is an insight from our previous conversation on the intricacies of VC business:

  • Winners in VC portfolios usually take 6–8 years to emerge—sometimes longer.
  • The 3x return benchmark is extremely difficult to hit.
  • Many funds don’t actually meet their targets, especially emerging managers.
  • Emotional reality: fund managers often don't know if they succeeded for almost a decade.

Jone Vaituleviciute is the managing partner and co-founder of Firstpick, an early-stage VC and accelerator program based in Lithuania and operating across the Baltics. In this episode we decided to focus more on VC as a business rather than looking at startups and founders from a VC perspective. Before starting Firstpick, Jone was a partner at StartupWiseGuys. 

Listen to the full conversation with Jone here on Episode 164:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on the intricacies of VC business:

  • Winners in VC portfolios usually take 6–8 years to emerge—sometimes longer.
  • The 3x return benchmark is extremely difficult to hit.
  • Many funds don’t actually meet their targets, especially emerging managers.
  • Emotional reality: fund managers often don't know if they succeeded for almost a decade.

Jone Vaituleviciute is the managing partner and co-founder of Firstpick, an early-stage VC and accelerator program based in Lithuania and operating across the Baltics. In this episode we decided to focus more on VC as a business rather than looking at startups and founders from a VC perspective. Before starting Firstpick, Jone was a partner at StartupWiseGuys. 

Listen to the full conversation with Jone here on Episode 164:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-17048115 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0300 813 full false 200th Episode Q&A: What Does It Mean to Be Scrappy, Most Impressive Learnings in 4 Years, Beliefs We Held That Are No Longer True, Tips to Stay Focused & Motivated 200th Episode Q&A: What Does It Mean to Be Scrappy, Most Impressive Learnings in 4 Years, Beliefs We Held That Are No Longer True, Tips to Stay Focused & Motivated Welcome to the 200th episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast! We  celebrate this major milestone by flipping the script. Having interviewed top founders, VCs, and operators across Europe and beyond, we turn the mic on ourselves this time—reflecting on four years of podcasting, lessons learned, and what it truly means to stay “scrappy.” Fueled by thoughtful questions submitted by past guests, this episode is a candid and insightful deep-dive into what it takes to consistently create meaningful content, stay motivated, and grow a show in an ever-changing media landscape.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Reflecting on 200 Episodes
  • What It Means to Be a Content Creator Today
  • Scrappiness Reimagined
  • What Can the Region Improve to Become More Successful 
  • Lessons from Guests That Changed Our Thinking
  • How to Stay Consistent and Motivated
  • And more!

Special thanks to the guests who submitted questions:

  • Martins Vaivars
  • Frank Sondors
  • Martins Lasmanis
  • Donatas Keras
  • Avery Schrader
  • Anna Andersone
  • Jekabs Endzins
  • Vytautas Kubilius
  • Julija Jegorova
  • Mikus Krams

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Welcome to the 200th episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast! We  celebrate this major milestone by flipping the script. Having interviewed top founders, VCs, and operators across Europe and beyond, we turn the mic on ourselves this time—reflecting on four years of podcasting, lessons learned, and what it truly means to stay “scrappy.” Fueled by thoughtful questions submitted by past guests, this episode is a candid and insightful deep-dive into what it takes to consistently create meaningful content, stay motivated, and grow a show in an ever-changing media landscape.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Reflecting on 200 Episodes
  • What It Means to Be a Content Creator Today
  • Scrappiness Reimagined
  • What Can the Region Improve to Become More Successful 
  • Lessons from Guests That Changed Our Thinking
  • How to Stay Consistent and Motivated
  • And more!

Special thanks to the guests who submitted questions:

  • Martins Vaivars
  • Frank Sondors
  • Martins Lasmanis
  • Donatas Keras
  • Avery Schrader
  • Anna Andersone
  • Jekabs Endzins
  • Vytautas Kubilius
  • Julija Jegorova
  • Mikus Krams

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-17014872 Tue, 22 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0300 3961 6 200 full false INSIGHT #15: Ragnar Sass Explains How Founders Can Make Real Impact on the Security of Europe by Leveraging Their Startup Experience (Technical Expertise Not Required) INSIGHT #15: Ragnar Sass Explains How Founders Can Make Real Impact on the Security of Europe by Leveraging Their Startup Experience (Technical Expertise Not Required) This is an insight from our previous conversation with Ragnar Sass on helping Ukraine and Europe win:

  • Why the Baltics are uniquely positioned to lead in defense tech.
  • Defense sector sales cycles vs. SaaS—and how Baltic agility offers an advantage.
  • How Ragnar’s team is building a fast, hands-on defense startup ecosystem with hackathons, bootcamps, and testing in Ukraine.
  • Real examples of non-technical founders thriving in defense tech, and why operational skills are more important than ever.

Ragnar Sass is a serial entrepreneur, co-founder of Pipedrive, and an active investor in the Baltic and Ukrainian tech scenes. Beyond his entrepreneurial success, Ragnar has emerged as a leading advocate for Ukraine during its time of crisis, founding the Help99 Convoy initiative, which has delivered over €10 million in aid and critical supplies. With deep ties to Ukraine through business and personal connections, Ragnar is leveraging his expertise to support defense tech innovation and foster resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges.

Listen to the full conversation with Ragnar here on Episode 188:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation with Ragnar Sass on helping Ukraine and Europe win:

  • Why the Baltics are uniquely positioned to lead in defense tech.
  • Defense sector sales cycles vs. SaaS—and how Baltic agility offers an advantage.
  • How Ragnar’s team is building a fast, hands-on defense startup ecosystem with hackathons, bootcamps, and testing in Ukraine.
  • Real examples of non-technical founders thriving in defense tech, and why operational skills are more important than ever.

Ragnar Sass is a serial entrepreneur, co-founder of Pipedrive, and an active investor in the Baltic and Ukrainian tech scenes. Beyond his entrepreneurial success, Ragnar has emerged as a leading advocate for Ukraine during its time of crisis, founding the Help99 Convoy initiative, which has delivered over €10 million in aid and critical supplies. With deep ties to Ukraine through business and personal connections, Ragnar is leveraging his expertise to support defense tech innovation and foster resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges.

Listen to the full conversation with Ragnar here on Episode 188:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16975264 Tue, 15 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0300 807 full false 71% of Exit Funding in 2024 Came from Secondaries: Learn How It Works, When Your Startup Is Ready, and How to Negotiate the Best Terms w/ Rando Rannus (Siena Secondary Fund). Ep 199 71% of Exit Funding in 2024 Came from Secondaries: Learn How It Works, When Your Startup Is Ready, and How to Negotiate the Best Terms w/ Rando Rannus (Siena Secondary Fund). Ep 199 Rando Rannus is a general partner at Siena Secondary Fund, the first and only dedicated secondary VC fund in the Baltics. With a unique background as both a company founder and operator—having built and sold an advertising business to MTG Group, and held leadership roles at Bolt and Viveo Health—Rando brings an operator’s mindset to venture investing. His fund specializes in providing liquidity to founders, employees, and early investors in high-growth scaleups, with a focus on the CEE and Nordic markets. Through Siena, Rando is pioneering a more flexible, founder-friendly approach to secondaries in a region where the concept is only now beginning to gain momentum.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why over 70% of tech exits in 2024 involved secondary deals and what’s driving this shift in the startup funding lifecycle.
  • How Sienna’s model works, what types of companies qualify, and the benefits for founders and employees.
  • Insight into how deals are valued, including discounting vs. premium pricing, share classes, and rights analysis.
  • Why getting into companies like Bolt and Aura requires trust, timing, and strategic positioning.
  • Rando’s personal story of transitioning from building startups to launching a fund and the lessons learned along the way.

    ==
    If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

    Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/
    Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

    Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

    ===============


Support the show

]]> Rando Rannus is a general partner at Siena Secondary Fund, the first and only dedicated secondary VC fund in the Baltics. With a unique background as both a company founder and operator—having built and sold an advertising business to MTG Group, and held leadership roles at Bolt and Viveo Health—Rando brings an operator’s mindset to venture investing. His fund specializes in providing liquidity to founders, employees, and early investors in high-growth scaleups, with a focus on the CEE and Nordic markets. Through Siena, Rando is pioneering a more flexible, founder-friendly approach to secondaries in a region where the concept is only now beginning to gain momentum.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why over 70% of tech exits in 2024 involved secondary deals and what’s driving this shift in the startup funding lifecycle.
  • How Sienna’s model works, what types of companies qualify, and the benefits for founders and employees.
  • Insight into how deals are valued, including discounting vs. premium pricing, share classes, and rights analysis.
  • Why getting into companies like Bolt and Aura requires trust, timing, and strategic positioning.
  • Rando’s personal story of transitioning from building startups to launching a fund and the lessons learned along the way.

    ==
    If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

    Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/
    Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

    Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

    ===============


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16933477 Tue, 08 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0300 2936 6 199 full false 198. Europe Strikes Back, Biggest Fundraising Announcements in March, Elon Controls 60% of World’s Satellites, Alibaba Joins AI Race, xAI Buys X 198. Europe Strikes Back, Biggest Fundraising Announcements in March, Elon Controls 60% of World’s Satellites, Alibaba Joins AI Race, xAI Buys X Welcome to a new type of episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast. A monthly analysis of topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. We will be looking at events and developments in business, politics and technology from a European and particularly Baltic perspective.  

On this episode we talk about:

  • Baltic funding news
  • Enefit Green going private
  • How Europe strikes back in space and rocket tech
  • Harry Stebbings’ new VC initiative
  • Trade wars & AI wars


1/3 Baltics' Biggest Fundraising Announcements  

  • Walk15 secures €5M Series A at a €13M valuation, nearing 1 million users with its activity app.  
  • Change Ventures invests €250K in Latvian energy startup EngyCell, leveraging old Tesla batteries for storage solutions.  
  • Frankenberg Technologies raises €4M for defense tech, including mini-missiles to be tested in Ukraine.
  • Estonian fintech Cino lands €3.5M seed funding for its card-linking payment-splitting app.  
  • Lithuanian startup Commody raises €0.5M pre-seed for NFT-enabled collectible car ownership. 
  • Eesti Energia’s €1B buyout of Enefit Green shakes up the Baltic stock exchange.

2/3 Europe Strikes Back: Tech Scene Highlights  

  • Harry Stebbings’ 20VC launches a €10M fund targeting founders under 25, backed by top European tech names.  
  • Revolut’s valuation soars to $48B after a Schroder’s stake revaluation, a 1000x return from its 2016 crowdfunding.
  • Bolt acquires Danish taxi startup Vigo to enter Denmark’s regulated ride-hailing market. 
  • Secondaries dominate 2024 exits (71%), offering liquidity to startup stakeholders.  
  • EU set to fine Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets Act for competition and privacy violations.  
  • German startup ISAR Aerospace tests a rocket in Norway, aiming to rival SpaceX with NATO backing.

3/3 Global & U.S. Highlights  

  • Alibaba invests $50B in an AI model for devices like iPhones and BMWs, intensifying the global AI race.  
  • U.S. job-switching yields only a 4.8% wage increase vs. 4.6% for stayers, signaling a shift in career strategies.  
  • OpenAI’s $40B SoftBank investment hinges on its for-profit transition, challenged by Elon Musk’s lawsuit.  
  • XAI acquires X (Twitter) for $33B, integrating AI with social media amid a $80B valuation for XAI.  
  • DOGE claims $130B in savings, dwarfed by a $500B rise in U.S. government spending, raising questions about impact.


==
If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/
Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/
===============


Support the show

]]> Welcome to a new type of episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast. A monthly analysis of topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. We will be looking at events and developments in business, politics and technology from a European and particularly Baltic perspective.  

On this episode we talk about:

  • Baltic funding news
  • Enefit Green going private
  • How Europe strikes back in space and rocket tech
  • Harry Stebbings’ new VC initiative
  • Trade wars & AI wars


1/3 Baltics' Biggest Fundraising Announcements  

  • Walk15 secures €5M Series A at a €13M valuation, nearing 1 million users with its activity app.  
  • Change Ventures invests €250K in Latvian energy startup EngyCell, leveraging old Tesla batteries for storage solutions.  
  • Frankenberg Technologies raises €4M for defense tech, including mini-missiles to be tested in Ukraine.
  • Estonian fintech Cino lands €3.5M seed funding for its card-linking payment-splitting app.  
  • Lithuanian startup Commody raises €0.5M pre-seed for NFT-enabled collectible car ownership. 
  • Eesti Energia’s €1B buyout of Enefit Green shakes up the Baltic stock exchange.

2/3 Europe Strikes Back: Tech Scene Highlights  

  • Harry Stebbings’ 20VC launches a €10M fund targeting founders under 25, backed by top European tech names.  
  • Revolut’s valuation soars to $48B after a Schroder’s stake revaluation, a 1000x return from its 2016 crowdfunding.
  • Bolt acquires Danish taxi startup Vigo to enter Denmark’s regulated ride-hailing market. 
  • Secondaries dominate 2024 exits (71%), offering liquidity to startup stakeholders.  
  • EU set to fine Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets Act for competition and privacy violations.  
  • German startup ISAR Aerospace tests a rocket in Norway, aiming to rival SpaceX with NATO backing.

3/3 Global & U.S. Highlights  

  • Alibaba invests $50B in an AI model for devices like iPhones and BMWs, intensifying the global AI race.  
  • U.S. job-switching yields only a 4.8% wage increase vs. 4.6% for stayers, signaling a shift in career strategies.  
  • OpenAI’s $40B SoftBank investment hinges on its for-profit transition, challenged by Elon Musk’s lawsuit.  
  • XAI acquires X (Twitter) for $33B, integrating AI with social media amid a $80B valuation for XAI.  
  • DOGE claims $130B in savings, dwarfed by a $500B rise in U.S. government spending, raising questions about impact.


==
If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/
Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/
===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16892167 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0300 3772 6 198 full false 800M Downloads, $100M Revenue: How a Bootstrapped Lithuanian Game Studio Won Big — Lessons in Gamification, A/B Testing & Standing Out in Hyper-Competitive Market w/ Ada Mockute Jaime (Nordcurrent). Ep 197 800M Downloads, $100M Revenue: How a Bootstrapped Lithuanian Game Studio Won Big — Lessons in Gamification, A/B Testing & Standing Out in Hyper-Competitive Market w/ Ada Mockute Jaime (Nordcurrent). Ep 197 Ada Mockutė Jaime is the Chief Marketing Officer at Nordcurrent, the largest game developer and publisher from the Baltics. With over 800 million game downloads worldwide and a portfolio of hit mobile titles like Cooking Fever and Airplane Chefs, Nordcurrent has become a global gaming powerhouse—all while remaining completely bootstrapped. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • How Nordcurrent scaled into a global gaming giant without any external funding, driven by adaptability and long-term thinking.
  • What goes into launching a mobile game, from market research to year-long development and brutal early-stage testing.
  • How Nordcurrent uses TikTok, player feedback, and grassroots engagement to fuel virality and loyalty.
  • Ada’s take on why most non-gaming apps miss the mark with gamification and what truly makes engagement work.
  • The business model behind mobile games, balancing in-app purchases, ad revenue, and player churn.
  • Lessons other businesses can take from gaming: A/B testing culture, creative iteration, and building around user psychology.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Ada Mockutė Jaime is the Chief Marketing Officer at Nordcurrent, the largest game developer and publisher from the Baltics. With over 800 million game downloads worldwide and a portfolio of hit mobile titles like Cooking Fever and Airplane Chefs, Nordcurrent has become a global gaming powerhouse—all while remaining completely bootstrapped. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • How Nordcurrent scaled into a global gaming giant without any external funding, driven by adaptability and long-term thinking.
  • What goes into launching a mobile game, from market research to year-long development and brutal early-stage testing.
  • How Nordcurrent uses TikTok, player feedback, and grassroots engagement to fuel virality and loyalty.
  • Ada’s take on why most non-gaming apps miss the mark with gamification and what truly makes engagement work.
  • The business model behind mobile games, balancing in-app purchases, ad revenue, and player churn.
  • Lessons other businesses can take from gaming: A/B testing culture, creative iteration, and building around user psychology.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16848803 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0200 3010 6 197 full false INSIGHT #14: Listen to This If You Want to Accelerate Your Career in Tech & Startups: How StartSchool Aims to Bring Free World-Class Coding Education to the Most Ambitious New Founders INSIGHT #14: Listen to This If You Want to Accelerate Your Career in Tech & Startups: How StartSchool Aims to Bring Free World-Class Coding Education to the Most Ambitious New Founders This is an insight from our previous conversation on jumpstarting your tech career by joining Startschool:

  • Apply by March 31st, 2025
  • Get world class training for free
  • Project based, peer-to-peer learning
  • Learn both tech and business skills

Anna Andersone and Kristofs Blaus are co-founders of StartSchool, a brand new transformative IT and business education program in Latvia, aimed at nurturing future technology leaders. With a unique curriculum combining comprehensive coding education from Silicon Valley and practical startup skills, the program is designed to produce well-rounded graduates ready to launch their own startups or join tech companies. 

Listen to the full conversation with Anna and Kristofs here on Episode 162:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on jumpstarting your tech career by joining Startschool:

  • Apply by March 31st, 2025
  • Get world class training for free
  • Project based, peer-to-peer learning
  • Learn both tech and business skills

Anna Andersone and Kristofs Blaus are co-founders of StartSchool, a brand new transformative IT and business education program in Latvia, aimed at nurturing future technology leaders. With a unique curriculum combining comprehensive coding education from Silicon Valley and practical startup skills, the program is designed to produce well-rounded graduates ready to launch their own startups or join tech companies. 

Listen to the full conversation with Anna and Kristofs here on Episode 162:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16807937 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0200 708 full false 196. Marija Rucevska on How the New Outlast Fund Aims to Bridge the Funding Gap, What Kind of Founders Early-Stage Investors Are Looking to Back, and Why You Don’t Need Unicorn Potential to Attract Investors 196. Marija Rucevska on How the New Outlast Fund Aims to Bridge the Funding Gap, What Kind of Founders Early-Stage Investors Are Looking to Back, and Why You Don’t Need Unicorn Potential to Attract Investors Marija Rucevska is the founding partner of Outlast Fund, a newly launched venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments in the Baltics and Nordics. With over a decade of experience in the startup ecosystem, Marija has played a key role in shaping the regional tech landscape, contributing with brands like TechChill, Practica, Helve, Techhub and others. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Rise of Early-Stage VC in the Baltics 
  • Outlast Fund’s Investment Philosophy
  • The Future of Fundraising in the Region
  • Building High-Growth Startups in a Competitive Landscape
  • Defense Tech and Its Investment Potential

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Marija Rucevska is the founding partner of Outlast Fund, a newly launched venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments in the Baltics and Nordics. With over a decade of experience in the startup ecosystem, Marija has played a key role in shaping the regional tech landscape, contributing with brands like TechChill, Practica, Helve, Techhub and others. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Rise of Early-Stage VC in the Baltics 
  • Outlast Fund’s Investment Philosophy
  • The Future of Fundraising in the Region
  • Building High-Growth Startups in a Competitive Landscape
  • Defense Tech and Its Investment Potential

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16766916 Tue, 11 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0200 3042 6 196 full false INSIGHT #13: What’s Different in the Mindset of a Second-Time Founder, the Importance of Cofounder Fit, and Why You Shouldn’t Fear Entering an Unknown Industry INSIGHT #13: What’s Different in the Mindset of a Second-Time Founder, the Importance of Cofounder Fit, and Why You Shouldn’t Fear Entering an Unknown Industry This is an insight from our previous conversation on starting a new company as a second-time founder:

  • The mindset of a repeat founder differs substantially from first-time founder - more ambition
  • Apply a structured approach to figuring out your next business
  • Having the right founder is still the main key to success
  • Don’t be afraid to start in an unknown industry - there are hidden benefits to that
  • Execution beats planning

Martins Lasmanis is the co-founder of Supliful - a platform that allows you to start your vitamin and supplement dropshipping business in minutes. He is a serial entrepreneur having co-founded and exited companies before. Martins also spent almost 10 years as a VC having seen the business also from the investor side.

Listen to the full conversation with Martins here on Episode 138:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on starting a new company as a second-time founder:

  • The mindset of a repeat founder differs substantially from first-time founder - more ambition
  • Apply a structured approach to figuring out your next business
  • Having the right founder is still the main key to success
  • Don’t be afraid to start in an unknown industry - there are hidden benefits to that
  • Execution beats planning

Martins Lasmanis is the co-founder of Supliful - a platform that allows you to start your vitamin and supplement dropshipping business in minutes. He is a serial entrepreneur having co-founded and exited companies before. Martins also spent almost 10 years as a VC having seen the business also from the investor side.

Listen to the full conversation with Martins here on Episode 138:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16725534 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0200 537 full false 195. Is JD Vance Right About Free Speech in Europe, Is It Safe to Use DeepSeek for Your Startup, Biggest Fundraising Announcements, Do We Need DOGE, Upcoming VC Apocalypse & Yes, AI Is Fueling Layoffs 195. Is JD Vance Right About Free Speech in Europe, Is It Safe to Use DeepSeek for Your Startup, Biggest Fundraising Announcements, Do We Need DOGE, Upcoming VC Apocalypse & Yes, AI Is Fueling Layoffs Welcome to a new type of episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast. A monthly discussion format on topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. We will be looking at events and developments in business, politics and technology from a European and particularly Baltic perspective. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • A deep dive into whether Europe’s free speech restrictions are justified, how Germany polices online content, and whether the Baltics have more freedom in comparison.
  • Examining Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), its actual impact on U.S. spending, and whether such an initiative would work in Europe.
  • Why Estonia is introducing a 2% defense tax, how it compares to other European countries, and whether other nations should follow suit.
  • A look at the latest investment rounds, including the biggest raises in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and why growth-stage funding is still lagging behind.
  • A discussion on the crisis in venture capital, why many 2020–2021 funds are still stuck at 1x valuation, and what this means for future startup investments.
  • Are recent tech layoffs driven by AI automation, or is AI just a convenient scapegoat? Analyzing the Klarna and Stripe cases, plus how startups can use AI to stay competitive.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/
Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Welcome to a new type of episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast. A monthly discussion format on topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. We will be looking at events and developments in business, politics and technology from a European and particularly Baltic perspective. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • A deep dive into whether Europe’s free speech restrictions are justified, how Germany polices online content, and whether the Baltics have more freedom in comparison.
  • Examining Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), its actual impact on U.S. spending, and whether such an initiative would work in Europe.
  • Why Estonia is introducing a 2% defense tax, how it compares to other European countries, and whether other nations should follow suit.
  • A look at the latest investment rounds, including the biggest raises in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and why growth-stage funding is still lagging behind.
  • A discussion on the crisis in venture capital, why many 2020–2021 funds are still stuck at 1x valuation, and what this means for future startup investments.
  • Are recent tech layoffs driven by AI automation, or is AI just a convenient scapegoat? Analyzing the Klarna and Stripe cases, plus how startups can use AI to stay competitive.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/
Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16685085 Tue, 25 Feb 2025 04:00:00 +0200 4232 6 195 full false 194. “We Entrust Things to AI That We Never Would to Any Other Software - And It’s Wrong”: AI Security Expert Reveals the Risks Startups Are Facing & How to Protect Against Them w/ Peter Garraghan (Mindgard) 194. “We Entrust Things to AI That We Never Would to Any Other Software - And It’s Wrong”: AI Security Expert Reveals the Risks Startups Are Facing & How to Protect Against Them w/ Peter Garraghan (Mindgard) Peter Garraghan is the CEO and co-founder of Mindgard, a cybersecurity startup focused on protecting businesses from AI-driven threats. With a background as a professor of computer science and an internationally recognized expert in security, Peter has dedicated his career to understanding and mitigating risks associated with AI systems. Having raised over $8 million in funding, he leads efforts in tackling emerging AI vulnerabilities, ensuring that companies can integrate AI safely into their operations. Featured in Forbes and with over 60 published scientific papers, Peter is at the forefront of AI security research, helping businesses navigate the complex and evolving landscape of artificial intelligence risks.


On this episode we talk about:

  • Understanding the vulnerabilities of AI models and why businesses need to take them seriously.
  • The rise of AI-powered scams, phishing attacks, and deepfakes, and how they impact businesses and individuals.
  • Traditional cybersecurity methods vs. the unique challenges posed by AI-driven threats.
  • Best practices for companies integrating AI into their operations without exposing themselves to risks.
  • Where AI security is headed and the potential dangers as AI systems become more autonomous.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Peter Garraghan is the CEO and co-founder of Mindgard, a cybersecurity startup focused on protecting businesses from AI-driven threats. With a background as a professor of computer science and an internationally recognized expert in security, Peter has dedicated his career to understanding and mitigating risks associated with AI systems. Having raised over $8 million in funding, he leads efforts in tackling emerging AI vulnerabilities, ensuring that companies can integrate AI safely into their operations. Featured in Forbes and with over 60 published scientific papers, Peter is at the forefront of AI security research, helping businesses navigate the complex and evolving landscape of artificial intelligence risks.


On this episode we talk about:

  • Understanding the vulnerabilities of AI models and why businesses need to take them seriously.
  • The rise of AI-powered scams, phishing attacks, and deepfakes, and how they impact businesses and individuals.
  • Traditional cybersecurity methods vs. the unique challenges posed by AI-driven threats.
  • Best practices for companies integrating AI into their operations without exposing themselves to risks.
  • Where AI security is headed and the potential dangers as AI systems become more autonomous.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16639390 Tue, 18 Feb 2025 04:00:00 +0200 2673 6 194 full false INSIGHT #12: “To Build a Multi-Million Dollar Company, You Cannot Rely on One Bet—You Need Successive Growth Loops” + The 70-20-10 Framework to Manage Stability, Expansion, and Innovation w/ Anastasija Oleinika (Fyul) INSIGHT #12: “To Build a Multi-Million Dollar Company, You Cannot Rely on One Bet—You Need Successive Growth Loops” + The 70-20-10 Framework to Manage Stability, Expansion, and Innovation w/ Anastasija Oleinika (Fyul) This is an insight from our previous conversation on building a multi billion dollar company and growth strategy:

  • Companies cannot rely on just one big bet or hope to stumble upon successive growth loops. A long term structured growth plan is required
  • The 70-20-10 Framework for Company Strategy ensures a balance between stability, expansion, and innovation.
  • Investors look for a clear and sustainable plan for growth, not just user acquisition or high valuations.

Anastasija Oleinika is the President and Head of Platform of the newly merged Latvian print on demand powerhouse Fyul (Printify + Printful). At the time of recording Anastasija was the CEO of Printify, a platform revolutionizing the print-on-demand market that raised more than 50mUSD in VC funding. Her leadership journey includes her previous CEO role at the Twino investment platform, where similarly to Printify she transitioned from CFO to CEO role.

Listen to the full conversation with Anastasija here on Episode 157:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on building a multi billion dollar company and growth strategy:

  • Companies cannot rely on just one big bet or hope to stumble upon successive growth loops. A long term structured growth plan is required
  • The 70-20-10 Framework for Company Strategy ensures a balance between stability, expansion, and innovation.
  • Investors look for a clear and sustainable plan for growth, not just user acquisition or high valuations.

Anastasija Oleinika is the President and Head of Platform of the newly merged Latvian print on demand powerhouse Fyul (Printify + Printful). At the time of recording Anastasija was the CEO of Printify, a platform revolutionizing the print-on-demand market that raised more than 50mUSD in VC funding. Her leadership journey includes her previous CEO role at the Twino investment platform, where similarly to Printify she transitioned from CFO to CEO role.

Listen to the full conversation with Anastasija here on Episode 157:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16596430 Tue, 11 Feb 2025 04:00:00 +0200 779 full false 193. A Founder Who Built Crypto Startup with 14M Users & Then Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy Charges Reveals What You Should Know About Regulations, Methods to Achieve Early Growth & Why Crypto Founders Build Fewer Unicorns w/ Artur Schaback (Paxful) 193. A Founder Who Built Crypto Startup with 14M Users & Then Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy Charges Reveals What You Should Know About Regulations, Methods to Achieve Early Growth & Why Crypto Founders Build Fewer Unicorns w/ Artur Schaback (Paxful) Artur Schaback is the co-founder of Paxful, a peer-to-peer Bitcoin marketplace and one of the most well-known brands in the crypto industry. Having built Paxful into a major force in the crypto industry, Artur has witnessed the ups and downs of the Bitcoin ecosystem firsthand. He recently left his full-time role at Paxful and is now working on Clip Finance, a DeFi yield optimization protocol, where he is a core contributor.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The rise of Paxful and the early days of Bitcoin 
  • Growth hacking strategies that scaled Paxful 
  • Managing compliance and getting charged by DOJ
  • Lessons from crypto’s boom and bust cycles
  • The role of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Clip Finance
  • Trump’s return and the future of crypto regulations

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Artur Schaback is the co-founder of Paxful, a peer-to-peer Bitcoin marketplace and one of the most well-known brands in the crypto industry. Having built Paxful into a major force in the crypto industry, Artur has witnessed the ups and downs of the Bitcoin ecosystem firsthand. He recently left his full-time role at Paxful and is now working on Clip Finance, a DeFi yield optimization protocol, where he is a core contributor.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The rise of Paxful and the early days of Bitcoin 
  • Growth hacking strategies that scaled Paxful 
  • Managing compliance and getting charged by DOJ
  • Lessons from crypto’s boom and bust cycles
  • The role of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Clip Finance
  • Trump’s return and the future of crypto regulations

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16553633 Tue, 04 Feb 2025 04:00:00 +0200 2913 6 193 full false 192. 5 Ways Trump Will Practically Affect Your Startup in Europe, Latest in AI Race, Fintechs Dominate European Top 20 Startups & Can the EU Catch Up with the US? 192. 5 Ways Trump Will Practically Affect Your Startup in Europe, Latest in AI Race, Fintechs Dominate European Top 20 Startups & Can the EU Catch Up with the US? Welcome to a new type of episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast. A monthly discussion format on topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. We will be looking at events and developments in business, politics and technology from a European and particularly Baltic perspective. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • The impact of Trump’s return on Europe and startups.
  • The EU’s plan to unify business regulations to boost cross-border innovation and investment.
  • A breakdown of Sifted’s list of top 20 European unicorns, highlighting successes from the Baltic region.
  • The Estonian Startup awards, a.k.a the Pursuit of Scrappiness Homecoming.
  • Examining recent advancements in AI, including OpenAI’s new agent capabilities , Nexos.ai and Europe’s role in the AI landscape.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Welcome to a new type of episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast. A monthly discussion format on topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. We will be looking at events and developments in business, politics and technology from a European and particularly Baltic perspective. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • The impact of Trump’s return on Europe and startups.
  • The EU’s plan to unify business regulations to boost cross-border innovation and investment.
  • A breakdown of Sifted’s list of top 20 European unicorns, highlighting successes from the Baltic region.
  • The Estonian Startup awards, a.k.a the Pursuit of Scrappiness Homecoming.
  • Examining recent advancements in AI, including OpenAI’s new agent capabilities , Nexos.ai and Europe’s role in the AI landscape.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16512760 Tue, 28 Jan 2025 04:00:00 +0200 3366 6 192 full false 191. “Hard Problems Remain Hard Whether It’s War or Peacetime”: CEO Who Raised $4M Pre-Seed Shares His Learnings as a 2nd-Time Founder, Securing Government Grants & Thoughts on Recent UFO Sightings w/ Agris Kipurs 191. “Hard Problems Remain Hard Whether It’s War or Peacetime”: CEO Who Raised $4M Pre-Seed Shares His Learnings as a 2nd-Time Founder, Securing Government Grants & Thoughts on Recent UFO Sightings w/ Agris Kipurs Agris Kipurs is the Co-Founder and CEO of Origin Robotics, a pioneering defense tech startup specializing in autonomous drone systems for precision strikes in challenging environments. The company recently raised a 4mEUR pre-seed round led by Change Ventures and featuring support from the EU and the Latvian Ministry of Defense. Agris was also a co-founder of Airdog, the first commercial application drone to fly without remote control which was exited to Alarm.com. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Evolution of Drone Technology
  • Building a Defense Tech Startup
  • The Role of Reputation in Defense Tech
  • Navigating Funding in Defense
  • Lessons from Ukraine’s Defense Innovations

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Agris Kipurs is the Co-Founder and CEO of Origin Robotics, a pioneering defense tech startup specializing in autonomous drone systems for precision strikes in challenging environments. The company recently raised a 4mEUR pre-seed round led by Change Ventures and featuring support from the EU and the Latvian Ministry of Defense. Agris was also a co-founder of Airdog, the first commercial application drone to fly without remote control which was exited to Alarm.com. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Evolution of Drone Technology
  • Building a Defense Tech Startup
  • The Role of Reputation in Defense Tech
  • Navigating Funding in Defense
  • Lessons from Ukraine’s Defense Innovations

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16463404 Tue, 21 Jan 2025 04:00:00 +0200 2860 6 191 full false 190. Podcaster-Turned-Founder Who Just Raised $12 Million Series A Explains Dos and Don’ts of Influencer Marketing, Why It Might Not Work for B2B, & How to Create a Culture That Makes Employees Tattoo Your Logo w/ Avery Schrader (Modash) 190. Podcaster-Turned-Founder Who Just Raised $12 Million Series A Explains Dos and Don’ts of Influencer Marketing, Why It Might Not Work for B2B, & How to Create a Culture That Makes Employees Tattoo Your Logo w/ Avery Schrader (Modash) Avery Schrader is the founder and CEO of Modash, a leading influencer marketing platform that helps brands scale partnerships with content creators. With a background in building relationships and driving results for companies like Bolt and Verif, Avery’s journey to creating Modash stems from firsthand experience in the creator economy. Modash now serves over 1,500 customers globally, including brands like Victoria’s Secret and Birkenstock, enabling them to discover and manage influencer campaigns effectively. The company recently raised an impressive 11mEUR Series A round.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why influencer partnerships outperform traditional ads and how brands can leverage authentic storytelling.
  • Avery’s entrepreneurial journey, including product validation and pivoting to focus on search functionality.
  • Practical advice on selecting creators, setting expectations, and adopting a portfolio-based approach.
  • How startups can use influencers creatively for brand awareness and niche audience engagement.
  • Key metrics to track, attribution challenges, and strategies for ensuring ROI.
  • The importance of hiring top talent, structuring company values, and fostering a high-performance culture.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Avery Schrader is the founder and CEO of Modash, a leading influencer marketing platform that helps brands scale partnerships with content creators. With a background in building relationships and driving results for companies like Bolt and Verif, Avery’s journey to creating Modash stems from firsthand experience in the creator economy. Modash now serves over 1,500 customers globally, including brands like Victoria’s Secret and Birkenstock, enabling them to discover and manage influencer campaigns effectively. The company recently raised an impressive 11mEUR Series A round.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why influencer partnerships outperform traditional ads and how brands can leverage authentic storytelling.
  • Avery’s entrepreneurial journey, including product validation and pivoting to focus on search functionality.
  • Practical advice on selecting creators, setting expectations, and adopting a portfolio-based approach.
  • How startups can use influencers creatively for brand awareness and niche audience engagement.
  • Key metrics to track, attribution challenges, and strategies for ensuring ROI.
  • The importance of hiring top talent, structuring company values, and fostering a high-performance culture.

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16289509 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 04:00:00 +0200 3135 6 190 full false 189. Ads, Analytics & AI. How Distractions Rob Us of Ability to Think Deeply, Challenges of Tracking Marketing ROI & Creating B2B Content Optimized for ChatGPT w/ Vlad Zhovtenko (RedTrack) 189. Ads, Analytics & AI. How Distractions Rob Us of Ability to Think Deeply, Challenges of Tracking Marketing ROI & Creating B2B Content Optimized for ChatGPT w/ Vlad Zhovtenko (RedTrack) Vlad Zhovtenko is the founder and CEO of RedTrack, a leading ad tracking platform used by over 800 businesses to measure and optimize ad performance across 60,000 ad accounts worldwide. With deep experience in marketing technology, Vlad has built a solution that simplifies complex ad attribution, helping companies better understand their campaign ROI and maximize advertising budgets. The company recently raised 2.9mEUR to fulfill their mission.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How AI improves ad performance tracking and automates decision-making processes for marketers.
  • Why accurate tracking remains difficult across multiple touchpoints and devices.
  • Why B2B companies should embrace Black Friday.
  • Why smaller companies often overlook valuable tools and strategies for optimizing ad spend.
  • How tracking and observing data daily helps founders identify key patterns and make better decisions.

Resources referenced in the episode:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Vlad Zhovtenko is the founder and CEO of RedTrack, a leading ad tracking platform used by over 800 businesses to measure and optimize ad performance across 60,000 ad accounts worldwide. With deep experience in marketing technology, Vlad has built a solution that simplifies complex ad attribution, helping companies better understand their campaign ROI and maximize advertising budgets. The company recently raised 2.9mEUR to fulfill their mission.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How AI improves ad performance tracking and automates decision-making processes for marketers.
  • Why accurate tracking remains difficult across multiple touchpoints and devices.
  • Why B2B companies should embrace Black Friday.
  • Why smaller companies often overlook valuable tools and strategies for optimizing ad spend.
  • How tracking and observing data daily helps founders identify key patterns and make better decisions.

Resources referenced in the episode:

==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16241362 Tue, 10 Dec 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2807 6 189 full false 188. Ragnar Sass: Unicorn Founder Who Turned His Attention to Helping Ukraine – Lessons Learned on the Ground, Military and Terrorist Drone Threats, and Why Defense Tech Needs Non-Technical Founders 188. Ragnar Sass: Unicorn Founder Who Turned His Attention to Helping Ukraine – Lessons Learned on the Ground, Military and Terrorist Drone Threats, and Why Defense Tech Needs Non-Technical Founders Ragnar Sass is a serial entrepreneur, co-founder of the unicorn Pipedrive, and an active investor in the Baltic and Ukrainian tech scenes. Beyond his entrepreneurial success, Ragnar has emerged as a leading advocate for Ukraine during its time of crisis, founding the Help99 Convoy initiative, which has delivered over €10 million in aid and critical supplies. With deep ties to Ukraine through business and personal connections, Ragnar is leveraging his expertise to support defense tech innovation and foster resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Role of drone technology in modern warfare
  • Stories of Ukrainian founders balancing entrepreneurship and national defense efforts amidst war.
  • Opportunities in DefenseTech and how also non-technical founders can contribute
  • Insights into navigating compliance, fundraising, and long sales cycles in the defense sector.
  • Lessons from Israel’s defense model and how Europe must adapt to new security realities.

To continue supporting Ukraine financially, go to: https://www.help99.co/
==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness


Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Ragnar Sass is a serial entrepreneur, co-founder of the unicorn Pipedrive, and an active investor in the Baltic and Ukrainian tech scenes. Beyond his entrepreneurial success, Ragnar has emerged as a leading advocate for Ukraine during its time of crisis, founding the Help99 Convoy initiative, which has delivered over €10 million in aid and critical supplies. With deep ties to Ukraine through business and personal connections, Ragnar is leveraging his expertise to support defense tech innovation and foster resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Role of drone technology in modern warfare
  • Stories of Ukrainian founders balancing entrepreneurship and national defense efforts amidst war.
  • Opportunities in DefenseTech and how also non-technical founders can contribute
  • Insights into navigating compliance, fundraising, and long sales cycles in the defense sector.
  • Lessons from Israel’s defense model and how Europe must adapt to new security realities.

To continue supporting Ukraine financially, go to: https://www.help99.co/
==

If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness


Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16206361 Tue, 03 Dec 2024 04:00:00 +0200 3105 6 188 full false 187. Martin Sokk (Lightyear) Explains How the Courage to Go Against Conventional Wisdom Led to 40 Consecutive Months of Growth and a Product with Virtually No Churn + Why Founders Should Always Be Raising 187. Martin Sokk (Lightyear) Explains How the Courage to Go Against Conventional Wisdom Led to 40 Consecutive Months of Growth and a Product with Virtually No Churn + Why Founders Should Always Be Raising Martin Sokk is the Founder and CEO of Lightyear - the greatest investing app for stocks, bonds, ETFs, you name it. The company raised 25mUSD back in 2022 from such big name investors as Lightspeed venture partners, Virgin Group, Taavet+Sten, Metaplanet and others and has been building relentlessly since. Martin was on our show before on episode 81 shortly after their Series A round, so you are welcome to scroll back!

On this episode we talk about:

- Navigating Regulatory Challenges in Fintech
- The Importance of Localization in European Markets
- Building a Simple and Intuitive User Experience
- Balancing Sustainability and Profitability
- Fundraising Strategies and Longevity in Startups

==
If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Martin Sokk is the Founder and CEO of Lightyear - the greatest investing app for stocks, bonds, ETFs, you name it. The company raised 25mUSD back in 2022 from such big name investors as Lightspeed venture partners, Virgin Group, Taavet+Sten, Metaplanet and others and has been building relentlessly since. Martin was on our show before on episode 81 shortly after their Series A round, so you are welcome to scroll back!

On this episode we talk about:

- Navigating Regulatory Challenges in Fintech
- The Importance of Localization in European Markets
- Building a Simple and Intuitive User Experience
- Balancing Sustainability and Profitability
- Fundraising Strategies and Longevity in Startups

==
If you liked this episode or simply want to support the work we do, buy us a coffee or two, or a hundred, with just a few clicks at: https://buymeacoffee.com/pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16172460 Tue, 26 Nov 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2492 6 187 full false INSIGHT #11: Learn Visual Storytelling Tips from a Man Who Broke Out of 9-to-5 Job to Become LinkedIn's Top Visual Influencer with 200K+ Followers INSIGHT #11: Learn Visual Storytelling Tips from a Man Who Broke Out of 9-to-5 Job to Become LinkedIn's Top Visual Influencer with 200K+ Followers This is an insight from our previous conversation on making your visual presentations more powerful:

  • Breaking down complex concepts into essential elements to make them easier to understand
  • Avoiding clutter in visual presentations, highlighting that simplicity and minimalism
  • A method for testing visuals you can apply today

Janis Ozolins is an illustrator known for his compelling visual content on LinkedIn and Twitter. He has built an impressive following on these platforms, showcasing his unique ability to visualize and simplify complex life and business concepts. His work, which often addresses themes like productivity, procrastination, and overcoming perfectionism, resonates with a wide audience. Janis's skills have not only attracted the attention of top LinkedIn influencers like Justin Welsh and Sahil Bloom but have also made him a sought-after figure in the realm of content creation. Through his work, Janis demonstrates how to make business presentations more effective and points more relatable, turning content creation into a thriving business​​.

Listen to the full conversation with Janis here on Episode 140:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on making your visual presentations more powerful:

  • Breaking down complex concepts into essential elements to make them easier to understand
  • Avoiding clutter in visual presentations, highlighting that simplicity and minimalism
  • A method for testing visuals you can apply today

Janis Ozolins is an illustrator known for his compelling visual content on LinkedIn and Twitter. He has built an impressive following on these platforms, showcasing his unique ability to visualize and simplify complex life and business concepts. His work, which often addresses themes like productivity, procrastination, and overcoming perfectionism, resonates with a wide audience. Janis's skills have not only attracted the attention of top LinkedIn influencers like Justin Welsh and Sahil Bloom but have also made him a sought-after figure in the realm of content creation. Through his work, Janis demonstrates how to make business presentations more effective and points more relatable, turning content creation into a thriving business​​.

Listen to the full conversation with Janis here on Episode 140:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16022496 Thu, 21 Nov 2024 04:00:00 +0200 528 full false 186. Being a Startup CEO in Constant Crisis Mode, Why Founders Make the Best Salespeople, Balancing Values & Profit, Why Companies Should Take a Political Stance w/ Anna-Liisa Palatu (Woola) 186. Being a Startup CEO in Constant Crisis Mode, Why Founders Make the Best Salespeople, Balancing Values & Profit, Why Companies Should Take a Political Stance w/ Anna-Liisa Palatu (Woola) Anna-Liisa Palatu is the co-founder and CEO of Woola, an Estonian startup transforming waste wool into sustainable packaging to replace plastic. Under her leadership, Woola has gained recognition across Europe, securing high-profile clients like LVMH and raising €2.5 million to scale operations.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why plastic is harmful, from fossil fuel origins to its lack of recyclability.
  • The challenges of pricing sustainable packaging in a plastic-dominated market.
  • How end-user demand is driving companies to adopt eco-friendly solutions.
  • Why founders are the best salespeople and how Woola built its customer base from day one.
  • Staying true to company values while navigating crises and rejecting unethical opportunities.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Anna-Liisa Palatu is the co-founder and CEO of Woola, an Estonian startup transforming waste wool into sustainable packaging to replace plastic. Under her leadership, Woola has gained recognition across Europe, securing high-profile clients like LVMH and raising €2.5 million to scale operations.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why plastic is harmful, from fossil fuel origins to its lack of recyclability.
  • The challenges of pricing sustainable packaging in a plastic-dominated market.
  • How end-user demand is driving companies to adopt eco-friendly solutions.
  • Why founders are the best salespeople and how Woola built its customer base from day one.
  • Staying true to company values while navigating crises and rejecting unethical opportunities.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16127013 Tue, 19 Nov 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2554 6 186 full false INSIGHT #10: Silicon Valley Visionary Rahul Vohra Reveals His Method for Measuring Product-Market Fit That Helped Him Build an $825M Startup INSIGHT #10: Silicon Valley Visionary Rahul Vohra Reveals His Method for Measuring Product-Market Fit That Helped Him Build an $825M Startup This is an insight from our previous conversation on product-market fit:

  • What is product-market fit and how do you know you have it?
  • Measuring product-market fit
  • Methodology for continuous work with product-market fit

Rahul Vohra, the CEO and founder of Superhuman, has revolutionized the email experience by creating the world's fastest email service. A seasoned entrepreneur, Vohra previously sold his first startup to LinkedIn and has since grown Superhuman into a notable presence in the email and productivity sphere, backed by 125mUSD in venture capital funding from investors such as Dropbox founders, Jason Calacanis, Ashton Kutcher, Will Smith and Tiger Global. He is also an angel investor and frequently appears in media such as Forbes, Fortune as well as on many podcasts you might also be a listener of such as Acquired, This Week in Startups or My First Million.

Listen to the full conversation with Rahul here on Episode 155:

===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on product-market fit:

  • What is product-market fit and how do you know you have it?
  • Measuring product-market fit
  • Methodology for continuous work with product-market fit

Rahul Vohra, the CEO and founder of Superhuman, has revolutionized the email experience by creating the world's fastest email service. A seasoned entrepreneur, Vohra previously sold his first startup to LinkedIn and has since grown Superhuman into a notable presence in the email and productivity sphere, backed by 125mUSD in venture capital funding from investors such as Dropbox founders, Jason Calacanis, Ashton Kutcher, Will Smith and Tiger Global. He is also an angel investor and frequently appears in media such as Forbes, Fortune as well as on many podcasts you might also be a listener of such as Acquired, This Week in Startups or My First Million.

Listen to the full conversation with Rahul here on Episode 155:

===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16022102 Thu, 14 Nov 2024 04:00:00 +0200 577 full false 185. Raising $45M from a16z & Lightspeed for a 14-Month-Old Startup to Protect Child Privacy Online w/ Kieran Donovan (k-ID) 185. Raising $45M from a16z & Lightspeed for a 14-Month-Old Startup to Protect Child Privacy Online w/ Kieran Donovan (k-ID) Kieran Donovan is the Founder and CEO of k-ID, a company dedicated to protecting children and teens online. Earlier this year the company raised a 45mUSD Series A round led by A16Z and Lightspeed Venture Partners. With a background in privacy law, Kieran combines his expertise with a commitment to creating age-appropriate online experiences.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Challenges of trust and safety in digital spaces for kids
  • How traditional controls often fall short of creating safe online spaces for children.
  • Why parent involvement is critical in creating positive online experiences for kids.
  • Insights on navigating legal, ethical, and technical challenges in the trust and safety space.
  • How advancements in AI and tech can support safer digital environments.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Kieran Donovan is the Founder and CEO of k-ID, a company dedicated to protecting children and teens online. Earlier this year the company raised a 45mUSD Series A round led by A16Z and Lightspeed Venture Partners. With a background in privacy law, Kieran combines his expertise with a commitment to creating age-appropriate online experiences.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Challenges of trust and safety in digital spaces for kids
  • How traditional controls often fall short of creating safe online spaces for children.
  • Why parent involvement is critical in creating positive online experiences for kids.
  • Insights on navigating legal, ethical, and technical challenges in the trust and safety space.
  • How advancements in AI and tech can support safer digital environments.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16082250 Tue, 12 Nov 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2685 6 185 full false 184. How to Apply the 80/20 Rule in Your Daily Life, What Role Education Plays for Startup Founders, and How to Use AI to Enhance Your Brain vs. Just Outsourcing All Your Intelligence to It w/ Mathias Eklof (Pareto Business School) 184. How to Apply the 80/20 Rule in Your Daily Life, What Role Education Plays for Startup Founders, and How to Use AI to Enhance Your Brain vs. Just Outsourcing All Your Intelligence to It w/ Mathias Eklof (Pareto Business School) Mathias Eklof is a Swedish impact entrepreneur and investor with Hype Ventures. He has remained steadfast in supporting Ukrainian founders as war continues raging on in Ukraine. Since his last appearance on the show in 2022, he has been spending considerable time in Kyiv and with his military background being able to offer unique insights into Ukraine’s tech and investment scene during this critical period. More recently Mathias has co-founded a new higher education product called Pareto School, which offers an alternative to traditional business education.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Applying the 80/20 Pareto principle in life and business
  • Reimagining business education
  • The role of AI and skillful prompting in education
  • The power of cohort-based learning

Listen to the first part of this recording discussing building companies in wartime Ukraine on the previous episode from this Tuesday!

Listen to the 2022 recording with Mathias on episode 70: https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/70-mathias-eklof-hypeventures

==
Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Mathias Eklof is a Swedish impact entrepreneur and investor with Hype Ventures. He has remained steadfast in supporting Ukrainian founders as war continues raging on in Ukraine. Since his last appearance on the show in 2022, he has been spending considerable time in Kyiv and with his military background being able to offer unique insights into Ukraine’s tech and investment scene during this critical period. More recently Mathias has co-founded a new higher education product called Pareto School, which offers an alternative to traditional business education.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Applying the 80/20 Pareto principle in life and business
  • Reimagining business education
  • The role of AI and skillful prompting in education
  • The power of cohort-based learning

Listen to the first part of this recording discussing building companies in wartime Ukraine on the previous episode from this Tuesday!

Listen to the 2022 recording with Mathias on episode 70: https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/70-mathias-eklof-hypeventures

==
Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16036988 Thu, 07 Nov 2024 04:00:00 +0200 1818 6 184 full false 183. Investor in Ukrainian Startups Reveals How Mobilization Affects Tech Talent & How War Has Turned Ukraine into Future Defense Tech Powerhouse w/ Mathias Eklof 183. Investor in Ukrainian Startups Reveals How Mobilization Affects Tech Talent & How War Has Turned Ukraine into Future Defense Tech Powerhouse w/ Mathias Eklof Mathias Eklof is a Swedish impact entrepreneur and investor with Hype Ventures. He has remained steadfast in supporting Ukrainian founders as war continues raging on in Ukraine. Since his last appearance on the show in 2022, he has been spending considerable time in Kyiv being able to offer unique insights into Ukraine’s tech and investment scene during this critical period. More recently Mathias has co-founded a new higher education product called Pareto School, which offers an alternative to traditional business education.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The mood on the ground in Kyiv tech scene
  • Challenges with mobilization and “booking”
  • Investing when founders and key people can be mobilized
  • Growth of Ukrainian DefenseTech sector

Listen to the second part of this recording discussing the future of education on the next episode this Thursday!

Listen to the 2022 recording with Mathias on episode 70: https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/70-mathias-eklof-hypeventures

==
Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Mathias Eklof is a Swedish impact entrepreneur and investor with Hype Ventures. He has remained steadfast in supporting Ukrainian founders as war continues raging on in Ukraine. Since his last appearance on the show in 2022, he has been spending considerable time in Kyiv being able to offer unique insights into Ukraine’s tech and investment scene during this critical period. More recently Mathias has co-founded a new higher education product called Pareto School, which offers an alternative to traditional business education.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The mood on the ground in Kyiv tech scene
  • Challenges with mobilization and “booking”
  • Investing when founders and key people can be mobilized
  • Growth of Ukrainian DefenseTech sector

Listen to the second part of this recording discussing the future of education on the next episode this Thursday!

Listen to the 2022 recording with Mathias on episode 70: https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/70-mathias-eklof-hypeventures

==
Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16036872 Tue, 05 Nov 2024 04:00:00 +0200 1601 6 183 full false INSIGHT #9: WSJ Bestselling Author Reveals How Denial Keeps You from Recognizing Uncomfortable Truths About Yourself & How to Fix It INSIGHT #9: WSJ Bestselling Author Reveals How Denial Keeps You from Recognizing Uncomfortable Truths About Yourself & How to Fix It This is an insight from our previous conversation on dealing with self-delusion and self-awareness:

  • Defense mechanisms like denial keep people from recognizing uncomfortable truths about themselves
  • The importance of self-awareness in understanding personal thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
  • Journaling of thoughts and feelings and regular self-talk can help with self-awareness


Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani is the co-founder of Mindvalley, a life transformation platform with a following of 20 million, as well as a writer, speaker, mother and philanthropist. She is one of the most successful businesswomen in Estonia. Kristina has set her mission to help people heal their most important relationship in life - the relationship with self. To achieve this, Kristina has recently released her new book called “Becoming Flawesome” and the book has become the No. 1 bestseller in the US on the lists of the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Listen to the full conversation with Kristina here on Episode 131:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on dealing with self-delusion and self-awareness:

  • Defense mechanisms like denial keep people from recognizing uncomfortable truths about themselves
  • The importance of self-awareness in understanding personal thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
  • Journaling of thoughts and feelings and regular self-talk can help with self-awareness


Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani is the co-founder of Mindvalley, a life transformation platform with a following of 20 million, as well as a writer, speaker, mother and philanthropist. She is one of the most successful businesswomen in Estonia. Kristina has set her mission to help people heal their most important relationship in life - the relationship with self. To achieve this, Kristina has recently released her new book called “Becoming Flawesome” and the book has become the No. 1 bestseller in the US on the lists of the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Listen to the full conversation with Kristina here on Episode 131:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-16021799 Thu, 31 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0200 629 full false 182. VC Reveals Practical Tips for Fundraising and Managing Investor Relations in the Current Climate, Why Distribution Beats Product, and When You Should Think About ESG w/ Uve Poom (Tenity) 182. VC Reveals Practical Tips for Fundraising and Managing Investor Relations in the Current Climate, Why Distribution Beats Product, and When You Should Think About ESG w/ Uve Poom (Tenity) Uve Poom is the Head of Operations at Tenity Tallinn - one of the 6 hubs in Tenity's international ecosystem. Tenity is a global fintech accelerator and VC. In addition to advising startups in Tenity's portfolio, he also works with financial and state institutions to drive their innovation agendas. Uve firmly believes in building ecosystems and leveraging the strength of weak ties. Before completing his MA at Stanford, Uve spent 5 years as CEO of the Unitas Foundation (founded by 2x Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar) and as a fundraising consultant at Civitta, a leading independent management consulting firm in the Baltics and CEE.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Building an Ecosystem for FinTech and Climate Finance
  • Fundraising Landscape in 2024
  • Traits of a Standout FinTech Company
  • Best Practices for Founders in Building and Maintaining Investor Relationships
  • The Role of ESG and Climate FinTech
  • Opportunities and Challenges in Neo-Banking and Digital Lending

==
Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Uve Poom is the Head of Operations at Tenity Tallinn - one of the 6 hubs in Tenity's international ecosystem. Tenity is a global fintech accelerator and VC. In addition to advising startups in Tenity's portfolio, he also works with financial and state institutions to drive their innovation agendas. Uve firmly believes in building ecosystems and leveraging the strength of weak ties. Before completing his MA at Stanford, Uve spent 5 years as CEO of the Unitas Foundation (founded by 2x Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar) and as a fundraising consultant at Civitta, a leading independent management consulting firm in the Baltics and CEE.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Building an Ecosystem for FinTech and Climate Finance
  • Fundraising Landscape in 2024
  • Traits of a Standout FinTech Company
  • Best Practices for Founders in Building and Maintaining Investor Relationships
  • The Role of ESG and Climate FinTech
  • Opportunities and Challenges in Neo-Banking and Digital Lending

==
Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-16001572 Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0200 2869 full false INSIGHT #8: TikTok Expert with 1 Billion Views Explains Why Follower Count Is NOT a Good Metric for Success and What to Use Instead + What Makes Top Social Media Creators Successful INSIGHT #8: TikTok Expert with 1 Billion Views Explains Why Follower Count Is NOT a Good Metric for Success and What to Use Instead + What Makes Top Social Media Creators Successful This is an insight from our previous conversation on focusing on what differentiates successful content creators:

  • Focusing on quality/engagement of the audience not the size
  • Finding your X-factor and the true authentic self
  • Avoiding mimicking other creators

Elvis Kruze is the founder of Eksplodemedia - a content creation strategy and execution agency. Elvis has helped his clients get over 1Bn views in the past 2 years on social media. He is working with famous YouTubers such as Mike Thurston and runs an agency that specializes in helping brands, influencers & entrepreneurs produce consistent short form content to grow organically. 

Listen to the full conversation with Elvis here on Episode 173:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on focusing on what differentiates successful content creators:

  • Focusing on quality/engagement of the audience not the size
  • Finding your X-factor and the true authentic self
  • Avoiding mimicking other creators

Elvis Kruze is the founder of Eksplodemedia - a content creation strategy and execution agency. Elvis has helped his clients get over 1Bn views in the past 2 years on social media. He is working with famous YouTubers such as Mike Thurston and runs an agency that specializes in helping brands, influencers & entrepreneurs produce consistent short form content to grow organically. 

Listen to the full conversation with Elvis here on Episode 173:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15899946 Thu, 24 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0300 548 full false 181. Atomico Partner Andreas Helbig on How AI Affects Your Attractiveness to VCs, Are We Entering an Era of Billion-Dollar Fundraising & Why European Tech Should Stop Underestimating Itself 181. Atomico Partner Andreas Helbig on How AI Affects Your Attractiveness to VCs, Are We Entering an Era of Billion-Dollar Fundraising & Why European Tech Should Stop Underestimating Itself Andreas Helbig is a partner at Atomico, one of Europe’s leading venture capital firms, focusing on B2B SaaS, vertical SaaS, and B2B marketplaces. With extensive experience in the tech and investment space, Andreas leads Atomico’s coverage in the Nordic and Baltic regions, helping to drive innovation and scale in some of Europe’s most promising startups. One of Europe's Venture capital juggernauts, Atomico announced a massive $1.25 Bn raise across 2 funds just a month ago. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • How AI is transforming businesses and why founders need a clear AI strategy.
  • Atomico’s $1.2 Billion Fund
  • Why startups without AI can still be attractive to investors and how to stand out.
  • The importance of founder-investor relationships and how they can impact success.
  • The differences between the US and European tech ecosystems and their potential.
  • Insights into how startups can scale efficiently and manage the challenges of growth.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Andreas Helbig is a partner at Atomico, one of Europe’s leading venture capital firms, focusing on B2B SaaS, vertical SaaS, and B2B marketplaces. With extensive experience in the tech and investment space, Andreas leads Atomico’s coverage in the Nordic and Baltic regions, helping to drive innovation and scale in some of Europe’s most promising startups. One of Europe's Venture capital juggernauts, Atomico announced a massive $1.25 Bn raise across 2 funds just a month ago. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • How AI is transforming businesses and why founders need a clear AI strategy.
  • Atomico’s $1.2 Billion Fund
  • Why startups without AI can still be attractive to investors and how to stand out.
  • The importance of founder-investor relationships and how they can impact success.
  • The differences between the US and European tech ecosystems and their potential.
  • Insights into how startups can scale efficiently and manage the challenges of growth.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15961564 Tue, 22 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3179 6 181 full false INSIGHT #7: Why Understanding FOMU (Fear of Messing Up) Is Critical for Selling to Enterprise Clients + Why 'Demo, Sell, Build' Is the Right Approach to Product For Most Startups INSIGHT #7: Why Understanding FOMU (Fear of Messing Up) Is Critical for Selling to Enterprise Clients + Why 'Demo, Sell, Build' Is the Right Approach to Product For Most Startups This is an insight from our previous conversation on focusing on the key principles of successful B2B sales:

  • How to Apply "Sell, Demo, Build" philosophy
  • Increase FOMO, reduce FOMU (Fear of Messing Up)
  • Decide if you are selling reduced costs or increased revenue

Kalev Kaarna is a Mentor at Creative Destruction Lab and recently became ex-VC at Superangel where for the past 5 years Kalev operated as an investor and startups coach two in one. Kalev has specialized in propelling early-stage software and deep-tech startups to significant growth, with a keen focus on AI/ML, robotics, logistics, mobility, and SaaS B2B sectors. His prowess in guiding startups through initial challenges, especially in the Nordics and Baltics, is marked by his success in leading Superangel's accelerator program, where 33 startups collectively raised €40M. 

Listen to the full conversation with Kalev here on Episode 146:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on focusing on the key principles of successful B2B sales:

  • How to Apply "Sell, Demo, Build" philosophy
  • Increase FOMO, reduce FOMU (Fear of Messing Up)
  • Decide if you are selling reduced costs or increased revenue

Kalev Kaarna is a Mentor at Creative Destruction Lab and recently became ex-VC at Superangel where for the past 5 years Kalev operated as an investor and startups coach two in one. Kalev has specialized in propelling early-stage software and deep-tech startups to significant growth, with a keen focus on AI/ML, robotics, logistics, mobility, and SaaS B2B sectors. His prowess in guiding startups through initial challenges, especially in the Nordics and Baltics, is marked by his success in leading Superangel's accelerator program, where 33 startups collectively raised €40M. 

Listen to the full conversation with Kalev here on Episode 146:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15899764 Thu, 17 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0300 740 full false 180. How a Bootstrapped Startup With 0 VC Money Grew to Service Zoom & Microsoft. The Importance of Software Testing, Skype Mafia & What Matters to Enterprise Clients w/ Ervins Grinfelds (TestDevLab) 180. How a Bootstrapped Startup With 0 VC Money Grew to Service Zoom & Microsoft. The Importance of Software Testing, Skype Mafia & What Matters to Enterprise Clients w/ Ervins Grinfelds (TestDevLab) Ervins Grinfelds is the Co-founder of TestDevLab, a leading quality assurance and software testing service provider that works with global tech giants such as Microsoft, Zoom, and Twilio. TestDevLab has grown from a small startup to a company with more than 500 employees, all without external funding. Ervins is passionate about ensuring that software products meet the highest quality standards, and he brings invaluable insights into the importance of trust, scaling a service business, and the role of quality assurance in the tech ecosystem.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why founders often only turn to QA when s%&t hits the fan
  • How TestDevLab expanded from a small team to a company with over 500 employees and global clients
  • The balance between people-driven services and product-based scalability
  • How to ensure trust and reliability
  • How TestDevLab has managed to remain profitable and grow without external investment.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


===============


Support the show

]]> Ervins Grinfelds is the Co-founder of TestDevLab, a leading quality assurance and software testing service provider that works with global tech giants such as Microsoft, Zoom, and Twilio. TestDevLab has grown from a small startup to a company with more than 500 employees, all without external funding. Ervins is passionate about ensuring that software products meet the highest quality standards, and he brings invaluable insights into the importance of trust, scaling a service business, and the role of quality assurance in the tech ecosystem.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why founders often only turn to QA when s%&t hits the fan
  • How TestDevLab expanded from a small team to a company with over 500 employees and global clients
  • The balance between people-driven services and product-based scalability
  • How to ensure trust and reliability
  • How TestDevLab has managed to remain profitable and grow without external investment.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15921378 Tue, 15 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2853 6 180 full false INSIGHT #6: "If You Want to Reach Global Scale, You Need to Be in San Francisco at Least Part-Time": VC from '500 Global' Explains Why US Enterprises Are Better Customers for European B2B SaaS Companies Than European Ones INSIGHT #6: "If You Want to Reach Global Scale, You Need to Be in San Francisco at Least Part-Time": VC from '500 Global' Explains Why US Enterprises Are Better Customers for European B2B SaaS Companies Than European Ones This is an insight from our previous conversation on focusing on the US market for B2B startups:

  • US companies are more innovative and have larger budgets
  • Silicon Valley still beats all other hubs
  • How good investors can push founders to take bold bets

Kaan Eren is a Principal at 500 Emerging Europe, the Istanbul-based arm of the 500 Global organization. The team in Europe has recently raised its second fund and is boasting several unicorns among its investments. Kaan concentrates on the Eastern and Central European regions, with a particular focus on the Baltics. Before his current role at 500, Kaan had a successful career in investment banking, after which he transitioned to the dynamic world of startup investing​​​​.


Listen to the full conversation with Kaan here on Episode 142:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on focusing on the US market for B2B startups:

  • US companies are more innovative and have larger budgets
  • Silicon Valley still beats all other hubs
  • How good investors can push founders to take bold bets

Kaan Eren is a Principal at 500 Emerging Europe, the Istanbul-based arm of the 500 Global organization. The team in Europe has recently raised its second fund and is boasting several unicorns among its investments. Kaan concentrates on the Eastern and Central European regions, with a particular focus on the Baltics. Before his current role at 500, Kaan had a successful career in investment banking, after which he transitioned to the dynamic world of startup investing​​​​.


Listen to the full conversation with Kaan here on Episode 142:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15899615 Thu, 10 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0300 632 full false 179. Are You Tough Enough for 'Tough Tech'? Solving Billion-Dollar Climate Challenges, How AI Increases Velocity, Bridging the Gap Between Innovation & Adoption w/ Rokas Peciulaitis (Contrarian Ventures) 179. Are You Tough Enough for 'Tough Tech'? Solving Billion-Dollar Climate Challenges, How AI Increases Velocity, Bridging the Gap Between Innovation & Adoption w/ Rokas Peciulaitis (Contrarian Ventures) Rokas Peciulaitis is the Founder and Managing partner of Contrarian Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in climate tech investments across Europe and Israel. With a background in trading and finance, Rokas brings a unique perspective to venture investing. His firm focuses on backing ambitious founders tackling climate change with innovative business models and sustainable solutions.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why climate tech investing is difficult
  • Scaling ClimateTech startups
  • How to build companies that create both economic and environmental value
  • Attracting scientists and technologists to build impactful solutions 
  • How artificial intelligence can accelerate ClimateTech

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Rokas Peciulaitis is the Founder and Managing partner of Contrarian Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in climate tech investments across Europe and Israel. With a background in trading and finance, Rokas brings a unique perspective to venture investing. His firm focuses on backing ambitious founders tackling climate change with innovative business models and sustainable solutions.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why climate tech investing is difficult
  • Scaling ClimateTech startups
  • How to build companies that create both economic and environmental value
  • Attracting scientists and technologists to build impactful solutions 
  • How artificial intelligence can accelerate ClimateTech

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============



Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15880997 Tue, 08 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3382 6 179 full false INSIGHT #5: Lessons from Bolt’s Founder on Maintaining Frugality at an $8.4B Valuation + Tips on Managing ROI of Operational Activities During Explosive Growth INSIGHT #5: Lessons from Bolt’s Founder on Maintaining Frugality at an $8.4B Valuation + Tips on Managing ROI of Operational Activities During Explosive Growth This is an insight from our previous conversation on the frugal culture that has helped the company grow into a unicorn. This was recorded during the fundraising craze when profitability was not a VC expectation across the board, but now it is:

  • How to remain frugal after raising hundreds of millions
  • Practical tips for measuring ROI of different activities

Martin Villig is a Co-Founder of Bolt, one of the most widely known Estonian unicorns and a global leader in modern mobility. Martin has been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years and is an integral part of the Estonian startup community. In recent years, he has been especially active in social impact projects with such initiatives as coding school kood/Johvi and the Good Deed Education Fund for solving acute problems in the education sector.

Listen to the full conversation with Martin here on Episode 44:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on the frugal culture that has helped the company grow into a unicorn. This was recorded during the fundraising craze when profitability was not a VC expectation across the board, but now it is:

  • How to remain frugal after raising hundreds of millions
  • Practical tips for measuring ROI of different activities

Martin Villig is a Co-Founder of Bolt, one of the most widely known Estonian unicorns and a global leader in modern mobility. Martin has been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years and is an integral part of the Estonian startup community. In recent years, he has been especially active in social impact projects with such initiatives as coding school kood/Johvi and the Good Deed Education Fund for solving acute problems in the education sector.

Listen to the full conversation with Martin here on Episode 44:


===============

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15812269 Thu, 03 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0300 517 full false 178. PR Pros Reveal: What Makes a Story Newsworthy, How PR CAN Drive Sales, How to Build Trust with Journalists & Why Your New Website Probably Won't End Up in TechCrunch w/ Black Unicorn PR 178. PR Pros Reveal: What Makes a Story Newsworthy, How PR CAN Drive Sales, How to Build Trust with Journalists & Why Your New Website Probably Won't End Up in TechCrunch w/ Black Unicorn PR The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Julija Jegorova and Mauro Battellini are co-founders of Black Unicorn PR, an agency specializing in helping tech companies reach global media and audiences. With extensive experience working with such companies and friends of the show as Klaus, Nordigen, INZMO, eAgronom and Startupwiseguys, Julia and Mauro have become experts in building trust, awareness, and brand equity for early-stage companies. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • The importance of PR for startups and how it builds trust and brand equity
  • Basic PR “hygiene” for startups
  • Common misconceptions about PR
  • Newsworthiness: What makes a story attractive to journalists
  • Strategies for startup founders to do their own PR before hiring an agency
  • How PR can support fundraising efforts and enhance a company’s reputation

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Julija Jegorova and Mauro Battellini are co-founders of Black Unicorn PR, an agency specializing in helping tech companies reach global media and audiences. With extensive experience working with such companies and friends of the show as Klaus, Nordigen, INZMO, eAgronom and Startupwiseguys, Julia and Mauro have become experts in building trust, awareness, and brand equity for early-stage companies. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • The importance of PR for startups and how it builds trust and brand equity
  • Basic PR “hygiene” for startups
  • Common misconceptions about PR
  • Newsworthiness: What makes a story attractive to journalists
  • Strategies for startup founders to do their own PR before hiring an agency
  • How PR can support fundraising efforts and enhance a company’s reputation

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15836132 Tue, 01 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2657 6 178 full false INSIGHT #4: “Doing the Wrong Thing Well Is the Worst”: Tips from a Veteran Entrepreneur & Investor on Recognizing a Stagnant Market and the Importance of Personal Chemistry INSIGHT #4: “Doing the Wrong Thing Well Is the Worst”: Tips from a Veteran Entrepreneur & Investor on Recognizing a Stagnant Market and the Importance of Personal Chemistry This is an insight from our previous conversation on combining entrepreneurship with investing as well as investment principles:

  • Be mindful of not working on problems in stagnant markets
  • There needs to be good chemistry between founder and investor

Allan Martinson is a legendary Estonian entrepreneur and investor with a rich history in technology and media. Starting his entrepreneurial journey in the early '90s, he founded the Baltic News Service, a pivotal news agency in the Baltic region. Martinson's career spans across various roles, including key positions at Starship Technologies and Xolo. With over two decades of investment experience, he has significantly contributed to the Baltic tech ecosystem, fostering innovation and growth.

Listen to the full conversation with Allan here on Episode 156:

===

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/



Support the show

]]> This is an insight from our previous conversation on combining entrepreneurship with investing as well as investment principles:

  • Be mindful of not working on problems in stagnant markets
  • There needs to be good chemistry between founder and investor

Allan Martinson is a legendary Estonian entrepreneur and investor with a rich history in technology and media. Starting his entrepreneurial journey in the early '90s, he founded the Baltic News Service, a pivotal news agency in the Baltic region. Martinson's career spans across various roles, including key positions at Starship Technologies and Xolo. With over two decades of investment experience, he has significantly contributed to the Baltic tech ecosystem, fostering innovation and growth.

Listen to the full conversation with Allan here on Episode 156:

===

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15817310 Fri, 27 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0300 496 full false 177. “There’s a Mushroom for Every Problem” – Exploring the Fascinating Productivity Benefits Backed by the Latest Research: Grow Your Brain, Boost Performance, and Strengthen Immunity w/ Silver Laus & Siim Raadik (Shroomwell) 177. “There’s a Mushroom for Every Problem” – Exploring the Fascinating Productivity Benefits Backed by the Latest Research: Grow Your Brain, Boost Performance, and Strengthen Immunity w/ Silver Laus & Siim Raadik (Shroomwell) The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Silver Laus and Siim Raadik are the founders of Shroomwell, an innovative Estonian company dedicated to harnessing the power of functional mushrooms and fungi to improve human health and the environment. With over a decade of experience in the mushroom industry, Silver and Siim have become pioneers in producing high-quality, scientifically backed mushroom-based wellness products. They are passionate advocates for the potential of mushrooms not only to enhance cognitive function and immunity but also to create sustainable, eco-friendly solutions that could significantly impact industries ranging from agriculture to pharmaceuticals. Shroomwell combines the wisdom of ancestors with modern-day science and run farms in Estonia, Sweden and USA covering an area of over 700 hectares, that’s 2x size of central park in New York.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The role of mushrooms in enhancing human health and productivity.
  • The environmental impact of fungi and their potential to address issues like pollution and climate change.
  • The underappreciated importance of mushrooms in the global ecosystem and why they are gaining popularity.
  • Key challenges in the functional mushroom industry, including quality control and regulation.
  • The science behind various types of mushrooms and their specific benefits (e.g., Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Reishi).
  • Scaling mushroom-based innovations for global environmental sustainability.


==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Silver Laus and Siim Raadik are the founders of Shroomwell, an innovative Estonian company dedicated to harnessing the power of functional mushrooms and fungi to improve human health and the environment. With over a decade of experience in the mushroom industry, Silver and Siim have become pioneers in producing high-quality, scientifically backed mushroom-based wellness products. They are passionate advocates for the potential of mushrooms not only to enhance cognitive function and immunity but also to create sustainable, eco-friendly solutions that could significantly impact industries ranging from agriculture to pharmaceuticals. Shroomwell combines the wisdom of ancestors with modern-day science and run farms in Estonia, Sweden and USA covering an area of over 700 hectares, that’s 2x size of central park in New York.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The role of mushrooms in enhancing human health and productivity.
  • The environmental impact of fungi and their potential to address issues like pollution and climate change.
  • The underappreciated importance of mushrooms in the global ecosystem and why they are gaining popularity.
  • Key challenges in the functional mushroom industry, including quality control and regulation.
  • The science behind various types of mushrooms and their specific benefits (e.g., Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Reishi).
  • Scaling mushroom-based innovations for global environmental sustainability.


==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15798752 Tue, 24 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2820 6 177 full true INSIGHT #3: How to Find Your First Customers & Build Trust. Co-Founder of WISE Taavet Hinrikus Reveals Scrappy Tactics from the Early Days of the $8 Billion Fintech. INSIGHT #3: How to Find Your First Customers & Build Trust. Co-Founder of WISE Taavet Hinrikus Reveals Scrappy Tactics from the Early Days of the $8 Billion Fintech. This is an excerpt from our previous conversation with Taavet Hinrikus on brave early stage building decisions and scrappy marketing tactics of Wise (Ex-Transferwise):

  • How to build trust when nobody knows your company
  • Maximizing marketing efficiency on low budgets
  • Switching your mindset from waiting to doing

Taavet Hinrikus is a partner at Plural, a VC investing in founders on a mission to change the world through technology. He co-founded the legendary Estonian unicorn Wise (initially Transferwise) in 2010, where he was CEO and later Chairman, which went public in the first-ever direct listing in Europe in 2021. Prior to that, Taavet was Skype’s Director of Strategy until 2008, starting as its first employee. He’s been an active investor supporting more than 100 companies globally. More recently he co-founded Jōhvi Coding School to help increase the number of people with coding skills in Estonia.

Listen to the full conversation with Taavet here on Episode 160:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> This is an excerpt from our previous conversation with Taavet Hinrikus on brave early stage building decisions and scrappy marketing tactics of Wise (Ex-Transferwise):

  • How to build trust when nobody knows your company
  • Maximizing marketing efficiency on low budgets
  • Switching your mindset from waiting to doing

Taavet Hinrikus is a partner at Plural, a VC investing in founders on a mission to change the world through technology. He co-founded the legendary Estonian unicorn Wise (initially Transferwise) in 2010, where he was CEO and later Chairman, which went public in the first-ever direct listing in Europe in 2021. Prior to that, Taavet was Skype’s Director of Strategy until 2008, starting as its first employee. He’s been an active investor supporting more than 100 companies globally. More recently he co-founded Jōhvi Coding School to help increase the number of people with coding skills in Estonia.

Listen to the full conversation with Taavet here on Episode 160:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15766338 Thu, 19 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0300 637 full false 176. A Practical Playbook for finding Product-Market Fit: Real & False indicators & Steps you should follow with Mark Cuban-backed founder of one of America's fastest growing software companies Nick McEvily 176. A Practical Playbook for finding Product-Market Fit: Real & False indicators & Steps you should follow with Mark Cuban-backed founder of one of America's fastest growing software companies Nick McEvily The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Nick McEvily is a seasoned entrepreneur and product strategist with a track record that speaks volumes. Backed by Mark Cuban and with over $40 million in venture funding, Nick has developed multiple top 5 ranked apps in the App Store and played a pivotal role in scaling one of his companies to become the #2 fastest growing software company in North America in 2023, according to Deloitte. With a deep expertise in finding and maintaining product-market fit, Nick’s insights on human-centered design, product obsession, and scaling businesses are invaluable to any aspiring entrepreneur.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Defining and Achieving Product-Market Fit
  • How to Recognize False Indicators of Success
  • Strategies for Listening to Users
  • Balancing Data and Intuition in Product Development
  • Maintaining Product-Market Fit Over Time
  • Fostering a Culture of Experimentation and Risk-taking

Resources referenced in the episode:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Nick McEvily is a seasoned entrepreneur and product strategist with a track record that speaks volumes. Backed by Mark Cuban and with over $40 million in venture funding, Nick has developed multiple top 5 ranked apps in the App Store and played a pivotal role in scaling one of his companies to become the #2 fastest growing software company in North America in 2023, according to Deloitte. With a deep expertise in finding and maintaining product-market fit, Nick’s insights on human-centered design, product obsession, and scaling businesses are invaluable to any aspiring entrepreneur.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Defining and Achieving Product-Market Fit
  • How to Recognize False Indicators of Success
  • Strategies for Listening to Users
  • Balancing Data and Intuition in Product Development
  • Maintaining Product-Market Fit Over Time
  • Fostering a Culture of Experimentation and Risk-taking

Resources referenced in the episode:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15758530 Tue, 17 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2612 6 176 full false INSIGHT #2: “Biggest Mistake We Made Was Building The Product Before Validating If Anyone Wants It”. Serial Entrepreneur Explains Difference Between Real & Fake Validation, And Why You Should Not Be Afraid Of Doing Things Manually INSIGHT #2: “Biggest Mistake We Made Was Building The Product Before Validating If Anyone Wants It”. Serial Entrepreneur Explains Difference Between Real & Fake Validation, And Why You Should Not Be Afraid Of Doing Things Manually This is an excerpt from our previous conversation on the importance of validating your product before building it:

  • How to get ture validation for your product
  • What is fake validation
  • Why you should not be afraid to do things manually at first


Martins Vaivars is the CEO and Co-founder of RivalSense, an AI-based tool designed to help businesses monitor their competitors. He is a serial entrepreneur, this being his fourth company, thus on top of practical AI software building knowledge, Martins also brings plenty of learnings from his previous startups. 

Listen to the full conversation with Frank here on Episode 169:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> This is an excerpt from our previous conversation on the importance of validating your product before building it:

  • How to get ture validation for your product
  • What is fake validation
  • Why you should not be afraid to do things manually at first


Martins Vaivars is the CEO and Co-founder of RivalSense, an AI-based tool designed to help businesses monitor their competitors. He is a serial entrepreneur, this being his fourth company, thus on top of practical AI software building knowledge, Martins also brings plenty of learnings from his previous startups. 

Listen to the full conversation with Frank here on Episode 169:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15737700 Thu, 12 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0300 671 full false 175. What do you need to start a Deep Tech startup & raise money? How Theranos case affected female founders and how to apply scientific mindset to company building w/ Olesja Bondarenko (Nanordica Medical) 175. What do you need to start a Deep Tech startup & raise money? How Theranos case affected female founders and how to apply scientific mindset to company building w/ Olesja Bondarenko (Nanordica Medical) The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Olesja Bondarenko is the Founder and CEO of Nanordica Medical, a cutting edge deep science medtech company developing wound dressings using nanotechnologies. The company recently raised 1.75mEUR from such investors as Superangel and Specialist VC and they have leapfrogged the long medtech time to revenue by launching a product for animals before shipping a product approved for human use.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Introduction to Nanotechnology and Medtech
  • Challenges of Building a Deep Tech Startup
  • Importance of Regulatory and Business Development in Medtech
  • Fundraising and Communicating with Investors
  • Scientific Mindset vs. Business Development
  • Iterative Processes in Product Development

Resources referenced in the episode:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Olesja Bondarenko is the Founder and CEO of Nanordica Medical, a cutting edge deep science medtech company developing wound dressings using nanotechnologies. The company recently raised 1.75mEUR from such investors as Superangel and Specialist VC and they have leapfrogged the long medtech time to revenue by launching a product for animals before shipping a product approved for human use.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Introduction to Nanotechnology and Medtech
  • Challenges of Building a Deep Tech Startup
  • Importance of Regulatory and Business Development in Medtech
  • Fundraising and Communicating with Investors
  • Scientific Mindset vs. Business Development
  • Iterative Processes in Product Development

Resources referenced in the episode:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15720758 Tue, 10 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2573 6 175 full false INSIGHT #1: "You Have to Become a Chameleon". Sales Expert Explains How To Adjust To The Personality Of Each Prospect With The Help Of AI But Without Becoming Creepy. INSIGHT #1: "You Have to Become a Chameleon". Sales Expert Explains How To Adjust To The Personality Of Each Prospect With The Help Of AI But Without Becoming Creepy. This is an excerpt from our previous conversation on the importance of adjusting your personality to each sales prospect:

  • What AI tools you can use to prepare. 
  • Why mirroring is important. 
  • How much of it is natural and how much can be taught. 
  • How not to become creepy with the abundance of information available online.


Frank Sondors is a seasoned sales expert and the Founder and CEO of Salesforge. With over a decade of experience in the sales industry, Frank has honed his skills in helping businesses navigate the complex landscape of sales and distribution. Frank’s company, Salesforge, is at the forefront of this innovation, helping businesses streamline their sales processes and improve their email outreach. Salesforge is also one of the truly most Baltic startups - a company based in Estonia with founders from Latvia and Lithuania. They recently secured half a million in pre-seed funding, but even before that have managed to build their ARR to $1M with a team of just 4 people.

Listen to the full conversation with Frank here on Episode 172:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> This is an excerpt from our previous conversation on the importance of adjusting your personality to each sales prospect:

  • What AI tools you can use to prepare. 
  • Why mirroring is important. 
  • How much of it is natural and how much can be taught. 
  • How not to become creepy with the abundance of information available online.


Frank Sondors is a seasoned sales expert and the Founder and CEO of Salesforge. With over a decade of experience in the sales industry, Frank has honed his skills in helping businesses navigate the complex landscape of sales and distribution. Frank’s company, Salesforge, is at the forefront of this innovation, helping businesses streamline their sales processes and improve their email outreach. Salesforge is also one of the truly most Baltic startups - a company based in Estonia with founders from Latvia and Lithuania. They recently secured half a million in pre-seed funding, but even before that have managed to build their ARR to $1M with a team of just 4 people.

Listen to the full conversation with Frank here on Episode 172:

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15698042 Thu, 05 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0300 748 full false 174. “Every fifth person is lonely and AI won’t replace real relationships”. Getting 20K users in 4 months with no marketing budget & tips for working with influencers w/ Joiner App 174. “Every fifth person is lonely and AI won’t replace real relationships”. Getting 20K users in 4 months with no marketing budget & tips for working with influencers w/ Joiner App The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Eduard Titov and Jurate Plungyte are the co-founders of Joiner App, an innovative socialization platform designed to help people connect and form meaningful relationships in their local communities. With backgrounds at companies like Tinder, Uber, and Ogilvy, the Joiner team brings a wealth of experience to their mission of addressing loneliness and fostering genuine social interactions.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why Build Another Social Network
  • Challenges of Launching in a Saturated Market
  • Growth Strategies and Marketing Tactics
  • How to Build User Experience and Product Design That Works
  • Building in Trust and Safety in Social Platforms
  • The Role of AI in Social Interactions

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Eduard Titov and Jurate Plungyte are the co-founders of Joiner App, an innovative socialization platform designed to help people connect and form meaningful relationships in their local communities. With backgrounds at companies like Tinder, Uber, and Ogilvy, the Joiner team brings a wealth of experience to their mission of addressing loneliness and fostering genuine social interactions.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why Build Another Social Network
  • Challenges of Launching in a Saturated Market
  • Growth Strategies and Marketing Tactics
  • How to Build User Experience and Product Design That Works
  • Building in Trust and Safety in Social Platforms
  • The Role of AI in Social Interactions

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

===============


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15682273 Tue, 03 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2565 6 174 full false 173. DEEP DIVE in Tiktok & short-form video: tactics & lessons from 1bn views, algorithms, metrics that matter, amateur mistakes, workflows, equipment w/ Elvis Kruze (Eksplodemedia) 173. DEEP DIVE in Tiktok & short-form video: tactics & lessons from 1bn views, algorithms, metrics that matter, amateur mistakes, workflows, equipment w/ Elvis Kruze (Eksplodemedia) The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Elvis Kruze is the founder of eksplodemedia.com - a content creation strategy and execution agency. Elvis has helped his clients get over 1Bn views in the past 2 years on social media. He is working with famous YouTubers such as Mike Thurston and his agency specializes in helping brands, influencers & entrepreneurs produce consistent short form content to grow organically. 


On this episode we talk about:

  • How Short Form Video is Taking Over Social Media
  • Content Creation Strategies to Elevate Your Reach
  • How is AI Impacting Content Creation Today and in the Future
  • Why Being Authentic is the Key to Success in Content Creation
  • Practical Tips on Sourcing and Executing Content Ideas
  • The Most Common Mistakes in Social Media Marketing

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> The support for this episode comes from Leadfeeder - turn anonymous pageviews into concrete sales pipeline.

Imagine knowing which companies are checking out your site, tracking their behavior on your site, and integrating all this into your CRM.

That’s exactly what Leadfeeder does for you. Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe for a FREE demo and get a FREE EXTENDED premium trial by mentioning the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast.

Head to https://bit.ly/4dQVsWe

====

Elvis Kruze is the founder of eksplodemedia.com - a content creation strategy and execution agency. Elvis has helped his clients get over 1Bn views in the past 2 years on social media. He is working with famous YouTubers such as Mike Thurston and his agency specializes in helping brands, influencers & entrepreneurs produce consistent short form content to grow organically. 


On this episode we talk about:

  • How Short Form Video is Taking Over Social Media
  • Content Creation Strategies to Elevate Your Reach
  • How is AI Impacting Content Creation Today and in the Future
  • Why Being Authentic is the Key to Success in Content Creation
  • Practical Tips on Sourcing and Executing Content Ideas
  • The Most Common Mistakes in Social Media Marketing

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15643977 Tue, 27 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3035 6 173 full false 172. SALES special: Why drug dealers (sometimes) make great B2B sales people, reaching $1M ARR with 4 people team, how to adapt your style to the buyer, cold emails & AI, interview questions to hire sales sharks w/ Frank Sondors (Salesforge) 172. SALES special: Why drug dealers (sometimes) make great B2B sales people, reaching $1M ARR with 4 people team, how to adapt your style to the buyer, cold emails & AI, interview questions to hire sales sharks w/ Frank Sondors (Salesforge) Frank Sondors is a seasoned sales expert and the Founder and CEO of Salesforge. With over a decade of experience in the sales industry, Frank has honed his skills in helping businesses navigate the complex landscape of sales and distribution. Frank’s company, Salesforge, is at the forefront of this innovation, helping businesses streamline their sales processes and improve their email outreach. Salesforge is also one of the truly most Baltic startups - a company based in Estonia with founders from Latvia and Lithuania. They recently secured half a million in pre-seed funding, but even before that have managed to build their ARR to $1M with a team of just 4 people.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Sales and B2B Strategies That Work
  • Leveraging AI in Sales
  • Hiring and Evaluating Salespeople
  • What makes a Successful Salesperson
  • Ethics in Sales Tactics
  • Navigating the Evolving Sales Landscape

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Frank Sondors is a seasoned sales expert and the Founder and CEO of Salesforge. With over a decade of experience in the sales industry, Frank has honed his skills in helping businesses navigate the complex landscape of sales and distribution. Frank’s company, Salesforge, is at the forefront of this innovation, helping businesses streamline their sales processes and improve their email outreach. Salesforge is also one of the truly most Baltic startups - a company based in Estonia with founders from Latvia and Lithuania. They recently secured half a million in pre-seed funding, but even before that have managed to build their ARR to $1M with a team of just 4 people.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Sales and B2B Strategies That Work
  • Leveraging AI in Sales
  • Hiring and Evaluating Salespeople
  • What makes a Successful Salesperson
  • Ethics in Sales Tactics
  • Navigating the Evolving Sales Landscape

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15604310 Tue, 20 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2962 6 172 full false 171. Why you should start to plan how to manage your wealth years before you get rich + practical steps how to do it w/ Tim Vaino (fff.club) 171. Why you should start to plan how to manage your wealth years before you get rich + practical steps how to do it w/ Tim Vaino (fff.club) Tim Vaino is the co-founder of FFF (Finance Freedom Fellows), an angel investment syndicate club that is now turning into a wealth management platform for the tech crowd. Along with co-founder Akim Arhipov, they are on a mission to help tech entrepreneurs and employees manage their wealth before and after selling their valuable equity. Tim is also an investment manager with Change Ventures. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • Success of FFF so far
  • How to Get into the Best Early Stage Deals
  • Wealth Management for Tech Founders and Employees Before and After Liquidity
  • How FFF Investment Strategy has Evolved Over Time
  • Learning from Investing Mistakes

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Tim Vaino is the co-founder of FFF (Finance Freedom Fellows), an angel investment syndicate club that is now turning into a wealth management platform for the tech crowd. Along with co-founder Akim Arhipov, they are on a mission to help tech entrepreneurs and employees manage their wealth before and after selling their valuable equity. Tim is also an investment manager with Change Ventures. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • Success of FFF so far
  • How to Get into the Best Early Stage Deals
  • Wealth Management for Tech Founders and Employees Before and After Liquidity
  • How FFF Investment Strategy has Evolved Over Time
  • Learning from Investing Mistakes

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-15541761 Tue, 13 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2735 6 171 full false 170. All You Need to Know about Hiring Remotely: Practical Steps of Hiring & Firing, Tools to Use, How to Build Remote Culture & Manage Time Zone Differences w/ Jamie Haerewa (Agile HRO) 170. All You Need to Know about Hiring Remotely: Practical Steps of Hiring & Firing, Tools to Use, How to Build Remote Culture & Manage Time Zone Differences w/ Jamie Haerewa (Agile HRO) Jamie Haerewa is the co-founder and CEO of Agile HRO, a global employer of record service provider and promoter and supporter of distributed teams. With over 15 years of experience in recruitment and HR, Jamie shares practical advice and strategies for companies looking to leverage remote work and navigate the complexities of international employment.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Main Challenges of Hiring Globally
  • Overcoming Legal and Compliance Barriers
  • Maintaining Company Culture in Distributed Teams
  • Managing Time Zone Differences
  • Practical Advice for Remote Termination Processes
  • The Role of AI in Transforming Workplaces

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Jamie Haerewa is the co-founder and CEO of Agile HRO, a global employer of record service provider and promoter and supporter of distributed teams. With over 15 years of experience in recruitment and HR, Jamie shares practical advice and strategies for companies looking to leverage remote work and navigate the complexities of international employment.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The Main Challenges of Hiring Globally
  • Overcoming Legal and Compliance Barriers
  • Maintaining Company Culture in Distributed Teams
  • Managing Time Zone Differences
  • Practical Advice for Remote Termination Processes
  • The Role of AI in Transforming Workplaces

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15535460 Tue, 06 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3212 6 170 full false 169. What you need to know about building on top of OpenAI, how to validate business idea, why doing wrong things can be worse than doing nothing & reality of choosing startups over well-paid corporate career w/ Martins Vaivars (RivalSense) 169. What you need to know about building on top of OpenAI, how to validate business idea, why doing wrong things can be worse than doing nothing & reality of choosing startups over well-paid corporate career w/ Martins Vaivars (RivalSense) Martins Vaivars is the CEO and Co-founder of RivalSense, an AI-based tool designed to help businesses monitor their competitors. He is a serial entrepreneur, this being his fourth company, thus on top of practical AI software building knowledge, Martins also brings plenty of learnings from his previous startups. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • Knowing what the competition is doing
  • Development and validation of products
  • Challenges and solutions in data management for AI
  • Quality control and error management
  • Business applications of AI insights
  • Learnings from previous businesses

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Martins Vaivars is the CEO and Co-founder of RivalSense, an AI-based tool designed to help businesses monitor their competitors. He is a serial entrepreneur, this being his fourth company, thus on top of practical AI software building knowledge, Martins also brings plenty of learnings from his previous startups. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • Knowing what the competition is doing
  • Development and validation of products
  • Challenges and solutions in data management for AI
  • Quality control and error management
  • Business applications of AI insights
  • Learnings from previous businesses

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15341354 Tue, 02 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3212 5 169 full false 168. Google's Vytautas Kubilius on the risks of too-slow AI adoption, opportunities for startups to build on top of BigTech AI & everyday productivity hacks 168. Google's Vytautas Kubilius on the risks of too-slow AI adoption, opportunities for startups to build on top of BigTech AI & everyday productivity hacks Vytautas Kubilius is the Country Director for Google Baltics, playing a pivotal role in driving Google's mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful within the Baltic region. He is also an angel investor and working with such organizations as Change Ventures, StartupWiseGuys and Vilnius Tech Park in various supporting roles.

On this episode we talk about:

  • AI Innovations from Big Tech
  • Responsible AI Deployment
  • The Challenges of Managing Confidential Data
  • Competing for Talent on a Global Scale
  • Future of AI in Startups and Enterprises
  • Evolution of Google Search with AI

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Vytautas Kubilius is the Country Director for Google Baltics, playing a pivotal role in driving Google's mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful within the Baltic region. He is also an angel investor and working with such organizations as Change Ventures, StartupWiseGuys and Vilnius Tech Park in various supporting roles.

On this episode we talk about:

  • AI Innovations from Big Tech
  • Responsible AI Deployment
  • The Challenges of Managing Confidential Data
  • Competing for Talent on a Global Scale
  • Future of AI in Startups and Enterprises
  • Evolution of Google Search with AI

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15290028 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3227 5 168 full false 167. “Solving Climate Change is a business problem and a generational wealth opportunity” + building marketplace business, leadership requirements at various startup stages & opportunities in Ukraine w/ Laimonas Noreika (HeavyFinance) 167. “Solving Climate Change is a business problem and a generational wealth opportunity” + building marketplace business, leadership requirements at various startup stages & opportunities in Ukraine w/ Laimonas Noreika (HeavyFinance) Laimonas Noreika is a fintech entrepreneur and one of the leading alternative finance experts in the CEE region. He is the co-founder and CEO of HeavyFinance, a climate technology firm providing sustainable finance and investment solutions for agriculture. 

Earlier this year, the company raised a 50mEUR fund to support its mission. In 2015 Laimonas founded a direct lending peer-to-peer platform FinBee, which he successfully exited in 2020. 


On this episode we talk about:

  • Building marketplaces
  • Doing business in Ukraine
  • Leadership requirements in startups at various stages
  • Managing various stakeholders on financial marketplaces
  • Impact of Climate change on agriculture business strategies
  • The importance of farmers and agriculture sector for the economy and society


==

If you liked this episode and want to support our work, buy us a coffee, or five or hundred: https://buymeacoffee.com/Pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Laimonas Noreika is a fintech entrepreneur and one of the leading alternative finance experts in the CEE region. He is the co-founder and CEO of HeavyFinance, a climate technology firm providing sustainable finance and investment solutions for agriculture. 

Earlier this year, the company raised a 50mEUR fund to support its mission. In 2015 Laimonas founded a direct lending peer-to-peer platform FinBee, which he successfully exited in 2020. 


On this episode we talk about:

  • Building marketplaces
  • Doing business in Ukraine
  • Leadership requirements in startups at various stages
  • Managing various stakeholders on financial marketplaces
  • Impact of Climate change on agriculture business strategies
  • The importance of farmers and agriculture sector for the economy and society


==

If you liked this episode and want to support our work, buy us a coffee, or five or hundred: https://buymeacoffee.com/Pursuitofscrappiness

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15265228 Tue, 18 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2487 5 167 full false 166. Can you combine kids with a career in Tech? Challenges women face at work after pregnancy, FemTech potential & what founders should put in their shareholder agreements w/ Anna Strubel (CARA Health) 166. Can you combine kids with a career in Tech? Challenges women face at work after pregnancy, FemTech potential & what founders should put in their shareholder agreements w/ Anna Strubel (CARA Health) Anna Strubel is the founder of CARA Health, a FemTech startup supporting women in their journey to motherhood. The company recently raised a seed round and is part of a burgeoning wave of FemTech startups. Prior to building CARA, Anna worked over six years as a pediatric nurse, specializing in intensive care for premature and newborn babies, as well as in maternity care for women. She moved to Tallinn during Covid from Germany, and is now building her company there.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The emergence and potential of FemTech
  • Building a femtech company
  • Challenges for women in tech and startups
  • Technological innovations in women’s health
  • How to make your company more parent friendly

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Anna Strubel is the founder of CARA Health, a FemTech startup supporting women in their journey to motherhood. The company recently raised a seed round and is part of a burgeoning wave of FemTech startups. Prior to building CARA, Anna worked over six years as a pediatric nurse, specializing in intensive care for premature and newborn babies, as well as in maternity care for women. She moved to Tallinn during Covid from Germany, and is now building her company there.

On this episode we talk about:

  • The emergence and potential of FemTech
  • Building a femtech company
  • Challenges for women in tech and startups
  • Technological innovations in women’s health
  • How to make your company more parent friendly

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15227252 Tue, 11 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2641 5 166 full false 165. Kaspar Korjus (Pactum) on building an AI-powered product, outsourcing negotiations to AI, selling to Fortune 500 companies & do brothers make good co-founders 165. Kaspar Korjus (Pactum) on building an AI-powered product, outsourcing negotiations to AI, selling to Fortune 500 companies & do brothers make good co-founders Kaspar Korjus is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Pactum AI - a tech startup that is revolutionizing the world of business negotiations with chat and AI. Walmart, Maersk and other Fortune 500 companies are among its clients! Prior to Pactum, Kaspar was the founding Managing Director of Estonia’s e-Residency.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How AI can help in business negotiations
  • The effect of openAI on the AI industry
  • What unique challenges are builders in AI facing
  • How to tackle adoption and trust issues for AI tools
  • Selling to Fortune 500 companies
  • Personal and organizational use of AI

This episode was recorded Live during Latitude59 2024.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Kaspar Korjus is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Pactum AI - a tech startup that is revolutionizing the world of business negotiations with chat and AI. Walmart, Maersk and other Fortune 500 companies are among its clients! Prior to Pactum, Kaspar was the founding Managing Director of Estonia’s e-Residency.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How AI can help in business negotiations
  • The effect of openAI on the AI industry
  • What unique challenges are builders in AI facing
  • How to tackle adoption and trust issues for AI tools
  • Selling to Fortune 500 companies
  • Personal and organizational use of AI

This episode was recorded Live during Latitude59 2024.

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15184271 Tue, 04 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2611 5 165 full false 164. Everything you need to know about VCs. When to raise, trade-offs of taking VC money, is there truth behind VC memes & how to tell if you are not performing w/ Jone Vaituleviciute (FIRSTPICK) 164. Everything you need to know about VCs. When to raise, trade-offs of taking VC money, is there truth behind VC memes & how to tell if you are not performing w/ Jone Vaituleviciute (FIRSTPICK) Jone Vaituleviciute is the managing partner and co-founder of Firstpick, an early-stage VC and accelerator program based in Lithuania and operating across the Baltics. In this episode we decided to focus more on VC as a business. If you are a founder, this is a great chance to learn how the VCs tick. Before starting Firstpick, Jone was a partner at StartupWiseGuys. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • When and why startups should consider VC funding.
  • The importance of local presence and knowledge in early-stage investing.
  • Unique hurdles faced by startups in the Baltic region and how to overcome them.
  • When and why startups should consider accelerator programs.
  • Practical advice on managing funds and financial planning for early-stage companies.
  • Predictions and emerging trends in the VC landscape

Check out https://firstpick.vc/

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Jone Vaituleviciute is the managing partner and co-founder of Firstpick, an early-stage VC and accelerator program based in Lithuania and operating across the Baltics. In this episode we decided to focus more on VC as a business. If you are a founder, this is a great chance to learn how the VCs tick. Before starting Firstpick, Jone was a partner at StartupWiseGuys. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • When and why startups should consider VC funding.
  • The importance of local presence and knowledge in early-stage investing.
  • Unique hurdles faced by startups in the Baltic region and how to overcome them.
  • When and why startups should consider accelerator programs.
  • Practical advice on managing funds and financial planning for early-stage companies.
  • Predictions and emerging trends in the VC landscape

Check out https://firstpick.vc/

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15145698 Tue, 28 May 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3169 5 164 full false 163. Do’s and Don'ts of Content Creation & Personal Brand, Tips for entering German market, What can other cities learn from Berlin & Silicon Valley w/ Germany’s top Tech podcaster Fabian Tausch (Unicorn Bakery) 163. Do’s and Don'ts of Content Creation & Personal Brand, Tips for entering German market, What can other cities learn from Berlin & Silicon Valley w/ Germany’s top Tech podcaster Fabian Tausch (Unicorn Bakery) Fabian started podcasting in 2016 when most people didn't know what a podcast was (including 4 out of 5 of his guests). Since then has built the largest platform for tech and startup discussions in Germany. Named among Forbes' 30 under 30, he has accumulated extensive industry expertise from interviewing countless world-class founders and investors.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why content creation matters for Founders and Investors
  • Principles for captivating & effective Content Creation
  • Do’s and Don'ts when building a Personal Brand
  • Things Startups should know when entering the German market
  • How Germany & Berlin became a Startup juggernaut in Europe
  • What European Tech ecosystem can learn from Silicon Valley


Checkout Unicorn Bakery Podcast here, Fabian publishes some of his content in English as well > https://www.unicornbakery.de/

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Fabian started podcasting in 2016 when most people didn't know what a podcast was (including 4 out of 5 of his guests). Since then has built the largest platform for tech and startup discussions in Germany. Named among Forbes' 30 under 30, he has accumulated extensive industry expertise from interviewing countless world-class founders and investors.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Why content creation matters for Founders and Investors
  • Principles for captivating & effective Content Creation
  • Do’s and Don'ts when building a Personal Brand
  • Things Startups should know when entering the German market
  • How Germany & Berlin became a Startup juggernaut in Europe
  • What European Tech ecosystem can learn from Silicon Valley


Checkout Unicorn Bakery Podcast here, Fabian publishes some of his content in English as well > https://www.unicornbakery.de/

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15100439 Tue, 21 May 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2965 5 163 full false 162. Listen to this if you want to accelerate your career in tech & startups. How StartSchool aims to bring free world-class coding & business education to most ambitious new founders w/ Anna Andersone & Kristofs Blaus 162. Listen to this if you want to accelerate your career in tech & startups. How StartSchool aims to bring free world-class coding & business education to most ambitious new founders w/ Anna Andersone & Kristofs Blaus Anna Andersone and Kristofs Blaus are co-founders of StartSchool, a brand new transformative IT and business education program in Latvia, aimed at nurturing future technology leaders. With a unique curriculum combining comprehensive coding education from Silicon Valley and practical startup skills, the program is designed to produce well-rounded graduates ready to launch their own startups or join tech companies.

Applications for 1st batch are closing May 31, 2024, find out more here > https://www.startschool.org/

On this episode we talk about:

  • What StartSchool is all about
  • Practical matters of getting admitted to StartSchool
  • Combining business and IT curriculum to forge future tech leaders
  • Use of AI in education
  • Challenges in the current education system and how to overcome them


==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Feedback? Send us a Text Message

Support the show

]]> Anna Andersone and Kristofs Blaus are co-founders of StartSchool, a brand new transformative IT and business education program in Latvia, aimed at nurturing future technology leaders. With a unique curriculum combining comprehensive coding education from Silicon Valley and practical startup skills, the program is designed to produce well-rounded graduates ready to launch their own startups or join tech companies.

Applications for 1st batch are closing May 31, 2024, find out more here > https://www.startschool.org/

On this episode we talk about:

  • What StartSchool is all about
  • Practical matters of getting admitted to StartSchool
  • Combining business and IT curriculum to forge future tech leaders
  • Use of AI in education
  • Challenges in the current education system and how to overcome them


==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Feedback? Send us a Text Message

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15060765 Tue, 14 May 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2568 5 162 full false 161. Slush CEO Aino Bergius shares tips how you can get the most out of the event + behind the scenes story how Slush went from 250 attendees to a global movement gathering investors with 3 trillion USD in assets under management under 1 roof 161. Slush CEO Aino Bergius shares tips how you can get the most out of the event + behind the scenes story how Slush went from 250 attendees to a global movement gathering investors with 3 trillion USD in assets under management under 1 roof Aino Bergius is the CEO of Slush. Having started as a volunteer and working her way up the organization, she is perfectly positioned to share with us what makes Slush the global success we know and love. 

For those of you who don’t know, Slush is a conference that brings together founders, investors, and the startup ecosystem to create a positive culture towards entrepreneurship, profile the Nordics as a tech hub, and make venture capital more accessible. It started in 2008 as a gathering of 250 people and has grown into a global movement with thousands of attendees from over 100 different nationalities. Slush is known for its unique culture and the ability to adapt to the changing needs of the ecosystem.


On this episode we talk about:

  • The evolution of Slush
  • How Slush fosters a unique culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Challenges of organizing large-scale events
  • How to make the most out of Slush as a startup


Find out more about Slush 2024 here https://slush.org/


==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Aino Bergius is the CEO of Slush. Having started as a volunteer and working her way up the organization, she is perfectly positioned to share with us what makes Slush the global success we know and love. 

For those of you who don’t know, Slush is a conference that brings together founders, investors, and the startup ecosystem to create a positive culture towards entrepreneurship, profile the Nordics as a tech hub, and make venture capital more accessible. It started in 2008 as a gathering of 250 people and has grown into a global movement with thousands of attendees from over 100 different nationalities. Slush is known for its unique culture and the ability to adapt to the changing needs of the ecosystem.


On this episode we talk about:

  • The evolution of Slush
  • How Slush fosters a unique culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Challenges of organizing large-scale events
  • How to make the most out of Slush as a startup


Find out more about Slush 2024 here https://slush.org/


==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-15020155 Tue, 07 May 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2846 5 161 full false 160. Taavet Hinrikus on taking Wise from 0 to an £8bn Direct Listing, his Investment Principles, the importance of building a 10x better Product, managing Stress & Motivation 160. Taavet Hinrikus on taking Wise from 0 to an £8bn Direct Listing, his Investment Principles, the importance of building a 10x better Product, managing Stress & Motivation Taavet Hinrikus is a partner at Plural, a VC investing in founders on a mission to change the world through technology. 

He co-founded the legendary Estonian unicorn Wise (initially TransferWise) in 2010, where he was CEO and later Chairman. Wise went public in the first-ever direct listing in Europe in 2021. 

Prior to that, Taavet was Skype’s Director of Strategy until 2008, starting as its first employee. He’s been an active investor supporting more than 100 companies globally. More recently he co-founded Jōhvi Coding School to help increase the number of people with coding skills in Estonia. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • Early challenges and scrappy marketing strategies at Wise
  • Building trust for a Fintech startup
  • How the Wise culture shapes the next generation of entrepreneurs
  • What sets successful entrepreneurs apart
  • Dealing with stress and pressure
  • Taavet's investment principles
  • The mission of Plural and learnings from investing in 100+ companies
  • How to navigate the current fundraising environment

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Taavet Hinrikus is a partner at Plural, a VC investing in founders on a mission to change the world through technology. 

He co-founded the legendary Estonian unicorn Wise (initially TransferWise) in 2010, where he was CEO and later Chairman. Wise went public in the first-ever direct listing in Europe in 2021. 

Prior to that, Taavet was Skype’s Director of Strategy until 2008, starting as its first employee. He’s been an active investor supporting more than 100 companies globally. More recently he co-founded Jōhvi Coding School to help increase the number of people with coding skills in Estonia. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • Early challenges and scrappy marketing strategies at Wise
  • Building trust for a Fintech startup
  • How the Wise culture shapes the next generation of entrepreneurs
  • What sets successful entrepreneurs apart
  • Dealing with stress and pressure
  • Taavet's investment principles
  • The mission of Plural and learnings from investing in 100+ companies
  • How to navigate the current fundraising environment

==

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14975349 Tue, 30 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2798 5 160 full false 159. Productivity & Security in the Age of AI: Elviss Strazdins Reveals Tips on How to Become More Productive & What to Avoid Unless You Want to Get Scammed 159. Productivity & Security in the Age of AI: Elviss Strazdins Reveals Tips on How to Become More Productive & What to Avoid Unless You Want to Get Scammed Elviss Strazdins is an experienced software engineer and digital security expert. Over the last few years Elviss has built a significant following and influence on various security related topics on X, Tiktok and other social media platforms. He is also a tech enthusiast and early adopter.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Using AI enabled software and hardware to enhancing productivity
  • What digital security threats are most prevalent today
  • Best practices for digital security
  • Ethical and data privacy considerations of AI in business

This special AI-themed episode brought to you in collaboration with SAMSUNG!

Take your productivity & creativity to the next level with Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Find out more at https://www.samsung.com/lv/smartphones/galaxy-s24-ultra/ 


===

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Elviss Strazdins is an experienced software engineer and digital security expert. Over the last few years Elviss has built a significant following and influence on various security related topics on X, Tiktok and other social media platforms. He is also a tech enthusiast and early adopter.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Using AI enabled software and hardware to enhancing productivity
  • What digital security threats are most prevalent today
  • Best practices for digital security
  • Ethical and data privacy considerations of AI in business

This special AI-themed episode brought to you in collaboration with SAMSUNG!

Take your productivity & creativity to the next level with Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Find out more at https://www.samsung.com/lv/smartphones/galaxy-s24-ultra/ 


===

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14935623 Tue, 23 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3081 5 159 full false 158. How to raise money and succeed as a startup in Dual-use tech (civilian & military) + How spies target tech workers & Vulnerability in space w/ Edvinas Kerza, ex-Deputy Defence Minister of Lithuania turned VC (ScaleWolf) 158. How to raise money and succeed as a startup in Dual-use tech (civilian & military) + How spies target tech workers & Vulnerability in space w/ Edvinas Kerza, ex-Deputy Defence Minister of Lithuania turned VC (ScaleWolf) Edvinas Kerza is the Managing partner at Scalewolf, a VC fund and accelerator program for dual-use startups in DefenseTech. He has a decorated career of public service, having held senior positions in various Lithuanian ministries and EU structures as well as large enterprises like Ignitis and Lithuanian Railways. 

Under his leadership, ScaleWolf supports startups in developing technologies that address pressing security needs, while also finding applications in civilian markets, thereby enhancing both defense capabilities and economic growth.

On this episode we talk about:

  • What is Dual-use technology and how startups can raise money for it
  • How to succeed when building in DefenseTech
  • Security and foreign espionage risks in Tech
  • What investors look for in DefenseTech startups

===

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Edvinas Kerza is the Managing partner at Scalewolf, a VC fund and accelerator program for dual-use startups in DefenseTech. He has a decorated career of public service, having held senior positions in various Lithuanian ministries and EU structures as well as large enterprises like Ignitis and Lithuanian Railways. 

Under his leadership, ScaleWolf supports startups in developing technologies that address pressing security needs, while also finding applications in civilian markets, thereby enhancing both defense capabilities and economic growth.

On this episode we talk about:

  • What is Dual-use technology and how startups can raise money for it
  • How to succeed when building in DefenseTech
  • Security and foreign espionage risks in Tech
  • What investors look for in DefenseTech startups

===

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14895073 Tue, 16 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2725 5 158 full false 157. Anastasija Oleinika (Printify) on CFO-to-CEO role transition, expectations from a venture-backed startup, playbook for starting a new senior role, eCommerce post Covid & growing demand for meaning at work 157. Anastasija Oleinika (Printify) on CFO-to-CEO role transition, expectations from a venture-backed startup, playbook for starting a new senior role, eCommerce post Covid & growing demand for meaning at work Anastasija Oleinika is the CEO of Printify, a platform revolutionizing the print-on-demand market that raised more than 50mUSD in VC funding. Her leadership journey includes her previous CEO role at the Twino investment platform, where similarly to Printify she transitioned from CFO to CEO role.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Transition from CFO to CEO role
  • Things to do when starting a new role
  • E-commerce industry post Covid
  • Evolving market valuations and VC expectations
  • Personal productivity and effective management

Our previous conversation with Anastasija (Ep 13) https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-13-interview-anastasija-oleinika

Our conversation with Printify founder James Berdigans (Ep 36) https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/36-james-berdigans

===

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Anastasija Oleinika is the CEO of Printify, a platform revolutionizing the print-on-demand market that raised more than 50mUSD in VC funding. Her leadership journey includes her previous CEO role at the Twino investment platform, where similarly to Printify she transitioned from CFO to CEO role.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Transition from CFO to CEO role
  • Things to do when starting a new role
  • E-commerce industry post Covid
  • Evolving market valuations and VC expectations
  • Personal productivity and effective management

Our previous conversation with Anastasija (Ep 13) https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-13-interview-anastasija-oleinika

Our conversation with Printify founder James Berdigans (Ep 36) https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/36-james-berdigans

===

Find all episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14851294 Tue, 09 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0300 3004 5 157 full false 156. Allan Martinson on entrepreneurship in the 90s, building Starship Technologies, objectivity in journalism & his investment principles 156. Allan Martinson on entrepreneurship in the 90s, building Starship Technologies, objectivity in journalism & his investment principles Allan Martinson is a well-known Estonian entrepreneur and investor with a rich experience in technology and media. Starting his entrepreneurial journey in the early '90s, he founded the Baltic News Service, a pivotal news agency in the Baltic region. 

Allan's entrepreneurship career has spanned across various roles, including key positions at Starship Technologies and Xolo. With over two decades of investment experience, he has significantly contributed to the Baltic tech ecosystem. Allan currently serves as President of Estonian Founders Society.

On this episode we talk about:

  • 90s Entrepreneurship and media ventures
  • Catching the technology wave of late 90s and early 00s
  • Allan’s investment philosophy
  • The Starship Technologies story
  • Challenges of startup growth
  • Future of tech and investments

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Allan Martinson is a well-known Estonian entrepreneur and investor with a rich experience in technology and media. Starting his entrepreneurial journey in the early '90s, he founded the Baltic News Service, a pivotal news agency in the Baltic region. 

Allan's entrepreneurship career has spanned across various roles, including key positions at Starship Technologies and Xolo. With over two decades of investment experience, he has significantly contributed to the Baltic tech ecosystem. Allan currently serves as President of Estonian Founders Society.

On this episode we talk about:

  • 90s Entrepreneurship and media ventures
  • Catching the technology wave of late 90s and early 00s
  • Allan’s investment philosophy
  • The Starship Technologies story
  • Challenges of startup growth
  • Future of tech and investments

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14805057 Tue, 02 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0300 2831 5 156 full false 155. Rahul Vohra (Superhuman) shares his Playbook for finding Product-market fit, Fundraising lessons from $125M raised & Why taking on incumbents is a great startup strategy 155. Rahul Vohra (Superhuman) shares his Playbook for finding Product-market fit, Fundraising lessons from $125M raised & Why taking on incumbents is a great startup strategy Rahul Vohra, the CEO and founder of Superhuman, has revolutionized the email experience by creating the world's fastest email service with a cult following. A seasoned entrepreneur, Rahul sold his first startup to LinkedIn in 2012 and has since grown Superhuman into a productivity juggernaut, backed by 125mUSD in venture capital funding from investors such as Dropbox founders, Jason Calacanis, Ashton Kutcher, Will Smith and Tiger Global. 

Rahul is also an active angel investor and frequently appears in publications such as Forbes, Fortune as well as on many podcasts you might also be a listener of such as Acquired, This Week in Startups or My First Million.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Detailed steps for defining and measuring product-market fit
  • How to utilize user feedback for product development and improvement
  • Growth and scaling strategies
  • How to compete against dominant market players like Google and Microsoft
  • Fundraising from the dual perspective of a founder and investor
  • Productivity habits and tools that work


Learn how Superhuman built Product-Market fit https://blog.superhuman.com/how-superhuman-built-an-engine-to-find-product-market-fit


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Rahul Vohra, the CEO and founder of Superhuman, has revolutionized the email experience by creating the world's fastest email service with a cult following. A seasoned entrepreneur, Rahul sold his first startup to LinkedIn in 2012 and has since grown Superhuman into a productivity juggernaut, backed by 125mUSD in venture capital funding from investors such as Dropbox founders, Jason Calacanis, Ashton Kutcher, Will Smith and Tiger Global. 

Rahul is also an active angel investor and frequently appears in publications such as Forbes, Fortune as well as on many podcasts you might also be a listener of such as Acquired, This Week in Startups or My First Million.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Detailed steps for defining and measuring product-market fit
  • How to utilize user feedback for product development and improvement
  • Growth and scaling strategies
  • How to compete against dominant market players like Google and Microsoft
  • Fundraising from the dual perspective of a founder and investor
  • Productivity habits and tools that work


Learn how Superhuman built Product-Market fit https://blog.superhuman.com/how-superhuman-built-an-engine-to-find-product-market-fit


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14765874 Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2580 5 155 full false 154. From frontlines in Ukraine to startup success: lessons in leadership and decision making. How to build communities online & why founders need to be a bit delusional w/ Dana Sydorenko (GameTree) 154. From frontlines in Ukraine to startup success: lessons in leadership and decision making. How to build communities online & why founders need to be a bit delusional w/ Dana Sydorenko (GameTree) Dana Sydorenko is the CEO and Founder of GameTree, a social network to bring together like-minded gamers and reduce toxicity in the gaming space. Leveraging her unique background as a former frontline medic in the Ukrainian army and an avid gamer, Dana has made significant strides in both the military supply sector and the gaming community. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • From serving as a frontline medic in the Ukrainian army to founding companies.
  • How military experience influenced Dana’s approach to business and leadership.
  • The founding story of GameTree.
  • Strategies for creating inclusive and engaging online spaces.
  • Challenges in the gaming Industry.
  • The role of AI in enhancing online interactions.


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Dana Sydorenko is the CEO and Founder of GameTree, a social network to bring together like-minded gamers and reduce toxicity in the gaming space. Leveraging her unique background as a former frontline medic in the Ukrainian army and an avid gamer, Dana has made significant strides in both the military supply sector and the gaming community. 

On this episode we talk about:

  • From serving as a frontline medic in the Ukrainian army to founding companies.
  • How military experience influenced Dana’s approach to business and leadership.
  • The founding story of GameTree.
  • Strategies for creating inclusive and engaging online spaces.
  • Challenges in the gaming Industry.
  • The role of AI in enhancing online interactions.


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14716083 Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2808 5 154 full true 153. “Sustainability already is profitable”, people recognise & hate greenwashing + did Nokia Snake kickstart the Finnish startup success? w/ Tuomo Laine (Twice Commerce) 153. “Sustainability already is profitable”, people recognise & hate greenwashing + did Nokia Snake kickstart the Finnish startup success? w/ Tuomo Laine (Twice Commerce) Tuomo Laine is the Co-founder and Managing director of Twice Commerce. He brings his expertise in digital service design and his commitment to the circular economy to the ecommerce tech industry. 

Having taught at Aalto University and being a part of the Unreasonable Fellows, Tuomo is dedicated to making e-commerce both more sustainable and lucrative by leveraging circular economy principles.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Strategies for businesses to adopt sustainable practices effectively
  • The significance of simplicity in building and scaling platform businesses
  • The current state and consumer demand for sustainability
  • The gap between consumers' sustainability intentions and their purchasing behaviors
  • Challenges and opportunities in marketing sustainable products
  • The role and impact of refurbished products in the market


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Tuomo Laine is the Co-founder and Managing director of Twice Commerce. He brings his expertise in digital service design and his commitment to the circular economy to the ecommerce tech industry. 

Having taught at Aalto University and being a part of the Unreasonable Fellows, Tuomo is dedicated to making e-commerce both more sustainable and lucrative by leveraging circular economy principles.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Strategies for businesses to adopt sustainable practices effectively
  • The significance of simplicity in building and scaling platform businesses
  • The current state and consumer demand for sustainability
  • The gap between consumers' sustainability intentions and their purchasing behaviors
  • Challenges and opportunities in marketing sustainable products
  • The role and impact of refurbished products in the market


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14670884 Tue, 12 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0200 3074 5 153 full true 152. Tricks hackers use to target you, cyber security as business advantage vs cost + real-life proven tips on selling ANY product from 2nd time founders Aurimas Bakas & Andrius Minkevicius (CyberUpgrade) 152. Tricks hackers use to target you, cyber security as business advantage vs cost + real-life proven tips on selling ANY product from 2nd time founders Aurimas Bakas & Andrius Minkevicius (CyberUpgrade) Aurimas Bakas and Andrius Minkevicius are the co-founders of CyberUpgrade. They have a proven track record in the tech industry, having built and successfully exited banking core software company Paysolut to global fintech giant SumUp and now they are embarking on their latest venture. 

CyberUpgrade focuses on enhancing cybersecurity for B2B, especially SMEs and fintech companies, underscoring the critical importance of cyber protection in today's business landscape. Their work aims to make cybersecurity a key part of business growth and operations.


On this episode we talk about:

  • The Importance of Cybersecurity for Business Sustainability
  • How to Sell Complex B2B Products with Long Sales Cycles
  • What Companies Can Do Today to Reduce Cybercrime Risks
  • Serial Entrepreneurship and Paysolut Story
  • How Cybersecurity can Turn from a Cost to an Advantage
  • The Future of Cybersecurity


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Aurimas Bakas and Andrius Minkevicius are the co-founders of CyberUpgrade. They have a proven track record in the tech industry, having built and successfully exited banking core software company Paysolut to global fintech giant SumUp and now they are embarking on their latest venture. 

CyberUpgrade focuses on enhancing cybersecurity for B2B, especially SMEs and fintech companies, underscoring the critical importance of cyber protection in today's business landscape. Their work aims to make cybersecurity a key part of business growth and operations.


On this episode we talk about:

  • The Importance of Cybersecurity for Business Sustainability
  • How to Sell Complex B2B Products with Long Sales Cycles
  • What Companies Can Do Today to Reduce Cybercrime Risks
  • Serial Entrepreneurship and Paysolut Story
  • How Cybersecurity can Turn from a Cost to an Advantage
  • The Future of Cybersecurity


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14626761 Tue, 05 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0200 3080 5 152 full false 151. Military veteran turned tech-CEO Marko Kaseleht (SensusQ) on improving Baltic defense via technology, how to become mentally tough, importance of challenges, risks of surveillance & Ukraine war 151. Military veteran turned tech-CEO Marko Kaseleht (SensusQ) on improving Baltic defense via technology, how to become mentally tough, importance of challenges, risks of surveillance & Ukraine war Marko Kaseleht is the Co-founder and CEO of SensusQ. He successfully transitioned from an illustrious career in the Estonian Defense Forces to leading innovation in defense tech. With six combat tours under his belt, Marko's expertise now boosts NATO's defense capabilities as well as Ukraine's, through advanced intelligence management software.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Transition from Military to Defense Technology
  • How Military Tech keeps us Safe
  • Risks of Surveillance
  • Marko’s Leadership Philosophy & Principles
  • Why People Need Challenges in Daily Life


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Marko Kaseleht is the Co-founder and CEO of SensusQ. He successfully transitioned from an illustrious career in the Estonian Defense Forces to leading innovation in defense tech. With six combat tours under his belt, Marko's expertise now boosts NATO's defense capabilities as well as Ukraine's, through advanced intelligence management software.

On this episode we talk about:

  • Transition from Military to Defense Technology
  • How Military Tech keeps us Safe
  • Risks of Surveillance
  • Marko’s Leadership Philosophy & Principles
  • Why People Need Challenges in Daily Life


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14578860 Tue, 27 Feb 2024 04:00:00 +0200 3063 5 151 full true 150. Father of ‘Mobility as a Service’ concept: "People use their car 4% of the time but still pay for it 100%" + User-centric service design & subtle art of balancing stakeholder interests w/ Sampo Hietanen (MaaS Global) 150. Father of ‘Mobility as a Service’ concept: "People use their car 4% of the time but still pay for it 100%" + User-centric service design & subtle art of balancing stakeholder interests w/ Sampo Hietanen (MaaS Global) Sampo Hietanen is the founder and CEO of MaaS Global. A civil engineer turned entrepreneur he is recognised as the father of 'Mobility as a Service' concept. 

MaaS Global, runs and operates the award winning Whim app that offers comprehensive and all-encompassing mobility service to people in such cities as Helsinki, Vienna and Tokyo.

Expect to learn:

- How much private vehicles are being underutilised
- Service design principles that meet the demands of modern day users
- How to prosper in API-economy
- How to balance interests of multiple stakeholders/partners
- How all-in-one mobility solution that makes you give up your car looks like


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Sampo Hietanen is the founder and CEO of MaaS Global. A civil engineer turned entrepreneur he is recognised as the father of 'Mobility as a Service' concept. 

MaaS Global, runs and operates the award winning Whim app that offers comprehensive and all-encompassing mobility service to people in such cities as Helsinki, Vienna and Tokyo.

Expect to learn:

- How much private vehicles are being underutilised
- Service design principles that meet the demands of modern day users
- How to prosper in API-economy
- How to balance interests of multiple stakeholders/partners
- How all-in-one mobility solution that makes you give up your car looks like


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14534370 Tue, 20 Feb 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2179 5 150 full false Learn how low-budget growth hacks helped Italian startup WeRoad to raise €36M and become a cult travel site among millennials + lessons in community building w/ Fabio Bin & Erika De Santi. Ep 149 Learn how low-budget growth hacks helped Italian startup WeRoad to raise €36M and become a cult travel site among millennials + lessons in community building w/ Fabio Bin & Erika De Santi. Ep 149 Fabio Bin and Erika De Santi are the co-founders of WeRoad. They are redefining group travel for millennials by blending unique travel experiences with local culture and social opportunities. Since its inception in 2017, WeRoad has garnered attention for its innovative approach, recently securing significant Series B funding. Their journey, from a bootstrapped venture to a thriving marketplace for travel coordinators and service suppliers, demonstrates their impact on the travel community today and in the future.


On this episode we talk about:

  • Community-Based Product Building
  • Growth Hacking Tactics
  • Selling to Millennials
  • Incorporating User Feedback in Product Development
  • Future Trends in Travel


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Fabio Bin and Erika De Santi are the co-founders of WeRoad. They are redefining group travel for millennials by blending unique travel experiences with local culture and social opportunities. Since its inception in 2017, WeRoad has garnered attention for its innovative approach, recently securing significant Series B funding. Their journey, from a bootstrapped venture to a thriving marketplace for travel coordinators and service suppliers, demonstrates their impact on the travel community today and in the future.


On this episode we talk about:

  • Community-Based Product Building
  • Growth Hacking Tactics
  • Selling to Millennials
  • Incorporating User Feedback in Product Development
  • Future Trends in Travel


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14490912 Tue, 13 Feb 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2764 5 149 full false Kaarel Kotkas (Veriff 🦄) on making tough decisions, building resilience & navigating your company through the storm with confidence + Recap of sTARTUp Day 2024. Ep 148 Kaarel Kotkas (Veriff 🦄) on making tough decisions, building resilience & navigating your company through the storm with confidence + Recap of sTARTUp Day 2024. Ep 148 As promised during some of the previous episodes, we went to Tartu for sTARTUp Day 2024 and brought back a recording of a fireside chat with Kaarel Kotkas.

Kaarel is the founder and CEO of Veriff, one of the more recent Estonian unicorns that raised a 100m$ series C in early 2022 to hit the billion valuation mark. The 2 years that have followed have been very challenging and we sat down with Kaarel to talk about getting through challenging times, making tough decisions and building resilience,


What you can expect to learn from Kaarel:

  • What to do when you see warning signs of market slowdown
  • Strategies for keeping revenue up and growing during a downturn
  • How to manage investor relationships
  • The decision-making process and aftermath of doing 2 layoffs in 1 year
  • Taking extremely hard decisions and moving on as a leader and a company
  • How to define success when you have reached unicorn status


TIMESTAMPS:

  • 01:00 sTARTUp Day 2024 impressions
  • 10:00 Fireside chat with Kaarel
  • 35:00 Uldis & Janis recaps the main lessons from the interview



===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> As promised during some of the previous episodes, we went to Tartu for sTARTUp Day 2024 and brought back a recording of a fireside chat with Kaarel Kotkas.

Kaarel is the founder and CEO of Veriff, one of the more recent Estonian unicorns that raised a 100m$ series C in early 2022 to hit the billion valuation mark. The 2 years that have followed have been very challenging and we sat down with Kaarel to talk about getting through challenging times, making tough decisions and building resilience,


What you can expect to learn from Kaarel:

  • What to do when you see warning signs of market slowdown
  • Strategies for keeping revenue up and growing during a downturn
  • How to manage investor relationships
  • The decision-making process and aftermath of doing 2 layoffs in 1 year
  • Taking extremely hard decisions and moving on as a leader and a company
  • How to define success when you have reached unicorn status


TIMESTAMPS:

  • 01:00 sTARTUp Day 2024 impressions
  • 10:00 Fireside chat with Kaarel
  • 35:00 Uldis & Janis recaps the main lessons from the interview



===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14444920 Tue, 06 Feb 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2537 5 148 full false Dainis Kruze (Aerones) on pulling off a massive pivot, raising $30M, lessons from Y Combinator, practical tips for pitching investors & teaching maths as road to country’s prosperity. Ep 147 Dainis Kruze (Aerones) on pulling off a massive pivot, raising $30M, lessons from Y Combinator, practical tips for pitching investors & teaching maths as road to country’s prosperity. Ep 147 Dainis Kruze is the CEO and Co-Founder of Aerones. With a deep passion for innovation, he and his co-founder Janis Putrams started Aerones in 2015. Originating from university projects, their ambition and hard work evolved into a robust company, now boasting over 120 employees catering to markets across Europe, North America, and Latin America. They raised $30M Series-A in 2023.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How Dainis pulled off a huge pivot with Aerones
  • Building a culture that fosters innovation and adaptability
  • What it takes to pitch successfully
  • Experiences and learnings from participating in Y Combinator
  • The importance and challenges of talent acquisition and nurturing in the Baltics
  • The future of renewable energy



===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Dainis Kruze is the CEO and Co-Founder of Aerones. With a deep passion for innovation, he and his co-founder Janis Putrams started Aerones in 2015. Originating from university projects, their ambition and hard work evolved into a robust company, now boasting over 120 employees catering to markets across Europe, North America, and Latin America. They raised $30M Series-A in 2023.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How Dainis pulled off a huge pivot with Aerones
  • Building a culture that fosters innovation and adaptability
  • What it takes to pitch successfully
  • Experiences and learnings from participating in Y Combinator
  • The importance and challenges of talent acquisition and nurturing in the Baltics
  • The future of renewable energy



===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14400493 Tue, 30 Jan 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2970 5 147 full true Sales tactics that you can steal + how to validate demand before building a product & understand how to create value for your target customer w/ Kalev Kaarna. Ep 146 Sales tactics that you can steal + how to validate demand before building a product & understand how to create value for your target customer w/ Kalev Kaarna. Ep 146 Kalev Kaarna is a Mentor at Creative Destruction Lab and recently became ex-VC at Superangel where for the past 5 years Kalev operated as an investor and startups coach two in one. 

Kalev has specialized in propelling early-stage software and deep-tech startups to significant growth, with a keen focus on AI/ML, robotics, logistics, mobility, and SaaS B2B sectors. His prowess in guiding startups through initial challenges, especially in the Nordics and Baltics, is marked by his success in leading Superangel's accelerator program, where 33 startups collectively raised €40M. 

A firm believer in the power of effective pitching and building investor trust, Kalev combines his extensive intrapreneurial and research experience with a personal philosophy centered on leadership and personal coaching for founders. His journey, marked by both successes and failures, underlines his profound understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and his dedication to shaping the future of tech startups.


This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee

On this episode we talk about:

  • VC, Startup Coaching and Why and How Superangel Combined These
  • How Can Startup Founders Benefit from Coaching
  • Critical Early Sales Lessons for Startups
  • The “Sell-Demo-Build” Strategy
  • How to Build a Sales Strategy
  • How a Founder Must Grow Faster than Their Company


Book references from our conversation:

"Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works" by Ash Maurya.

"Demand-Sided Sales" by Bob Mesta.

"The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick.

"Clear Leadership" by Gervase R. Bushe.

"The Jolt Effect" by Matthew Dixon and Ted Mc

"The Almanack of Naval Ravikant" by Eric Jorgenson.

"Obviously Awesome" by April Dunford.

"Sales Pitch" by April Dunford.

“Tech Powered Sales” by Justin Michael and Tony Hughes

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Kalev Kaarna is a Mentor at Creative Destruction Lab and recently became ex-VC at Superangel where for the past 5 years Kalev operated as an investor and startups coach two in one. 

Kalev has specialized in propelling early-stage software and deep-tech startups to significant growth, with a keen focus on AI/ML, robotics, logistics, mobility, and SaaS B2B sectors. His prowess in guiding startups through initial challenges, especially in the Nordics and Baltics, is marked by his success in leading Superangel's accelerator program, where 33 startups collectively raised €40M. 

A firm believer in the power of effective pitching and building investor trust, Kalev combines his extensive intrapreneurial and research experience with a personal philosophy centered on leadership and personal coaching for founders. His journey, marked by both successes and failures, underlines his profound understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and his dedication to shaping the future of tech startups.


This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee

On this episode we talk about:

  • VC, Startup Coaching and Why and How Superangel Combined These
  • How Can Startup Founders Benefit from Coaching
  • Critical Early Sales Lessons for Startups
  • The “Sell-Demo-Build” Strategy
  • How to Build a Sales Strategy
  • How a Founder Must Grow Faster than Their Company


Book references from our conversation:

"Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works" by Ash Maurya.

"Demand-Sided Sales" by Bob Mesta.

"The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick.

"Clear Leadership" by Gervase R. Bushe.

"The Jolt Effect" by Matthew Dixon and Ted Mc

"The Almanack of Naval Ravikant" by Eric Jorgenson.

"Obviously Awesome" by April Dunford.

"Sales Pitch" by April Dunford.

“Tech Powered Sales” by Justin Michael and Tony Hughes

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14354573 Tue, 23 Jan 2024 07:00:00 +0200 3011 5 146 full false “What I learned from Slack’s founder”, will we lose ourselves in VR worlds, and impact of living abroad on entrepreneurial success w/ Märt Lume (Futuclass, Estonian AR-VR Association). Ep 145 “What I learned from Slack’s founder”, will we lose ourselves in VR worlds, and impact of living abroad on entrepreneurial success w/ Märt Lume (Futuclass, Estonian AR-VR Association). Ep 145 Märt Lume is a co-founder of Futuclass, a VR startup aimed at enhancing the educational experience for high school students, particularly in STEM subjects like chemistry and physics.

Additionally, Märt serves as the chairman of the board for the Estonian AR-VR Association. His expertise extends into the investment realm as well, being a member of the management board at Ludus Holdings, an early-stage investor that includes notable names such as Bolt, Veriff and Ready Player Me in its portfolio.

Märt's journey in the tech industry started with a gaming background, where he was notably the first employee at a company called Glitch, which later evolved into the widely-known platform Slack. His global experience, having lived in numerous cities around the world, adds a unique perspective to his entrepreneurial insights and learnings​​.


This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee


On this episode we talk about:

  • The current state of AR/VR progress
  • Märt’s experience as first employee of Glitch that later became Slack
  • International experiences and their benefits in entrepreneurship
  • How well do we teach STEM overall
  • The importance of separating reality and virtual reality 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Märt Lume is a co-founder of Futuclass, a VR startup aimed at enhancing the educational experience for high school students, particularly in STEM subjects like chemistry and physics.

Additionally, Märt serves as the chairman of the board for the Estonian AR-VR Association. His expertise extends into the investment realm as well, being a member of the management board at Ludus Holdings, an early-stage investor that includes notable names such as Bolt, Veriff and Ready Player Me in its portfolio.

Märt's journey in the tech industry started with a gaming background, where he was notably the first employee at a company called Glitch, which later evolved into the widely-known platform Slack. His global experience, having lived in numerous cities around the world, adds a unique perspective to his entrepreneurial insights and learnings​​.


This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee


On this episode we talk about:

  • The current state of AR/VR progress
  • Märt’s experience as first employee of Glitch that later became Slack
  • International experiences and their benefits in entrepreneurship
  • How well do we teach STEM overall
  • The importance of separating reality and virtual reality 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14313422 Tue, 16 Jan 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2791 5 145 full true Fighting cancer with AI, the founding story of Garage48 and Lattitude59 & why Baltics should learn from dwarves in LOTR w/ Priit Salumaa (Better Medicine). Ep 144 Fighting cancer with AI, the founding story of Garage48 and Lattitude59 & why Baltics should learn from dwarves in LOTR w/ Priit Salumaa (Better Medicine). Ep 144 Priit Salumaa is a serial entrepreneur based in the vibrant tech city of Tartu. He is the CEO and founder of Better Medicine, a company focused on building AI solutions to battle cancer. His entrepreneurial journey began with the founding of a software development company called Mooncascade in 2009, during the aftermath of the global economic crisis. In addition to his business ventures, Priit has been notably active in the non-governmental and non-profit sectors. He is a co-founder of flagship industry events in Estonia, such as Garage48 and Latitude59​​.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee

On this episode we talk about:

  • Better Medicine and fighting cancer with AI
  • Building a medtech product and business
  • The value of building non-governmental organizations
  • How hackathons contribute to community building
  • The potential of a unified Baltic market and identity


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Priit Salumaa is a serial entrepreneur based in the vibrant tech city of Tartu. He is the CEO and founder of Better Medicine, a company focused on building AI solutions to battle cancer. His entrepreneurial journey began with the founding of a software development company called Mooncascade in 2009, during the aftermath of the global economic crisis. In addition to his business ventures, Priit has been notably active in the non-governmental and non-profit sectors. He is a co-founder of flagship industry events in Estonia, such as Garage48 and Latitude59​​.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee

On this episode we talk about:

  • Better Medicine and fighting cancer with AI
  • Building a medtech product and business
  • The value of building non-governmental organizations
  • How hackathons contribute to community building
  • The potential of a unified Baltic market and identity


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14273396 Tue, 09 Jan 2024 04:00:00 +0200 2295 5 144 full true 2023 Wrapped: Biggest funding announcements, humorous stories & other noteworthy happenings in tech from Baltics 🇱🇻 🇱🇹 🇪🇪 & worldwide. Ep 143 2023 Wrapped: Biggest funding announcements, humorous stories & other noteworthy happenings in tech from Baltics 🇱🇻 🇱🇹 🇪🇪 & worldwide. Ep 143 Dear Listeners! As 2023 comes to a close, we're taking a moment to reflect on the year that was, obviously with an emphasis on the tech world. 

In this special year-end episode, we're going to take you through the biggest stories and developments in the tech and startup sectors, not just globally, but with a special focus on the Baltic countries - Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. 

We'll discuss the most significant funding announcements that have made waves, the intriguing news that caught our attention, and the groundbreaking technologies that have truly changed the game this year. 

Timestamps:
09:00 🇱🇻 Latvia
24:30 🇱🇹 Lithuania
37:30 🇪🇪 Estonia
48:00 Global trends


We are going on a short break and will return early January. Thanks for being with us in 2023 and Happy holidays to you all!


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Dear Listeners! As 2023 comes to a close, we're taking a moment to reflect on the year that was, obviously with an emphasis on the tech world. 

In this special year-end episode, we're going to take you through the biggest stories and developments in the tech and startup sectors, not just globally, but with a special focus on the Baltic countries - Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. 

We'll discuss the most significant funding announcements that have made waves, the intriguing news that caught our attention, and the groundbreaking technologies that have truly changed the game this year. 

Timestamps:
09:00 🇱🇻 Latvia
24:30 🇱🇹 Lithuania
37:30 🇪🇪 Estonia
48:00 Global trends


We are going on a short break and will return early January. Thanks for being with us in 2023 and Happy holidays to you all!


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14129489 Tue, 12 Dec 2023 04:00:00 +0200 4112 4 143 full true Why European founders need to be present in Silicon Valley and learnings from OpenAI on how to construct your board w/ Kaan Eren (500 Startups). Ep 142 Why European founders need to be present in Silicon Valley and learnings from OpenAI on how to construct your board w/ Kaan Eren (500 Startups). Ep 142 Kaan Eren is a Principal at 500 Startups Emerging Europe as part of the global 500 Startups organization. The team in Europe has recently raised its second fund and is boasting several unicorns among its investments. 

Kaan concentrates on the Eastern and Central European regions, with a particular focus on the Baltics. Before his current role at 500 Startups, Kaan had a successful career in investment banking, after which he transitioned to the dynamic world of startup investing​​​​.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The Eastern European Startup Ecosystem
  • 500 Startups' Global Reach and Strategy
  • Challenges and Opportunities in Emerging Markets
  • Role of Venture Capital in Shaping Startups
  • Building Global Companies from Local Ecosystems
  • The Value of Boards and Corporate Governance in Early Stage Startups


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kaan Eren is a Principal at 500 Startups Emerging Europe as part of the global 500 Startups organization. The team in Europe has recently raised its second fund and is boasting several unicorns among its investments. 

Kaan concentrates on the Eastern and Central European regions, with a particular focus on the Baltics. Before his current role at 500 Startups, Kaan had a successful career in investment banking, after which he transitioned to the dynamic world of startup investing​​​​.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The Eastern European Startup Ecosystem
  • 500 Startups' Global Reach and Strategy
  • Challenges and Opportunities in Emerging Markets
  • Role of Venture Capital in Shaping Startups
  • Building Global Companies from Local Ecosystems
  • The Value of Boards and Corporate Governance in Early Stage Startups


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14086669 Tue, 05 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0200 2775 4 142 full false How brands can navigate the minefield of social activism, importance of brand for Tech companies & VCs and what can we learn from WeWork, Elon’s X & adidas w/ Natalie Byrne. Ep 141 How brands can navigate the minefield of social activism, importance of brand for Tech companies & VCs and what can we learn from WeWork, Elon’s X & adidas w/ Natalie Byrne. Ep 141 Natalie Byrne is a brand strategist focusing on helping CEOs, celebrities, and brands build a more sustainable world. She also leads Blank Space, an impact strategy firm working with Fortune 500 companies and leaders dedicated to positive change. Natalie has held high profile roles at Dermalogica and Unilever and has been a White House delegate under President Obama speaking on topics of sustainability and brand. She currently advises the United Nations on topics of gender equality and specifically how businesses can contribute to it. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • The Role of Branding in the Tech Industry
  • Transforming Brands into Movements
  • How VCs should think of their Brands
  • Navigating Business and Social Activism
  • Importance of Authenticity in Branding
  • Role of CEOs as Activists
  • Embedding Values into the Company DNA


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Natalie Byrne is a brand strategist focusing on helping CEOs, celebrities, and brands build a more sustainable world. She also leads Blank Space, an impact strategy firm working with Fortune 500 companies and leaders dedicated to positive change. Natalie has held high profile roles at Dermalogica and Unilever and has been a White House delegate under President Obama speaking on topics of sustainability and brand. She currently advises the United Nations on topics of gender equality and specifically how businesses can contribute to it. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • The Role of Branding in the Tech Industry
  • Transforming Brands into Movements
  • How VCs should think of their Brands
  • Navigating Business and Social Activism
  • Importance of Authenticity in Branding
  • Role of CEOs as Activists
  • Embedding Values into the Company DNA


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14039690 Tue, 28 Nov 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2850 4 141 full true Meet the man who broke out of 9-to-5 to become LinkedIn's top visual influencer & amassed a 200k following on social media + tips to improve your visual storytelling game w/ Janis Ozolins. Ep 140 Meet the man who broke out of 9-to-5 to become LinkedIn's top visual influencer & amassed a 200k following on social media + tips to improve your visual storytelling game w/ Janis Ozolins. Ep 140 Janis Ozolins is an illustrator known for his compelling visual content on LinkedIn and Twitter. He has built a 200K following on these platforms, showcasing his unique ability to visualize and simplify complex life and business concepts. 

His work, which often addresses themes like productivity, procrastination, and overcoming perfectionism, resonates with a wide audience. Janis's skills have not only attracted the attention of top LinkedIn influencers like Justin Welsh and Sahil Bloom but have also made him a sought-after figure in the realm of content creation. 

Through his work, Janis demonstrates how to make business presentations more effective and points more relatable, turning content creation into a thriving business​​.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The Power of Visual Content
  • Jumping into the unknown by dropping IT career for Solo-preneurship
  • How to turn content creation into an online business
  • Simplification of complex concepts
  • How to build and keep engaged an online audience
  • Staying productive while dealing with perfectionism


Follow Janis on:
- Linkedin
- Twitter
- Instagram
- https://ozolinsjanis.com/ 

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Janis Ozolins is an illustrator known for his compelling visual content on LinkedIn and Twitter. He has built a 200K following on these platforms, showcasing his unique ability to visualize and simplify complex life and business concepts. 

His work, which often addresses themes like productivity, procrastination, and overcoming perfectionism, resonates with a wide audience. Janis's skills have not only attracted the attention of top LinkedIn influencers like Justin Welsh and Sahil Bloom but have also made him a sought-after figure in the realm of content creation. 

Through his work, Janis demonstrates how to make business presentations more effective and points more relatable, turning content creation into a thriving business​​.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The Power of Visual Content
  • Jumping into the unknown by dropping IT career for Solo-preneurship
  • How to turn content creation into an online business
  • Simplification of complex concepts
  • How to build and keep engaged an online audience
  • Staying productive while dealing with perfectionism


Follow Janis on:
- Linkedin
- Twitter
- Instagram
- https://ozolinsjanis.com/ 

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-14005984 Tue, 21 Nov 2023 04:00:00 +0200 3079 4 140 full true Man who helps high-profile founders prevent burnout & overcome impostor syndrome. Slack's first Product Manager turned Executive Coach, Kenneth Berger, shares his insights. Ep 139 Man who helps high-profile founders prevent burnout & overcome impostor syndrome. Slack's first Product Manager turned Executive Coach, Kenneth Berger, shares his insights. Ep 139 Kenneth Berger is an executive coach with a rich background in the tech industry. With experience as a founder himself as well as an early hire at Slack, Kenneth has firsthand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in fast-growing tech companies. 

He now uses his insights to help tech leaders and teams, including those at Typeform and Dribble, navigate business growth and personal development. Kenneth's upcoming book, "Ask For What You Want," aims to equip leaders with the tools to succeed while maintaining work-life balance.

In this episode we talk about:

  • From Tech Struggles to Coaching Triumphs
  • Building Resilient Leaders in Tech
  • The Art of Coaching: More Than Just Advice
  • Thriving Amidst Tech Industry Tensions
  • Leveraging Vulnerability for Stronger Leadership
  • "Ask For What You Want": A Guide to Preventing Burnout


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kenneth Berger is an executive coach with a rich background in the tech industry. With experience as a founder himself as well as an early hire at Slack, Kenneth has firsthand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in fast-growing tech companies. 

He now uses his insights to help tech leaders and teams, including those at Typeform and Dribble, navigate business growth and personal development. Kenneth's upcoming book, "Ask For What You Want," aims to equip leaders with the tools to succeed while maintaining work-life balance.

In this episode we talk about:

  • From Tech Struggles to Coaching Triumphs
  • Building Resilient Leaders in Tech
  • The Art of Coaching: More Than Just Advice
  • Thriving Amidst Tech Industry Tensions
  • Leveraging Vulnerability for Stronger Leadership
  • "Ask For What You Want": A Guide to Preventing Burnout


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13964834 Tue, 14 Nov 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2747 4 139 full true Starting another company after exit, pre-requisites for growth, why LinkedIn makes sense for founders & practical tips for balancing startup vs family w/ Martins Lasmanis (Supliful). Ep 138 Starting another company after exit, pre-requisites for growth, why LinkedIn makes sense for founders & practical tips for balancing startup vs family w/ Martins Lasmanis (Supliful). Ep 138 Martins Lasmanis is the co-founder of Supliful - a platform that allows you to start your vitamin and supplement dropshipping business in minutes. He is a serial entrepreneur having co-founded and exited his previous company. Martins also spent almost 10 years as a VC having seen the business also from the investor side.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Starting a company after exiting a previous one
  • How to achieve and sustain high growth in early stage
  • Tracking KPIs and productivity in business ops
  • How to create content and use social media as a startup founder
  • Tips for balancing startup and family life


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Martins Lasmanis is the co-founder of Supliful - a platform that allows you to start your vitamin and supplement dropshipping business in minutes. He is a serial entrepreneur having co-founded and exited his previous company. Martins also spent almost 10 years as a VC having seen the business also from the investor side.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Starting a company after exiting a previous one
  • How to achieve and sustain high growth in early stage
  • Tracking KPIs and productivity in business ops
  • How to create content and use social media as a startup founder
  • Tips for balancing startup and family life


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13920270 Tue, 07 Nov 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2668 4 138 full false Learn how to build your personal brand on Linkedin + practical side of digital nomad life with a family, solopreneurship & doing sales at a unicorn w/ Taavi Lindmaa. Ep 137 Learn how to build your personal brand on Linkedin + practical side of digital nomad life with a family, solopreneurship & doing sales at a unicorn w/ Taavi Lindmaa. Ep 137 Taavi Lindmaa is the Founder of Linkedin Daily Growth. Not only is he a Linkedin expert, but also a solo-preneur, a digital nomad and was employee #10 at Veriff, the digital ID unicorn out of Estonia.

In this episode we talk about:

  • What it means to be a solopreneur
  • Sales strategies from Veriff early days
  • How can digital nomad lifestyle work for you
  • Leveraging Linkedin as a personal branding tool
  • Effective Linkedin growth strategies

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Taavi Lindmaa is the Founder of Linkedin Daily Growth. Not only is he a Linkedin expert, but also a solo-preneur, a digital nomad and was employee #10 at Veriff, the digital ID unicorn out of Estonia.

In this episode we talk about:

  • What it means to be a solopreneur
  • Sales strategies from Veriff early days
  • How can digital nomad lifestyle work for you
  • Leveraging Linkedin as a personal branding tool
  • Effective Linkedin growth strategies

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13875044 Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2599 4 137 full true Skype story after Microsoft acquisition, how it is doing now, practical applications of AI & challenges of managing distributed teams w/ Tanel Erm (Microsoft). Ep 136 Skype story after Microsoft acquisition, how it is doing now, practical applications of AI & challenges of managing distributed teams w/ Tanel Erm (Microsoft). Ep 136 Tanel Erm is the Head of Microsoft Development Centre Estonia  and has been with Microsoft/Skype for nearly 20 years. He has held various roles in Engineering as well as Management. Tanel has worked through both the Ebay and the Microsoft acquisitions of Skype and has an exclusive perspective on the much discussed Skype story.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Tanel’s early journey with Skype
  • Acquisitions of Skype by Ebay and Microsoft
  • How Skype lost its dominant position
  • Challenges of managing distributed teams
  • How AI is changing product development and running a team/project


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Tanel Erm is the Head of Microsoft Development Centre Estonia  and has been with Microsoft/Skype for nearly 20 years. He has held various roles in Engineering as well as Management. Tanel has worked through both the Ebay and the Microsoft acquisitions of Skype and has an exclusive perspective on the much discussed Skype story.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Tanel’s early journey with Skype
  • Acquisitions of Skype by Ebay and Microsoft
  • How Skype lost its dominant position
  • Challenges of managing distributed teams
  • How AI is changing product development and running a team/project


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13830907 Tue, 24 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2890 4 136 full true Sales tactics you can use in your next call, a day in life of a product manager in UK’s top Fintechs & finding your ‘Why’ to get fit w/ Daniel Yubi (Payable). Ep 135 Sales tactics you can use in your next call, a day in life of a product manager in UK’s top Fintechs & finding your ‘Why’ to get fit w/ Daniel Yubi (Payable). Ep 135 Daniel Yubi is the Founder and CEO of Fintech startup Payable, a UK based treasury management startup that raised $6M at the end of the last year. He is a seasoned Fintech veteran having tenured in companies such as Checkout and Curve. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • The role of Product Manager in large Fintech companies
  • What does it mean to be a Product minded founder
  • What strategies work best for B2B sales
  • How to make a successful Youtube channel
  • Tips on productivity and fitness

Content recommendations from the conversation with Daniel

Blog about product management - https://www.bringthedonuts.com/blog/

B2B sales book - https://www.momtestbook.com/

B2B sales book - https://www.foundingsales.com/

Tool for organizing notes and work - https://evernote.com/

Tool to get things done - https://culturedcode.com/things/

Advanced calendar - https://cron.com/

Tool for journaling - https://dayoneapp.com/


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Daniel Yubi is the Founder and CEO of Fintech startup Payable, a UK based treasury management startup that raised $6M at the end of the last year. He is a seasoned Fintech veteran having tenured in companies such as Checkout and Curve. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • The role of Product Manager in large Fintech companies
  • What does it mean to be a Product minded founder
  • What strategies work best for B2B sales
  • How to make a successful Youtube channel
  • Tips on productivity and fitness

Content recommendations from the conversation with Daniel

Blog about product management - https://www.bringthedonuts.com/blog/

B2B sales book - https://www.momtestbook.com/

B2B sales book - https://www.foundingsales.com/

Tool for organizing notes and work - https://evernote.com/

Tool to get things done - https://culturedcode.com/things/

Advanced calendar - https://cron.com/

Tool for journaling - https://dayoneapp.com/


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13789546 Tue, 17 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0300 3115 4 135 full false Getting acquired by Canva, journalism-based tips in effective storytelling & productivity lessons that come with age w/ Duncan Clark. Ep 134 Getting acquired by Canva, journalism-based tips in effective storytelling & productivity lessons that come with age w/ Duncan Clark. Ep 134 Duncan Clark is the Canva Europe Lead and the CEO of Flourish, a leading data storytelling tool that Canva acquired in 2021. Before founding Flourish, Duncan was a data journalist at the Guardian and a commissioning editor at Penguin and Profile. He is the co-author of “The Burning Question, a data-driven take on climate change”.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How Flourish was created
  • The acquisition of Flourish by the juggernaut Canva
  • Effective storytelling and communication
  • What makes Canva so successful
  • Data storytelling and AI integration in visualization tools

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Duncan Clark is the Canva Europe Lead and the CEO of Flourish, a leading data storytelling tool that Canva acquired in 2021. Before founding Flourish, Duncan was a data journalist at the Guardian and a commissioning editor at Penguin and Profile. He is the co-author of “The Burning Question, a data-driven take on climate change”.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How Flourish was created
  • The acquisition of Flourish by the juggernaut Canva
  • Effective storytelling and communication
  • What makes Canva so successful
  • Data storytelling and AI integration in visualization tools

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13717445 Tue, 10 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2595 4 134 full false Leadership lessons from CEO in wartime, real-life benefits and challenges of sustainability & productivity tips that suit your personality w/ Andreas Flodström (Beetroot). Ep 133 Leadership lessons from CEO in wartime, real-life benefits and challenges of sustainability & productivity tips that suit your personality w/ Andreas Flodström (Beetroot). Ep 133 Andreas Flodström is the CEO and Co-founder of Beetroot, a Swedish-Ukrainian IT company that strives for sustainable software development and is also running a network of IT Academy schools in 17 Ukrainian cities. Andreas has been named the entrepreneur of the year in Sweden in 2018. He is also a contributor to Forbes magazine.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How to manage remote teams during economic downturn
  • What leadership lessons can be derived from managing teams in crisis situation
  • What principles and values have allowed Beetroot to become successful
  • What happens if values come into conflict with business objectives
  • An insider’s view on situation in Ukraine’s tech sector
  • Personal productivity lessons that you can apply to your work


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Andreas Flodström is the CEO and Co-founder of Beetroot, a Swedish-Ukrainian IT company that strives for sustainable software development and is also running a network of IT Academy schools in 17 Ukrainian cities. Andreas has been named the entrepreneur of the year in Sweden in 2018. He is also a contributor to Forbes magazine.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How to manage remote teams during economic downturn
  • What leadership lessons can be derived from managing teams in crisis situation
  • What principles and values have allowed Beetroot to become successful
  • What happens if values come into conflict with business objectives
  • An insider’s view on situation in Ukraine’s tech sector
  • Personal productivity lessons that you can apply to your work


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13702868 Tue, 03 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2802 4 133 full false Massive new €200m fund, current VC state, strengths & challenges of Baltic founders, and what edge VCs with real operator and engineering background have w/ Rainer Sternfeld & Shinichi Nikkuni (NordicNinja VC). Ep 132 Massive new €200m fund, current VC state, strengths & challenges of Baltic founders, and what edge VCs with real operator and engineering background have w/ Rainer Sternfeld & Shinichi Nikkuni (NordicNinja VC). Ep 132 Rainer Sternfeld and Shinichi Nikkuni are two of the Partners at NordicNinja VC. NordicNinja have recently announced a new 200mEUR fund which aims to support founders who are focusing on important global issues, primarily in the sectors of climate tech, deep tech, and the digital society. This development is a part of their continued efforts to contribute positively towards reducing the global carbon footprint. Through investments in companies like Einride, Bolt, and Veriff, they have demonstrated a consistent dedication to nurturing innovation and promoting sustainability.

In this episode we talk about:

  • NordicNinja’s unwavering commitment to the Baltic-Nordic region with 200mEUR new fund
  • Attractiveness and challenges of the Baltic-Nordic startup ecosystem
  • How NordicNinja assesses societal and environmental impact of investments 
  • How AI and data science impacts the business of venture capital today and going forward
  • What is the state of VC fundraising and investing in the Baltics and globally
  • What topics are of interest to Rainer and Shinichi - Biodiversity, Network Science and Decision Making


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Rainer Sternfeld and Shinichi Nikkuni are two of the Partners at NordicNinja VC. NordicNinja have recently announced a new 200mEUR fund which aims to support founders who are focusing on important global issues, primarily in the sectors of climate tech, deep tech, and the digital society. This development is a part of their continued efforts to contribute positively towards reducing the global carbon footprint. Through investments in companies like Einride, Bolt, and Veriff, they have demonstrated a consistent dedication to nurturing innovation and promoting sustainability.

In this episode we talk about:

  • NordicNinja’s unwavering commitment to the Baltic-Nordic region with 200mEUR new fund
  • Attractiveness and challenges of the Baltic-Nordic startup ecosystem
  • How NordicNinja assesses societal and environmental impact of investments 
  • How AI and data science impacts the business of venture capital today and going forward
  • What is the state of VC fundraising and investing in the Baltics and globally
  • What topics are of interest to Rainer and Shinichi - Biodiversity, Network Science and Decision Making


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13659054 Tue, 26 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2584 4 132 full false WSJ & Amazon #1 Best-selling author & co-founder of Mindvalley Kristina Mand-Lakhiani on building your most important relationship - with yourself + work-life balance, addictive personalities & facing your flaws. Ep 131 WSJ & Amazon #1 Best-selling author & co-founder of Mindvalley Kristina Mand-Lakhiani on building your most important relationship - with yourself + work-life balance, addictive personalities & facing your flaws. Ep 131 Kristina Mand-Lakhiani is the co-founder of Mindvalley, a life transformation platform with a following of 20 million, as well as a writer, speaker, mother and philanthropist. She is one of the most successful businesswomen in Estonia and has set her mission to help people heal their most important relationship in life - the relationship with self.

To achieve this, Kristina has recently released her new book called “Becoming Flawesome” and the book has become the No. 1 bestseller in the US on the lists of the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Barnes & Noble and Amazon

Check out Kristina's new book here https://kristinamand.com/

In this episode we talk about:

  • Self-Acceptance and Embracing Personal Flaws
  • The Concept of Perfectionism
  • The importance of fostering a healthy relationship with oneself
  • The role of self-awareness and introspection in personal growth
  • The Evolution of Influencer Credibility
  • Navigating the Changing Landscape of Content Consumption



===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kristina Mand-Lakhiani is the co-founder of Mindvalley, a life transformation platform with a following of 20 million, as well as a writer, speaker, mother and philanthropist. She is one of the most successful businesswomen in Estonia and has set her mission to help people heal their most important relationship in life - the relationship with self.

To achieve this, Kristina has recently released her new book called “Becoming Flawesome” and the book has become the No. 1 bestseller in the US on the lists of the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Barnes & Noble and Amazon

Check out Kristina's new book here https://kristinamand.com/

In this episode we talk about:

  • Self-Acceptance and Embracing Personal Flaws
  • The Concept of Perfectionism
  • The importance of fostering a healthy relationship with oneself
  • The role of self-awareness and introspection in personal growth
  • The Evolution of Influencer Credibility
  • Navigating the Changing Landscape of Content Consumption



===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13612649 Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2778 4 131 full false Kilo Health CPO Ilona Bernotaite on hiring 12 CEOs in 1 year, retaining talent, importance of physical & mental health and why you should expect employees will start their own businesses. Ep 130 Kilo Health CPO Ilona Bernotaite on hiring 12 CEOs in 1 year, retaining talent, importance of physical & mental health and why you should expect employees will start their own businesses. Ep 130 Ilona Bernotaite is the Chief People Officer and Co-Found program ambassador at Kilo Health and is now tasked to hire 12 CEOs per year to run one of the Kilo Health growing number of portfolio businesses. Ilona has been with Kilo Health for the past few years and prior to that built a successful career at EY Talent, Learning and Development practice. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Hiring 12 CEOs per year
  • Product Development and Idea Validation  
  • Employee Management and Retention
  • Work Environment and Company Culture
  • Employee Well-being and Company’s Role in Supporting it


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

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Support the show

]]> Ilona Bernotaite is the Chief People Officer and Co-Found program ambassador at Kilo Health and is now tasked to hire 12 CEOs per year to run one of the Kilo Health growing number of portfolio businesses. Ilona has been with Kilo Health for the past few years and prior to that built a successful career at EY Talent, Learning and Development practice. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Hiring 12 CEOs per year
  • Product Development and Idea Validation  
  • Employee Management and Retention
  • Work Environment and Company Culture
  • Employee Well-being and Company’s Role in Supporting it


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13565087 Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2485 4 130 full false “Our numbers seem too good to be true”. Gamification expert reveals how to increase user engagement and marketing ROI in B2C and B2B + principles & myths of game design w/ Kalev Kärpuk (Adact). Ep 129 “Our numbers seem too good to be true”. Gamification expert reveals how to increase user engagement and marketing ROI in B2C and B2B + principles & myths of game design w/ Kalev Kärpuk (Adact). Ep 129 Kalev Kärpuk is the CEO and Cofounder of Adact.me - a marketing gamification platform. Kalev has been in gamification for more than 10 years and is the perfect person to talk about engaging users, applied gamification, selling to fortune500 companies and more.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The role and impact of gamification
  • Onboarding and employee engagement through gamification
  • Measuring the effectiveness of gamified marketing campaigns
  • How to use gamification for B2B businesses
  • Selling to big name companies
  • Brand awareness and marketing metrics

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

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Support the show

]]> Kalev Kärpuk is the CEO and Cofounder of Adact.me - a marketing gamification platform. Kalev has been in gamification for more than 10 years and is the perfect person to talk about engaging users, applied gamification, selling to fortune500 companies and more.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The role and impact of gamification
  • Onboarding and employee engagement through gamification
  • Measuring the effectiveness of gamified marketing campaigns
  • How to use gamification for B2B businesses
  • Selling to big name companies
  • Brand awareness and marketing metrics

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13527406 Tue, 05 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2625 4 129 full true A Scientist-turned-CEO: from research to revenue, raising money, human 2.0, precision medicine & tackling the ethics of AI progress w/ Juozas Nainys (Atrandi Biosciences). Ep 128 A Scientist-turned-CEO: from research to revenue, raising money, human 2.0, precision medicine & tackling the ethics of AI progress w/ Juozas Nainys (Atrandi Biosciences). Ep 128 Juozas Nainys is the Co-Founder and CEO of Atrandi - Droplet Genomics. Juozas has a decorated scientific career with more than 13 years at Vilnius University Life Sciences Center as well as at Columbia University in New York City. And for the past 7 years Juozas has been building Atrandi.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Transition from Scientist to Entrepreneur/CEO
  • What role AI plays in Science
  • Precision Medicine and Progress in Science
  • Product that Atrandi and Juozas are building
  • Ethical Dilemmas and Regulation in Biotechnology
  • Startup Challenges and KPIs in Science-Based Startups


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Juozas Nainys is the Co-Founder and CEO of Atrandi - Droplet Genomics. Juozas has a decorated scientific career with more than 13 years at Vilnius University Life Sciences Center as well as at Columbia University in New York City. And for the past 7 years Juozas has been building Atrandi.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Transition from Scientist to Entrepreneur/CEO
  • What role AI plays in Science
  • Precision Medicine and Progress in Science
  • Product that Atrandi and Juozas are building
  • Ethical Dilemmas and Regulation in Biotechnology
  • Startup Challenges and KPIs in Science-Based Startups


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13485999 Tue, 29 Aug 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2714 4 128 full false One of Silicon Valley's most prolific inventors & mindfulness expert Dr. Reiner Kraft reveals practical & measurable methods to stay present, manage stress and make better decisions. Ep 127 One of Silicon Valley's most prolific inventors & mindfulness expert Dr. Reiner Kraft reveals practical & measurable methods to stay present, manage stress and make better decisions. Ep 127 Reiner Kraft is the Founder of the Mindful Leader consultancy. He has spent 20 years in Silicon Valley and also has a decorated tech career in Germany. He has held such roles as CTO in Deutsche Bank, VP of Engineering at Zalando and Director of Engineering at Yahoo. 

Reiner holds 120 U.S. patents, making him one of the most prolific inventors in Silicon Valley. The prestigious MIT Technology Review in 2003 named him among the top innovators alongside names such as Sergey Brin, Larry Page, Travis Kalanick and Max Levchin.

In this episode we talk about:

  • What is mindfulness and its opposite
  • Upgrading your mind and body
  • Functioning more productively
  • Measuring progress in mindfulness
  • Handling stress in high pressure work environment
  • The progress of AI


If you are interested learning more about Reiner visit https://www.themindfulleader.net/

And make sure to subscribe to his podcast as well https://open.spotify.com/show/06vEB5p5FZB7vhsBSYBBfo


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Reiner Kraft is the Founder of the Mindful Leader consultancy. He has spent 20 years in Silicon Valley and also has a decorated tech career in Germany. He has held such roles as CTO in Deutsche Bank, VP of Engineering at Zalando and Director of Engineering at Yahoo. 

Reiner holds 120 U.S. patents, making him one of the most prolific inventors in Silicon Valley. The prestigious MIT Technology Review in 2003 named him among the top innovators alongside names such as Sergey Brin, Larry Page, Travis Kalanick and Max Levchin.

In this episode we talk about:

  • What is mindfulness and its opposite
  • Upgrading your mind and body
  • Functioning more productively
  • Measuring progress in mindfulness
  • Handling stress in high pressure work environment
  • The progress of AI


If you are interested learning more about Reiner visit https://www.themindfulleader.net/

And make sure to subscribe to his podcast as well https://open.spotify.com/show/06vEB5p5FZB7vhsBSYBBfo


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13444810 Tue, 22 Aug 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2804 4 127 full false Raising $1.5M pre-MVP, validating market fit, selling to engineers, leaving exec roles to start a company & how much founders should pay themselves w/ founders of TraceSpace. Ep 126 Raising $1.5M pre-MVP, validating market fit, selling to engineers, leaving exec roles to start a company & how much founders should pay themselves w/ founders of TraceSpace. Ep 126 Mikus Krams, Jānis Vāvere and Kārlis Broders are the co-founders of TraceSpace - a tool that helps developers build complex products 10x faster. The guys managed to raise a substantial 1.5mUSD pre-seed round on the back of a great idea and solid credentials from building Lokalise.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Raising VC money at pre-seed stage
  • How much early stage founders should pay themselves
  • Validating market demand for your product
  • Differences between startup founder and startup employee/manager
  • Selling software to software engineers

===


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Mikus Krams, Jānis Vāvere and Kārlis Broders are the co-founders of TraceSpace - a tool that helps developers build complex products 10x faster. The guys managed to raise a substantial 1.5mUSD pre-seed round on the back of a great idea and solid credentials from building Lokalise.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Raising VC money at pre-seed stage
  • How much early stage founders should pay themselves
  • Validating market demand for your product
  • Differences between startup founder and startup employee/manager
  • Selling software to software engineers

===


Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13223830 Tue, 18 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2107 4 126 full false Pitching Masterclass - learn how to overcome fear of public speaking, deal with tough questions, how to craft a compelling narrative and read your audience when presenting w/ pitching coach Gleb Maltsev. Ep. 125 Pitching Masterclass - learn how to overcome fear of public speaking, deal with tough questions, how to craft a compelling narrative and read your audience when presenting w/ pitching coach Gleb Maltsev. Ep. 125 Gleb Maltsev is a data-driven pitching coach who has trained presenters for industry-wide pitching showcases such as Slush, Latitude59 and Techchill. Every year he works with executives from almost every industry that would make the world a bit better, or at least have a shot at doing so. Gleb is also the co-founder of Fundwise, a founder-to-investor pitching platform with a 70% success rate. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Understanding and tackling the fear of public speaking
  • How to craft a story that people remember
  • Learn from mistakes people make
  • Learn how to read the room 
  • Live roleplay and practical examples on how to deal with tough questions

Gleb’s research on pitching - Anatomy of a Pitch: https://entrepreneurshandbook.co/the-anatomy-of-a-pitch-762f8ddc5ce1 


Book tips from this episode:

Robert Sapolsky - Behave
Will Storr - The Science of Storytelling
Aristotle - The Art of Rhetoric
Alex (Sandy) Pentland - Honest Signals4


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Gleb Maltsev is a data-driven pitching coach who has trained presenters for industry-wide pitching showcases such as Slush, Latitude59 and Techchill. Every year he works with executives from almost every industry that would make the world a bit better, or at least have a shot at doing so. Gleb is also the co-founder of Fundwise, a founder-to-investor pitching platform with a 70% success rate. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Understanding and tackling the fear of public speaking
  • How to craft a story that people remember
  • Learn from mistakes people make
  • Learn how to read the room 
  • Live roleplay and practical examples on how to deal with tough questions

Gleb’s research on pitching - Anatomy of a Pitch: https://entrepreneurshandbook.co/the-anatomy-of-a-pitch-762f8ddc5ce1 


Book tips from this episode:

Robert Sapolsky - Behave
Will Storr - The Science of Storytelling
Aristotle - The Art of Rhetoric
Alex (Sandy) Pentland - Honest Signals4


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13198043 Tue, 11 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0300 3021 4 125 full false Emils Pakarklis (iPhone Photography School) on building a profitable content business, marketing vs product, how to validate ideas, AI impact & actual tips to shoot better photos. Ep 124 Emils Pakarklis (iPhone Photography School) on building a profitable content business, marketing vs product, how to validate ideas, AI impact & actual tips to shoot better photos. Ep 124 Emils Pakarklis is the Founder and CEO of iPhone Photography School - an online course platform that helps regular people take photos like pros. This fully bootstrapped company has already made 4mUSD in revenue in the first quarter of 2023 and shows no signs of slowing down. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Building a content based business
  • Testing demand without having the product ready
  • Keys for selling online successfully
  • AI & content
  • Actual iPhone photography tips to shoot better photos

Reading tip from the episode Emils - check out Jeff Walker’s product launch formula - https://jeffwalker.com/programs/product-launch-formula/


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Emils Pakarklis is the Founder and CEO of iPhone Photography School - an online course platform that helps regular people take photos like pros. This fully bootstrapped company has already made 4mUSD in revenue in the first quarter of 2023 and shows no signs of slowing down. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Building a content based business
  • Testing demand without having the product ready
  • Keys for selling online successfully
  • AI & content
  • Actual iPhone photography tips to shoot better photos

Reading tip from the episode Emils - check out Jeff Walker’s product launch formula - https://jeffwalker.com/programs/product-launch-formula/


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13153639 Tue, 04 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2695 4 124 full false Hacks for getting your first users, why you shouldn't be afraid to compete with Big Tech, getting past overthinking & working with influencers w/ Aune Aunapuu (Yaga). Ep 123 Hacks for getting your first users, why you shouldn't be afraid to compete with Big Tech, getting past overthinking & working with influencers w/ Aune Aunapuu (Yaga). Ep 123 Aune Aunapuu is the Founder and CEO of Yaga - marketplace for pre-loved fashion. Launched in 2019, Yaga is one of South Africa’s most popular online fashion platforms, with over 5 million visits per month with over 5 000 new items listed every day. They raised 2.3 M USD at the end of last year from a range of prominent investors with backgrounds in companies such as  Bolt, Planet42, Wise, Veriff, Katana and Klaus.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Pre-loved fashion and circular economy
  • Scrappy tips for getting first users for a new marketplace
  • Doing business in emerging markets
  • Competing against bigtech competitors
  • Working with influencers
===

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Aune Aunapuu is the Founder and CEO of Yaga - marketplace for pre-loved fashion. Launched in 2019, Yaga is one of South Africa’s most popular online fashion platforms, with over 5 million visits per month with over 5 000 new items listed every day. They raised 2.3 M USD at the end of last year from a range of prominent investors with backgrounds in companies such as  Bolt, Planet42, Wise, Veriff, Katana and Klaus.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Pre-loved fashion and circular economy
  • Scrappy tips for getting first users for a new marketplace
  • Doing business in emerging markets
  • Competing against bigtech competitors
  • Working with influencers
===

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13109844 Tue, 27 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2511 4 123 full false How to build your personal brand, creating content for LinkedIn and Twitter, finding an authentic voice & role of talent vs effort w/ Ana Wolsztajn. Ep 122 How to build your personal brand, creating content for LinkedIn and Twitter, finding an authentic voice & role of talent vs effort w/ Ana Wolsztajn. Ep 122 Ana Wolsztajn has over 15 years of experience as an operator, founder and tech journalist. She has been named among Europe’s top 100 most influential women in startups and has been part of investment firms such as Kaya VC and Included VC. Her career and education include names such as Balderton, tech.eu. Adidas, DDB, McCann, Stanford, Cornell and Miami Ad School.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Personal brand building
  • Finding your own authentic voice
  • Engaging on Linkedin and Twitter
  • Talent vs. effort in personal branding
  • Doing social platforms for companies

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Ana Wolsztajn has over 15 years of experience as an operator, founder and tech journalist. She has been named among Europe’s top 100 most influential women in startups and has been part of investment firms such as Kaya VC and Included VC. Her career and education include names such as Balderton, tech.eu. Adidas, DDB, McCann, Stanford, Cornell and Miami Ad School.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Personal brand building
  • Finding your own authentic voice
  • Engaging on Linkedin and Twitter
  • Talent vs. effort in personal branding
  • Doing social platforms for companies

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13069251 Tue, 20 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2333 4 122 full false A man who has closed over $2Bn in sales deals Zoltan Vardy on sales fundamentals for startups, how to define your value proposition, selling to corporate clients & hiring sales execs. Ep 121 A man who has closed over $2Bn in sales deals Zoltan Vardy on sales fundamentals for startups, how to define your value proposition, selling to corporate clients & hiring sales execs. Ep 121 Zoltan Vardy is a startup mentor, trainer, and speaker who helps B2B tech founders build recurring revenue and scale their sales globally with his Launch Code consultancy. Zoltan has closed over 2 billion dollars in sales over his 30-year global career as an executive, entrepreneur, and investor. He is a former Sr. Vice President/Global Sales at NBC Universal International and has also served as regional CEO at Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 Media.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Sales fundamentals for startups
  • Selling to enterprise clients
  • How to define your value proposition
  • Hiring first sales exec in a startup
  • Productivity tips


Special offer to our listeners! Go to: zoltanvardy.com/podcast for a free value proposition creation guide.

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Zoltan Vardy is a startup mentor, trainer, and speaker who helps B2B tech founders build recurring revenue and scale their sales globally with his Launch Code consultancy. Zoltan has closed over 2 billion dollars in sales over his 30-year global career as an executive, entrepreneur, and investor. He is a former Sr. Vice President/Global Sales at NBC Universal International and has also served as regional CEO at Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 Media.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Sales fundamentals for startups
  • Selling to enterprise clients
  • How to define your value proposition
  • Hiring first sales exec in a startup
  • Productivity tips


Special offer to our listeners! Go to: zoltanvardy.com/podcast for a free value proposition creation guide.

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-13024606 Tue, 13 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2735 4 121 full false Revolut's Andrius Biceika on no-budget scrappy growth hacking, early days of a multi-billion startup, importance of launching fast and future super app. Ep 120 Revolut's Andrius Biceika on no-budget scrappy growth hacking, early days of a multi-billion startup, importance of launching fast and future super app. Ep 120 Andrius Biceika is a Partner at Revolut and the Co-CEO and Board member at Revolut Bank. He was one of the early employees and has held many leadership roles at Revolut. Prior to that he did stints at such well known Lithuanian companies as Citybee and Transfergo.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Early stories of Revolut
  • Growth hacking strategies
  • Building fintech products

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Andrius Biceika is a Partner at Revolut and the Co-CEO and Board member at Revolut Bank. He was one of the early employees and has held many leadership roles at Revolut. Prior to that he did stints at such well known Lithuanian companies as Citybee and Transfergo.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Early stories of Revolut
  • Growth hacking strategies
  • Building fintech products

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12979646 Tue, 06 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2885 4 120 full true Wise's Chief People Officer Isabel Naidoo on hiring, practical importance of diversity, implicit biases, scaling teams, gender stereotypes & impact of AI. Ep 119 Wise's Chief People Officer Isabel Naidoo on hiring, practical importance of diversity, implicit biases, scaling teams, gender stereotypes & impact of AI. Ep 119 Isabel Naidoo is the Chief People Officer at Wise. She has invested her career almost exclusively into people management having held people management roles at such companies as Accenture, Capco, FIS and most recently Wise.

In this episode we talk about:

  • What makes an organization people want to work for
  • Building a company with diversity in mind
  • Scaling teams
  • Gender stereotypes impacting workplace
  • AI and its impact on jobs


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Isabel Naidoo is the Chief People Officer at Wise. She has invested her career almost exclusively into people management having held people management roles at such companies as Accenture, Capco, FIS and most recently Wise.

In this episode we talk about:

  • What makes an organization people want to work for
  • Building a company with diversity in mind
  • Scaling teams
  • Gender stereotypes impacting workplace
  • AI and its impact on jobs


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12939212 Tue, 30 May 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2843 4 119 full false Getting out of your comfort zone, transition from corporate to entrepreneurship, the importance of doing sales as a founder & how to make sustainability profitable w/ Rain Vaana (KWOTA). Ep 118 Getting out of your comfort zone, transition from corporate to entrepreneurship, the importance of doing sales as a founder & how to make sustainability profitable w/ Rain Vaana (KWOTA). Ep 118 Rain Vaana is the Founder and CEO of Kwota - a carbon credits trading marketplace. Before starting Kwota in 2021, Rain spent more than 10 years managing units of big international companies like Lindstrom and Ragn-Sells so we also wanted to understand how and why Rain switched from being a career manager to becoming a startup founder.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Taking the plunge from experienced career manager to startup founder
  • How small companies and individuals can positively impact climate change
  • What goes into building a marketplace
  • Sustainability
  • Doing sales as a founder


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Rain Vaana is the Founder and CEO of Kwota - a carbon credits trading marketplace. Before starting Kwota in 2021, Rain spent more than 10 years managing units of big international companies like Lindstrom and Ragn-Sells so we also wanted to understand how and why Rain switched from being a career manager to becoming a startup founder.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Taking the plunge from experienced career manager to startup founder
  • How small companies and individuals can positively impact climate change
  • What goes into building a marketplace
  • Sustainability
  • Doing sales as a founder


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12897906 Tue, 23 May 2023 00:00:00 +0300 2448 4 118 full true Fundraising lessons from $100M equity & debt round, principles for entering new markets and unexpected lessons from building a company w/ Eerik Oja & Marten Orgna (Planet42). Ep 117 Fundraising lessons from $100M equity & debt round, principles for entering new markets and unexpected lessons from building a company w/ Eerik Oja & Marten Orgna (Planet42). Ep 117 Eerik Oja and Marten Orgna are the founders of car subscription company Planet42.

And it seems they indeed have come from another planet as in this year, when fundraising announcements are scarce, Planet42 announced a massive 100M US dollar round of debt and equity in February. We sat down to see how they have fared since Eerik was our guest on episode #3 back in 2021.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Debt and equity fundraising advice from founders who have raised $100M+
  • Principles for entering new markets
  • Experience of doing business in Mexico
  • Management lessons from building Planet42



===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Eerik Oja and Marten Orgna are the founders of car subscription company Planet42.

And it seems they indeed have come from another planet as in this year, when fundraising announcements are scarce, Planet42 announced a massive 100M US dollar round of debt and equity in February. We sat down to see how they have fared since Eerik was our guest on episode #3 back in 2021.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Debt and equity fundraising advice from founders who have raised $100M+
  • Principles for entering new markets
  • Experience of doing business in Mexico
  • Management lessons from building Planet42



===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12854350 Tue, 16 May 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2793 4 117 full true Europe's top tech journalist reveals how to get featured in media, how to craft a story + future of media space, content distribution channels & how to find your audience w/ Robin Wauters (Tech.eu). Ep 116 Europe's top tech journalist reveals how to get featured in media, how to craft a story + future of media space, content distribution channels & how to find your audience w/ Robin Wauters (Tech.eu). Ep 116 Robin Wauters is the Founding Editor of Tech.eu - the premier source of European tech news, data analysis and market intelligence. Robin has spent most of his career in media and has founded several companies and worked with numerous outlets and platforms, including being an editor at Techcrunch and currently also a member of the Digital Leaders of Europe program at the World Economic Forum.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How to pitch to media effectively
  • Starting a media platform/business
  • How the Baltics stack up in broader European tech context


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Robin Wauters is the Founding Editor of Tech.eu - the premier source of European tech news, data analysis and market intelligence. Robin has spent most of his career in media and has founded several companies and worked with numerous outlets and platforms, including being an editor at Techcrunch and currently also a member of the Digital Leaders of Europe program at the World Economic Forum.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How to pitch to media effectively
  • Starting a media platform/business
  • How the Baltics stack up in broader European tech context


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12809850 Tue, 09 May 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2710 4 16 full true Signing investment papers from a trench, successfully fundraising during war & building the future of cash flow management. The incredible story of Ukrainian startup Finmap w/ Alex Solovei & Ivan Kaunov. Ep 115 Signing investment papers from a trench, successfully fundraising during war & building the future of cash flow management. The incredible story of Ukrainian startup Finmap w/ Alex Solovei & Ivan Kaunov. Ep 115 Ivan Kaunov and Alex Solovei are the co-founders of Finmap - a company from Ukraine that helps small businesses manage their cash and finance simpler and more efficiently. While they are working to improve cash management for businesses, there is a war going on in Ukraine and since the full scale invasion by Russia more than a year ago now, Ivan has been on the frontline, defending his country. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Managing cash and finance for small companies
  • Running a startup in wartime
  • Being a founder on the frontline
  • Fundraising during war

Make sure you check out what they do with Finmap.online - cash flow management tool for modern business. Try now and get rid of chaos in your company’s finances  


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Ivan Kaunov and Alex Solovei are the co-founders of Finmap - a company from Ukraine that helps small businesses manage their cash and finance simpler and more efficiently. While they are working to improve cash management for businesses, there is a war going on in Ukraine and since the full scale invasion by Russia more than a year ago now, Ivan has been on the frontline, defending his country. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Managing cash and finance for small companies
  • Running a startup in wartime
  • Being a founder on the frontline
  • Fundraising during war

Make sure you check out what they do with Finmap.online - cash flow management tool for modern business. Try now and get rid of chaos in your company’s finances  


===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12757490 Tue, 02 May 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2668 4 115 full false Dealing with difficult people, strong organisational culture in the remote work era, signs of toxic environment & principles for building trust w/ Jay Johnson (Coeus Creative Group). Ep 114 Dealing with difficult people, strong organisational culture in the remote work era, signs of toxic environment & principles for building trust w/ Jay Johnson (Coeus Creative Group). Ep 114 Jay Johnson is the CEO of Coeus Creative Group - a professional training, coaching and management consulting firm based in the US. Jay has spent more than 15 years guiding leaders in organizational culture, working with such companies such as Ford Motor Company, NASA, General Dynamics, Stellantis, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Johns Hopkins, and Nikon. 

He is also an active keynote speaker and author with over 4M views on his TEDx talk on how to deal with difficult people.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How to build a good and strong company culture
  • High trust vs. low trust environment
  • Building culture in remote/hybrid era
  • How to deal with difficult people


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Jay Johnson is the CEO of Coeus Creative Group - a professional training, coaching and management consulting firm based in the US. Jay has spent more than 15 years guiding leaders in organizational culture, working with such companies such as Ford Motor Company, NASA, General Dynamics, Stellantis, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Johns Hopkins, and Nikon. 

He is also an active keynote speaker and author with over 4M views on his TEDx talk on how to deal with difficult people.

In this episode we talk about:

  • How to build a good and strong company culture
  • High trust vs. low trust environment
  • Building culture in remote/hybrid era
  • How to deal with difficult people


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12714805 Tue, 25 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2956 4 114 full true All you need to know about secondary investments in startups + global banking confidence & treasury management during turbulent times w/ Peter Sandberg (Nordic Secondary Fund). Ep 113 All you need to know about secondary investments in startups + global banking confidence & treasury management during turbulent times w/ Peter Sandberg (Nordic Secondary Fund). Ep 113 Peter Sandberg is the Managing partner at Nordic Secondary Fund - the first and only Nordic fund to invest exclusively in secondaries. The fund has invested not only in the juggernaut Klarna, but also quite a few Baltic companies like Kilo Health, Mintos, Sonarworks, Funderbeam, Transfergo and many others. Peter has also worked with such names as Startupwiseguys, Saxo Bank, Carnegie Investment Bank, Handelsbanken, Nordea, Danske Bank and more.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Secondary deal mechanics in startups
  • The global banking confidence crisis
  • Treasury management for startups

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Peter Sandberg is the Managing partner at Nordic Secondary Fund - the first and only Nordic fund to invest exclusively in secondaries. The fund has invested not only in the juggernaut Klarna, but also quite a few Baltic companies like Kilo Health, Mintos, Sonarworks, Funderbeam, Transfergo and many others. Peter has also worked with such names as Startupwiseguys, Saxo Bank, Carnegie Investment Bank, Handelsbanken, Nordea, Danske Bank and more.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Secondary deal mechanics in startups
  • The global banking confidence crisis
  • Treasury management for startups

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12667427 Tue, 18 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2749 4 113 full true Wise Product Director Kaarel Kuddu on product scaling & testing, mental health, signals of burnout, pressures of being founder vs early employee and ability to say no. Ep 112 Wise Product Director Kaarel Kuddu on product scaling & testing, mental health, signals of burnout, pressures of being founder vs early employee and ability to say no. Ep 112 Kaarel Kuddu is a Product director at Wise. Kaarel has a long history in IT with over 10 years of experience and has participated in some of the biggest IT projects in Estonia. He spent 6 years at Wise Grew from Product Lead there to VP of Product. He then quit to start his own company, a mental health app which he then decided to close down after a year, because it was not having a significant enough impact on its users mental health. As Kaarel told - it is not so easy to make an impact on that via app, and we discuss that more on the episode. Now Kaarel has returned to Wise and is making sure your money is transferred across borders with low fees.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Leaving a unicorn to start a business
  • Mental Health
  • Burnout
  • Differences of being a founder vs employee
  • Scaling a product
  • Testing vs innovation
  • Productivity advice - learn to say not


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kaarel Kuddu is a Product director at Wise. Kaarel has a long history in IT with over 10 years of experience and has participated in some of the biggest IT projects in Estonia. He spent 6 years at Wise Grew from Product Lead there to VP of Product. He then quit to start his own company, a mental health app which he then decided to close down after a year, because it was not having a significant enough impact on its users mental health. As Kaarel told - it is not so easy to make an impact on that via app, and we discuss that more on the episode. Now Kaarel has returned to Wise and is making sure your money is transferred across borders with low fees.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Leaving a unicorn to start a business
  • Mental Health
  • Burnout
  • Differences of being a founder vs employee
  • Scaling a product
  • Testing vs innovation
  • Productivity advice - learn to say not


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12619918 Tue, 11 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2924 4 112 full true ‘Day zero’ investor Christoph Klink (Antler) on what makes a great founder, getting the team dynamics right & why early stage companies have an advantage during uncertain times. Ep 111 ‘Day zero’ investor Christoph Klink (Antler) on what makes a great founder, getting the team dynamics right & why early stage companies have an advantage during uncertain times. Ep 111 Christoph Klink is a Partner at Antler – The world’s day zero investor. Christoph is part of Antler Berlin and also oversees operations in Central Europe. He is an investor in multiple companies himself and also spent 10+ years with McKinsey prior to joining Antler in 2020.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Super early stage investing (day zero) and the Antler experience
  • Founding team relationship dynamics
  • What makes a great founder
  • Early stage funding outlook

==

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Christoph Klink is a Partner at Antler – The world’s day zero investor. Christoph is part of Antler Berlin and also oversees operations in Central Europe. He is an investor in multiple companies himself and also spent 10+ years with McKinsey prior to joining Antler in 2020.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Super early stage investing (day zero) and the Antler experience
  • Founding team relationship dynamics
  • What makes a great founder
  • Early stage funding outlook

==

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12580405 Tue, 04 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0300 3066 4 111 full false Future of the office, hybrid work & how technology leads to sustainability in practice w/ Maciej Markowski (spaceOS). Ep 110 Future of the office, hybrid work & how technology leads to sustainability in practice w/ Maciej Markowski (spaceOS). Ep 110 Maciej Markowski is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of spaceOS - the operating system for safe, flexible, and human-centric workspaces. Maciej has 10+ years of commercial real estate experience with such companies as CBRE, JLL, Cushman&Wakefield and many others.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The present and future of workspaces
  • Doing business in proptech
  • Sustainability and ESG

==

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Maciej Markowski is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of spaceOS - the operating system for safe, flexible, and human-centric workspaces. Maciej has 10+ years of commercial real estate experience with such companies as CBRE, JLL, Cushman&Wakefield and many others.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The present and future of workspaces
  • Doing business in proptech
  • Sustainability and ESG

==

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12527122 Tue, 28 Mar 2023 04:00:00 +0300 2953 4 110 full true Cristobal Alonso (Startup Wise Guys) on the unsexy truth behind startup success, his investment playbook & uplifting life advice to founders during hard times. Ep 109 Cristobal Alonso (Startup Wise Guys) on the unsexy truth behind startup success, his investment playbook & uplifting life advice to founders during hard times. Ep 109 Cristobal Alonso is the Managing Partner of Startup Wise Guys - one of the leading startup accelerators in Europe. Cristobal is a serial entrepreneur, serial investor with over 200 individual investments + over 300 with SWG as well as author of a book "Perform, the Unsexy Truth of (Startup) Success". He is also serving as Spain's INSEAD Alumni Association President and last but not least he is a former professional basketball player. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Secrets behind the success of SWG
  • Surprising trends of the startup world
  • How startups can stand out when pitching, positively and negatively
  • Cristobal’s lessons described in his recent book and book writing tips

==

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Cristobal Alonso is the Managing Partner of Startup Wise Guys - one of the leading startup accelerators in Europe. Cristobal is a serial entrepreneur, serial investor with over 200 individual investments + over 300 with SWG as well as author of a book "Perform, the Unsexy Truth of (Startup) Success". He is also serving as Spain's INSEAD Alumni Association President and last but not least he is a former professional basketball player. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Secrets behind the success of SWG
  • Surprising trends of the startup world
  • How startups can stand out when pitching, positively and negatively
  • Cristobal’s lessons described in his recent book and book writing tips

==

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12471114 Tue, 21 Mar 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2950 4 109 full true Gig economy opportunities, finding the right co-founder and unlocking productivity via time blocking and sports w/ Hedi Mardisoo & Kalle Palling (Cachet). Ep 108 Gig economy opportunities, finding the right co-founder and unlocking productivity via time blocking and sports w/ Hedi Mardisoo & Kalle Palling (Cachet). Ep 108 Hedi Mardisoo and Kalle Palling are the co-founders of Cachet - a company building the future of insurance. Hedi is a seasoned communications executive with leadership roles at such companies as Swedbank, Starman and Hansaworld while Kalle has been a long time member of the Estonian Parliament and has served on supervisory boards of several corporations. Cachet has started its journey by solving painful problems for the gig economy  & platform workers so we go down the rabbit hole on everything related to this growing industry.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Cachet and starting a business
  • Building products for the gig economy
  • Personal productivity tips


This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day business festival where Remo is also one of the  speakers. Make sure you get your pass for March 15-17, 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Hedi Mardisoo and Kalle Palling are the co-founders of Cachet - a company building the future of insurance. Hedi is a seasoned communications executive with leadership roles at such companies as Swedbank, Starman and Hansaworld while Kalle has been a long time member of the Estonian Parliament and has served on supervisory boards of several corporations. Cachet has started its journey by solving painful problems for the gig economy  & platform workers so we go down the rabbit hole on everything related to this growing industry.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Cachet and starting a business
  • Building products for the gig economy
  • Personal productivity tips


This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day business festival where Remo is also one of the  speakers. Make sure you get your pass for March 15-17, 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12433018 Tue, 14 Mar 2023 04:00:00 +0200 1962 4 108 full false Extreme ownership and other leadership lessons from the military + how to build discipline and be prepared for unexpected situations in work & life w/ Remo Ojaste (Combat Ready). Ep 107 Extreme ownership and other leadership lessons from the military + how to build discipline and be prepared for unexpected situations in work & life w/ Remo Ojaste (Combat Ready). Ep 107 In this episode we’re talking to Remo Ojaste, Co-founder of Combat Ready leadership training company. Remo has spent more than 8 years in Estonian Special Forces that are known for their elite training and selection process. Combat Ready is the only leadership training in Europe based on US Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin’s approach of extreme ownership.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day business festival where Remo is also one of the  speakers. Make sure you get your pass for March 15-17, 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

Expect to learn:

  • The leadership principles Combat Ready teaches to other businesses
  • Decision making and handling of pressure
  • Situation in Ukraine
  • What level of preparedness for unexpected situations one should have
  • Routines and discipline


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> In this episode we’re talking to Remo Ojaste, Co-founder of Combat Ready leadership training company. Remo has spent more than 8 years in Estonian Special Forces that are known for their elite training and selection process. Combat Ready is the only leadership training in Europe based on US Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin’s approach of extreme ownership.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day business festival where Remo is also one of the  speakers. Make sure you get your pass for March 15-17, 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

Expect to learn:

  • The leadership principles Combat Ready teaches to other businesses
  • Decision making and handling of pressure
  • Situation in Ukraine
  • What level of preparedness for unexpected situations one should have
  • Routines and discipline


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12387972 Tue, 07 Mar 2023 04:00:00 +0200 3140 4 107 full true The unstoppable AI and its applications, what being startup CTO really means, building business in the Americas & working on NATO missile defense w/ Audrius Zujus (Argyle) Ep.106 The unstoppable AI and its applications, what being startup CTO really means, building business in the Americas & working on NATO missile defense w/ Audrius Zujus (Argyle) Ep.106 Audrius Zujus is Founder and CTO of Argyle, a leading employment data platform that provides companies with access to employment records in real time. They raised $55M Series B in 2022. Audrius is also a former President of the Lithuanian AI association. Hence we ask a lot of questions that are on all our minds about AI, its current applications and potential.

Expect to learn:

  • The story of Argyle and its origins
  • How to find talent diamonds in the dirt
  • What does it mean to be a CTO
  • AI and the trajectory of technology


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Audrius Zujus is Founder and CTO of Argyle, a leading employment data platform that provides companies with access to employment records in real time. They raised $55M Series B in 2022. Audrius is also a former President of the Lithuanian AI association. Hence we ask a lot of questions that are on all our minds about AI, its current applications and potential.

Expect to learn:

  • The story of Argyle and its origins
  • How to find talent diamonds in the dirt
  • What does it mean to be a CTO
  • AI and the trajectory of technology


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12339711 Tue, 28 Feb 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2962 4 106 full true 2/2 Davis Siksnans (Printful) - health & productivity tips, being a founder vs investor and recommendations for books & podcasts. Ep.105 2/2 Davis Siksnans (Printful) - health & productivity tips, being a founder vs investor and recommendations for books & podcasts. Ep.105 Davis Siksnans is the co-founder of the first Latvian unicorn - Printful. Davis has recently stepped down from operating management of the business and is now acting as a senior advisor to Draugiem Group focusing on building the Draugiem Capital initiative.

In the Part 2 of this episode we talk about:

  • Differences between being a founder vs investor
  • Health and productivity tips
  • How to practically apply learnings from books & podcasts

Content suggestions from Davis:

You can find Part 1 of this conversation here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/104-davis-siksnans 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Davis Siksnans is the co-founder of the first Latvian unicorn - Printful. Davis has recently stepped down from operating management of the business and is now acting as a senior advisor to Draugiem Group focusing on building the Draugiem Capital initiative.

In the Part 2 of this episode we talk about:

  • Differences between being a founder vs investor
  • Health and productivity tips
  • How to practically apply learnings from books & podcasts

Content suggestions from Davis:

You can find Part 1 of this conversation here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/104-davis-siksnans 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12291808 Tue, 21 Feb 2023 04:00:00 +0200 1604 4 105 full true 1/2 Davis Siksnans (Printful) from printer in a garage to $300M annual revenue and unicorn status, how to validate new business viability & what to know before starting operations in the USA. Ep.104 1/2 Davis Siksnans (Printful) from printer in a garage to $300M annual revenue and unicorn status, how to validate new business viability & what to know before starting operations in the USA. Ep.104 Davis Siksnans is the co-founder of the first Latvian unicorn - Printful. Davis has recently stepped down from operating management of the business and is now acting as a senior advisor to Draugiem Group focusing on building the Draugiem Capital initiative.


In the Part 1 of this episode we talk about:

  • The story of Printful
  • Building a business in the US
  • Draugiem group unique serial entrepreneurship development model


You can find Part 2 of this conversation here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/104-davis-siksnans 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Davis Siksnans is the co-founder of the first Latvian unicorn - Printful. Davis has recently stepped down from operating management of the business and is now acting as a senior advisor to Draugiem Group focusing on building the Draugiem Capital initiative.


In the Part 1 of this episode we talk about:

  • The story of Printful
  • Building a business in the US
  • Draugiem group unique serial entrepreneurship development model


You can find Part 2 of this conversation here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/104-davis-siksnans 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12244800 Tue, 14 Feb 2023 04:00:00 +0200 1637 4 104 full false 2/2 AI interviews us. We share our f^%kups, scrappy stories, podcasting advice & speculate when AI will replace us. Ep 103 2/2 AI interviews us. We share our f^%kups, scrappy stories, podcasting advice & speculate when AI will replace us. Ep 103 Uldis Teraudkalns and Janis Zeps are the co-hosts of the Pursuit of Scrappiness Podcast. After recording more than 100 episodes, we step into the guest role and talk about different aspects of making this podcast.

Our interviewer is AI using chatGPT generated questions and Elevenlabs.io text-to-voice AI generator, which makes this the first time a podcast host is AI.

You can find Part 1 of this conversation here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/102-103-worlds-first-human-ai

In this episode we talk about:

  • What F^%kups and challenges have happened behind the scenes
  • We share our own scrappy stories
  • How does mood of the podcast guests differ when you compare 2021 vs 2022
  • The future plans for the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast
  • And how long it will take till I, the AI, replace us


If you are interested how this episode was made:
- Questions by ChatGPT > https://chat.openai.com/
- Text-to-voice by > https://beta.elevenlabs.io/
- Cover art done via > https://readyplayer.me/avatar
+ our AI interviewer still did need a lot of human help so don't fear AI-pocalypse just yet :)

Our goal with this episode was to explore the possibilities that technology offer and how humans and AI can complement each other. 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns and Janis Zeps are the co-hosts of the Pursuit of Scrappiness Podcast. After recording more than 100 episodes, we step into the guest role and talk about different aspects of making this podcast.

Our interviewer is AI using chatGPT generated questions and Elevenlabs.io text-to-voice AI generator, which makes this the first time a podcast host is AI.

You can find Part 1 of this conversation here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/102-103-worlds-first-human-ai

In this episode we talk about:

  • What F^%kups and challenges have happened behind the scenes
  • We share our own scrappy stories
  • How does mood of the podcast guests differ when you compare 2021 vs 2022
  • The future plans for the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast
  • And how long it will take till I, the AI, replace us


If you are interested how this episode was made:
- Questions by ChatGPT > https://chat.openai.com/
- Text-to-voice by > https://beta.elevenlabs.io/
- Cover art done via > https://readyplayer.me/avatar
+ our AI interviewer still did need a lot of human help so don't fear AI-pocalypse just yet :)

Our goal with this episode was to explore the possibilities that technology offer and how humans and AI can complement each other. 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12214022 Thu, 09 Feb 2023 04:00:00 +0200 1424 4 103 full true 1/2 World's first AI-Human podcast interview? We talk to AI about the origins of our podcast, what goes on behind the scenes & most memorable moments (100+ Episode Special). Ep 102 1/2 World's first AI-Human podcast interview? We talk to AI about the origins of our podcast, what goes on behind the scenes & most memorable moments (100+ Episode Special). Ep 102 Uldis Teraudkalns and Janis Zeps are the co-hosts of the Pursuit of Scrappiness Podcast. After recording more than 100 episodes, we step into the guest role and talk about different aspects of making this podcast.

Our interviewer is AI using chatGPT generated questions and Elevenlabs.io text-to-voice AI generator, which makes this the first time a podcast host is AI.

There is also Part 2 of this conversation and you can find it here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/102-103-worlds-first-human-ai

In this episode we talk about:

  • How it all started
  • The philosophy of “Scrappiness”
  • How is the podcast produced
  • People who have helped the podcast
  • What have been the most memorable episodes for both hosts
  • Why we won't host Kanye 


If you are interested how this episode was made:
- Questions by ChatGPT > https://chat.openai.com/
- Text-to-voice by > https://beta.elevenlabs.io/
- Cover art done via > https://readyplayer.me/avatar
+ our AI interviewer still did need a lot of human help so don't fear AI-pocalypse just yet :)

Our goal with this episode was to explore the possibilities that technology offer and how humans and AI can complement each other. 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns and Janis Zeps are the co-hosts of the Pursuit of Scrappiness Podcast. After recording more than 100 episodes, we step into the guest role and talk about different aspects of making this podcast.

Our interviewer is AI using chatGPT generated questions and Elevenlabs.io text-to-voice AI generator, which makes this the first time a podcast host is AI.

There is also Part 2 of this conversation and you can find it here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/102-103-worlds-first-human-ai

In this episode we talk about:

  • How it all started
  • The philosophy of “Scrappiness”
  • How is the podcast produced
  • People who have helped the podcast
  • What have been the most memorable episodes for both hosts
  • Why we won't host Kanye 


If you are interested how this episode was made:
- Questions by ChatGPT > https://chat.openai.com/
- Text-to-voice by > https://beta.elevenlabs.io/
- Cover art done via > https://readyplayer.me/avatar
+ our AI interviewer still did need a lot of human help so don't fear AI-pocalypse just yet :)

Our goal with this episode was to explore the possibilities that technology offer and how humans and AI can complement each other. 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12197318 Tue, 07 Feb 2023 04:00:00 +0200 1989 4 102 full true Financial crime fighter takes us behind the scenes of the 4 trillion money laundering industry + how private individuals & businesses can protect themselves against online fraud w/ Taavi Tamkivi (Salv). Ep 101 Financial crime fighter takes us behind the scenes of the 4 trillion money laundering industry + how private individuals & businesses can protect themselves against online fraud w/ Taavi Tamkivi (Salv). Ep 101 Taavi Tamkivi is the CEO and co-founder of Salv - a pioneering startup in collaborative-crime fighting approach that businesses and consumers can benefit from. Taavi has been leading Fraud, Revenue Assurance, and Consumer Analytics teams for decades in companies such as Skype and Wise.

Expect to learn:

  • Fraud fighting stories from global unicorns Skype and Wise
  • How money laundering affects our societies and is worth 2% of global GDP
  • Impact of AML/CTF on businesses today
  • Selling complex regtech solutions to financial services industry
  • Practices to protect yourself as a consumer and a business
  • Taavi’s personal productivity tips


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

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Support the show

]]> Taavi Tamkivi is the CEO and co-founder of Salv - a pioneering startup in collaborative-crime fighting approach that businesses and consumers can benefit from. Taavi has been leading Fraud, Revenue Assurance, and Consumer Analytics teams for decades in companies such as Skype and Wise.

Expect to learn:

  • Fraud fighting stories from global unicorns Skype and Wise
  • How money laundering affects our societies and is worth 2% of global GDP
  • Impact of AML/CTF on businesses today
  • Selling complex regtech solutions to financial services industry
  • Practices to protect yourself as a consumer and a business
  • Taavi’s personal productivity tips


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12148345 Tue, 31 Jan 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2807 4 101 full false Peep Laja (Wynter) on how to build competitive messaging, AI, personal brand, billion dollar difference right timing can make, and surprising way kids unlock productivity. Ep 100 Peep Laja (Wynter) on how to build competitive messaging, AI, personal brand, billion dollar difference right timing can make, and surprising way kids unlock productivity. Ep 100 Peep Laja is the CEO and Co-Founder of Wynter - B2B message testing platform. He is one of the world’s leading experts in Conversion Rate Optimisation and founder of multiple other companies such as Speero and CXL. Peep hosts “How to Win” podcast and is a popular content creator on both Linkedin and Twitter.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Building expertise personal brand for business purposes online
  • How to best utilize Linkedin algorithm
  • How to get your product messaging right
  • The importance of timing in business
  • Impact of AI on content creation
  • Life lessons and personal productivity


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Peep Laja is the CEO and Co-Founder of Wynter - B2B message testing platform. He is one of the world’s leading experts in Conversion Rate Optimisation and founder of multiple other companies such as Speero and CXL. Peep hosts “How to Win” podcast and is a popular content creator on both Linkedin and Twitter.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Building expertise personal brand for business purposes online
  • How to best utilize Linkedin algorithm
  • How to get your product messaging right
  • The importance of timing in business
  • Impact of AI on content creation
  • Life lessons and personal productivity


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12103773 Tue, 24 Jan 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2696 4 100 full true Kristjan Vilosius (Katana) on managing your company as a sports team not family, hard decisions that build culture and personal life trade-offs of a founder. Ep.99 Kristjan Vilosius (Katana) on managing your company as a sports team not family, hard decisions that build culture and personal life trade-offs of a founder. Ep.99 Kristjan Vilosius is the Co-Founder and CEO of Katana - manufacturing ERP software for total visibility. Kristjan is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor as well as a seasoned executive in the corporate world. Kristjan has invested in many companies, including quite a few of previous guests of this podcast. Investments include Skeleton, Bolt, Planet42, Parcelsea, Klaus, Giraffe360 and many more. He has also worked with such companies as Magnum, Apollo, Skeleton, Barrus, Eesti Meedia, Keystone Advisers and Tallink.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Motivations for building a startup
  • Differences in startup vs corporate
  • Building team culture and relationships with colleagues
  • Sports team vs Family
  • Founder personal life trade-offs
  • Long-term productivity insinghts

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kristjan Vilosius is the Co-Founder and CEO of Katana - manufacturing ERP software for total visibility. Kristjan is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor as well as a seasoned executive in the corporate world. Kristjan has invested in many companies, including quite a few of previous guests of this podcast. Investments include Skeleton, Bolt, Planet42, Parcelsea, Klaus, Giraffe360 and many more. He has also worked with such companies as Magnum, Apollo, Skeleton, Barrus, Eesti Meedia, Keystone Advisers and Tallink.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Motivations for building a startup
  • Differences in startup vs corporate
  • Building team culture and relationships with colleagues
  • Sports team vs Family
  • Founder personal life trade-offs
  • Long-term productivity insinghts

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-12055237 Tue, 17 Jan 2023 04:00:00 +0200 2880 4 99 full true Advantages of dropping out of university to start a business, email and meeting productivity tips & lessons from succeeding in e-commerce w/ Markus Lember (Montonio) Ep.98 Advantages of dropping out of university to start a business, email and meeting productivity tips & lessons from succeeding in e-commerce w/ Markus Lember (Montonio) Ep.98 Markus Lember is the CEO and Co-Founder of Montonio Finance - checkout solution for ecommerce. Markus started building Montonio while still studying at the University of Tartu. He then went on to raise investments from such names as Tera Ventures, Startupwiseguys, Superangel, Practica, some prominent angels as well as Index Ventures.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Dropping out of college to start a business
  • The advantages of being a first-time founder
  • Fundraising as a first time founder
  • Building products and selling in competitive markets
  • Current biggest challenges for Fintech companies
  • Markus’s Productivity tips

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Support the show

]]> Markus Lember is the CEO and Co-Founder of Montonio Finance - checkout solution for ecommerce. Markus started building Montonio while still studying at the University of Tartu. He then went on to raise investments from such names as Tera Ventures, Startupwiseguys, Superangel, Practica, some prominent angels as well as Index Ventures.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Dropping out of college to start a business
  • The advantages of being a first-time founder
  • Fundraising as a first time founder
  • Building products and selling in competitive markets
  • Current biggest challenges for Fintech companies
  • Markus’s Productivity tips

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11857790 Tue, 13 Dec 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2522 3 98 full true Mikus Opelts (Giraffe360) on how “No” is a natural part of the journey, networking tactics, fundraising tips & getting geographical expansion right. Ep.97 Mikus Opelts (Giraffe360) on how “No” is a natural part of the journey, networking tactics, fundraising tips & getting geographical expansion right. Ep.97 Mikus Opelts is the  Founder and CEO of Giraffe360 - the company that makes real estate listings look amazing with their camera and visual tools. Mikus has been working with virtual tours technologies for 10+ years and has solved painful problems in the real estate market with some pretty cool products. We record this as Mikus and his team have just raised $16M round lead by Founders Fund.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Getting geographic expansion right
  • Conquering big markets like the UK
  • Building hardware products
  • How to maximize quality of your investors
  • “No” as a checkpoint to “Yes”


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Mikus Opelts is the  Founder and CEO of Giraffe360 - the company that makes real estate listings look amazing with their camera and visual tools. Mikus has been working with virtual tours technologies for 10+ years and has solved painful problems in the real estate market with some pretty cool products. We record this as Mikus and his team have just raised $16M round lead by Founders Fund.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Getting geographic expansion right
  • Conquering big markets like the UK
  • Building hardware products
  • How to maximize quality of your investors
  • “No” as a checkpoint to “Yes”


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11817378 Tue, 06 Dec 2022 04:00:00 +0200 3080 3 97 full true Estonia’s least known unicorn, culture of disciplined freedom, challenges of 2nd time founders & strategy of Musk at Twitter w/ Kristian Sägi (Dynatrace, ex-Playtech) Ep.96 Estonia’s least known unicorn, culture of disciplined freedom, challenges of 2nd time founders & strategy of Musk at Twitter w/ Kristian Sägi (Dynatrace, ex-Playtech) Ep.96 Kristian Sägi is ex-Founder and CTO of Playtech mobile division that he built up from 0 to 120 M USD annual revenue in his 10 years with the company. He later went on to co-found Nevercode and is now part of Dynatrace Tallinn.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The story of Kristian and the unicorn Playtech
  • Culture of disciplined freedom
  • Will Elon Musk succeed in turning Twitter around
  • Keeping a company agile
  • Entrepreneurship principles
  • Life advice for founders and ambitious people


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kristian Sägi is ex-Founder and CTO of Playtech mobile division that he built up from 0 to 120 M USD annual revenue in his 10 years with the company. He later went on to co-found Nevercode and is now part of Dynatrace Tallinn.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The story of Kristian and the unicorn Playtech
  • Culture of disciplined freedom
  • Will Elon Musk succeed in turning Twitter around
  • Keeping a company agile
  • Entrepreneurship principles
  • Life advice for founders and ambitious people


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11776975 Tue, 29 Nov 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2330 3 96 full true 🎧 Morten Hansen (SSE Riga) on fighting inflation, how deep recession should we expect, energy prices & what will it take to rebuild Ukraine. Ep.95 🎧 Morten Hansen (SSE Riga) on fighting inflation, how deep recession should we expect, energy prices & what will it take to rebuild Ukraine. Ep.95 Morten Hansen is the Head of the Economics department at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. Morten has been working as a lecturer for over 20 years as well as serves as vice-chairman of Fiscal Discipline Council of Latvia.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Inflation origins and how to fight it
  • What is the magnitude of the looming recession?
  • Is wage growth going to stop anytime soon?
  • Can governments handle the rising interest rates on their debt?
  • Why are the Baltics seeing higher inflation than other EU countries?
  • The impact of war on Ukraine economy
  • Microeconomic silver lining for economic hardships
  • Is there a correlation between academic achievements and career success


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Morten Hansen is the Head of the Economics department at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. Morten has been working as a lecturer for over 20 years as well as serves as vice-chairman of Fiscal Discipline Council of Latvia.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Inflation origins and how to fight it
  • What is the magnitude of the looming recession?
  • Is wage growth going to stop anytime soon?
  • Can governments handle the rising interest rates on their debt?
  • Why are the Baltics seeing higher inflation than other EU countries?
  • The impact of war on Ukraine economy
  • Microeconomic silver lining for economic hardships
  • Is there a correlation between academic achievements and career success


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11738861 Tue, 22 Nov 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2996 3 95 full false 🎧 What NOT to do when raising money from investors, importance of going all-in & scrappy entrepreneurship stories w/ Gytenis Galkis (Superhero Capital) Ep.94 🎧 What NOT to do when raising money from investors, importance of going all-in & scrappy entrepreneurship stories w/ Gytenis Galkis (Superhero Capital) Ep.94 Gytenis Galkis is an investor at Superhero Capital and 70V and serial entrepreneur from Lithuania. He has founded several companies and has invested in more than 50 early stage companies and has actively helped them grow into valuable businesses. He is also one of the founders of the Lithuanian Business Angels Network.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Gytenis’ first business start and bust
  • Scrappy entrepreneurship stories
  • Measuring the success of a venture
  • Going all-in in business
  • Getting shit done
  • Making ordinary life better
  • Capital efficiency


Reach out to Gytenis:

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gytenis/

Email - gytenis@superherocapital.com


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Gytenis Galkis is an investor at Superhero Capital and 70V and serial entrepreneur from Lithuania. He has founded several companies and has invested in more than 50 early stage companies and has actively helped them grow into valuable businesses. He is also one of the founders of the Lithuanian Business Angels Network.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Gytenis’ first business start and bust
  • Scrappy entrepreneurship stories
  • Measuring the success of a venture
  • Going all-in in business
  • Getting shit done
  • Making ordinary life better
  • Capital efficiency


Reach out to Gytenis:

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gytenis/

Email - gytenis@superherocapital.com


===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11694216 Tue, 15 Nov 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2817 3 94 full true 🎧 2/2 Kristel Kruustük (Testlio) on ranking among Inc.'s top 100 Women Entrepreneurs globally, building personal brand on social media & how to succeed in both life and business Ep.93 🎧 2/2 Kristel Kruustük (Testlio) on ranking among Inc.'s top 100 Women Entrepreneurs globally, building personal brand on social media & how to succeed in both life and business Ep.93 Kristel Kruustük is the co-founder of Testlio - holistic software testing solutions provider. Inc magazine has selected her among the top 100 women entrepreneurs globally just recently next to such celebrities as Cameron Diaz and Michelle Pfeiffer. The same Inc also named her company as one of the best workplaces globally. She’s been part of Techstars, speaker in Nordic Business Forum and is publishing awesome content on Linkedin and Tiktok that other tech founders can relate with.

In this episode we talk about:

  • 3 principles that helped Kristel to rank among top100 global female founders
  • Not giving up vs. continuing hopeless projects
  • Investing in your personal brand with social media
  • Prioritising and saying no


This episode is is Part 2 of a 2-part series of our conversation with Kristel, check out Part 1 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/92-93-kristel-kruustuk 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kristel Kruustük is the co-founder of Testlio - holistic software testing solutions provider. Inc magazine has selected her among the top 100 women entrepreneurs globally just recently next to such celebrities as Cameron Diaz and Michelle Pfeiffer. The same Inc also named her company as one of the best workplaces globally. She’s been part of Techstars, speaker in Nordic Business Forum and is publishing awesome content on Linkedin and Tiktok that other tech founders can relate with.

In this episode we talk about:

  • 3 principles that helped Kristel to rank among top100 global female founders
  • Not giving up vs. continuing hopeless projects
  • Investing in your personal brand with social media
  • Prioritising and saying no


This episode is is Part 2 of a 2-part series of our conversation with Kristel, check out Part 1 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/92-93-kristel-kruustuk 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11649737 Tue, 08 Nov 2022 04:00:00 +0200 1353 3 93 full true 🎧 1/2 Kristel Kruustük (Testlio) on building a globally recognised workplace. Practical examples how diversity, values and purpose manifests Ep.92 🎧 1/2 Kristel Kruustük (Testlio) on building a globally recognised workplace. Practical examples how diversity, values and purpose manifests Ep.92 Kristel Kruustük is the co-founder of Testlio - holistic software testing solutions provider. Inc magazine has selected her among the top 100 women entrepreneurs globally just recently next to such celebrities as Cameron Diaz and Michelle Pfeiffer. The same Inc also named her company as one of the best workplaces globally. She’s been part of Techstars, speaker in Nordic Business Forum and is publishing awesome content on Linkedin and Tiktok that other tech founders can relate with.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Principles for building a globally renowned employer brand
  • The value of building a diverse company
  • Starting a company with your spouse
  • Closing global enterprise level customers/hiring expensive sales people abroad
  • Why purpose of the organisation truly matters
  • How to build a great company culture

This episode is is Part 1 of a 2-part series of our conversation with Kristel, check out Part 2 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/92-93-kristel-

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kristel Kruustük is the co-founder of Testlio - holistic software testing solutions provider. Inc magazine has selected her among the top 100 women entrepreneurs globally just recently next to such celebrities as Cameron Diaz and Michelle Pfeiffer. The same Inc also named her company as one of the best workplaces globally. She’s been part of Techstars, speaker in Nordic Business Forum and is publishing awesome content on Linkedin and Tiktok that other tech founders can relate with.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Principles for building a globally renowned employer brand
  • The value of building a diverse company
  • Starting a company with your spouse
  • Closing global enterprise level customers/hiring expensive sales people abroad
  • Why purpose of the organisation truly matters
  • How to build a great company culture

This episode is is Part 1 of a 2-part series of our conversation with Kristel, check out Part 2 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/92-93-kristel-

===


Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11603754 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 04:00:00 +0200 1741 3 92 full true 🎧 2/2 Secrets behind Estonia’s digital success, cybersecurity for startups, business secret theft and privacy concerns in the digital age w/ ex-CIO of Estonia, Taavi Kotka (Koos.io) Ep.91 🎧 2/2 Secrets behind Estonia’s digital success, cybersecurity for startups, business secret theft and privacy concerns in the digital age w/ ex-CIO of Estonia, Taavi Kotka (Koos.io) Ep.91 Taavi Kotka is the CEO & co-founder of Koos - a company building a new form of ownership that recently raised 4mUSD seed round led by Plural foundation. Taavi is also a serial entrepreneur and one of the angel investors in Wise as well as one of the top experts on digital governance and known for leading the Estonian e-residency project which earned global recognition.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The Estonian E-residency program
  • How does a digital society function
  • Holding elections online
  • Privacy, data hoarding, government overreach and hacking risks


This episode is is Part 2 of a two-part series of our conversation with Taavi Kotka

Make sure you check out Part 1 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/90-91-taavi-kotka


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Taavi Kotka is the CEO & co-founder of Koos - a company building a new form of ownership that recently raised 4mUSD seed round led by Plural foundation. Taavi is also a serial entrepreneur and one of the angel investors in Wise as well as one of the top experts on digital governance and known for leading the Estonian e-residency project which earned global recognition.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The Estonian E-residency program
  • How does a digital society function
  • Holding elections online
  • Privacy, data hoarding, government overreach and hacking risks


This episode is is Part 2 of a two-part series of our conversation with Taavi Kotka

Make sure you check out Part 1 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/90-91-taavi-kotka


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11574932 Thu, 27 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1743 3 91 full true 🎧 1/2 Ex-CIO of Estonia, Taavi Kotka (Koos.io) explains why current incentive mechanisms are not enough, how to cure “founder’s amnesia” and how we can create more equal society. Ep.90 🎧 1/2 Ex-CIO of Estonia, Taavi Kotka (Koos.io) explains why current incentive mechanisms are not enough, how to cure “founder’s amnesia” and how we can create more equal society. Ep.90 Taavi Kotka is the CEO & co-founder of Koos - a company building a new form of ownership that recently raised 4mUSD seed round led by Plural foundation. Taavi is also a serial entrepreneur and one of the angel investors in Wise as well as one of the top experts on digital governance and known for leading the Estonian e-residency project which earned global recognition.

In this episode we talk about:

  • New model for aligning stakeholder incentives
  • Sharing success with community and helpers (no free lunches)
  • Cure for founders amnesia


This episode is is Part 1 of a two-part series of our conversation with Taavi Kotka

Make sure you check out Part 2 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/90-91-taavi-kotka


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

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 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Taavi Kotka is the CEO & co-founder of Koos - a company building a new form of ownership that recently raised 4mUSD seed round led by Plural foundation. Taavi is also a serial entrepreneur and one of the angel investors in Wise as well as one of the top experts on digital governance and known for leading the Estonian e-residency project which earned global recognition.

In this episode we talk about:

  • New model for aligning stakeholder incentives
  • Sharing success with community and helpers (no free lunches)
  • Cure for founders amnesia


This episode is is Part 1 of a two-part series of our conversation with Taavi Kotka

Make sure you check out Part 2 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/90-91-taavi-kotka


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11560459 Tue, 25 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1905 3 90 full true 🎧 Returning to Estonia after 12 years in UK/US to start a company backed by Plural, framework for making good decisions & finding time to read 1 book per week w/ Lisett Luik (Arbonics) Ep.89 🎧 Returning to Estonia after 12 years in UK/US to start a company backed by Plural, framework for making good decisions & finding time to read 1 book per week w/ Lisett Luik (Arbonics) Ep.89 Lisett Luik is the co-founder of Arbonics - the new forest economy. With her team, Lisett is building a solution for forest owners to earn from their forests without cutting them. Having worked for such companies as Wise, Swoon, American Express and more recently Taavet+Sten and having degrees from London School of Economics and Yale. Lisett brings a uniquely global perspective on work and life.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Pursuing a global level education and career
  • Lisett’s decision to return to Estonia
  • Differences in business culture in Estonia, UK and US
  • Benefits of studying and pursuing a career in top global hubs
  • Choosing what problem to tackle as a founder
  • Working with an investor who is also a founder
  • How to make good decisions
  • Investing your time in people
  • Disconnecting through reading
  • Lisett’s advice to stay productive in the long run


To reach out to Lisett use Twitter: @LisettL


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Lisett Luik is the co-founder of Arbonics - the new forest economy. With her team, Lisett is building a solution for forest owners to earn from their forests without cutting them. Having worked for such companies as Wise, Swoon, American Express and more recently Taavet+Sten and having degrees from London School of Economics and Yale. Lisett brings a uniquely global perspective on work and life.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Pursuing a global level education and career
  • Lisett’s decision to return to Estonia
  • Differences in business culture in Estonia, UK and US
  • Benefits of studying and pursuing a career in top global hubs
  • Choosing what problem to tackle as a founder
  • Working with an investor who is also a founder
  • How to make good decisions
  • Investing your time in people
  • Disconnecting through reading
  • Lisett’s advice to stay productive in the long run


To reach out to Lisett use Twitter: @LisettL


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11516724 Tue, 18 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2294 3 89 full true 🎧 2/2 Is this a good time to start a company, crazy ideas being pitched, bootstrapping and funding options w/ Jone Vaituleviciute & Marijus Andrijauskas (Firstpick) Ep.88 🎧 2/2 Is this a good time to start a company, crazy ideas being pitched, bootstrapping and funding options w/ Jone Vaituleviciute & Marijus Andrijauskas (Firstpick) Ep.88 Jone Vaituleviciute and Marijus Andrijauskas are partners at Firstpick - early stage venture capital fund backing the best tech founders across the Baltics. Jone and Marijus have spent the last couple of years together working with Startupwiseguys where they invested in such companies as kevin, Ondato, GoRamp, InRento, Jeff, HeavyFinance, Vsight, Watalook & Kernolab and many others.

As we enter the muddy waters of a looming recession, we wanted to take a helicopter look over the industry from people who see lots of companies and the challenges they are facing.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Is it a good time to start a company right now?
  • Funding options for early stage companies
  • Bootstrapping
  • VC market slowdown in 2022

This episode is is Part 2 of a 2 part series on fundraising and managing startup during a recession.

Make sure you check out Part 1 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/87-88-jone-marijus-firstpick

More about Firstpick here

===

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Jone Vaituleviciute and Marijus Andrijauskas are partners at Firstpick - early stage venture capital fund backing the best tech founders across the Baltics. Jone and Marijus have spent the last couple of years together working with Startupwiseguys where they invested in such companies as kevin, Ondato, GoRamp, InRento, Jeff, HeavyFinance, Vsight, Watalook & Kernolab and many others.

As we enter the muddy waters of a looming recession, we wanted to take a helicopter look over the industry from people who see lots of companies and the challenges they are facing.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Is it a good time to start a company right now?
  • Funding options for early stage companies
  • Bootstrapping
  • VC market slowdown in 2022

This episode is is Part 2 of a 2 part series on fundraising and managing startup during a recession.

Make sure you check out Part 1 here > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/87-88-jone-marijus-firstpick

More about Firstpick here

===

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11481402 Thu, 13 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1545 3 88 full true 🎧 1/2 Fundraising during a recession, pricing tactics and dealing with cost growth & wage pressure w/ Jone Vaituleviciute & Marijus Andrijauskas (Firstpick) Ep.87 🎧 1/2 Fundraising during a recession, pricing tactics and dealing with cost growth & wage pressure w/ Jone Vaituleviciute & Marijus Andrijauskas (Firstpick) Ep.87 Jone Vaituleviciute and Marijus Andrijauskas are partners at Firstpick - early stage venture capital fund backing the best tech founders across the Baltics. Jone and Marijus have spent the last couple of years together working with Startupwiseguys where they invested in such companies as kevin, Ondato, GoRamp, InRento, Jeff, HeavyFinance, Vsight, Watalook & Kernolab and many others.

As we enter the muddy waters of a looming recession, we wanted to take a helicopter look over the industry from people who see lots of companies and the challenges they are facing.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The current state of mind of companies
  • How to work with product and pricing in a recession
  • What investors focus on when investing in these conditions
  • Dealing with wage growth in times of growth uncertainty

This episode is is Part 1 of a 2 part series on fundraising and managing startup during a recession.

More about Firstpick here

===

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Jone Vaituleviciute and Marijus Andrijauskas are partners at Firstpick - early stage venture capital fund backing the best tech founders across the Baltics. Jone and Marijus have spent the last couple of years together working with Startupwiseguys where they invested in such companies as kevin, Ondato, GoRamp, InRento, Jeff, HeavyFinance, Vsight, Watalook & Kernolab and many others.

As we enter the muddy waters of a looming recession, we wanted to take a helicopter look over the industry from people who see lots of companies and the challenges they are facing.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The current state of mind of companies
  • How to work with product and pricing in a recession
  • What investors focus on when investing in these conditions
  • Dealing with wage growth in times of growth uncertainty

This episode is is Part 1 of a 2 part series on fundraising and managing startup during a recession.

More about Firstpick here

===

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-11472069 Tue, 11 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1752 3 87 full true 🎧 Banter on inflation, global debt, political extremism, Ukraine, Russia & information war w/ Matthew Mezinskis (Crypto Voices podcast) Ep.86 🎧 Banter on inflation, global debt, political extremism, Ukraine, Russia & information war w/ Matthew Mezinskis (Crypto Voices podcast) Ep.86 We bring you a new format today - an uncensored banter about current events:

  • Central bank money printing and Inflation
  • Global currency dynamics
  • European energy crisis
  • Freedom and Bitcoin
  • Possibility of government without fiat currencies
  • Political extremism in Europe and the US
  • The role of US and NATO in global security
  • The information war

Joining Janis & Uldis today is Matthew Mezinskis the host of the Crypto Voices Podcast - podcast about Bitcoin, economics, privacy and more. He also does research on global central bank monetary policy, which he publishes through his Porkopolis economics platform. A finance professional by training and trade, Matthew combines his passion for Bitcoin and deep understanding of macroeconomics to provide valuable insights on past and current politics and economics processes. Plus he brings the sexiest voice ever recorded on this show!

https://porkopolis.io/ - for Matthew’s research

https://porkopolis.io/podcast - for Matthew’s podcast

For the book on US-USSR settlement in Europe at the end of the cold war discussed in the episode - https://www.amazon.com/Not-One-Inch-Post-Cold-Stalemate/dp/030025993X

==

2 ways how you can support Ukraine:


==


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> We bring you a new format today - an uncensored banter about current events:

  • Central bank money printing and Inflation
  • Global currency dynamics
  • European energy crisis
  • Freedom and Bitcoin
  • Possibility of government without fiat currencies
  • Political extremism in Europe and the US
  • The role of US and NATO in global security
  • The information war

Joining Janis & Uldis today is Matthew Mezinskis the host of the Crypto Voices Podcast - podcast about Bitcoin, economics, privacy and more. He also does research on global central bank monetary policy, which he publishes through his Porkopolis economics platform. A finance professional by training and trade, Matthew combines his passion for Bitcoin and deep understanding of macroeconomics to provide valuable insights on past and current politics and economics processes. Plus he brings the sexiest voice ever recorded on this show!

https://porkopolis.io/ - for Matthew’s research

https://porkopolis.io/podcast - for Matthew’s podcast

For the book on US-USSR settlement in Europe at the end of the cold war discussed in the episode - https://www.amazon.com/Not-One-Inch-Post-Cold-Stalemate/dp/030025993X

==

2 ways how you can support Ukraine:


==


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11427854 Tue, 04 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0300 3568 3 86 full true 🎧 2/2 Sten Tamkivi (Plural, NFTPort) on his time at Andreessen Horowitz and Stanford, taking paternity leave & prioritising family. Ep. 85 🎧 2/2 Sten Tamkivi (Plural, NFTPort) on his time at Andreessen Horowitz and Stanford, taking paternity leave & prioritising family. Ep. 85 Sten Tamkivi is one of the co-founders of Plural platform - an investment platform to support building European early stage companies into legendary, GDP-level impact businesses. Sten is also a Stanford graduate, a co-founder of NFTPort, Partner at Taavet+Sten, Founder of Teleport, ex-EIR at A16Z, multiple key role holder at Skype and a multitude of other tech related engagements.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day where Sten was also one of the keynote speakers. Make sure you check them out and get your pass to the next event March 15-17 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

In this episode we talk about:

  • Making the time to focus on what matters
  • Evolving the founder - investor relationship to co-founders
  • Managing your time and balancing business and family
  • What Entrepreneur-in-residence at A16Z means
  • How our region ecosystem compares to the US
  • Taking a long paternity leave for business leaders

Make sure you check out also Part 1 of this conversation > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/84-85-sten-tamkivi 

---

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Sten Tamkivi is one of the co-founders of Plural platform - an investment platform to support building European early stage companies into legendary, GDP-level impact businesses. Sten is also a Stanford graduate, a co-founder of NFTPort, Partner at Taavet+Sten, Founder of Teleport, ex-EIR at A16Z, multiple key role holder at Skype and a multitude of other tech related engagements.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day where Sten was also one of the keynote speakers. Make sure you check them out and get your pass to the next event March 15-17 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

In this episode we talk about:

  • Making the time to focus on what matters
  • Evolving the founder - investor relationship to co-founders
  • Managing your time and balancing business and family
  • What Entrepreneur-in-residence at A16Z means
  • How our region ecosystem compares to the US
  • Taking a long paternity leave for business leaders

Make sure you check out also Part 1 of this conversation > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/84-85-sten-tamkivi 

---

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11402372 Thu, 29 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1956 3 85 full true 🎧 1/2 Sten Tamkivi (Plural, NFTPort) on creating GDP-level impact with startups, Web3 & evolving angel investing. Ep. 84 🎧 1/2 Sten Tamkivi (Plural, NFTPort) on creating GDP-level impact with startups, Web3 & evolving angel investing. Ep. 84 Sten Tamkivi is one of the co-founders of Plural platform - an investment platform to support building European early stage companies into legendary, GDP-level impact businesses. Sten is also a Stanford graduate, a co-founder of NFTPort, Partner at Taavet+Sten, Founder of Teleport, ex-EIR at A16Z, multiple key role holder at Skype and a multitude of other tech related engagements.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day where Sten was also one of the keynote speakers. Make sure you check them out and get your pass to the next event March 15-17 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

In this episode we talk about:

  • Creating a GDP-level impact as an investor
  • Evolving angel investing into Plural fund
  • What Plural investors and Sten is interested in investing currently 
  • Learnings from running companies that Sten applies as an investor

Make sure you check out also Part 2 of this conversation > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/84-85-sten-tamkivi 

---

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Sten Tamkivi is one of the co-founders of Plural platform - an investment platform to support building European early stage companies into legendary, GDP-level impact businesses. Sten is also a Stanford graduate, a co-founder of NFTPort, Partner at Taavet+Sten, Founder of Teleport, ex-EIR at A16Z, multiple key role holder at Skype and a multitude of other tech related engagements.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day where Sten was also one of the keynote speakers. Make sure you check them out and get your pass to the next event March 15-17 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

In this episode we talk about:

  • Creating a GDP-level impact as an investor
  • Evolving angel investing into Plural fund
  • What Plural investors and Sten is interested in investing currently 
  • Learnings from running companies that Sten applies as an investor

Make sure you check out also Part 2 of this conversation > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/84-85-sten-tamkivi 

---

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11388969 Tue, 27 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1455 3 84 full true 🎧 2/2 Jevgeni Kabanov (Bolt) on preventing burnout, productivity hacks, importance of family & efficiency vs growth. Ep. 83 🎧 2/2 Jevgeni Kabanov (Bolt) on preventing burnout, productivity hacks, importance of family & efficiency vs growth. Ep. 83 Jevgeni Kabanov is the Chief Product Officer and President at Bolt - Estonian mobility giant. Jevgeni also holds a PhD in computer science, was a founder of ZeroTurnaround and is an active angel investor.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day where Jevgeni was also one of the keynote speakers. Make sure you check them out and get your pass to the next event March 15-17 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

Topics covered in this episode:

  • What principles and values helped Bolt to succeed
  • Why starups need to strive for efficiency not just growth
  • Jevgeni shares his productivity hacks and time management
  • Importance of family in life success
  • And how to recognise and prevent burnout

Make sure you check out part 1 of this conversation > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/82-83-jevgeni-kabanov

---

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Jevgeni Kabanov is the Chief Product Officer and President at Bolt - Estonian mobility giant. Jevgeni also holds a PhD in computer science, was a founder of ZeroTurnaround and is an active angel investor.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day where Jevgeni was also one of the keynote speakers. Make sure you check them out and get your pass to the next event March 15-17 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

Topics covered in this episode:

  • What principles and values helped Bolt to succeed
  • Why starups need to strive for efficiency not just growth
  • Jevgeni shares his productivity hacks and time management
  • Importance of family in life success
  • And how to recognise and prevent burnout

Make sure you check out part 1 of this conversation > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/82-83-jevgeni-kabanov

---

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11355137 Thu, 22 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1546 3 83 full true 🎧 1/2 Jevgeni Kabanov (Bolt) on what it takes to hire a great team, building a world-class product & importance of taking breaks. Ep. 82 🎧 1/2 Jevgeni Kabanov (Bolt) on what it takes to hire a great team, building a world-class product & importance of taking breaks. Ep. 82 Jevgeni Kabanov is the Chief Product Officer and President at Bolt - the Estonian mobility giant. Jevgeni also holds a PhD in computer science, was a founder of ZeroTurnaround and is an active angel investor. We record this just after Jevgeni has returned from 4 months completely off of work.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day where Jevgeni was also one of the keynote speakers. Make sure you check them out and get your pass to the next event March 15-17 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

Topics covered in this episode:

  • How to recruit and build a high performing team
  • What background you need to succeed in a product role in a startup
  • what defines great product
  • What goes into building a truly global and cross border app such as Bolt
  • The importance of taking breaks and what practical steps how to do it without disrupting your work

Make sure you check out also Part 2 of this conversation > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/82-83-jevgeni-kabanov-bolt 

---

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Jevgeni Kabanov is the Chief Product Officer and President at Bolt - the Estonian mobility giant. Jevgeni also holds a PhD in computer science, was a founder of ZeroTurnaround and is an active angel investor. We record this just after Jevgeni has returned from 4 months completely off of work.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with sTARTUp day where Jevgeni was also one of the keynote speakers. Make sure you check them out and get your pass to the next event March 15-17 2023 here https://www.startupday.ee/

Topics covered in this episode:

  • How to recruit and build a high performing team
  • What background you need to succeed in a product role in a startup
  • what defines great product
  • What goes into building a truly global and cross border app such as Bolt
  • The importance of taking breaks and what practical steps how to do it without disrupting your work

Make sure you check out also Part 2 of this conversation > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/82-83-jevgeni-kabanov-bolt 

---

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11347503 Tue, 20 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1774 3 82 full true 🎧 Building Europe's top investing app, raising capital from Richard Branson & unicorn productivity tips from Wise w/ Martin Sokk (Lightyear) Ep.81 🎧 Building Europe's top investing app, raising capital from Richard Branson & unicorn productivity tips from Wise w/ Martin Sokk (Lightyear) Ep.81 Martin Sokk is the CEO and Co-Founder of Lightyear - an app that makes investing lightyears better. Bringing his experience and practical learnings from Wise (Transferwise), Martin and his team have set out to significantly increase stock market participation in Europe.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Increasing stock market participation in Europe
  • Building of standout Fintech products
  • Applying learning from unicorn experience


The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

03:00 - Increasing stock market participation in Europe

12:00 - Making investing safer and more accessible for everyone

19:50 - The Lightyear product and business model

25:10 - How to build a standout Fintech product

30:30 - Getting the attention of big name VCs

36:30 - Learnings from working at Wise

42:30 - Martin's main productivity tips from working at Wise and Lightyear

Try investing via Lightyear here > https://golightyear.com/eu 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Martin Sokk is the CEO and Co-Founder of Lightyear - an app that makes investing lightyears better. Bringing his experience and practical learnings from Wise (Transferwise), Martin and his team have set out to significantly increase stock market participation in Europe.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Increasing stock market participation in Europe
  • Building of standout Fintech products
  • Applying learning from unicorn experience


The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

03:00 - Increasing stock market participation in Europe

12:00 - Making investing safer and more accessible for everyone

19:50 - The Lightyear product and business model

25:10 - How to build a standout Fintech product

30:30 - Getting the attention of big name VCs

36:30 - Learnings from working at Wise

42:30 - Martin's main productivity tips from working at Wise and Lightyear

Try investing via Lightyear here > https://golightyear.com/eu 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11305715 Tue, 13 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2744 3 81 full true 🎧 Scaling culture to 1000+ people, scrappy growth tips & how to implement Dalio's Radical Transparency in your team w/ Arnas Stuopelis (Hostinger) Ep.80 🎧 Scaling culture to 1000+ people, scrappy growth tips & how to implement Dalio's Radical Transparency in your team w/ Arnas Stuopelis (Hostinger) Ep.80 Arnas Stuopelis is the CEO of Hostinger - a tool that provides everything you need to create a website. Bootstrapped from day one, Arnas and his team have built a great product and massive organisation, operating in such competitive markets as web hosting and website building.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Bootstrapping, creativity and of course scrappiness
  • OKRs, Radical Transparency and culture
  • Scaling an organization and conquering global markets


02:15 - The story behind Arnas’s entrepreneurship journey

07:30 - Going global from day 1

09:00 - The scrappy beginnings of Hostinger in a competitive market

20:00 - Building a culture that stays ahead of the curve for almost 20 years

35:00 - Making time for yourself to build company culture

37:40 - Difference between managing 30 and 1000 people

42:20 - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs


More on Hostinger https://hostinger.com

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Arnas Stuopelis is the CEO of Hostinger - a tool that provides everything you need to create a website. Bootstrapped from day one, Arnas and his team have built a great product and massive organisation, operating in such competitive markets as web hosting and website building.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Bootstrapping, creativity and of course scrappiness
  • OKRs, Radical Transparency and culture
  • Scaling an organization and conquering global markets


02:15 - The story behind Arnas’s entrepreneurship journey

07:30 - Going global from day 1

09:00 - The scrappy beginnings of Hostinger in a competitive market

20:00 - Building a culture that stays ahead of the curve for almost 20 years

35:00 - Making time for yourself to build company culture

37:40 - Difference between managing 30 and 1000 people

42:20 - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs


More on Hostinger https://hostinger.com

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-11262465 Tue, 06 Sep 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2790 3 80 full false 🎧 Listen to this if you want to start investing! The basics, common mistakes & current market trends w/ Tom Crosshill (Index Investors Europe) Ep.79 🎧 Listen to this if you want to start investing! The basics, common mistakes & current market trends w/ Tom Crosshill (Index Investors Europe) Ep.79 Tom Crosshill is the Founder of Index Investors Europe - an online training course for aspiring investors as well as the Co-Founder and member of the supervisory board at Indexo - an asset management company to challenge legacy pension funds. With his background from Wall street and building Indexo, Tom is on a mission to increase stock market participation in Europe. Tom is also an accomplished creative writer with several novels in his bibliography. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Building a personal brand
  • How to start investing
  • How to act in the current financial markets turmoil


The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:55 - Introduction and building a personal brand

04:00 - The impact of creative writing on business content creation

07:00 - A productive morning ritual everyone can try

10:20 - Building a personal brand

14:30 - Choosing your target geography

18:20 - What is needed for someone to start investing?

23:30 - Why do Europeans invest so little (compared to Americans)?

27:55 - Tom's story to illustrate the power of compounded interest

30:00 - Making the mindset switch into regular investing

35:35 - Common mistakes people do when investing

38:00 - How to act in current financial markets turmoil

 

Tom's webinar for aspiring investors: https://go.indexmasterclass.com/webinar-registration-557619911659965134078

Book recommendation from Tom for investing philosophy: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Common-Sense-Investing/dp/1119404509


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Tom Crosshill is the Founder of Index Investors Europe - an online training course for aspiring investors as well as the Co-Founder and member of the supervisory board at Indexo - an asset management company to challenge legacy pension funds. With his background from Wall street and building Indexo, Tom is on a mission to increase stock market participation in Europe. Tom is also an accomplished creative writer with several novels in his bibliography. 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Building a personal brand
  • How to start investing
  • How to act in the current financial markets turmoil


The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:55 - Introduction and building a personal brand

04:00 - The impact of creative writing on business content creation

07:00 - A productive morning ritual everyone can try

10:20 - Building a personal brand

14:30 - Choosing your target geography

18:20 - What is needed for someone to start investing?

23:30 - Why do Europeans invest so little (compared to Americans)?

27:55 - Tom's story to illustrate the power of compounded interest

30:00 - Making the mindset switch into regular investing

35:35 - Common mistakes people do when investing

38:00 - How to act in current financial markets turmoil

 

Tom's webinar for aspiring investors: https://go.indexmasterclass.com/webinar-registration-557619911659965134078

Book recommendation from Tom for investing philosophy: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Common-Sense-Investing/dp/1119404509


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11223006 Tue, 30 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2961 3 79 full true 🎧 Vishen Lakhiani (Mindvalley founder, NY Times Bestselling author) on building $100M ARR business, how to transform your life and which beliefs are holding you back Ep.78 🎧 Vishen Lakhiani (Mindvalley founder, NY Times Bestselling author) on building $100M ARR business, how to transform your life and which beliefs are holding you back Ep.78 Vishen Lakhiani is the founder of Mindvalley, one of the world's leading education platforms, which he founded in 2003 and now it has grown to over 10 million students worldwide. He is also the author of New York Times and Amazon bestseller “The Code for the Extraordinary Mind” 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Mindvalley and how it can help you grow
  • Transformation instead of learning
  • Getting rid of Brules (Bullshit rules)
  • Simple and effective meditation practices
  • Having social interactions as key for success in work and business


The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

2:20 - The origins of Mindvalley (almost 20 years before EdTech became hot)

5:05 - Growing without VC funding and the sustainable advantage of the Mindvalley product

09:40 - Transformation instead of learning + 5 steps of transformation

16:15 - Getting rid of Brules (bullshit rules)

20:30 - Meditation - transcendent practice

24:00 - Importance of physical fitness for mental performance

25:10 - Advice for entrepreneurs to become more productive

29:30 - On why sacrificing social interactions for work does not make sense

https://www.mindvalley.com/

https://www.vishen.com/

 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Vishen Lakhiani is the founder of Mindvalley, one of the world's leading education platforms, which he founded in 2003 and now it has grown to over 10 million students worldwide. He is also the author of New York Times and Amazon bestseller “The Code for the Extraordinary Mind” 

In this episode we talk about:

  • Mindvalley and how it can help you grow
  • Transformation instead of learning
  • Getting rid of Brules (Bullshit rules)
  • Simple and effective meditation practices
  • Having social interactions as key for success in work and business


The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

2:20 - The origins of Mindvalley (almost 20 years before EdTech became hot)

5:05 - Growing without VC funding and the sustainable advantage of the Mindvalley product

09:40 - Transformation instead of learning + 5 steps of transformation

16:15 - Getting rid of Brules (bullshit rules)

20:30 - Meditation - transcendent practice

24:00 - Importance of physical fitness for mental performance

25:10 - Advice for entrepreneurs to become more productive

29:30 - On why sacrificing social interactions for work does not make sense

https://www.mindvalley.com/

https://www.vishen.com/

 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11179634 Tue, 23 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2083 3 78 full true 🎧 Tesla carsharing, busting myths about Electric vehicles and future of mobility w/ Egija Gailuma & Juhan Kaarma (OX Drive) Ep.77 🎧 Tesla carsharing, busting myths about Electric vehicles and future of mobility w/ Egija Gailuma & Juhan Kaarma (OX Drive) Ep.77 Egija Gailuma and Juhan Kaarma are Co-Founders of OX Drive - a Tesla car sharing service in Riga or “the coolest thing in mobility since the horse”. Together with 2 more co-founders the team has set out to make mobility more sustainable and cool.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The rationale behind launching a car sharing business with Teslas
  • The future of micro-mobility
  • Experience of owning and driving a Tesla
  • Most common myths & truths about Electrical Vehicles

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:30 - Introduction, challenges of launching OXDrive and what’s with the horse

06:45 - The reasoning behind launching a new car sharing business

11:10 - Raising funds 

14:10 - Getting the cars during shortage in market

15:10 - The future of micro-mobility in and outside the cities

21:10 - Being cash flow positive from the first month already

27:50 - What does it mean to own/drive a Tesla

31:30 - Most common myths about Teslas and Electrical Vehicles

40:00 - Does Tesla still has an edge over other car manufacturers



Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Egija Gailuma and Juhan Kaarma are Co-Founders of OX Drive - a Tesla car sharing service in Riga or “the coolest thing in mobility since the horse”. Together with 2 more co-founders the team has set out to make mobility more sustainable and cool.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The rationale behind launching a car sharing business with Teslas
  • The future of micro-mobility
  • Experience of owning and driving a Tesla
  • Most common myths & truths about Electrical Vehicles

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:30 - Introduction, challenges of launching OXDrive and what’s with the horse

06:45 - The reasoning behind launching a new car sharing business

11:10 - Raising funds 

14:10 - Getting the cars during shortage in market

15:10 - The future of micro-mobility in and outside the cities

21:10 - Being cash flow positive from the first month already

27:50 - What does it mean to own/drive a Tesla

31:30 - Most common myths about Teslas and Electrical Vehicles

40:00 - Does Tesla still has an edge over other car manufacturers



Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

 Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

 Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11143917 Tue, 16 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2730 3 77 full true 🎧 Intel’s CFO David Zinsner on leadership, making impact in global organizations, how to deliver ROI & prospects of solving semiconductor shortage Ep.76 🎧 Intel’s CFO David Zinsner on leadership, making impact in global organizations, how to deliver ROI & prospects of solving semiconductor shortage Ep.76 ​​David Zinsner is the Executive vice president and the CFO of Intel Corporation. Having participated in several transformations in such companies as Credo, Micron Technology and Affirmed Networks, David is now leading the charge of realising Intel's global ambitions.

In this episode we talk about:

  • David’s leadership principles
  • Impact of the CFO role in the organisation
  • How to succeed in a new role at the highest level
  • Measuring the return on R&D budget
  • Global microchip market
  • Semiconductor role in global security

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:55 - Introduction and David’s journey before Intel

07:30 - Leadership principles that helped David in his career

11:20 - How to jump into new companies and new roles

13:45 - How CFOs can drive impact (not only by cutting costs)

18:30 - Things David wishes he'd known at the beginning of his career

22:45 - Framework to decide which projects/products have future and which not

27:00 - How corporate VC arms should fit into group strategy

32:30 - Making sure R&D investment bring expected value

37:10 - Intel's position in global markets and challenges

43:10 - Global semiconductor industry challenges

52:00 - How China and Taiwan situation might impact the global supply chain

 

 Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch this episode on YouTube  > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> ​​David Zinsner is the Executive vice president and the CFO of Intel Corporation. Having participated in several transformations in such companies as Credo, Micron Technology and Affirmed Networks, David is now leading the charge of realising Intel's global ambitions.

In this episode we talk about:

  • David’s leadership principles
  • Impact of the CFO role in the organisation
  • How to succeed in a new role at the highest level
  • Measuring the return on R&D budget
  • Global microchip market
  • Semiconductor role in global security

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:55 - Introduction and David’s journey before Intel

07:30 - Leadership principles that helped David in his career

11:20 - How to jump into new companies and new roles

13:45 - How CFOs can drive impact (not only by cutting costs)

18:30 - Things David wishes he'd known at the beginning of his career

22:45 - Framework to decide which projects/products have future and which not

27:00 - How corporate VC arms should fit into group strategy

32:30 - Making sure R&D investment bring expected value

37:10 - Intel's position in global markets and challenges

43:10 - Global semiconductor industry challenges

52:00 - How China and Taiwan situation might impact the global supply chain

 

 Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch this episode on YouTube  > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

===

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-11102684 Tue, 09 Aug 2022 04:00:00 +0300 3311 3 76 full false 🎧 Cycling 30 000 km, capturing world’s media attention with innovative design and balancing creativity vs rationality w/ Aigars Lauzis (BeTRITON) Ep.75 🎧 Cycling 30 000 km, capturing world’s media attention with innovative design and balancing creativity vs rationality w/ Aigars Lauzis (BeTRITON) Ep.75 Aigars Lauzis is the Founder, CEO and Designer of BeTRITON - an amphibious camper-trike, namely a vehicle that lets you drive on the road and sleep on the water. Aigars has a landscape architecture and design background, having designed projects all around the world. The inspiration for creating BeTRITON came when Aigars decided to cycle 30 00 km from London to Shanghai.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

03:00 - What is an amphibious camper-trike and how it was concieved

08:00 - What principles constitute a good design

14:40 - What happens behind the scenes of a successful PR campaign

23:40 - Pre-conditions of sparking creativity

28:10 - Taking a bicycle from London to Shanghai

34:40 - Interesting experiences and stories from Aigars’s travels

 

To reach out to Aigars please use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aigars-lauzis-38261832/

Website: betriton.com

 Find over 70 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Aigars Lauzis is the Founder, CEO and Designer of BeTRITON - an amphibious camper-trike, namely a vehicle that lets you drive on the road and sleep on the water. Aigars has a landscape architecture and design background, having designed projects all around the world. The inspiration for creating BeTRITON came when Aigars decided to cycle 30 00 km from London to Shanghai.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

03:00 - What is an amphibious camper-trike and how it was concieved

08:00 - What principles constitute a good design

14:40 - What happens behind the scenes of a successful PR campaign

23:40 - Pre-conditions of sparking creativity

28:10 - Taking a bicycle from London to Shanghai

34:40 - Interesting experiences and stories from Aigars’s travels

 

To reach out to Aigars please use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aigars-lauzis-38261832/

Website: betriton.com

 Find over 70 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10901413 Tue, 05 Jul 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2662 2 75 full true 🎧 All unicorns seemed like bad ideas initially w/ Raimonds Kulbergs (BADideas.fund) Ep.74 🎧 All unicorns seemed like bad ideas initially w/ Raimonds Kulbergs (BADideas.fund) Ep.74 Raimonds Kulbergs is the CEO & Founder of BADideas.fund, a recently launched angel investor syndicate combining startup founders and operators that are ready to invest their money and help with hands-on experience to CEE early stage startups. Raimonds has exited his startup (Funderful) and is also 500 Startups alumni.
 
In this episode we talk about

  • The thesis and mechanics of BADideas.fund
  • What constitutes a good founding team
  • Raimonds entrepreneurship story
  • Angel investing situation in the region

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:15 - What is BADideas.fund

03:30 - Mechanics of being part of the investors at the syndicate

04:20 - What does Raimonds and his co-investors look for in founders

07:00 - Angel investors with prior experience are welcome

11:20 - Raimonds story from being a founder to starting BADideas.fund

15:50 - Hot companies in the region to follow 

 

To reach out to Raimonds please use:

Website: https://badideas.fund/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raimondskulbergs/

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness  

 


Support the show

]]> Raimonds Kulbergs is the CEO & Founder of BADideas.fund, a recently launched angel investor syndicate combining startup founders and operators that are ready to invest their money and help with hands-on experience to CEE early stage startups. Raimonds has exited his startup (Funderful) and is also 500 Startups alumni.
 
In this episode we talk about

  • The thesis and mechanics of BADideas.fund
  • What constitutes a good founding team
  • Raimonds entrepreneurship story
  • Angel investing situation in the region

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:15 - What is BADideas.fund

03:30 - Mechanics of being part of the investors at the syndicate

04:20 - What does Raimonds and his co-investors look for in founders

07:00 - Angel investors with prior experience are welcome

11:20 - Raimonds story from being a founder to starting BADideas.fund

15:50 - Hot companies in the region to follow 

 

To reach out to Raimonds please use:

Website: https://badideas.fund/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raimondskulbergs/

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness  

 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10878917 Thu, 30 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1190 2 74 full false 🎧 Crypto meltdown, reaching $100 billion in trading volume, future of money & inside view of building a crypto business w/ Martins Benkitis (Gravity Team) Ep.73 🎧 Crypto meltdown, reaching $100 billion in trading volume, future of money & inside view of building a crypto business w/ Martins Benkitis (Gravity Team) Ep.73 Martins Benkitis is a Co-Founder at Gravity Team - a startup balancing the supply and demand across crypto markets worldwide. Martins and his team account for close to 1% of the global spot trading in crypto and have reached $100 billion cumulative trading volume.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Pros and cons of building a business in crypto
  • What’s happening in the markets currently
  • Crypto price cycles and dealing with new exotic products
  • Gravity Team’s Venture arm 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:00 - Introduction and the origins of Gravity Team

04:40 - Is there a specific background needed to start in crypto

06:20 - How does working in crypto differ from other industries

08:50 - Is the global nature of crypto an advantage for building a business

12:10 - Challenges of running a crypto business

18:05 - How companies should prepare for market downturns

21:10 - Dealing with innovations in crypto

26:30 - On Gravity Venture arm development

31:30 - Crypto market outlook and long term view on money

 

To reach out to Martins please use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martins-benkitis/?originalSubdomain=th 

 

Find over 70 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Martins Benkitis is a Co-Founder at Gravity Team - a startup balancing the supply and demand across crypto markets worldwide. Martins and his team account for close to 1% of the global spot trading in crypto and have reached $100 billion cumulative trading volume.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Pros and cons of building a business in crypto
  • What’s happening in the markets currently
  • Crypto price cycles and dealing with new exotic products
  • Gravity Team’s Venture arm 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:00 - Introduction and the origins of Gravity Team

04:40 - Is there a specific background needed to start in crypto

06:20 - How does working in crypto differ from other industries

08:50 - Is the global nature of crypto an advantage for building a business

12:10 - Challenges of running a crypto business

18:05 - How companies should prepare for market downturns

21:10 - Dealing with innovations in crypto

26:30 - On Gravity Venture arm development

31:30 - Crypto market outlook and long term view on money

 

To reach out to Martins please use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martins-benkitis/?originalSubdomain=th 

 

Find over 70 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10862183 Tue, 28 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2324 2 73 full true 🎧 Winning pitch competitions, validating product via YouTube, importance of your voice & Estonia’s startup relocation program w/ Nick Lahoika (Vocal Image) Ep.72 🎧 Winning pitch competitions, validating product via YouTube, importance of your voice & Estonia’s startup relocation program w/ Nick Lahoika (Vocal Image) Ep.72 Nick Lahoika is the CEO and Co-Founder of Vocal Image - a speech training and voice therapy app. After relocating to Estonia from Belarus with his family and team, Nick is building a world class product (300,000 + users) to solve an issue that is very pressing for many people - strong sounding voice and clear speech. You might have already heard about Nick and Vocal Image from multiple recent startup pitch competitions they have won.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The importance of voice and voice media
  • The product of Vocal Image
  • Customer acquisition tips and tricks
  • How to improve your startup pitch

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:40 - The importance of our voice 

05:00 - From speech therapy specific product to mass market app

08:25 - The subscription business model

13:20 - What voice based technology applications can we expect

16:15 - How Nick’s team got 300k users in the first year of Vocal Image

18:50 - How to acquire customers in the US

22:30 - How to pitch your startup efficiently

24:50 - How to maximize value of startup conferences

27:00 - Nick’s and his teams relocation story via Estonian business visa

 

To reach out to Nick please use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-lahoika/

 

 Find over 70 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Nick Lahoika is the CEO and Co-Founder of Vocal Image - a speech training and voice therapy app. After relocating to Estonia from Belarus with his family and team, Nick is building a world class product (300,000 + users) to solve an issue that is very pressing for many people - strong sounding voice and clear speech. You might have already heard about Nick and Vocal Image from multiple recent startup pitch competitions they have won.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The importance of voice and voice media
  • The product of Vocal Image
  • Customer acquisition tips and tricks
  • How to improve your startup pitch

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:40 - The importance of our voice 

05:00 - From speech therapy specific product to mass market app

08:25 - The subscription business model

13:20 - What voice based technology applications can we expect

16:15 - How Nick’s team got 300k users in the first year of Vocal Image

18:50 - How to acquire customers in the US

22:30 - How to pitch your startup efficiently

24:50 - How to maximize value of startup conferences

27:00 - Nick’s and his teams relocation story via Estonian business visa

 

To reach out to Nick please use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-lahoika/

 

 Find over 70 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10822694 Tue, 21 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1814 2 72 full true 🎧 Conquering the lucrative amateur sports market with wearables. Lessons in tech and marketing w/ Atis Hermanis & Reinholds Pirags (Hackmotion) Ep.71 🎧 Conquering the lucrative amateur sports market with wearables. Lessons in tech and marketing w/ Atis Hermanis & Reinholds Pirags (Hackmotion) Ep.71 Atis Hermanis and Reinholds Pīrāgs are the CEO and CCO of Hackmotion - wrist sensor for amateur sports precision improvement. They are on a mission to help amateur golfers to fix their game with a unique technology that is used by elite level PGA (golf) coaches worldwide. Their sensors are also on the radar of other North American professional sports leagues such as NBA and MLB (baseball).

In this episode we talk about

  • Developing Hackmotion sensors
  • Marketing strategies for sports consumer devices
  • Future of sports wearable tech

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:20 - Introduction to Hackmotion smart devices

03:15 - Go-to-market strategy starting with professional athletes in USA

07:00 - Do amateur athletes trust smart devices or prefer coaches?

08:00 - Marketing strategies for sports consumer devices

12:50 - How the Hackmotion technology was developed

14:00 - Scaling production and managing supply chain

17:00 - Selling products in US market without physical presence there

18:30 - Future of sports wearables

 

To reach out to Atis and Reinholds please use:

Website: hackmotion.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackmotion/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hackmotion

 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness  


Support the show

]]> Atis Hermanis and Reinholds Pīrāgs are the CEO and CCO of Hackmotion - wrist sensor for amateur sports precision improvement. They are on a mission to help amateur golfers to fix their game with a unique technology that is used by elite level PGA (golf) coaches worldwide. Their sensors are also on the radar of other North American professional sports leagues such as NBA and MLB (baseball).

In this episode we talk about

  • Developing Hackmotion sensors
  • Marketing strategies for sports consumer devices
  • Future of sports wearable tech

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:20 - Introduction to Hackmotion smart devices

03:15 - Go-to-market strategy starting with professional athletes in USA

07:00 - Do amateur athletes trust smart devices or prefer coaches?

08:00 - Marketing strategies for sports consumer devices

12:50 - How the Hackmotion technology was developed

14:00 - Scaling production and managing supply chain

17:00 - Selling products in US market without physical presence there

18:30 - Future of sports wearables

 

To reach out to Atis and Reinholds please use:

Website: hackmotion.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackmotion/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hackmotion

 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness  


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10800255 Thu, 16 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1332 2 71 full false 🎧 Investing in Ukraine despite the war, how startups are adjusting to new reality and predictions on war outcomes w/ Mathias Eklöf (Hype Ventures) Ep.70 🎧 Investing in Ukraine despite the war, how startups are adjusting to new reality and predictions on war outcomes w/ Mathias Eklöf (Hype Ventures) Ep.70 Mathias Eklöf is a serial entrepreneur and investor with multiple startup exits. He is currently running his own investment company Hype Ventures. With extensive entrepreneurship experience, especially in Russia and Ukraine, Mathias is one of the leading early stage investors actively focusing on Ukrainian startups despite the war. He also has a background from the Swedish military and enjoys giving direct opinions making Mathias a perfect guest for conversation about the investment climate and geopolitical trends in the region.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Hype Ventures and Mathias’s entrepreneurship journey
  • How Ukrainian startups have adapted to the war
  • How investors look at Ukraine
  • Regional outlook in the context of war

The episode was recorded on June 10, 2022

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:45 - Introduction and how Mathias became an investor in Ukrainian startups

07:50 - How have Ukrainian startups reacted to the war environment

10:50 - Mathias’s first reaction to the war in the first week after February 24th

14:50 - How do Ukrainian founders look at working in Ukraine in the medium to long term

18:20 - How other western investors look at investing in Ukraine

22:00 - What are the key reasons for investing in Ukraine today

26:30 - How has the war impacted investment attractiveness for the Baltics?

31:00 - On the regional security outlook in the context of the war


To reach out to Mathias please use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathias-eklof-glorytoukraine/

Website: https://hypeventures.io/

 

Support Ukraine: https://spendwithukraine.com/

 Find over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Mathias Eklöf is a serial entrepreneur and investor with multiple startup exits. He is currently running his own investment company Hype Ventures. With extensive entrepreneurship experience, especially in Russia and Ukraine, Mathias is one of the leading early stage investors actively focusing on Ukrainian startups despite the war. He also has a background from the Swedish military and enjoys giving direct opinions making Mathias a perfect guest for conversation about the investment climate and geopolitical trends in the region.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Hype Ventures and Mathias’s entrepreneurship journey
  • How Ukrainian startups have adapted to the war
  • How investors look at Ukraine
  • Regional outlook in the context of war

The episode was recorded on June 10, 2022

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:45 - Introduction and how Mathias became an investor in Ukrainian startups

07:50 - How have Ukrainian startups reacted to the war environment

10:50 - Mathias’s first reaction to the war in the first week after February 24th

14:50 - How do Ukrainian founders look at working in Ukraine in the medium to long term

18:20 - How other western investors look at investing in Ukraine

22:00 - What are the key reasons for investing in Ukraine today

26:30 - How has the war impacted investment attractiveness for the Baltics?

31:00 - On the regional security outlook in the context of the war


To reach out to Mathias please use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathias-eklof-glorytoukraine/

Website: https://hypeventures.io/

 

Support Ukraine: https://spendwithukraine.com/

 Find over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10787008 Tue, 14 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2732 2 70 full true 🎧 How to get more tech pros to put their knowledge & money into startups? w/ Akim Arhipov & Tim Vaino (Fund Fellow Founders) Ep.69 🎧 How to get more tech pros to put their knowledge & money into startups? w/ Akim Arhipov & Tim Vaino (Fund Fellow Founders) Ep.69 Akim Arhipov and Tim Vaino introduces Fund Fellow Founders (fff.vc) - a fund/angel syndicate to bring more smart money to regional founders and increase investing activity among C-level executives from the tech industry. They also run a cool podcast (link below)

In this episode we talk about

  • How FFF works for investors and for startups
  • How the fund is built and its community governance
  • What founders should expect from working with FFF

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:30 - Introduction and the origins of Fund Fellow Founders

04:55 - How FFF works for investors

08:05 - How FFF works for startups

12:10 - The fund commercial structure

19:20 - Expansion plans

24:50 - What founders should expect from the investment process

 

To reach out to Akim & Tim please use:

Website: https://fff.vc

Check out FFF’s Podcast here


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Akim Arhipov and Tim Vaino introduces Fund Fellow Founders (fff.vc) - a fund/angel syndicate to bring more smart money to regional founders and increase investing activity among C-level executives from the tech industry. They also run a cool podcast (link below)

In this episode we talk about

  • How FFF works for investors and for startups
  • How the fund is built and its community governance
  • What founders should expect from working with FFF

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:30 - Introduction and the origins of Fund Fellow Founders

04:55 - How FFF works for investors

08:05 - How FFF works for startups

12:10 - The fund commercial structure

19:20 - Expansion plans

24:50 - What founders should expect from the investment process

 

To reach out to Akim & Tim please use:

Website: https://fff.vc

Check out FFF’s Podcast here


Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10744055 Tue, 07 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2227 2 69 full true 🎧 Estonian investment scene, backing Ukrainian startups & potential of sustainability tech w/ Helery Pops (Honey Badger Capital) Ep.68 🎧 Estonian investment scene, backing Ukrainian startups & potential of sustainability tech w/ Helery Pops (Honey Badger Capital) Ep.68 Helery Pops is a co-founder at Honey Badger Capital - angel investor friends office out of Estonia. Helery brings 5+ years operating experience in product and sales in such companies as Pipedrive and Ampler Bikes. Together with her partners - three Pipedrive co-founders, Helery is looking for ambitious and relentless founders in the regions, Ukraine and beyond.

In this episode we talk about

  • The mission of Honey Badger Capital
  • Investing in Ukraine during war
  • How early stage investors can help founders
  • Investing in the competitive Estonian ecosystem

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:20 - Introduction and the mission of Honey Badger Capital

03:55 - Investing in Ukraine in current circumstances

06:35 - How much can an early investor help a company

08:25 - Investing in the competitive Estonian ecosystem

10:55 - How to catch Helery’s attention with your startup

13:30 - What’s cooking in hot sustainability startups?

 

To reach out to Helery please use:

Email: pops@badger.ee

 

 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Helery Pops is a co-founder at Honey Badger Capital - angel investor friends office out of Estonia. Helery brings 5+ years operating experience in product and sales in such companies as Pipedrive and Ampler Bikes. Together with her partners - three Pipedrive co-founders, Helery is looking for ambitious and relentless founders in the regions, Ukraine and beyond.

In this episode we talk about

  • The mission of Honey Badger Capital
  • Investing in Ukraine during war
  • How early stage investors can help founders
  • Investing in the competitive Estonian ecosystem

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:20 - Introduction and the mission of Honey Badger Capital

03:55 - Investing in Ukraine in current circumstances

06:35 - How much can an early investor help a company

08:25 - Investing in the competitive Estonian ecosystem

10:55 - How to catch Helery’s attention with your startup

13:30 - What’s cooking in hot sustainability startups?

 

To reach out to Helery please use:

Email: pops@badger.ee

 

 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10718970 Thu, 02 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0300 915 2 68 full false 🎧 The raise of Insurtech, can you insure against cyber & is it worth to share data to get better deals w/ Jan Kastory (astorya.vc) Ep.67 🎧 The raise of Insurtech, can you insure against cyber & is it worth to share data to get better deals w/ Jan Kastory (astorya.vc) Ep.67 Jan Kastory is the Founding partner of astorya.vc - the first independent purely Insurtech focused VC in Europe focusing on early-stage startups. With hands-on operator experience from Euler Hermes, Jan and his team brings unique insights into the insurance market.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Astorya VC and the promise of InsurTech investments
  • Insuring cyber threats
  • The business models of InsurTech companies
  • Personal data sharing to improve deals and get prevention assistance

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:00 - The potential of Insurance Technology startups

04:05 - The key InsurTech markets and how CEE startups can make a mark

07:45 - Insurtech investment landscape in 2022 after record year in 2021

09:35 - What the VCs are looking for

10:30 - Observing how startups die

14:50 - Companies and applications to watch

21:50 - Insurance for cyber threats

27:10 - Do Insurtech companies take on risk themselves

34:40 - Data sharing to personalize insurance deals

 

To reach out to Jan please use:

Email: jan@astorya.vc

 

 Find over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Jan Kastory is the Founding partner of astorya.vc - the first independent purely Insurtech focused VC in Europe focusing on early-stage startups. With hands-on operator experience from Euler Hermes, Jan and his team brings unique insights into the insurance market.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Astorya VC and the promise of InsurTech investments
  • Insuring cyber threats
  • The business models of InsurTech companies
  • Personal data sharing to improve deals and get prevention assistance

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

02:00 - The potential of Insurance Technology startups

04:05 - The key InsurTech markets and how CEE startups can make a mark

07:45 - Insurtech investment landscape in 2022 after record year in 2021

09:35 - What the VCs are looking for

10:30 - Observing how startups die

14:50 - Companies and applications to watch

21:50 - Insurance for cyber threats

27:10 - Do Insurtech companies take on risk themselves

34:40 - Data sharing to personalize insurance deals

 

To reach out to Jan please use:

Email: jan@astorya.vc

 

 Find over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10707101 Tue, 31 May 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2484 2 67 full true 🎧 Profitable solutions for stopping climate change and how geopolitics impact food availability worldwide w/ Robin Saluoks (eAgronom) Ep.66 🎧 Profitable solutions for stopping climate change and how geopolitics impact food availability worldwide w/ Robin Saluoks (eAgronom) Ep.66 Robin Saluoks is CEO and Co-founder of eAgronom - a farming based carbon credits platform. Robin and his team are fighting climate change by providing financial incentives for farmers to sequester more carbon and investors to invest into sustainability.

In this episode we talk about

  • Fighting climate change with financial incentives in agriculture
  • How to distinguish between real environment protection companies and hottest companies to follow in the space
  • The impact of the war and global warming on global food production and prices

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:20 - Fighting climate change through agriculture

03:00 - Creating financial incentives for farmers to sequester carbon

06:40 - How to distinguish truly valuable initiatives from green-PR seekers

10:35 - Lessening the impact of the war on global food production and fertiliser market

14:00 - Is the world on the brink of a global famine?

15:45 - Hottest climate tech startups to follow

 

To reach out to Robin please use:

Website: eagronom.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-saluoks-097487a7/

 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Robin Saluoks is CEO and Co-founder of eAgronom - a farming based carbon credits platform. Robin and his team are fighting climate change by providing financial incentives for farmers to sequester more carbon and investors to invest into sustainability.

In this episode we talk about

  • Fighting climate change with financial incentives in agriculture
  • How to distinguish between real environment protection companies and hottest companies to follow in the space
  • The impact of the war and global warming on global food production and prices

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:20 - Fighting climate change through agriculture

03:00 - Creating financial incentives for farmers to sequester carbon

06:40 - How to distinguish truly valuable initiatives from green-PR seekers

10:35 - Lessening the impact of the war on global food production and fertiliser market

14:00 - Is the world on the brink of a global famine?

15:45 - Hottest climate tech startups to follow

 

To reach out to Robin please use:

Website: eagronom.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-saluoks-097487a7/

 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10662020 Thu, 26 May 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1072 2 66 full false 🎧 Women in tech. Fundraising biases, discrimination and interest in STEM w/ Anna Andersone (Riga TechGirls) Ep.65 🎧 Women in tech. Fundraising biases, discrimination and interest in STEM w/ Anna Andersone (Riga TechGirls) Ep.65 Anna Andersone is the Chief Empowerment Officer at Riga TechGirls - educating and inspiring girls & women about technology. Anna is a serial entrepreneur and currently running her own clothing company be-with.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Female representation in tech
  • Education and reeducation for tech roles
  • Discrimination in fundraising and decision-making

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:35 - Introduction, Riga Tech Girls and  female proportion trends in tech

04:50 - Funding raised by female founders vs. male

08:05 - Technical education trends for females

09:40 - How has overall female participation in the startup world changed over time

12:25 - Retraining of women to get into tech

16:30 - Discrimination in fundraising

20:50 - The proven negative bias in questions that women get from investors

24:00 - how does Baltics compare to Europe in equality


To reach out to Anna please use:

Website: http://rigatechgirls.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annalebedoka/

 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Anna Andersone is the Chief Empowerment Officer at Riga TechGirls - educating and inspiring girls & women about technology. Anna is a serial entrepreneur and currently running her own clothing company be-with.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Female representation in tech
  • Education and reeducation for tech roles
  • Discrimination in fundraising and decision-making

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:35 - Introduction, Riga Tech Girls and  female proportion trends in tech

04:50 - Funding raised by female founders vs. male

08:05 - Technical education trends for females

09:40 - How has overall female participation in the startup world changed over time

12:25 - Retraining of women to get into tech

16:30 - Discrimination in fundraising

20:50 - The proven negative bias in questions that women get from investors

24:00 - how does Baltics compare to Europe in equality


To reach out to Anna please use:

Website: http://rigatechgirls.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annalebedoka/

 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10661582 Tue, 24 May 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1627 2 65 full false 🎧 64 What characteristics VCs like to see in founders and how Baltic startups compare to the rest of Europe w/ Andreas Helbig (Atomico) 🎧 64 What characteristics VCs like to see in founders and how Baltic startups compare to the rest of Europe w/ Andreas Helbig (Atomico) Andreas Helbig is a Principal at Atomico - one of the most well-known European VC firms. Andreas is responsible for the Nordic&Baltic region and is currently overlooking investments in such Baltic companies as Pipedrive, Katana and Pactum. 

In this episode we talk about:

- Atomico’s strategy and view on the Baltics
- Potential slowdown in VC markets
- Ease of doing business in Baltics vs Western Europe
- What founder characteristics are VCs looking for

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:10 - What is Atomico’s strategy and how they perceive the Baltics

06:15 - On ease of doing business in different places in Europe

08:50 - Are there any signs of slowing down in VC

10:15 - What is Atomico looking for in founders

14:50 - How prevalent are Baltic cases in Atomico’s dealflow

17:10 - How to catch VCs attention

19:40 - How has the pandemic and remote culture affected VC/Founder connections

 

To reach out to Andreas please use:

Email: andreas@atomico.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreashelbig/

 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Andreas Helbig is a Principal at Atomico - one of the most well-known European VC firms. Andreas is responsible for the Nordic&Baltic region and is currently overlooking investments in such Baltic companies as Pipedrive, Katana and Pactum. 

In this episode we talk about:

- Atomico’s strategy and view on the Baltics
- Potential slowdown in VC markets
- Ease of doing business in Baltics vs Western Europe
- What founder characteristics are VCs looking for

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:10 - What is Atomico’s strategy and how they perceive the Baltics

06:15 - On ease of doing business in different places in Europe

08:50 - Are there any signs of slowing down in VC

10:15 - What is Atomico looking for in founders

14:50 - How prevalent are Baltic cases in Atomico’s dealflow

17:10 - How to catch VCs attention

19:40 - How has the pandemic and remote culture affected VC/Founder connections

 

To reach out to Andreas please use:

Email: andreas@atomico.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreashelbig/

 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10641738 Thu, 19 May 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1489 2 64 full false 🎧 63 Sales, pricing & product development for B2B SaaS. Is email still alive and what role AI plays in MarTech w/ Rytis Lauris (Omnisend) 🎧 63 Sales, pricing & product development for B2B SaaS. Is email still alive and what role AI plays in MarTech w/ Rytis Lauris (Omnisend) Rytis Lauris is Co-founder and CEO of Omnisend - an ecommerce-tailored email & SMS marketing automation platform . Having established several companies before, Rytis and his team have bootstrapped Omnisend to a significant player in the highly competitive MarTech space and is considered one of Lithuania's unofficial unicorns or soonicorns.

In this episode we talk about:

- Omnisend, e-mail marketing and MarTech

- Actionable insights into sales, pricing, product development for B2B SAAS

- If email marketing is still alive

- The role of AI in MarTech and impact of the pandemic on ecommerce

- Pros and cons of bootstrapping

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:40 - Introduction and the origins of Omnisend

05:30 - Standing out in the overcrowded MarTech space

08:20 - Product driven approach to company strategy and sales

11:00 - A great, practical example to use with sales teams

11:45 - Defining the ideal customer through company growth cycles

14:20 - Pricing your product

17:15 - How to create a website that sells & role of content in marketing

22:00 - Most common mistakes and low hanging fruits

25:10 - Is email marketing dead?

28:50 - What other channels should E-commerce businesses use?

30:40 - The role of AI in MarTech

33:45 - The effect of the pandemic & post-pandemic on E-commerce

36:00 - Pros and cons of bootstrapping


 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Rytis Lauris is Co-founder and CEO of Omnisend - an ecommerce-tailored email & SMS marketing automation platform . Having established several companies before, Rytis and his team have bootstrapped Omnisend to a significant player in the highly competitive MarTech space and is considered one of Lithuania's unofficial unicorns or soonicorns.

In this episode we talk about:

- Omnisend, e-mail marketing and MarTech

- Actionable insights into sales, pricing, product development for B2B SAAS

- If email marketing is still alive

- The role of AI in MarTech and impact of the pandemic on ecommerce

- Pros and cons of bootstrapping

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:40 - Introduction and the origins of Omnisend

05:30 - Standing out in the overcrowded MarTech space

08:20 - Product driven approach to company strategy and sales

11:00 - A great, practical example to use with sales teams

11:45 - Defining the ideal customer through company growth cycles

14:20 - Pricing your product

17:15 - How to create a website that sells & role of content in marketing

22:00 - Most common mistakes and low hanging fruits

25:10 - Is email marketing dead?

28:50 - What other channels should E-commerce businesses use?

30:40 - The role of AI in MarTech

33:45 - The effect of the pandemic & post-pandemic on E-commerce

36:00 - Pros and cons of bootstrapping


 Find out over 60 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10626470 Tue, 17 May 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2481 2 63 full false 🎧 62 Is Putin ready to use nukes, cyber attacks on businesses and Baltic defense plans w/ Janis Sarts (NATO) 🎧 62 Is Putin ready to use nukes, cyber attacks on businesses and Baltic defense plans w/ Janis Sarts (NATO) Janis Sarts is the Director at NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence. An outspoken military expert, previously also state secretary of Latvian Ministry of Defense, Janis brings a clear, articulated and convincing message about the regional security situation as of today.

In this episode we talk:

  • The paradox of increased Baltic security amid deteriorating global security
  • The impact of Finland and Sweden joining NATO
  • Cybersecurity risks and how companies should treat them
  • Outlook for the war and endgame of involved parties

The episode was recorded on April 29, 2022

===

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:00 - The paradox of Baltic security situation in global context

03:10 - How Sweden and Finland joining NATO would affect Baltic region security

06:15 - Dispelling the myth of NATO expansion

07:40 - NATO plans for defending the Baltic States

09:30 - Cybersecurity threats and how should companies treat this risk

11:00 - Baltics has been under a cyber attack for for more than a month

14:45 - Unity of NATO and ability of rogue nations to block Article 5

15:50 - Russia can resort to nuclear weapons

19:25 - What increased weapons supplies mean for the conflict

22:10 - What does victory look like for Ukraine and for Russia

24:40 - What would a ceasefire mean in the mid/long term for European security

 

Support Ukraine via https://spendwithukraine.com/

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Janis Sarts is the Director at NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence. An outspoken military expert, previously also state secretary of Latvian Ministry of Defense, Janis brings a clear, articulated and convincing message about the regional security situation as of today.

In this episode we talk:

  • The paradox of increased Baltic security amid deteriorating global security
  • The impact of Finland and Sweden joining NATO
  • Cybersecurity risks and how companies should treat them
  • Outlook for the war and endgame of involved parties

The episode was recorded on April 29, 2022

===

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps:

01:00 - The paradox of Baltic security situation in global context

03:10 - How Sweden and Finland joining NATO would affect Baltic region security

06:15 - Dispelling the myth of NATO expansion

07:40 - NATO plans for defending the Baltic States

09:30 - Cybersecurity threats and how should companies treat this risk

11:00 - Baltics has been under a cyber attack for for more than a month

14:45 - Unity of NATO and ability of rogue nations to block Article 5

15:50 - Russia can resort to nuclear weapons

19:25 - What increased weapons supplies mean for the conflict

22:10 - What does victory look like for Ukraine and for Russia

24:40 - What would a ceasefire mean in the mid/long term for European security

 

Support Ukraine via https://spendwithukraine.com/

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10601924 Thu, 12 May 2022 04:00:00 +0300 1671 2 62 full false 🎧 61 Sustainability, unicorn building lessons from early days in Wise and what goes into launching a Fintech w/ Triin Hertmann (Grünfin) 🎧 61 Sustainability, unicorn building lessons from early days in Wise and what goes into launching a Fintech w/ Triin Hertmann (Grünfin) Triin Hertmann is the Founder of Grünfin - Invest your money where your values are. Triin is also an alumnus of Skype and Wise and is very active in angel investments being one of the few female angel investors in the region. 

In this episode we talk about:

- Sustainable investing and the Grünfin product

- Challenges in building a Fintech app

- Impact of unicorn experience with Wise and Skype

- Spotting a future unicorn founder/company

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

02:05  - Sustainable investing and the origins of Grünfin

04:00  - State of overall sustainability thinking adoption

05:30 - What constitutes a sustainable investment

07:55 - The returns of sustainable investing

14:00 - Challenges in building a fintech app

14:55- In-house lawyer vs law firms for license acquisition

19:55 - The product vision and pivots

21:45 - Web vs mobile for investment platform

26:05 - Acquiring customers for a Fintech product

27:25 - What it takes to work in sustainability

29:35  - The impact of Skype & Wise on Triin as a founder and person

31:45 - How to spot a unicorn company in early stages

35:35 - Scrappy stories from early days of Wise

37:30 - Quote of the month by Triin on scaling

38:45 - Combining running a startup and angel investing




Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Triin Hertmann is the Founder of Grünfin - Invest your money where your values are. Triin is also an alumnus of Skype and Wise and is very active in angel investments being one of the few female angel investors in the region. 

In this episode we talk about:

- Sustainable investing and the Grünfin product

- Challenges in building a Fintech app

- Impact of unicorn experience with Wise and Skype

- Spotting a future unicorn founder/company

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

02:05  - Sustainable investing and the origins of Grünfin

04:00  - State of overall sustainability thinking adoption

05:30 - What constitutes a sustainable investment

07:55 - The returns of sustainable investing

14:00 - Challenges in building a fintech app

14:55- In-house lawyer vs law firms for license acquisition

19:55 - The product vision and pivots

21:45 - Web vs mobile for investment platform

26:05 - Acquiring customers for a Fintech product

27:25 - What it takes to work in sustainability

29:35  - The impact of Skype & Wise on Triin as a founder and person

31:45 - How to spot a unicorn company in early stages

35:35 - Scrappy stories from early days of Wise

37:30 - Quote of the month by Triin on scaling

38:45 - Combining running a startup and angel investing




Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10588136 Tue, 10 May 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2382 2 61 full true 🎧 60 Raising $90M in equity & debt to build SaaS based future of workplace, rent-vs-own culture, HR Tech and Berlin startup ecosystem w/ Stavros Papadopoulos (Lendis) 🎧 60 Raising $90M in equity & debt to build SaaS based future of workplace, rent-vs-own culture, HR Tech and Berlin startup ecosystem w/ Stavros Papadopoulos (Lendis) Stavros  Papadopoulos is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lendis, a German startup that offers a  SaaS solution for companies such as BCG, Volkswagen, N26 to set up and manage their employees’ equipment and software in the hybrid working world. They have raised over $90M USD in debt and equity to date.

In this episode we talk about the unique value Lendis offers to small and large companies, the rising of HR-Tech, renting vs owning culture as well as pros and cons of establishing a startup in Berlin.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

01:55 - Why companies don’t want to manage their tech resources

04:45 - Benefits of renting vs buying the office equipment

07:30 - Convenience more important than cash-flow

09:00 - Decrease time to productivity for new employees

10:20 - Growth plans with the money that company has raised

13:50 - Raising debt used to be a challenge 

14:55 - Hybrid work opportunities and challenges

16:55 - Build scorecards for hiring and how does Hire Slow work in a fast paced job market

18:50 - Do fancy perks play a significant role in hiring?

20:50 - 2 trends on  the future of work 

27:30 - Criteria for businesses can become Lendis clients

30:05 - Debt investment accelerating worldwide, supply almost limited

 32:10 - HR tech explained 

35:55 - Advantages of Berlin startup ecosystem

 38:45 - Practical experience of setting up a business in Germany and need for longer runways due to bureaucracy 

Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Stavros  Papadopoulos is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lendis, a German startup that offers a  SaaS solution for companies such as BCG, Volkswagen, N26 to set up and manage their employees’ equipment and software in the hybrid working world. They have raised over $90M USD in debt and equity to date.

In this episode we talk about the unique value Lendis offers to small and large companies, the rising of HR-Tech, renting vs owning culture as well as pros and cons of establishing a startup in Berlin.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

01:55 - Why companies don’t want to manage their tech resources

04:45 - Benefits of renting vs buying the office equipment

07:30 - Convenience more important than cash-flow

09:00 - Decrease time to productivity for new employees

10:20 - Growth plans with the money that company has raised

13:50 - Raising debt used to be a challenge 

14:55 - Hybrid work opportunities and challenges

16:55 - Build scorecards for hiring and how does Hire Slow work in a fast paced job market

18:50 - Do fancy perks play a significant role in hiring?

20:50 - 2 trends on  the future of work 

27:30 - Criteria for businesses can become Lendis clients

30:05 - Debt investment accelerating worldwide, supply almost limited

 32:10 - HR tech explained 

35:55 - Advantages of Berlin startup ecosystem

 38:45 - Practical experience of setting up a business in Germany and need for longer runways due to bureaucracy 

Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10544978 Tue, 03 May 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2549 Stavros Papadopoulos, Lendis, SaaS, Hybrid Work, Debt, Equity, Startup, Fundraising, Germany, Berlin, Berlin Startup 2 60 full true 🎧 59 What happens to a startup during a war? Overcoming the operational and leadership challenges w/ Vadim Rogovskiy 🇺🇦 (3DLOOK) 🎧 59 What happens to a startup during a war? Overcoming the operational and leadership challenges w/ Vadim Rogovskiy 🇺🇦 (3DLOOK) Vadim Rogovskiy is the CEO & Co-founder of Ukrainian startup 3DLOOK. Upon the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vadim’s team has partially relocated to Western Ukraine, Poland and the US and continues to operate close to pre-war operational level.

In this episode we talk:

  • 3DLOOK & its business operations before the war
  • Team response to crisis
  • What happens to contracts during war
  • Crisis management tips for CEOs
  • War impact on clients, partners and investors
  • The outlook for Ukrainian startups

The episode was recorded on April 26, 2022


The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:30] - Vadim's business before and during the war

[06:10] - Not believing the war will actually start, but getting ready nevertheless

[09:30] - Team's readiness to evacuate together with the company

[11:55] - How all this affected productivity of the team

[14:00] - Was everyone able to leave the country?

[17:15] - What happens to contracts during war?

[19:00] - Key crisis management tips for CEOs

[22:40] - Should companies have an emergency plan to evacuate?

[29:00] - Impact of the war in eyes of Western clients, partners, investors

[31:15] - The future for company future in Ukraine

[34:15] - How startups help the war effort and how foreigners can help Ukrainian startups

[37:30] - Vadim's outlook on how/when this ends

To reach out to Vadim use: 

Email: vadim@3dlook.me

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-rogovskiy 

Support Ukraine via https://spendwithukraine.com/

 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Watch full-length conversation on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


 


Support the show

]]> Vadim Rogovskiy is the CEO & Co-founder of Ukrainian startup 3DLOOK. Upon the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vadim’s team has partially relocated to Western Ukraine, Poland and the US and continues to operate close to pre-war operational level.

In this episode we talk:

  • 3DLOOK & its business operations before the war
  • Team response to crisis
  • What happens to contracts during war
  • Crisis management tips for CEOs
  • War impact on clients, partners and investors
  • The outlook for Ukrainian startups

The episode was recorded on April 26, 2022


The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:30] - Vadim's business before and during the war

[06:10] - Not believing the war will actually start, but getting ready nevertheless

[09:30] - Team's readiness to evacuate together with the company

[11:55] - How all this affected productivity of the team

[14:00] - Was everyone able to leave the country?

[17:15] - What happens to contracts during war?

[19:00] - Key crisis management tips for CEOs

[22:40] - Should companies have an emergency plan to evacuate?

[29:00] - Impact of the war in eyes of Western clients, partners, investors

[31:15] - The future for company future in Ukraine

[34:15] - How startups help the war effort and how foreigners can help Ukrainian startups

[37:30] - Vadim's outlook on how/when this ends

To reach out to Vadim use: 

Email: vadim@3dlook.me

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-rogovskiy 

Support Ukraine via https://spendwithukraine.com/

 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Watch full-length conversation on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10501807 Tue, 26 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2441 Vadim Rogovskiy, 3DLOOK, Ukraine, Ukrainian startup, Russia, War, Baltics, USA, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Putin, Geopolitics 2 59 full true #58 How data can fight food wastage and how nutrition impacts your personal productivity w/ Michael Haase 🇩🇰 (Plant Jammer) #58 How data can fight food wastage and how nutrition impacts your personal productivity w/ Michael Haase 🇩🇰 (Plant Jammer) This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChill

Join us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022

  • 100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)
  • 200 top US and European investors
  • 300 Startups

Listen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF 

Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ 

===

Michael Haase is the Founder and CEO of Plantjammer - Learn new easy dishes and fit them to individual health goals, availability and taste. With a background from McKinsey and Merill Lynch, Michael is on a mission to help you decrease food waste while unplugging and having fun cooking.

In this episode we talk about Plant Jammer and its mission to decrease food waste. We also cover the hottest trends in foodtech and using cooking to unplug and recharge. Finally we discuss breaking user habits, scaling of sustainability culture and user acquisition.



The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:00] - HOW PLANT JAMMER HELPS PEOPLE COOK AND DECREASE FOOD WASTE

[06:30] - ON HOTTEST TRENDS IN FOOD TECH

[09:40] - BUILDING A BUSINESS MODEL ON BIG DATA

[13:10] - APPLYING AI TO CREATE THE PLANT JAMMER RECIPE GENERATOR

[17:20] - BREAKING USER HABITS AND SCALING ACROSS COUNTRIES

[26:45] - ON USER ACQUISITION

[33:15] - ON THE VALUE OF COOKING FOR CREATIVITY AND HEALTH


Check out Plant Jammer here 

To reach out to Michael use: 

Email: michael@plantjammer.com

Linkedin: Linkedin

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 



Support the show

]]> This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChill

Join us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022

  • 100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)
  • 200 top US and European investors
  • 300 Startups

Listen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF 

Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ 

===

Michael Haase is the Founder and CEO of Plantjammer - Learn new easy dishes and fit them to individual health goals, availability and taste. With a background from McKinsey and Merill Lynch, Michael is on a mission to help you decrease food waste while unplugging and having fun cooking.

In this episode we talk about Plant Jammer and its mission to decrease food waste. We also cover the hottest trends in foodtech and using cooking to unplug and recharge. Finally we discuss breaking user habits, scaling of sustainability culture and user acquisition.



The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:00] - HOW PLANT JAMMER HELPS PEOPLE COOK AND DECREASE FOOD WASTE

[06:30] - ON HOTTEST TRENDS IN FOOD TECH

[09:40] - BUILDING A BUSINESS MODEL ON BIG DATA

[13:10] - APPLYING AI TO CREATE THE PLANT JAMMER RECIPE GENERATOR

[17:20] - BREAKING USER HABITS AND SCALING ACROSS COUNTRIES

[26:45] - ON USER ACQUISITION

[33:15] - ON THE VALUE OF COOKING FOR CREATIVITY AND HEALTH


Check out Plant Jammer here 

To reach out to Michael use: 

Email: michael@plantjammer.com

Linkedin: Linkedin

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10457727 Tue, 19 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2465 Michael Haase, Plant Jammer, Startup, Danish Startup, Baltics, Tech Chill, Food waste, Big Data, Data, Food, Nutrition 2 58 full false #57 European tech ecosystem overview, expected correction in private markets & what goes into building a data intelligence startup w/ Yoram Wijngaarde 🇳🇱 (Dealroom) #57 European tech ecosystem overview, expected correction in private markets & what goes into building a data intelligence startup w/ Yoram Wijngaarde 🇳🇱 (Dealroom) This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChill

Join us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022

  • 100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)
  • 200 top US and European investors
  • 300 Startups

Listen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF 

Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ 

===

Yoram Wijngaarde is the Founder and CEO of Dealroom - Global data platform for intelligence on startups, innovation, high-growth companies, ecosystems and investment strategies. With a prior career in investment banking, Yoram has in-depth knowledge of the financial markets.

In this episode we talk about Dealroom, its origins and business model as well as building a data intelligence company as such. We also discuss what data points investors mostly care about and which industries are currently hottest. Finally we talk about macro view on VC in Europe as well as the state of global funding markets.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:30] - HOW DEALROOM AGGREGATES STARTUP DATA

[08:40] - ON BUILDING A DATA INTELLIGENCE COMPANY

[12:05] - HOW DEALROOM CAN BE USED BY STARTUPS

[14:30]- ON WHAT DATA INVESTORS LOOK FOR IN STARTUPS

[21:15] - ON HOTTEST INDUSTRIES IN STARTUPLAND

[24:40] - ON THE BALTIC&NORDIC REGION THROUGH THE EYES OF DEALROOM

[27:30] - ON THE FUTURE AVAILABILITY OF STARTUP FUNDING

[30:10] - YORAM'S EXPERIENCE WORKING AT LEHMAN BROTHERS DURING FINANCIAL CRISIS

[34:45] - ON THE FUTURE OF DEALROOM

 

To reach out to Yoram use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoramdw/ 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChill

Join us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022

  • 100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)
  • 200 top US and European investors
  • 300 Startups

Listen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF 

Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ 

===

Yoram Wijngaarde is the Founder and CEO of Dealroom - Global data platform for intelligence on startups, innovation, high-growth companies, ecosystems and investment strategies. With a prior career in investment banking, Yoram has in-depth knowledge of the financial markets.

In this episode we talk about Dealroom, its origins and business model as well as building a data intelligence company as such. We also discuss what data points investors mostly care about and which industries are currently hottest. Finally we talk about macro view on VC in Europe as well as the state of global funding markets.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:30] - HOW DEALROOM AGGREGATES STARTUP DATA

[08:40] - ON BUILDING A DATA INTELLIGENCE COMPANY

[12:05] - HOW DEALROOM CAN BE USED BY STARTUPS

[14:30]- ON WHAT DATA INVESTORS LOOK FOR IN STARTUPS

[21:15] - ON HOTTEST INDUSTRIES IN STARTUPLAND

[24:40] - ON THE BALTIC&NORDIC REGION THROUGH THE EYES OF DEALROOM

[27:30] - ON THE FUTURE AVAILABILITY OF STARTUP FUNDING

[30:10] - YORAM'S EXPERIENCE WORKING AT LEHMAN BROTHERS DURING FINANCIAL CRISIS

[34:45] - ON THE FUTURE OF DEALROOM

 

To reach out to Yoram use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoramdw/ 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10419754 Tue, 12 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2242 Yoram Wijngaarde, Dealroom, Dutch startup, Tech, Startup, Baltics, TechChill 2 57 full true #56 Rytis Vitkauskas (Lightspeed) on how the global VCs evaluate deals, how to find a category winner and is Harvard education worth it (for founders) #56 Rytis Vitkauskas (Lightspeed) on how the global VCs evaluate deals, how to find a category winner and is Harvard education worth it (for founders) This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChill

Join us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022

  • 100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)
  • 200 top US and European investors
  • 300 Startups

Listen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF 

Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ 

===

Rytis Vitkauskas is a Partner at the global VC powerhouse Lightspeed Ventures. Holding an MBA from Harvard Business School, Rytis has also founded and exited startups as well as made tech investments for more than 10 years.

In this episode we talk about Rytis’s journey to become a VC with Lightspeed, and getting an MBA from Harvard. We also discuss the strategy of Lightspeed and category defining companies. Finally, we compare how Baltic startups match up on the European level and talk about the role of the local VC.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:40] - INTRODUCTION AND RYTIS’S JOURNEY TO VC AND LIGHTSPEED

[06:00] - ON BALTIC ECOSYSTEM NOW AND 10-15 YEARS AGO

[11:15] - ON THE HBS EXPERIENCE AND ROI FROM TOP EDUCATION

[20:00] - ON LIGHTSPEED STRATEGY IN EUROPE AND THE BALTICS

[23:50] - ON CATEGORY DEFINING COMPANIES

[36:00] - HOW BALTIC COMPANIES MATCH UP WITH WESTERN EUROPEANS

[44:30] - ON EXPECTATIONS FROM LOCAL BALTIC VCs

  

To reach out to Rytis use email: rytis@lsvp.com 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

 


Support the show

]]> This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChill

Join us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022

  • 100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)
  • 200 top US and European investors
  • 300 Startups

Listen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF 

Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ 

===

Rytis Vitkauskas is a Partner at the global VC powerhouse Lightspeed Ventures. Holding an MBA from Harvard Business School, Rytis has also founded and exited startups as well as made tech investments for more than 10 years.

In this episode we talk about Rytis’s journey to become a VC with Lightspeed, and getting an MBA from Harvard. We also discuss the strategy of Lightspeed and category defining companies. Finally, we compare how Baltic startups match up on the European level and talk about the role of the local VC.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:40] - INTRODUCTION AND RYTIS’S JOURNEY TO VC AND LIGHTSPEED

[06:00] - ON BALTIC ECOSYSTEM NOW AND 10-15 YEARS AGO

[11:15] - ON THE HBS EXPERIENCE AND ROI FROM TOP EDUCATION

[20:00] - ON LIGHTSPEED STRATEGY IN EUROPE AND THE BALTICS

[23:50] - ON CATEGORY DEFINING COMPANIES

[36:00] - HOW BALTIC COMPANIES MATCH UP WITH WESTERN EUROPEANS

[44:30] - ON EXPECTATIONS FROM LOCAL BALTIC VCs

  

To reach out to Rytis use email: rytis@lsvp.com 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the videos from interviews on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10378162 Tue, 05 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2935 Rytis Vitkauskas, VC, Lightspeed, Lightspeed Venture Partners, London VC, Baltics, Baltic Startup, Vinted, Harvard, Venture capital 2 56 full true #55 “The Baltics were always going to be next” What can we do and what not to worry about w/ David Holahan, former US Defense Attache and Iraq war veteran #55 “The Baltics were always going to be next” What can we do and what not to worry about w/ David Holahan, former US Defense Attache and Iraq war veteran David Holahan is a former US Defense Attache to Latvia. He is also a retired US Marine Lt. Col. a 21-year veteran of the US Marine Corps. Having served in conflicts in Iraq and Somalia.

David spent over 10 years living in Baltics which gives him a unique viewpoint on the defense and security matters of our region both from local as well as US policy maker and NATO perspective.

This episode is first in a series of special episodes on how the Russian invasion of Ukraine affects us in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. 

It was recorded on March 29 and we bring you full-length unedited conversation. 

NEW! Watch full-length video conversation on YouTube > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsoM_RGae2E 

Remember to support Ukraine > https://war.ukraine.ua/ 

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - David’s background in military and US Diplomatic Service

[07:30] - Was Russia’s invasion a surprise

[10:50] - NATO was designed to keep the Germans down and the Russians out

[14:30] - Russia hate when the Baltics flip them off 

[19:30] - What are the implications for the the Baltics

[20:20] - The Baltics were always going to be next

[26:00] - The Baltic countries are not working closely enough together on their defense

[33:00] - How might the current war in Ukraine end?

[36:10] - The nuke is a huge bluff 

[39:10] - The battlefield is unpredictable, Russian army can disintegrate

[40:15] - Suggestions from David’s military experience on how to deal with stress

 

NEW! Watch this conversation in full-length on YouTube >  

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Listen to our previous episode with David > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-10-interview-david-holahan 

Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> David Holahan is a former US Defense Attache to Latvia. He is also a retired US Marine Lt. Col. a 21-year veteran of the US Marine Corps. Having served in conflicts in Iraq and Somalia.

David spent over 10 years living in Baltics which gives him a unique viewpoint on the defense and security matters of our region both from local as well as US policy maker and NATO perspective.

This episode is first in a series of special episodes on how the Russian invasion of Ukraine affects us in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. 

It was recorded on March 29 and we bring you full-length unedited conversation. 

NEW! Watch full-length video conversation on YouTube > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsoM_RGae2E 

Remember to support Ukraine > https://war.ukraine.ua/ 

 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - David’s background in military and US Diplomatic Service

[07:30] - Was Russia’s invasion a surprise

[10:50] - NATO was designed to keep the Germans down and the Russians out

[14:30] - Russia hate when the Baltics flip them off 

[19:30] - What are the implications for the the Baltics

[20:20] - The Baltics were always going to be next

[26:00] - The Baltic countries are not working closely enough together on their defense

[33:00] - How might the current war in Ukraine end?

[36:10] - The nuke is a huge bluff 

[39:10] - The battlefield is unpredictable, Russian army can disintegrate

[40:15] - Suggestions from David’s military experience on how to deal with stress

 

NEW! Watch this conversation in full-length on YouTube >  

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA 

Listen to our previous episode with David > https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-10-interview-david-holahan 

Find out over 50 other full length podcast episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10348904 Thu, 31 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2571 Ukraine, Russia, War, Baltics, NATO, USA, Defense, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Putin, Geopolitics, Military, Nuclear 2 55 full true #54 Benefits of implanting microchips, biohacking tips, ethics of technology & risks worth taking w/ Hannes Sapiens Sjoblad 🇸🇪 (DSruptive) #54 Benefits of implanting microchips, biohacking tips, ethics of technology & risks worth taking w/ Hannes Sapiens Sjoblad 🇸🇪 (DSruptive) This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChill

Join us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022

  • 100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)
  • 200 top US and European investors
  • 300 Startups

Listen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF 

Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ 

=====

Hannes Sapiens Sjoblad is the managing director of DSruptive - a deep tech company specialized in implantable microelectronics. With its revolutionary BeUno app, DSruptive is looking to make implantable health tracking devices ubiquitous.

In this episode we talk about the product of DSruptive and implantable health tracking as well as challenges in developing a deep tech product. We also discuss human augmentation technologies and hot healthtech industry trends. Finally we talk about community building through the Epicenter Stockholm experience lens.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:40] - ON DSRUPTIVE AND HEALTH TRACKING

  • Combining wearables with human body
  • Rice grain sized implants for body temperature tracking
  • All technology is controversial
  • Choosing medicine as the primary application for the tech
  • Evolving the tech
  • Pricing of a complex medtech product
  • Alternative applications

[14:40] - ON (UN)EXPECTED CHALLENGES IN THE STARTUP JOURNEY

  • Everything takes longer, always
  • Clinical study going faster than planned
  • Innovation vs. regulation

[19:00] - ON HUMAN AUGMENTATION TECHNOLOGIES

  • Enhancing human body capabilities
  • Ethics and how protected are we as customers
  • The problem with risk-averseness
  • Longevity
  • Proactionary principle
  • Competing with China with EU regulatory limitations
  • Good/evil applications for technology throughout history

[28:00] - ON HOT TRENDS IN HEALTHTECH INDUSTRY

  • Remote monitoring
  • Personalization of medicine
  • Preventive medicine
  • Longevity

[32:50] - ON COMMUNITY BUILDING AND EPICENTER STOCKHOLM

  • Tech conference experience all year round
  • What does chief disruption officer mean
  • Catching the wave of innovation at the right time
  • Community with strong value prop for members
  • Allowing talent to flourish
  • Adapting to hybrid work world

[42:24] - HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS FROM BIOHACKING EXPERIENCE

 

To reach out to Hannes use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannessapiens/ 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> This episode is brought to you in cooperation with TechChill

Join us in Riga on April 27-29, 2022

  • 100+ speakers (including the guest of this episode)
  • 200 top US and European investors
  • 300 Startups

Listen to the episode intro to find a special PROMO CODE for Pursuit of Scrappiness listeners and get 20% OFF 

Get your pass NOW on https://techchill.co/ 

=====

Hannes Sapiens Sjoblad is the managing director of DSruptive - a deep tech company specialized in implantable microelectronics. With its revolutionary BeUno app, DSruptive is looking to make implantable health tracking devices ubiquitous.

In this episode we talk about the product of DSruptive and implantable health tracking as well as challenges in developing a deep tech product. We also discuss human augmentation technologies and hot healthtech industry trends. Finally we talk about community building through the Epicenter Stockholm experience lens.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:40] - ON DSRUPTIVE AND HEALTH TRACKING

  • Combining wearables with human body
  • Rice grain sized implants for body temperature tracking
  • All technology is controversial
  • Choosing medicine as the primary application for the tech
  • Evolving the tech
  • Pricing of a complex medtech product
  • Alternative applications

[14:40] - ON (UN)EXPECTED CHALLENGES IN THE STARTUP JOURNEY

  • Everything takes longer, always
  • Clinical study going faster than planned
  • Innovation vs. regulation

[19:00] - ON HUMAN AUGMENTATION TECHNOLOGIES

  • Enhancing human body capabilities
  • Ethics and how protected are we as customers
  • The problem with risk-averseness
  • Longevity
  • Proactionary principle
  • Competing with China with EU regulatory limitations
  • Good/evil applications for technology throughout history

[28:00] - ON HOT TRENDS IN HEALTHTECH INDUSTRY

  • Remote monitoring
  • Personalization of medicine
  • Preventive medicine
  • Longevity

[32:50] - ON COMMUNITY BUILDING AND EPICENTER STOCKHOLM

  • Tech conference experience all year round
  • What does chief disruption officer mean
  • Catching the wave of innovation at the right time
  • Community with strong value prop for members
  • Allowing talent to flourish
  • Adapting to hybrid work world

[42:24] - HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS FROM BIOHACKING EXPERIENCE

 

To reach out to Hannes use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannessapiens/ 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10332186 Tue, 29 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0300 2747 Hannes Sapiens Sjoblad, DSruptive, Startup, Health, Biohacking, Swedish startup, Epicenter 2 54 full true #53 Investing in Baltics, Fintech trends, from entrepreneur to VC and insights into building an investment team with Adam Niewinski 🇵🇱 (OTB Ventures) #53 Investing in Baltics, Fintech trends, from entrepreneur to VC and insights into building an investment team with Adam Niewinski 🇵🇱 (OTB Ventures) Adam Niewinski is the Co-founder and General partner at OTB Ventures - a leading venture capital firm operating in CEE out of Warsaw. Adam is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur and with OTB has invested in several Baltic companies already, including Kevin, Ondato and Fractory.

In this episode we talk about the evolution of the Polish VC/startup ecosystem, investing in the Baltics and sharing lessons for investing from business executive experience. We also talk about global VC trends, OTB strategy and making a good first impression to a VC. Finally we discuss building a strong VC team.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:55] - ON POLISH VC/STARTUP ECOSYSTEM

  • Historical gaming industry
  • Startup ecosystem accelerating last 5 years
  • Mid-size country trap 
  • EU funds impact
  • Unicorn inspirational effect

[07:20] - ON INVESTING IN THE BALTICS

  • Substantial part of the portfolio in Baltics and huge potential
  • Cooperation with local funds

[09:40] - ON LESSONS FOR INVESTING FROM OWN BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

  • Confident vs. arrogant founders
  • Have strong opinions, but be ready to change them fast
  • The strength of the right people
  • Investor can’t run the company for the founder
  • Investing as art+science
  • F2F vs. zoom investing

[18:50] - ON GLOBAL VC TRENDS

  • Correction on the stock markets healthy
  • Irrelevance of current market situation for long term investments
  • Historical context for venture investments
  • Innovation transfer from corporations to startups

[24:50] - ON FINTECH TRENDS

  • Bringing own financial sector experience to the table
  • Hands-on track record
  • CEE countries strengths for building fintech companies
  • Global fintech trends

[32:50] - ON BUILDING A VC TEAM

  • Founding story of OTB Ventures
  • Complementing skills of partners
  • Diversity with a common goal
  • Hiring drivers not passengers
  • Managing reputation


To reach out to Adam use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-niewinski-07b7931/

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Adam Niewinski is the Co-founder and General partner at OTB Ventures - a leading venture capital firm operating in CEE out of Warsaw. Adam is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur and with OTB has invested in several Baltic companies already, including Kevin, Ondato and Fractory.

In this episode we talk about the evolution of the Polish VC/startup ecosystem, investing in the Baltics and sharing lessons for investing from business executive experience. We also talk about global VC trends, OTB strategy and making a good first impression to a VC. Finally we discuss building a strong VC team.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:55] - ON POLISH VC/STARTUP ECOSYSTEM

  • Historical gaming industry
  • Startup ecosystem accelerating last 5 years
  • Mid-size country trap 
  • EU funds impact
  • Unicorn inspirational effect

[07:20] - ON INVESTING IN THE BALTICS

  • Substantial part of the portfolio in Baltics and huge potential
  • Cooperation with local funds

[09:40] - ON LESSONS FOR INVESTING FROM OWN BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

  • Confident vs. arrogant founders
  • Have strong opinions, but be ready to change them fast
  • The strength of the right people
  • Investor can’t run the company for the founder
  • Investing as art+science
  • F2F vs. zoom investing

[18:50] - ON GLOBAL VC TRENDS

  • Correction on the stock markets healthy
  • Irrelevance of current market situation for long term investments
  • Historical context for venture investments
  • Innovation transfer from corporations to startups

[24:50] - ON FINTECH TRENDS

  • Bringing own financial sector experience to the table
  • Hands-on track record
  • CEE countries strengths for building fintech companies
  • Global fintech trends

[32:50] - ON BUILDING A VC TEAM

  • Founding story of OTB Ventures
  • Complementing skills of partners
  • Diversity with a common goal
  • Hiring drivers not passengers
  • Managing reputation


To reach out to Adam use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-niewinski-07b7931/

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10290405 Tue, 22 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2433 OTB Ventures, Adam Niewinski, VC, Venture Capital, Poland, Polish startuo, Startup, Fintech, Tech 2 53 full false #52 Augmented Reality, career path from an engineer to CEO and beating billion dollar startups in global MedTech space with Madara Kalnina-Kalnmale (Lightspace Labs) #52 Augmented Reality, career path from an engineer to CEO and beating billion dollar startups in global MedTech space with Madara Kalnina-Kalnmale (Lightspace Labs) Madara Kalniņa-Kalnmale is the CEO of Lightspace - optical reality headset manufacturer for high-end medical operations. They've raised $14M USD in total funding to date. An electrical engineer by training, Madara is now leading the company to bring a revolutionary augmented reality (AR)  product to the market after several years of R&D. 

In this episode we talk about the Lightspace and usage of AR in medicine as well as funding, developing and building a deeptech product. We also discuss the overall VR/AR industry with its successes and failures. Finally we talk about turning an engineering career into a business executive role, motivating your team and dealing with challenges acquiring engineering talent.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:30] - ON LIGHTSPACE LABS AND USING AR IN MEDICINE

  • Ability to show AR images from tip of the nose tip to infinity
  • Close distance visualization for doctors
  • Sci-fi-like applications of seeing through patients skin in realtime
  • Next level applications of the technology

[08:05] - ON THE CHOICE OF MEDICINE AS THE FIRST APPLICATION FOR AR TECH

  • Readiness of the industry
  • Price-sensitivity aspects
  • Becoming smaller and cheaper over time to meet consumer needs
  • Ease of doing business in healthcare industry
  • Go to market strategy for MedTech

[14:55] - ON GLOBAL AR/VR ADOPTION AND DEVELOPMENT

  • No broad usage still
  • Lots of hype and not so many successful products and applications
  • Apple, Microsoft, Magic Leap struggles
  • Shortcomings of current technology
  • How affordable AR technology is
  • Privacy concerns

[24:20] - ON BECOMING CEO

  • Developing a corporate spinoff
  • Engineer turns CEO
  • Applying technical knowledge to run a business
  • Selling and communicating for engineers

[31:30] - PRINCIPLES FOR MOTIVATING YOUR TEAM

  • Team always first
  • Building relationships
  • Women in deeptech and engineering

[34:55] - STUDYING ENGINEERING AND STUDENTS OUTLOOK

  • Scarce students resources
  • Big competition for talent
  • Close collaboration with universities to get talent early

Check out the awesome tech Lightspace is building: https://lightspace3d.com/ 

To reach out to Madara use: ttps://www.linkedin.com/in/madara-kalnina-kalnmale/ 

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

 


Support the show

]]> Madara Kalniņa-Kalnmale is the CEO of Lightspace - optical reality headset manufacturer for high-end medical operations. They've raised $14M USD in total funding to date. An electrical engineer by training, Madara is now leading the company to bring a revolutionary augmented reality (AR)  product to the market after several years of R&D. 

In this episode we talk about the Lightspace and usage of AR in medicine as well as funding, developing and building a deeptech product. We also discuss the overall VR/AR industry with its successes and failures. Finally we talk about turning an engineering career into a business executive role, motivating your team and dealing with challenges acquiring engineering talent.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:30] - ON LIGHTSPACE LABS AND USING AR IN MEDICINE

  • Ability to show AR images from tip of the nose tip to infinity
  • Close distance visualization for doctors
  • Sci-fi-like applications of seeing through patients skin in realtime
  • Next level applications of the technology

[08:05] - ON THE CHOICE OF MEDICINE AS THE FIRST APPLICATION FOR AR TECH

  • Readiness of the industry
  • Price-sensitivity aspects
  • Becoming smaller and cheaper over time to meet consumer needs
  • Ease of doing business in healthcare industry
  • Go to market strategy for MedTech

[14:55] - ON GLOBAL AR/VR ADOPTION AND DEVELOPMENT

  • No broad usage still
  • Lots of hype and not so many successful products and applications
  • Apple, Microsoft, Magic Leap struggles
  • Shortcomings of current technology
  • How affordable AR technology is
  • Privacy concerns

[24:20] - ON BECOMING CEO

  • Developing a corporate spinoff
  • Engineer turns CEO
  • Applying technical knowledge to run a business
  • Selling and communicating for engineers

[31:30] - PRINCIPLES FOR MOTIVATING YOUR TEAM

  • Team always first
  • Building relationships
  • Women in deeptech and engineering

[34:55] - STUDYING ENGINEERING AND STUDENTS OUTLOOK

  • Scarce students resources
  • Big competition for talent
  • Close collaboration with universities to get talent early

Check out the awesome tech Lightspace is building: https://lightspace3d.com/ 

To reach out to Madara use: ttps://www.linkedin.com/in/madara-kalnina-kalnmale/ 

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10249835 Tue, 15 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2331 Madara Kalnina-Kalnmale, Lightspace, Lightspace Labs, AR, VR, MedTech, Engineering, Latvia, Latvian Startup, Baltic Startup 2 52 full false #51 How to learn coding with no background, classes or tuition. The story of Kood/Jõhvi, inside look at the life of the students and what it means to make a 180° career change #51 How to learn coding with no background, classes or tuition. The story of Kood/Jõhvi, inside look at the life of the students and what it means to make a 180° career change Kood/Jõhvi is a coding school in northeast Estonia which was established by several Estonian startup founders, including Martin Villig and Taavet Hinrikus. Today we are joined by it’s Co-director Karin Künnapas as well as two students - Gunta Klava and Georgi Suikanen.

In this episode we talk about the history and reasons behind the establishment of the school, the practicalities of getting admitted, student life, professional growth as well as the future of the school and its funding model. We also talk a lot about making the leap into coding at different points in our careers.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:20] - THE ORIGINS OF KOOD/JOHVI SCHOOL

  • 8 Estonian founders set out to solve lack of tech talent
  • School with no teachers and no classes
  • The learning methodology
  • Remote vs. on-site studying
  • Choice of school location
  • How the school is defined

[09:45] - STUDENTS SHARE WHY THEY DECIDED TO JOIN

  • Coding school vs. university for high school graduates
  • Jumping into coding from a different career
  • Combining Kood with full-time job

[15:40] - LEARNING TO CODE CAN BE A CAREER CHANGE

  • Various backgrounds and previous experiences
  • All ages welcome above 18
  • Multiple coding languages and platforms
  • Speed of studies

[19:05] -  LIFE OF A STUDENT AT KOOD

  • Teacherless studies
  • Real-life like study process
  • Matching of flexible schedules between students
  • Campus atmosphere

[23:45] - HOW TO GET INTO KOOD

  • First step - game/test
  • Second step - 3 weeks selection spring
  • Personality fit
  • Demand for women and international students

[28:45] - WHY THE SCHOOL IS FREE

  • School is free for students
  • Students pay for food and accommodation
  • 40+partners pay the school to hire students at graduation
  • Possible to work also not for the partners
  • Expected salary for graduates

[32:50] - HOW SOON CAN YOU CODE SOMETHING

  • Getting to practical tasks from day 1
  • Main mission and side quests
  • Encouragement for other students
  • Reinventing yourself during increasing length of careers

[39:00] - FUTURE OF KOOD AND ROLE OF ITS FOUNDERS

  • Expanding in size and geography
  • Continuous support for regional development
  • How Karin got to become Co-Head of Kood
  • Founder engagement - heart project

[44:15] - PRACTICAL DETAILS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO APPLY

Website: https://kood.tech

To reach out to Karin use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunnapas/


Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Kood/Jõhvi is a coding school in northeast Estonia which was established by several Estonian startup founders, including Martin Villig and Taavet Hinrikus. Today we are joined by it’s Co-director Karin Künnapas as well as two students - Gunta Klava and Georgi Suikanen.

In this episode we talk about the history and reasons behind the establishment of the school, the practicalities of getting admitted, student life, professional growth as well as the future of the school and its funding model. We also talk a lot about making the leap into coding at different points in our careers.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:20] - THE ORIGINS OF KOOD/JOHVI SCHOOL

  • 8 Estonian founders set out to solve lack of tech talent
  • School with no teachers and no classes
  • The learning methodology
  • Remote vs. on-site studying
  • Choice of school location
  • How the school is defined

[09:45] - STUDENTS SHARE WHY THEY DECIDED TO JOIN

  • Coding school vs. university for high school graduates
  • Jumping into coding from a different career
  • Combining Kood with full-time job

[15:40] - LEARNING TO CODE CAN BE A CAREER CHANGE

  • Various backgrounds and previous experiences
  • All ages welcome above 18
  • Multiple coding languages and platforms
  • Speed of studies

[19:05] -  LIFE OF A STUDENT AT KOOD

  • Teacherless studies
  • Real-life like study process
  • Matching of flexible schedules between students
  • Campus atmosphere

[23:45] - HOW TO GET INTO KOOD

  • First step - game/test
  • Second step - 3 weeks selection spring
  • Personality fit
  • Demand for women and international students

[28:45] - WHY THE SCHOOL IS FREE

  • School is free for students
  • Students pay for food and accommodation
  • 40+partners pay the school to hire students at graduation
  • Possible to work also not for the partners
  • Expected salary for graduates

[32:50] - HOW SOON CAN YOU CODE SOMETHING

  • Getting to practical tasks from day 1
  • Main mission and side quests
  • Encouragement for other students
  • Reinventing yourself during increasing length of careers

[39:00] - FUTURE OF KOOD AND ROLE OF ITS FOUNDERS

  • Expanding in size and geography
  • Continuous support for regional development
  • How Karin got to become Co-Head of Kood
  • Founder engagement - heart project

[44:15] - PRACTICAL DETAILS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO APPLY

Website: https://kood.tech

To reach out to Karin use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunnapas/


Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10117556 Tue, 22 Feb 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2668 Kood, Kood Johvi, Programming, Coding, How to, Become programmer, learn coding, Estonia, Estonian startup, Baltics, Baltic startup, Martin Villig, Taavet Hinrikus 2 51 full false #50 The hidden side of fundraising, how to succeed as a young founder in an old industry, routines for wellbeing and value of mentorships with Martin Vares (Fractory) #50 The hidden side of fundraising, how to succeed as a young founder in an old industry, routines for wellbeing and value of mentorships with Martin Vares (Fractory) Martin Vares is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fractory - a smart marketplace for metal fabrication. Martin is a mechanical engineer by training and has turned his passion for engineering and saving time on admin tasks into a thriving business.

In this episode we talk about Fractory and how hard it is to enter such an old and complicated industry as manufacturing. We also talk about relentless fundraising and more importantly getting your life balance back after intensive periods of work. Finally, we explore the value of mentoring.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:10] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF FRACTORY

  • Turning a passion for engineering into relevant education
  • Spending too much time on admin tasks as engineer
  • Turning this pain point into a business
  • The business model of Fractory

[08:30] - LAUNCHING A BUSINESS IN A VERY OLD AND COMPLICATED INDUSTRY

  • Acknowledging the complexities of the industry
  • Easier to go from engineering to anything else rather than vice versa
  • Building a “smart marketplace”
  • Acquiring customers with digital marketing

[11:50] - GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS OF RUNNING THIS BUSINESS

  • Challenges to scaling and localisation
  • Doing business in the UK
  • Entry barriers

[13:15] -  THE FOUNDER JOURNEY - FUNDRAISING

  • Fundraising as first-time founders
  • Raising series A for almost 2 years during the pandemic
  • Raising with a big emphasis on R&D
  • Investors with industry experience vs. inexperienced
  • Resilience with tiny investor conversion
  • Knowing when/how to say no to investors
  • Dealing with the self-administered pressure

[22:10] - THE FOUNDER JOURNEY - GETTING LIFE BACK AFTER INTENSE FUNDRAISING

  • Project of going back to “normal” life again
  • Don’t read notifications if you can’t react on them anyway
  • Company’s role in taking care of team’s health
  • Specific activities companies can do to promote healthy lifestyle

[33:15] - ON RAPID TEAM GROWTH

  • Importance of culture and focusing on it early on
  • Hiring for scale
  • Balancing values with hard decisions

[37:10] - VALUE OF MENTORING OTHER FOUNDERS/TEAMS

  • Trying to be a better mentor than some encountered
  • The same as going to a therapist
  • Build a network before you can find a mentor
  • What makes a good mentor

To reach out to Martin use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-vares-69332b86/ 

Website: https://fractory.com/

===

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Martin Vares is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fractory - a smart marketplace for metal fabrication. Martin is a mechanical engineer by training and has turned his passion for engineering and saving time on admin tasks into a thriving business.

In this episode we talk about Fractory and how hard it is to enter such an old and complicated industry as manufacturing. We also talk about relentless fundraising and more importantly getting your life balance back after intensive periods of work. Finally, we explore the value of mentoring.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:10] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF FRACTORY

  • Turning a passion for engineering into relevant education
  • Spending too much time on admin tasks as engineer
  • Turning this pain point into a business
  • The business model of Fractory

[08:30] - LAUNCHING A BUSINESS IN A VERY OLD AND COMPLICATED INDUSTRY

  • Acknowledging the complexities of the industry
  • Easier to go from engineering to anything else rather than vice versa
  • Building a “smart marketplace”
  • Acquiring customers with digital marketing

[11:50] - GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS OF RUNNING THIS BUSINESS

  • Challenges to scaling and localisation
  • Doing business in the UK
  • Entry barriers

[13:15] -  THE FOUNDER JOURNEY - FUNDRAISING

  • Fundraising as first-time founders
  • Raising series A for almost 2 years during the pandemic
  • Raising with a big emphasis on R&D
  • Investors with industry experience vs. inexperienced
  • Resilience with tiny investor conversion
  • Knowing when/how to say no to investors
  • Dealing with the self-administered pressure

[22:10] - THE FOUNDER JOURNEY - GETTING LIFE BACK AFTER INTENSE FUNDRAISING

  • Project of going back to “normal” life again
  • Don’t read notifications if you can’t react on them anyway
  • Company’s role in taking care of team’s health
  • Specific activities companies can do to promote healthy lifestyle

[33:15] - ON RAPID TEAM GROWTH

  • Importance of culture and focusing on it early on
  • Hiring for scale
  • Balancing values with hard decisions

[37:10] - VALUE OF MENTORING OTHER FOUNDERS/TEAMS

  • Trying to be a better mentor than some encountered
  • The same as going to a therapist
  • Build a network before you can find a mentor
  • What makes a good mentor

To reach out to Martin use: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-vares-69332b86/ 

Website: https://fractory.com/

===

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10075613 Tue, 15 Feb 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2542 Martin Vares, Fractory, Startup, Estonia, Estonian Startup, Baltic startup, Fundraising, Investment, Team culture 2 50 full false #49 How to make hard decisions, reality of being a startup CEO, opportunities & risks of Latin America, and the importance of transparency with Rain Sepp (askRobin) #49 How to make hard decisions, reality of being a startup CEO, opportunities & risks of Latin America, and the importance of transparency with Rain Sepp (askRobin) Rain Sepp is the Founder and CEO of askRobin - a financial education and inclusion platform operating in Mexico and other LatAm countries. Rain is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned consumer finance expert. After building a customer base of more than 2 million users for askRobin and raising more than 1.5mEUR, Rain recently announced the winding down of the company.

In this episode we talk about the story of askRobin, building a sizeable customer base in Mexico and the risks of doing business in emerging markets. We also go in depth into the decision to shut down the business, how to make that decision, how to deal with investors and other stakeholders. Finally, we talk about some of the less known realities of being a CEO/Founder.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:00] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF ASKROBIN

  • Starting a business in finance with no background in finance
  • Going to radically different LatAm markets
  • The initial business model and first traction

[07:05] - CUSTOMER ACQUISITION AND OPPORTUNITIES  IN LATAM MARKETS

  • Huge markets and huge demand for financial services
  • Matching demand with ability to serve
  • Online vs. offline
  • Web vs. mobile
  • Underserved markets in many ways
  • Open culture

[13:25] - THE RISKS OF DOING BUSINESS IN LATAM MARKETS

  • Capital controls
  • Physical security
  • Language and cultural barriers

[17:05] -  THE DECISION TO CLOSE DOWN ASK ROBIN

  • The Pandemic effect
  • Drifting away from the mission
  • Mission vs. excel
  • Purpose - market fit

[32:30] - HOW TO DEAL WITH HAVING TO SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPANY

  • Have a plan
  • Focus on things you can affect
  • Take ownership
  • Be honest with yourself
  • Be transparent with your investors from the beginning
  • Being a CEO is a lonely job

[36:50] - WHAT PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE ABOUT BEING A CEO/FOUNDER

  • Plans vs. reality
  • Getting beaten up
  • Not forgetting to celebrate small successes
  • Not having answers
  • Entrepreneurship as a drug

To reach out to Rain use: Linkedin

Twitter: @rainsepp

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Rain is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts   

 

 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Rain is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts   



Support the show

]]> Rain Sepp is the Founder and CEO of askRobin - a financial education and inclusion platform operating in Mexico and other LatAm countries. Rain is a serial entrepreneur and a seasoned consumer finance expert. After building a customer base of more than 2 million users for askRobin and raising more than 1.5mEUR, Rain recently announced the winding down of the company.

In this episode we talk about the story of askRobin, building a sizeable customer base in Mexico and the risks of doing business in emerging markets. We also go in depth into the decision to shut down the business, how to make that decision, how to deal with investors and other stakeholders. Finally, we talk about some of the less known realities of being a CEO/Founder.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:00] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF ASKROBIN

  • Starting a business in finance with no background in finance
  • Going to radically different LatAm markets
  • The initial business model and first traction

[07:05] - CUSTOMER ACQUISITION AND OPPORTUNITIES  IN LATAM MARKETS

  • Huge markets and huge demand for financial services
  • Matching demand with ability to serve
  • Online vs. offline
  • Web vs. mobile
  • Underserved markets in many ways
  • Open culture

[13:25] - THE RISKS OF DOING BUSINESS IN LATAM MARKETS

  • Capital controls
  • Physical security
  • Language and cultural barriers

[17:05] -  THE DECISION TO CLOSE DOWN ASK ROBIN

  • The Pandemic effect
  • Drifting away from the mission
  • Mission vs. excel
  • Purpose - market fit

[32:30] - HOW TO DEAL WITH HAVING TO SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPANY

  • Have a plan
  • Focus on things you can affect
  • Take ownership
  • Be honest with yourself
  • Be transparent with your investors from the beginning
  • Being a CEO is a lonely job

[36:50] - WHAT PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE ABOUT BEING A CEO/FOUNDER

  • Plans vs. reality
  • Getting beaten up
  • Not forgetting to celebrate small successes
  • Not having answers
  • Entrepreneurship as a drug

To reach out to Rain use: Linkedin

Twitter: @rainsepp

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Rain is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts   

 

 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Rain is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts   



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-10030914 Tue, 08 Feb 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2719 Rain Sepp, Estonia, Founders, Startup, Estonian Startup, Fintech, Baltic Fintech, Emerging markets, Mexico, Hard thing about hard things, Being CEO, Latam 2 49 full true #48 Building products for Metaverse, partnering with global brands & entertainers, Zuckerberg’s big bet and opportunities of the decentralized world with Timmu Tõke (Ready Player Me) #48 Building products for Metaverse, partnering with global brands & entertainers, Zuckerberg’s big bet and opportunities of the decentralized world with Timmu Tõke (Ready Player Me) Timmu Tõke is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ready Player Me - the cross-game avatar platform for the metaverse. Timmu has been working on 3D design, virtual reality and the metaverse for more than 8 years becoming a true pioneer in avatars for the metaverse, a space that exploded in 2021.

In this episode we talk all things metaverse, the unique positioning of Ready Player Me in it. We also talk about user experience, business models, global brands and opportunities in the metaverse. Finally we talk centralised vs. decentralised approaches to the metaverse and the current and potential role of Meta.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:50] - INTRODUCTION AND THE METAVERSE

  • Creating transferable avatars across 1000s of metaverse worlds
  • Getting married on the metaverse
  • How people choose what to look like on the metaverse
  • Accessibility of the metaverse
  • Connectivity of the gaming world
  • What skills do you need to build something on the metaverse

[12:25] - META AND ZUCK’S INFLUENCE ON THE METAVERSE ADOPTION

  • Trying to be THE metaverse
  • Closed vs. open metaverse
  • Winning the hardware game

[14:25] - ON USER EXPERIENCE IN THE METAVERSE

  • Increasing importance of immersive devices (AR/VR)
  • Building open worlds for interconnectivity
  • Connecting different games and different blockchains - the challenge

[17:00] -  ON THE BUSINESS USE CASES OF THE METAVERSE

  • Buying digital items for your avatar and using across games
  • Productivity and meetings apps as a big market
  • Running virtual education activities
  • The value of VR business meetings

[20:35] - THE ORIGINS AND BUSINESS MODEL OF READY PLAYER ME

  • Starting from hardware and 3D printing
  • Business model of Readyplayer.me
  • Pay to win vs. pay to flex
  • Social aspect of gaming for the kids

[27:40] - GETTING DEALS WITH GLOBAL BRANDS AND SCALING

  • Being overwhelmed with demand
  • Focus on onboarding developers
  • Early to the game
  • The more self-service the better
  • Working with blockchain projects
  • Making a difficult problem simple

[31:20] - ON MAINTAINING EDGE OVER COMPETITORS

  • Years of practical experience
  • High network effect
  • Open platforms
  • Owning the end-user

[36:30] - BRANDS TO FOLLOW AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE METAVERSE

  • Nike+Artifact
  • Adidas
  • People are building metaverse from anywhere - decentralization
  • Meta and who will win the platform race 

To reach out to Timmu use: Linkedin

Website: https://readyplayer.me/

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Timmu is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts   


Support the show

]]> Timmu Tõke is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ready Player Me - the cross-game avatar platform for the metaverse. Timmu has been working on 3D design, virtual reality and the metaverse for more than 8 years becoming a true pioneer in avatars for the metaverse, a space that exploded in 2021.

In this episode we talk all things metaverse, the unique positioning of Ready Player Me in it. We also talk about user experience, business models, global brands and opportunities in the metaverse. Finally we talk centralised vs. decentralised approaches to the metaverse and the current and potential role of Meta.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:50] - INTRODUCTION AND THE METAVERSE

  • Creating transferable avatars across 1000s of metaverse worlds
  • Getting married on the metaverse
  • How people choose what to look like on the metaverse
  • Accessibility of the metaverse
  • Connectivity of the gaming world
  • What skills do you need to build something on the metaverse

[12:25] - META AND ZUCK’S INFLUENCE ON THE METAVERSE ADOPTION

  • Trying to be THE metaverse
  • Closed vs. open metaverse
  • Winning the hardware game

[14:25] - ON USER EXPERIENCE IN THE METAVERSE

  • Increasing importance of immersive devices (AR/VR)
  • Building open worlds for interconnectivity
  • Connecting different games and different blockchains - the challenge

[17:00] -  ON THE BUSINESS USE CASES OF THE METAVERSE

  • Buying digital items for your avatar and using across games
  • Productivity and meetings apps as a big market
  • Running virtual education activities
  • The value of VR business meetings

[20:35] - THE ORIGINS AND BUSINESS MODEL OF READY PLAYER ME

  • Starting from hardware and 3D printing
  • Business model of Readyplayer.me
  • Pay to win vs. pay to flex
  • Social aspect of gaming for the kids

[27:40] - GETTING DEALS WITH GLOBAL BRANDS AND SCALING

  • Being overwhelmed with demand
  • Focus on onboarding developers
  • Early to the game
  • The more self-service the better
  • Working with blockchain projects
  • Making a difficult problem simple

[31:20] - ON MAINTAINING EDGE OVER COMPETITORS

  • Years of practical experience
  • High network effect
  • Open platforms
  • Owning the end-user

[36:30] - BRANDS TO FOLLOW AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE METAVERSE

  • Nike+Artifact
  • Adidas
  • People are building metaverse from anywhere - decentralization
  • Meta and who will win the platform race 

To reach out to Timmu use: Linkedin

Website: https://readyplayer.me/

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Timmu is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts   


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9987357 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2682 Timmu Toke, Ready Player Me, Metaverse , Facebook Meta, NFT 2 48 full true #47 How to improve your life quality with Health Tech, similarities of running a business & ultra marathon, and principles of user centric design with Ignas Survila (Tyler.Health) #47 How to improve your life quality with Health Tech, similarities of running a business & ultra marathon, and principles of user centric design with Ignas Survila (Tyler.Health) Ignas Survila is the CEO and Co-Founder of Tyler.Health - a health tracking app that allows you to manage your nutrition the most accurate way. An endurance sports athlete and  serial entrepreneur also having worked with Kilo.Health, Ignas is a proponent of user-centric design for building products.

In this episode we talk about the challenges of healthcare and health monitoring industries and how Tyler attempts to solve them. We also talk about using health monitoring data to improve your lifestyle and sports performance. Finally we discuss user-centric design and what mistakes teams make when building products.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:15] - INTRODUCTION AND THE PROBLEM IN HEALTHCARE

  • Pro-active vs. re-active medicine
  • Mass adoption of health-tech products
  • How Tyler works
  • Impact of blood sugar monitoring
  • Motivation to track health
  • Providing actionable insights vs. dry data
  • Building a seamless, user-centric experience

[09:25] - TESTING YOUR PRODUCT WHILE RUNNING 100 KM

  • Planning your fuel
  • Joining team calls while running
  • Measuring data post run

[12:00] - PRACTICAL ADVICE ENERGY MANAGEMENT ADVICE FOR OFFICE PEOPLE

  • Meal timing and composition
  • Walk after big lunches
  • Measure blood sugar to determine personalised routine

[14:05] -  ON HANDLING SENSITIVE CUSTOMER DATA

  • Consumers happy to share data
  • Helping product builders and community by sharing sensitive health data
  • Impact of sex on blood sugar

[18:05] -  ON THE LEARNINGS FROM THE THERANOS CASE

[19:20] - BUILDING A HEALTH TRACKING MEGA APP

  • Complex health tracking insights
  • Preventive medicine

[21:45] - ON THE HEALTH TECH INDUSTRY

  • Products  rocking the market today
  • Book to read Matthew Walker - Why we sleep
  • The rapid technological growth since first wearables
  • The importance of habits data precision
  • Focusing on athletes vs. general population

[26:40] - PERSONAL STORY THAT LEAD TO BUILDING A BUSINESS

  • Clear vision to do health data monitoring and insights
  • Building something truly valuable for the world
  • Using personal life experience as inspiration

[30:00] - COMBINING RUNNING A STARTUP AND RUNNING ULTRA MARATHONS

  • Similarities between running a marathon and running a startup
  • The balancing effects of a physically active lifestyle

[33:10] - ON USER-CENTRIC PRODUCT DESIGN

  • Rejection of unnecessary parts
  • Dieter Rams’ 10 principles of good design
  • Real-life example of a failed MVP test
  • The market-product fit vs. product-market fit
  • The opposite of user-centric product design
  • Adding some jazz to the design process
  • Managing your ego when designing products
  • Other common design mistakes besides ego

 

To reach out to Ignas use: Linkedin

Website: https://tyler.health/

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness

Support the show

]]> Ignas Survila is the CEO and Co-Founder of Tyler.Health - a health tracking app that allows you to manage your nutrition the most accurate way. An endurance sports athlete and  serial entrepreneur also having worked with Kilo.Health, Ignas is a proponent of user-centric design for building products.

In this episode we talk about the challenges of healthcare and health monitoring industries and how Tyler attempts to solve them. We also talk about using health monitoring data to improve your lifestyle and sports performance. Finally we discuss user-centric design and what mistakes teams make when building products.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:15] - INTRODUCTION AND THE PROBLEM IN HEALTHCARE

  • Pro-active vs. re-active medicine
  • Mass adoption of health-tech products
  • How Tyler works
  • Impact of blood sugar monitoring
  • Motivation to track health
  • Providing actionable insights vs. dry data
  • Building a seamless, user-centric experience

[09:25] - TESTING YOUR PRODUCT WHILE RUNNING 100 KM

  • Planning your fuel
  • Joining team calls while running
  • Measuring data post run

[12:00] - PRACTICAL ADVICE ENERGY MANAGEMENT ADVICE FOR OFFICE PEOPLE

  • Meal timing and composition
  • Walk after big lunches
  • Measure blood sugar to determine personalised routine

[14:05] -  ON HANDLING SENSITIVE CUSTOMER DATA

  • Consumers happy to share data
  • Helping product builders and community by sharing sensitive health data
  • Impact of sex on blood sugar

[18:05] -  ON THE LEARNINGS FROM THE THERANOS CASE

[19:20] - BUILDING A HEALTH TRACKING MEGA APP

  • Complex health tracking insights
  • Preventive medicine

[21:45] - ON THE HEALTH TECH INDUSTRY

  • Products  rocking the market today
  • Book to read Matthew Walker - Why we sleep
  • The rapid technological growth since first wearables
  • The importance of habits data precision
  • Focusing on athletes vs. general population

[26:40] - PERSONAL STORY THAT LEAD TO BUILDING A BUSINESS

  • Clear vision to do health data monitoring and insights
  • Building something truly valuable for the world
  • Using personal life experience as inspiration

[30:00] - COMBINING RUNNING A STARTUP AND RUNNING ULTRA MARATHONS

  • Similarities between running a marathon and running a startup
  • The balancing effects of a physically active lifestyle

[33:10] - ON USER-CENTRIC PRODUCT DESIGN

  • Rejection of unnecessary parts
  • Dieter Rams’ 10 principles of good design
  • Real-life example of a failed MVP test
  • The market-product fit vs. product-market fit
  • The opposite of user-centric product design
  • Adding some jazz to the design process
  • Managing your ego when designing products
  • Other common design mistakes besides ego

 

To reach out to Ignas use: Linkedin

Website: https://tyler.health/

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9944418 Tue, 25 Jan 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2503 Ignas Survila, Tyler Health, Startup, Startup Lithuania, Lithuania, Lietuva, Baltics, Baltic Startup, health, Health tech, product design, tracking 2 47 full true #46 Ins & Outs of starting a hardware business and using subscription pricing to disrupt the package delivery industry with Andres Sampka (Parcelsea) #46 Ins & Outs of starting a hardware business and using subscription pricing to disrupt the package delivery industry with Andres Sampka (Parcelsea) Andres Sampka is the CEO and Co-Founder of Parcelsea, an Estonian last-mile delivery startup  developing smart mailboxes that accept and deliver your packages in a secure and contact-free way, without you even being home.

In this episode we unpack what goes into starting a hardware intensive business (in a garage), the subscription pricing model for hardware tech, building an MVP, adding innovative services to your (not so ordinary) mailbox, as well as how you can protect your IP from the likes of Jeff Bezos.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:10] - INTRODUCTION AND DEMOCRATIZING THE PACKAGE DELIVERY INDUSTRY

  • The Parcelsea product
  • The problems in the package delivery industry we all face
  • The growth of the e-GDP from the pandemic
  • Saving the world while saving time&money

[09:15] - ON THE BUSINESS MODEL AND SCALABILITY 

  • The Parcelsea business model
  • Multi-user sharing
  • Scaling the business in different countries
  • Using previous hardware experience to solve for scalability

[14:34] - ON BUILDING A USER FRIENDLY HARDWARE PRODUCT

  • Coming up with the first version/MVP
  • Trade-offs between customer requests and cost efficiency
  • The innovator’s dilemma
  • Powerpoint as first MVP
  • Make or buy trade offs
  • Educating the users

[22:00] - ON FACTORS TO HELP LAUNCH FAST

  • Team with previous experience together
  • Knowing what to do prior to starting
  • Being lean
  • Validating with users early

[25:40] - ON JOB TO BE DONE FRAMEWORK AND AN ACTUAL GARAGE

  • Starting a hardware business in the garage
  • Using Clayton Christensen Job to Be Done Framework

[27:50] -  ON SUBSCRIPTION PRICING FOR HARDWARE 

  • Pricing a new concept
  • Removing entry barriers
  • Creating a platform vs selling a piece of hardware

[30:55] -  ON PROTECTING YOUR IP/BUSINESS

  • Avoiding getting killed by Jeff Bezos and/or Elon Musk
  • Speed and traction
  • Sticky business model
  • Scaling the production
  • Managing funding

 

To reach out to Andres use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andressampka/

Website: https://parcelsea.com/et

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Andres is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts  


Support the show

]]> Andres Sampka is the CEO and Co-Founder of Parcelsea, an Estonian last-mile delivery startup  developing smart mailboxes that accept and deliver your packages in a secure and contact-free way, without you even being home.

In this episode we unpack what goes into starting a hardware intensive business (in a garage), the subscription pricing model for hardware tech, building an MVP, adding innovative services to your (not so ordinary) mailbox, as well as how you can protect your IP from the likes of Jeff Bezos.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:10] - INTRODUCTION AND DEMOCRATIZING THE PACKAGE DELIVERY INDUSTRY

  • The Parcelsea product
  • The problems in the package delivery industry we all face
  • The growth of the e-GDP from the pandemic
  • Saving the world while saving time&money

[09:15] - ON THE BUSINESS MODEL AND SCALABILITY 

  • The Parcelsea business model
  • Multi-user sharing
  • Scaling the business in different countries
  • Using previous hardware experience to solve for scalability

[14:34] - ON BUILDING A USER FRIENDLY HARDWARE PRODUCT

  • Coming up with the first version/MVP
  • Trade-offs between customer requests and cost efficiency
  • The innovator’s dilemma
  • Powerpoint as first MVP
  • Make or buy trade offs
  • Educating the users

[22:00] - ON FACTORS TO HELP LAUNCH FAST

  • Team with previous experience together
  • Knowing what to do prior to starting
  • Being lean
  • Validating with users early

[25:40] - ON JOB TO BE DONE FRAMEWORK AND AN ACTUAL GARAGE

  • Starting a hardware business in the garage
  • Using Clayton Christensen Job to Be Done Framework

[27:50] -  ON SUBSCRIPTION PRICING FOR HARDWARE 

  • Pricing a new concept
  • Removing entry barriers
  • Creating a platform vs selling a piece of hardware

[30:55] -  ON PROTECTING YOUR IP/BUSINESS

  • Avoiding getting killed by Jeff Bezos and/or Elon Musk
  • Speed and traction
  • Sticky business model
  • Scaling the production
  • Managing funding

 

To reach out to Andres use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andressampka/

Website: https://parcelsea.com/et

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Andres is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts  


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9902353 Tue, 18 Jan 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2279 Andres Sampka, Parcelsea, Estonia, Estonian Startup, Hardware, Delivery, Delivery Tech, Last Mile, Last Mile Delivery, Baltics, Baltic Startup 2 46 full true #45 The importance of values & rituals, how to build trust in multi-national teams, and lessons from scaling Europe's fastest unicorn with Aiste Juknaite (Gorillas, ex-Uber) #45 The importance of values & rituals, how to build trust in multi-national teams, and lessons from scaling Europe's fastest unicorn with Aiste Juknaite (Gorillas, ex-Uber) Aiste Juknaite is the Director of Growth at Gorillas - Europe’s fastest unicorn and an instant grocery delivery giant out of Berlin. Before Gorillas, Aiste held several growth and customer service related roles at Uber.

In this episode we talk about Aiste's journey working for global unicorn companies, with a focus on scaling global teams, building trust, implementing values and rituals. Finally we talk about what challenges first-time managers of global teams face as well as the workload and work-life balance management.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:35] - INTRODUCTION AND AISTE’S JOURNEY IN GLOBAL TECH

  • Pushing into global tech companies from the Baltics
  • Leveraging Linkedin to push your career
  • Working within a truly global team at Uber

[07:25] - ON JOINING GORILLAS AND SCALING FAST GROWING ORGANIZATIONS

  • Jumping into the Gorillas rocketship
  • Scaling culture
  • Importance of company values
  • Building a team remotely

[13:10] - ON VALUES AND RITUALS IN DAILY BUSINESS

  • Building team spirit remotely with rituals
  • Working as a sole remote team member
  • Homogeneous vs. diverse teams
  • Introducing sub-team values
  • Assuming others have positive-intent by default

[23:45] - ON BUILDING TRUST WITHIN TEAMS

  • Building trust fast
  • Authenticity, logic and empathy
  • Responsibility of people managers to build trust between their team members
  • The importance of 1:1 with ample time allocation
  • Team personality tests together
  • Start building trust from hiring

[32:10] - ON CHALLENGES FOR A FIRST-TIME MANAGER OF A GLOBAL TEAM

  • Getting used to people being in control of when they respond
  • Cultural differences between countries and nations worldwide

[37:55] -  ON UNICORN WORKLOAD & SETTING PERSONAL BOUNDARIES

  • No illusions on 9-to-5, working more intensely by choice
  • Passion for building a business
  • Setting boundaries when physically possible
  • Setting strict personal life requirements
  • Distinguishing between manager days and maker days
  • Prioritise things you truly care about, sacrifice everything else


To reach out to Aiste use: Linkedin

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Aiste is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts  


Support the show

]]> Aiste Juknaite is the Director of Growth at Gorillas - Europe’s fastest unicorn and an instant grocery delivery giant out of Berlin. Before Gorillas, Aiste held several growth and customer service related roles at Uber.

In this episode we talk about Aiste's journey working for global unicorn companies, with a focus on scaling global teams, building trust, implementing values and rituals. Finally we talk about what challenges first-time managers of global teams face as well as the workload and work-life balance management.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:35] - INTRODUCTION AND AISTE’S JOURNEY IN GLOBAL TECH

  • Pushing into global tech companies from the Baltics
  • Leveraging Linkedin to push your career
  • Working within a truly global team at Uber

[07:25] - ON JOINING GORILLAS AND SCALING FAST GROWING ORGANIZATIONS

  • Jumping into the Gorillas rocketship
  • Scaling culture
  • Importance of company values
  • Building a team remotely

[13:10] - ON VALUES AND RITUALS IN DAILY BUSINESS

  • Building team spirit remotely with rituals
  • Working as a sole remote team member
  • Homogeneous vs. diverse teams
  • Introducing sub-team values
  • Assuming others have positive-intent by default

[23:45] - ON BUILDING TRUST WITHIN TEAMS

  • Building trust fast
  • Authenticity, logic and empathy
  • Responsibility of people managers to build trust between their team members
  • The importance of 1:1 with ample time allocation
  • Team personality tests together
  • Start building trust from hiring

[32:10] - ON CHALLENGES FOR A FIRST-TIME MANAGER OF A GLOBAL TEAM

  • Getting used to people being in control of when they respond
  • Cultural differences between countries and nations worldwide

[37:55] -  ON UNICORN WORKLOAD & SETTING PERSONAL BOUNDARIES

  • No illusions on 9-to-5, working more intensely by choice
  • Passion for building a business
  • Setting boundaries when physically possible
  • Setting strict personal life requirements
  • Distinguishing between manager days and maker days
  • Prioritise things you truly care about, sacrifice everything else


To reach out to Aiste use: Linkedin

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Aiste is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts  


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9860098 Tue, 11 Jan 2022 04:00:00 +0200 2712 Aiste Juknaite, Gorillas, Uber, Teams, Values, Rituals, Unicorn 2 45 full false #44 Martin Villig 🇪🇪 (Bolt) on building a global mobility Unicorn, challenges of scaling, ability to do more with less & making social impact with kood/Jõhvi coding school #44 Martin Villig 🇪🇪 (Bolt) on building a global mobility Unicorn, challenges of scaling, ability to do more with less & making social impact with kood/Jõhvi coding school Martin Villig is a Co-Founder of Bolt, one of the most widely known Estonian unicorns valued at $4.75 Bn during the last investment round. Martin has been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years and is an integral part of the Estonian startup community. In recent years, he has been especially active in social impact projects with such initiatives as coding school kood/Johvi and the Good Deed Education Fund for solving acute problems in the education sector.

In this episode we talk about Martin’s entrepreneurship journey including its biggest highlight - Bolt - from origins to philosophy and culture to strategic decisions, scaling and attracting investments. We also discuss what role philanthropy and social impact plays in Martin’s life and why and when other people should engage in such activities. Finally we talk about the Estonian tight-knit startup founders community and how it propels the next unicorn formation. 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:15] - MARTIN’s BUSINESS JOURNEY BEFORE BOLT

  • Starting up in the nineties
  • The Skype touch
  • Testing co-founders for vision, work ethic and risk tolerance

[04:35] - ON THE ORIGINS OF BOLT

  • Starting a company with your brother
  • Launching in a space with big established players
  • Innovating in an age old industry
  • Retaining the team

[12:10] - ON DOING MORE WITH LESS & CULTURE OF FRUGALITY

  • Struggling for investments early on
  • Decision to expand in the Baltics before other countries abroad
  • The upside of not raising a lot initially - frugal culture
  • Frugal culture even post raising several hundred million

[18:15] - ON UNDERESTIMATED  CHALLENGES OF SCALING

  • It’s a marathon not a sprint
  • On the quality of hiring and people
  • Remaining customer-centric
  • Keeping the product simple

[21:50] - ON THE DIDI INVESTMENT

  • The benefits of a strategic investor
  • Working with a Chinese investor

[25:00] -  ON THE SUPER APP QUEST

  • Separating Bolt Food
  • Probability of Bolt becoming a super-app

[29:00] -  ON SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS & KOOD/JOHVI

  • The right time to start 
  • Projects Martin is involved in
  • On the mission of coding school kood/Johvi
  • How soon you can learn coding and make an impact

[40:40] – ON THE VALUE OF THE ESTONIAN STARTUP COMMUNITY

  • What went right initially
  • Impact of the Founders society
  • Hiring from abroad vs. poaching from other founders

[47:00] - ADVICE TO YOUNGER SELF

  • A few pieces of practical advice for young founders
  • Importance of bringing value to Baltics
  • Joining  the Founders pledge

To reach out to Martin use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waldec/ 

Website: https://martinvillig.com/ 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Martin is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts  


Support the show

]]> Martin Villig is a Co-Founder of Bolt, one of the most widely known Estonian unicorns valued at $4.75 Bn during the last investment round. Martin has been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years and is an integral part of the Estonian startup community. In recent years, he has been especially active in social impact projects with such initiatives as coding school kood/Johvi and the Good Deed Education Fund for solving acute problems in the education sector.

In this episode we talk about Martin’s entrepreneurship journey including its biggest highlight - Bolt - from origins to philosophy and culture to strategic decisions, scaling and attracting investments. We also discuss what role philanthropy and social impact plays in Martin’s life and why and when other people should engage in such activities. Finally we talk about the Estonian tight-knit startup founders community and how it propels the next unicorn formation. 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:15] - MARTIN’s BUSINESS JOURNEY BEFORE BOLT

  • Starting up in the nineties
  • The Skype touch
  • Testing co-founders for vision, work ethic and risk tolerance

[04:35] - ON THE ORIGINS OF BOLT

  • Starting a company with your brother
  • Launching in a space with big established players
  • Innovating in an age old industry
  • Retaining the team

[12:10] - ON DOING MORE WITH LESS & CULTURE OF FRUGALITY

  • Struggling for investments early on
  • Decision to expand in the Baltics before other countries abroad
  • The upside of not raising a lot initially - frugal culture
  • Frugal culture even post raising several hundred million

[18:15] - ON UNDERESTIMATED  CHALLENGES OF SCALING

  • It’s a marathon not a sprint
  • On the quality of hiring and people
  • Remaining customer-centric
  • Keeping the product simple

[21:50] - ON THE DIDI INVESTMENT

  • The benefits of a strategic investor
  • Working with a Chinese investor

[25:00] -  ON THE SUPER APP QUEST

  • Separating Bolt Food
  • Probability of Bolt becoming a super-app

[29:00] -  ON SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS & KOOD/JOHVI

  • The right time to start 
  • Projects Martin is involved in
  • On the mission of coding school kood/Johvi
  • How soon you can learn coding and make an impact

[40:40] – ON THE VALUE OF THE ESTONIAN STARTUP COMMUNITY

  • What went right initially
  • Impact of the Founders society
  • Hiring from abroad vs. poaching from other founders

[47:00] - ADVICE TO YOUNGER SELF

  • A few pieces of practical advice for young founders
  • Importance of bringing value to Baltics
  • Joining  the Founders pledge

To reach out to Martin use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waldec/ 

Website: https://martinvillig.com/ 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Martin is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts  


Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-9824499 Tue, 04 Jan 2022 04:00:00 +0200 3192 Martin Villig, Bolt, Estonia, Estonian startup. Mobility, Scaling. Fundraising, Unicorn, Social Impact, Learning coding 2 44 full false #43 "Year in Review Pt 2/2" Comparing Best & Worst Government Decisions towards Startups in Baltics + Tech Predictions for 2022 with Jone Vaituleviciute 🇱🇹 , Toms Niparts 🇱🇻 and Eerik Oja 🇪🇪 #43 "Year in Review Pt 2/2" Comparing Best & Worst Government Decisions towards Startups in Baltics + Tech Predictions for 2022 with Jone Vaituleviciute 🇱🇹 , Toms Niparts 🇱🇻 and Eerik Oja 🇪🇪 Welcome to the 2nd  part of the Pursuit of Scrappiness 2 episode Christmas Special. Janis and Uldis are joined by previous star guests Toms Niparts from Jeff app (full interview in Episode #1), Eerik Oja from Planet42 (Episode #3) and Jone Vaituleviciute from Startup Wise Guys (Episode #20) to discuss the events in 2021 and make predictions about 2022.

In this episode we talk about the relationship between governments, politicians and the startup ecosystem - what has been done right and what is still lacking? We also look into the crystal ball and try to see what the Baltic startup world looks like in 2022. 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:30] - GOVERNMENT vs TECH, BEST & WORST FROM LV, LT AND EE

  • What Estonian govt has done right in tech support policy
  • Importance of immigration laws
  • Lithuanian government relationship with the startup ecosystem
  • Latvian government relationship with the startup ecosystem
  • How to get governments more involved in supporting startups
  • How easy is it to bring foreigners to the Baltics to work at your startup

[25:00] - PREDICTIONS FOR 2022

  • Challenges for startups - inflation and talent shortages
  • Lithuanian IPO
  • New Estonian unicorns
  • End of he pandemic?

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Welcome to the 2nd  part of the Pursuit of Scrappiness 2 episode Christmas Special. Janis and Uldis are joined by previous star guests Toms Niparts from Jeff app (full interview in Episode #1), Eerik Oja from Planet42 (Episode #3) and Jone Vaituleviciute from Startup Wise Guys (Episode #20) to discuss the events in 2021 and make predictions about 2022.

In this episode we talk about the relationship between governments, politicians and the startup ecosystem - what has been done right and what is still lacking? We also look into the crystal ball and try to see what the Baltic startup world looks like in 2022. 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:30] - GOVERNMENT vs TECH, BEST & WORST FROM LV, LT AND EE

  • What Estonian govt has done right in tech support policy
  • Importance of immigration laws
  • Lithuanian government relationship with the startup ecosystem
  • Latvian government relationship with the startup ecosystem
  • How to get governments more involved in supporting startups
  • How easy is it to bring foreigners to the Baltics to work at your startup

[25:00] - PREDICTIONS FOR 2022

  • Challenges for startups - inflation and talent shortages
  • Lithuanian IPO
  • New Estonian unicorns
  • End of he pandemic?

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9757408 Tue, 28 Dec 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2177 Jone Vaituleviciute, Toms Niparts, Eerik Oja, Startup Wise Guys, JeffApp, Planet42, Baltics, Baltic startups, 2021, fundraising, VC, Covid, Government and startups, Predictions 2022 1 43 full true #42 "Year in Review Pt 1/2" The 2021 Fundraising Boom in Baltics, Life & Markets after Covid and Potential of Metaverse with Jone Vaituleviciute 🇱🇹 , Toms Niparts 🇱🇻 and Eerik Oja 🇪🇪 #42 "Year in Review Pt 1/2" The 2021 Fundraising Boom in Baltics, Life & Markets after Covid and Potential of Metaverse with Jone Vaituleviciute 🇱🇹 , Toms Niparts 🇱🇻 and Eerik Oja 🇪🇪 Welcome to the 1st  part of the Pursuit of Scrappiness 2 episode Christmas Special. Janis and Uldis are joined by previous star guests Toms Niparts from Jeff app (full interview in Episode #1), Eerik Oja from Planet42 (Episode #3) and Jone Vaituleviciute from Startup Wise Guys (Episode #20) to discuss the events in 2021 and make predictions about 2022.

In this episode we talk about the Baltic fundraising boom of 2021 and the most impactful stories that we witnessed. We also discuss the sustainability of the pandemic increase in digital adoption and it’s biggest benefactors. Finally we talk about the metaverse and why major global brands are rushing to embrace it.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[04:10] - ON THE BALTIC FUNDRAISING BOOM

  • Global investors joining the hunt for Baltic startups
  • Foreign founders moving to the Baltics and building successful companies
  • Cross investments between founders and Baltic countries
  • Cash-outs on Series A for founders and team
  • How do active founders do angel investments
  • Impactful rounds besides the biggest ones

[21:10] - ON PANDEMIC BOOMS & BUSTS AND LIFE AFTER COVID

  • Why are big pandemic boom stocks busting
  • Last-mile/food delivery startups bubble
  • Market overreaction during the pandemic
  • Under-reaction of the air travel industry - why is it not innovating?
  • AI note-takers
  • Digital adoption during the pandemic  - is it permanent increase?

[31:30] - ON THE METAVERSE AND CRYPTOIZATION OF BIG TECH

  • What is the Metaverse?
  • Facebook using the Metaverse as a distraction from its problems
  • Why are the big brands jumping on the Metaverse and NFTs?
  • Hands on NFT buying experience
  • Players in the Baltics that are well positioned to make it in the Metaverse

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Welcome to the 1st  part of the Pursuit of Scrappiness 2 episode Christmas Special. Janis and Uldis are joined by previous star guests Toms Niparts from Jeff app (full interview in Episode #1), Eerik Oja from Planet42 (Episode #3) and Jone Vaituleviciute from Startup Wise Guys (Episode #20) to discuss the events in 2021 and make predictions about 2022.

In this episode we talk about the Baltic fundraising boom of 2021 and the most impactful stories that we witnessed. We also discuss the sustainability of the pandemic increase in digital adoption and it’s biggest benefactors. Finally we talk about the metaverse and why major global brands are rushing to embrace it.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[04:10] - ON THE BALTIC FUNDRAISING BOOM

  • Global investors joining the hunt for Baltic startups
  • Foreign founders moving to the Baltics and building successful companies
  • Cross investments between founders and Baltic countries
  • Cash-outs on Series A for founders and team
  • How do active founders do angel investments
  • Impactful rounds besides the biggest ones

[21:10] - ON PANDEMIC BOOMS & BUSTS AND LIFE AFTER COVID

  • Why are big pandemic boom stocks busting
  • Last-mile/food delivery startups bubble
  • Market overreaction during the pandemic
  • Under-reaction of the air travel industry - why is it not innovating?
  • AI note-takers
  • Digital adoption during the pandemic  - is it permanent increase?

[31:30] - ON THE METAVERSE AND CRYPTOIZATION OF BIG TECH

  • What is the Metaverse?
  • Facebook using the Metaverse as a distraction from its problems
  • Why are the big brands jumping on the Metaverse and NFTs?
  • Hands on NFT buying experience
  • Players in the Baltics that are well positioned to make it in the Metaverse

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support for this episode comes from Venetor > https://www.venetor.co/ 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9756856 Tue, 21 Dec 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2668 Jone Vaituleviciute, Toms Niparts, Eerik Oja, Startup Wise Guys, JeffApp, Planet42, Baltics, Baltic startups, 2021, fundraising, VC, Covid, Metaverse 1 42 full true #41 Product management principles & work-life lessons from building a Unicorn with Martin Henk 🇪🇪 (Pipedrive, Eventornado) #41 Product management principles & work-life lessons from building a Unicorn with Martin Henk 🇪🇪 (Pipedrive, Eventornado) Martin Henk is the CTO and Co-Founder of Eventornado, a software solution for organising online hackathons and challenges. Martin is also a partner and angel investor at Honey Badger Capital, however most people will recognise him as one of the Co-Founders of an Estonian Unicorn, Pipedrive.

In this episode we do a deep-dive into product management, covering everything from best practices and building efficient product teams to common mistakes. We also talk about life after a unicorn exit, the current projects Martin is engaged in as well as overall work-life balance throughout different stages of one's career.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - ON PRODUCT AND WHY PIPEDRIVE WAS SO SUCCESSFUL

  • Creating a new user persona
  • Focusing obsessively with the main end-user
  • Super narrow product focus
  • Saying no to immediate distractionary opportunities
  • Unfair advantage from founders with industry experience

[09:30] - ON BUILDING YOUR FIRST PRODUCT TEAM

  • Keep it simple, keep it small
  • Avoiding premature scaling
  • Focusing on customer feedback for PM
  • Turning chaos into discipline
  • Optimal product team size
  • Enabling complete focus on the mission
  • Cutting meetings

[13:50] - ON PRODUCT MISTAKES AND MEASURING PROGRESS

  • Introducing too advanced procedures
  • Scaling up technology prematurely
  • Avoiding vanity metrics
  • Focus on result-based metrics
  • A/B testing

[17:05] - ON PRODUCT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES

  • Tailoring the process to specific company
  • Keeping product focus
  • Regularly communicate vision
  • Best product examples

[24:00] - ON LIFE AFTER UNICORN EXIT

  • Resting & investing
  • Motivation to jump back in startups

[27:00] -  ON GREEN INVESTING

  • Investing in Estonian forests
  • Looking for ways to monetize without cutting down

[30:20] -  ON EVENTORNADO MARKET OPPORTUNITY

  • Managing and organising hackathons as a challenge
  • 100s of hackathons daily around the world
  • Future of hackathons

[33:55] – ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP LESSONS FROM PIPEDRIVE

  • Maintaining focus
  • Knowing the right company size for yourself
  • Evaluating if you need outside funding or not

[39:00] - ADVICE TO YOUR 20 YEAR OLD SELF

  • How to approach work-life balance (hint - it’s overrated)
  • Taking care of your health

To reach out to Martin use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinhenk/?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAABrLbQBKuFPpBecxKVhTNLY1loCoUOQs-s 

Website: https://badger.ee 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Martin is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 


Support the show

]]> Martin Henk is the CTO and Co-Founder of Eventornado, a software solution for organising online hackathons and challenges. Martin is also a partner and angel investor at Honey Badger Capital, however most people will recognise him as one of the Co-Founders of an Estonian Unicorn, Pipedrive.

In this episode we do a deep-dive into product management, covering everything from best practices and building efficient product teams to common mistakes. We also talk about life after a unicorn exit, the current projects Martin is engaged in as well as overall work-life balance throughout different stages of one's career.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - ON PRODUCT AND WHY PIPEDRIVE WAS SO SUCCESSFUL

  • Creating a new user persona
  • Focusing obsessively with the main end-user
  • Super narrow product focus
  • Saying no to immediate distractionary opportunities
  • Unfair advantage from founders with industry experience

[09:30] - ON BUILDING YOUR FIRST PRODUCT TEAM

  • Keep it simple, keep it small
  • Avoiding premature scaling
  • Focusing on customer feedback for PM
  • Turning chaos into discipline
  • Optimal product team size
  • Enabling complete focus on the mission
  • Cutting meetings

[13:50] - ON PRODUCT MISTAKES AND MEASURING PROGRESS

  • Introducing too advanced procedures
  • Scaling up technology prematurely
  • Avoiding vanity metrics
  • Focus on result-based metrics
  • A/B testing

[17:05] - ON PRODUCT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES

  • Tailoring the process to specific company
  • Keeping product focus
  • Regularly communicate vision
  • Best product examples

[24:00] - ON LIFE AFTER UNICORN EXIT

  • Resting & investing
  • Motivation to jump back in startups

[27:00] -  ON GREEN INVESTING

  • Investing in Estonian forests
  • Looking for ways to monetize without cutting down

[30:20] -  ON EVENTORNADO MARKET OPPORTUNITY

  • Managing and organising hackathons as a challenge
  • 100s of hackathons daily around the world
  • Future of hackathons

[33:55] – ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP LESSONS FROM PIPEDRIVE

  • Maintaining focus
  • Knowing the right company size for yourself
  • Evaluating if you need outside funding or not

[39:00] - ADVICE TO YOUR 20 YEAR OLD SELF

  • How to approach work-life balance (hint - it’s overrated)
  • Taking care of your health

To reach out to Martin use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinhenk/?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAABrLbQBKuFPpBecxKVhTNLY1loCoUOQs-s 

Website: https://badger.ee 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Martin is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9710335 Tue, 14 Dec 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2575 Martin Henk, Pipedrive, Eventornado, Estonia, Estonian Startups, Estonian mafia, Baltic startup, Unicorn, Exit, Work life balance, Product, Product management, Entrepreneurship, Business 1 41 full true #40 Mikko Silventola (Early-Stage Investor in 50+ Startups) on being first to invest in Bolt, courage to back founders from faraway markets and basics of angel investing #40 Mikko Silventola (Early-Stage Investor in 50+ Startups) on being first to invest in Bolt, courage to back founders from faraway markets and basics of angel investing Mikko Silventola is a Finnish angel investor currently based in Zug, Switzerland who has invested in more than 50 companies globally with gems such as Bolt & Hugo among his most successful investments. He is also a venture partner at Superangel and Frontier Nordic.

On this episode we discuss all things angel investing, including starting up, basic skills, investing principles, best pitching practices, red flags and many more key aspects to being a successful angel investor. We also talk more in detail about Mikko becoming the first investor of Bolt and conquering Latin America with Hugo (3 years from investment to exit).

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:50] - INTRO, BECOMING AN ANGEL INVESTOR

  • Building on own entrepreneurship experience
  • Angel investing as a “full-time job”

[04:25] - ON ANGEL INVESTING BASICS

  • How does one start angel investing
  • Investing as headhunting
  • Starting capital required
  • Availability of investment opportunities for small tickets
  • Does valuation matter in the earliest stages?
  • Getting into global deal flow

[14:30] - STORY ON MIKKO’S INVESTMENT & EXIT INTO HUGO 

  • Investing in an exotic/remote country in Latin America
  • From investment to exit in 3 years

[18:40] - ON INVESTING PRINCIPLES

  • Factors in founder evaluation
  • Communication with founding teams
  • Red flags in founders
  • Using your network to evaluate deals

[48:40] - ON BEST PITCHING PRACTICES

  • The type of Founders that know how to pitch
  • 50/50 appeal ratio
  • Some extreme cases

[26:55] -  ON INVESTING IN COMPANIES FROM MORE EXOTIC COUNTRIES

  • Freedom of angel investing to make riskier bets
  • Founders from Latin America
  • Doing business trips to nice places

[28:50] -  ON WHAT FOUNDERS LOOK FOR IN INVESTORS

  • Track record
  • Fundraising capability
  • Don’t waste their time
  • Focus on the winners

[30:45] – ON BECOMING THE FIRST INVESTOR IN BOLT

  • Pro-active investing approach
  • Helping the founders when all VCs said no
  • What Mikko saw in the opportunity
  • What the founders of Bolt are building
  • Why it's easier to deals with Estonians than anyone else 



To reach out to Mikko use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkosilventola/ 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Mikko is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 


Support the show

]]> Mikko Silventola is a Finnish angel investor currently based in Zug, Switzerland who has invested in more than 50 companies globally with gems such as Bolt & Hugo among his most successful investments. He is also a venture partner at Superangel and Frontier Nordic.

On this episode we discuss all things angel investing, including starting up, basic skills, investing principles, best pitching practices, red flags and many more key aspects to being a successful angel investor. We also talk more in detail about Mikko becoming the first investor of Bolt and conquering Latin America with Hugo (3 years from investment to exit).

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:50] - INTRO, BECOMING AN ANGEL INVESTOR

  • Building on own entrepreneurship experience
  • Angel investing as a “full-time job”

[04:25] - ON ANGEL INVESTING BASICS

  • How does one start angel investing
  • Investing as headhunting
  • Starting capital required
  • Availability of investment opportunities for small tickets
  • Does valuation matter in the earliest stages?
  • Getting into global deal flow

[14:30] - STORY ON MIKKO’S INVESTMENT & EXIT INTO HUGO 

  • Investing in an exotic/remote country in Latin America
  • From investment to exit in 3 years

[18:40] - ON INVESTING PRINCIPLES

  • Factors in founder evaluation
  • Communication with founding teams
  • Red flags in founders
  • Using your network to evaluate deals

[48:40] - ON BEST PITCHING PRACTICES

  • The type of Founders that know how to pitch
  • 50/50 appeal ratio
  • Some extreme cases

[26:55] -  ON INVESTING IN COMPANIES FROM MORE EXOTIC COUNTRIES

  • Freedom of angel investing to make riskier bets
  • Founders from Latin America
  • Doing business trips to nice places

[28:50] -  ON WHAT FOUNDERS LOOK FOR IN INVESTORS

  • Track record
  • Fundraising capability
  • Don’t waste their time
  • Focus on the winners

[30:45] – ON BECOMING THE FIRST INVESTOR IN BOLT

  • Pro-active investing approach
  • Helping the founders when all VCs said no
  • What Mikko saw in the opportunity
  • What the founders of Bolt are building
  • Why it's easier to deals with Estonians than anyone else 



To reach out to Mikko use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkosilventola/ 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Mikko is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9666549 Tue, 07 Dec 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2663 Mikko Silventola, Angel investing, Investment, Startups, Bolt, Hugo 1 40 full true #39 Dmitrijus Borisenka 🇱🇹 (CoinGate) on what you should know about crypto and its future + tips for work-life balance & how to make time to do Ironmans while being a CEO #39 Dmitrijus Borisenka 🇱🇹 (CoinGate) on what you should know about crypto and its future + tips for work-life balance & how to make time to do Ironmans while being a CEO Dmitrijus Borisenka is the Co-Founder and CEO of Coingate - your gateway to all things crypto. Dmitrijus is a serial entrepreneur, a crypto enthusiast and also an endurance sports athlete. 

In this episode we discuss the current crypto bull market, global crypto adoption as well as getting people and businesses into crypto. We also talk about the risks and opportunities in crypto, NFTs and coins to follow. Finally we cover business/life balance, boosting confidence through endurance sports and knowing your body and mind.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:20] - INTRO, DMITRIJUS’ BUSINESS JOURNEY AND THE ORIGINS OF COINGATE

  • Be brave to suck at something new
  • First steps in entrepreneurship
  • First mistakes in business
  • Longevity and biohacking
  • Starting a crypto business in 2014
  • Crypto to become a top checkout method in 3-5 years

[08:25] - REASONS FOR THE CURRENT CRYPTO ALL TIME HIGH

  • Pandemic and global money printing
  • Bitcoin as digital gold & inflation hedge

[10:10] - EXPERT’S ADVICE ON CRYPTO FOR BEGINNERS

  • Don’t do day trading 
  • Focus on understanding the assets behind the coin
  • Play the long game

[15:45] - WHY MERCHANTS ACCEPT CRYPTO

  • Ultimate value of crypto in disrupting cross-border payments
  • The promise of stable-coins in payments
  • Rise of other crypto currencies relative to bitcoin in eCommerce payments
  • What kind of businesses accept crypto payments

[19:30] - CRYPTO TO BECOME TOP CHECKOUT METHOD IN 2-3 YEARS

  • Adoption of crypto between global fin-tech giants - Stripe, Paypal, Klarna
  • Money as the last undisrupted industry
  • Can crypto still be squashed by global governments? Too late

[22:50] -  ON GETTING PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES INTO CRYPTO

  • Challenging educational task
  • Spending patterns of crypto users
  • Benefits of accepting crypto for eCommerce
  • 60% of merchants keep their income in crypto

[28:00] -  NFT’s AND 4 COINS TO FOLLOW

  • Altcoins that Dmitrijus follows
  • NFT’s
  • Metaverse
  • How easy it is to inflate value of tokens

[32:30] – ON BUSINESS/LIFE BALANCE

  • Running (all endurance sports) as a boost of confidence as anyone can make progress
  • Running marathon in North Pole and North Korea
  • Keeping body and mind in shape through healthy routine in sports
  • Other methods of clearing mind through your body
  • Become great at business and then die anyway
  • Know your body

[39:40] – HOW TO FIND TIME TO DO MORE 

  • Meditate for 25 min per day and if you don’t have time - then mediate for 45 min per day
  • Keep your priorities straight
  • Proper stress management, sleep and nutrition

 

To reach out to Dmitrijus use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmitrijus-borisenka-a3a170b7/

Website: https://coingate.com/ 

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Dmitrijus is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Support the show

]]> Dmitrijus Borisenka is the Co-Founder and CEO of Coingate - your gateway to all things crypto. Dmitrijus is a serial entrepreneur, a crypto enthusiast and also an endurance sports athlete. 

In this episode we discuss the current crypto bull market, global crypto adoption as well as getting people and businesses into crypto. We also talk about the risks and opportunities in crypto, NFTs and coins to follow. Finally we cover business/life balance, boosting confidence through endurance sports and knowing your body and mind.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:20] - INTRO, DMITRIJUS’ BUSINESS JOURNEY AND THE ORIGINS OF COINGATE

  • Be brave to suck at something new
  • First steps in entrepreneurship
  • First mistakes in business
  • Longevity and biohacking
  • Starting a crypto business in 2014
  • Crypto to become a top checkout method in 3-5 years

[08:25] - REASONS FOR THE CURRENT CRYPTO ALL TIME HIGH

  • Pandemic and global money printing
  • Bitcoin as digital gold & inflation hedge

[10:10] - EXPERT’S ADVICE ON CRYPTO FOR BEGINNERS

  • Don’t do day trading 
  • Focus on understanding the assets behind the coin
  • Play the long game

[15:45] - WHY MERCHANTS ACCEPT CRYPTO

  • Ultimate value of crypto in disrupting cross-border payments
  • The promise of stable-coins in payments
  • Rise of other crypto currencies relative to bitcoin in eCommerce payments
  • What kind of businesses accept crypto payments

[19:30] - CRYPTO TO BECOME TOP CHECKOUT METHOD IN 2-3 YEARS

  • Adoption of crypto between global fin-tech giants - Stripe, Paypal, Klarna
  • Money as the last undisrupted industry
  • Can crypto still be squashed by global governments? Too late

[22:50] -  ON GETTING PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES INTO CRYPTO

  • Challenging educational task
  • Spending patterns of crypto users
  • Benefits of accepting crypto for eCommerce
  • 60% of merchants keep their income in crypto

[28:00] -  NFT’s AND 4 COINS TO FOLLOW

  • Altcoins that Dmitrijus follows
  • NFT’s
  • Metaverse
  • How easy it is to inflate value of tokens

[32:30] – ON BUSINESS/LIFE BALANCE

  • Running (all endurance sports) as a boost of confidence as anyone can make progress
  • Running marathon in North Pole and North Korea
  • Keeping body and mind in shape through healthy routine in sports
  • Other methods of clearing mind through your body
  • Become great at business and then die anyway
  • Know your body

[39:40] – HOW TO FIND TIME TO DO MORE 

  • Meditate for 25 min per day and if you don’t have time - then mediate for 45 min per day
  • Keep your priorities straight
  • Proper stress management, sleep and nutrition

 

To reach out to Dmitrijus use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmitrijus-borisenka-a3a170b7/

Website: https://coingate.com/ 

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Dmitrijus is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9632317 Tue, 30 Nov 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2666 Cypto, NFT, Bitcoin, Cryptocurrencies, CoinGate, Dmitrijus Borisenka, Work life balance, Ironman 1 39 full true #38 Martin Kõiva & Kair Käsper 🇪🇪 (Klaus) from coding the prototype in a shashlik bar to raising $7M + Customer Service practices you can copy, Pipedrive effect, and the good & bad about VCs #38 Martin Kõiva & Kair Käsper 🇪🇪 (Klaus) from coding the prototype in a shashlik bar to raising $7M + Customer Service practices you can copy, Pipedrive effect, and the good & bad about VCs Kair Käsper and Martin Kõiva are co-founders of the Klaus app - a conversation review and QA platform for support teams used by globally known names such as Wolt, SoundCloud, Epic Games. They have known each other for more than 20 years, have run several business ventures together as well as both have the ex-Pipedrive tag on their resumes.

In our first-ever 2-on-2 episode we discuss the challenges startups face in customer service quality assurance, cover best/worst practices as well as talk about the overall value of investments into customer support. We also talk about creating a business from scratch, raising seed funding, and the “Pipedrive effect”

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:00] - INTRO AND THE ORIGINS OF KLAUS

  • Doing business together for 20 years
  • The idea of Klaus coming out from Pipedrive customer service experience
  • Main challenges if customer service that started the company

[07:00] - ON CUSTOMER SERVICE BEST/WORST PRACTICES & MAIN CHALLENGES

  • How to measure the quality of customer support communication
  • What should companies pay attention to in CS QA
  • The benefits of doing CS QA at all
  • “No bad conversations”
  • Mistakes companies make in CS
  • Best quality agents are counterintuitively also the fastest
  • Types of QA processes companies employ
  • Peer review as a common form of QA

[17:40] - FIND OUT WHAT BOTH THE PORN INDUSTRY AND CHURCHES HAVE IN COMMON

  • Hint - they care about their customer experience

[20:20] - 40% OF CONTACTS COME FROM TRIAL CUSTOMERS

  • CS as part of sales to trial customers
  • Looking at CS as a revenue vs. cost center
  • Customers don’t care about your org chart, all interactions matter

[25:30] -  ON BUILDING A STARTUP & STILL WORKING IN PARALLEL

  • Is it possible to build a product/business on the side?
  • Finding a balance for product readiness and live customers
  • Scrappy beginnings and getting first paying customer
  • Switching from side project to main business

[29:35] -  STORY ON ‘ACCIDENTALLY’ GIVING DISCOUNT TO THE FIRST CUSTOMER

[31:15] - ON RAISING SEED INVESTMENT & GOOD / BAD THINGS ABOUT VCs

  • Raising while not working full time
  • Finding a champion-investor
  • Bad encounters with top tier VCs

[37:45] – ON THE PIPEDRIVE EFFECT

  • Effect of Pipedrive experience on fundraising
  • School of company building
  • Pipedrive founder support for employee startups
  • Concrete lessons from the Pipedrive experience
  • Get good people on board even if not hiring
  • Hire slowly and test for values

 {43:05] - ON BEING A REMOTE-FIRST COMPANY ‘BEFORE IT WAS COOL’

  • Main motivation to hire globally
  • Team diversity

To reach out to Kair and Martin use:

Linkedin Kair: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kair/ 

Linkedin Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkoiva/  

Website: https://www.klausapp.com/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Kair Käsper and Martin Kõiva are co-founders of the Klaus app - a conversation review and QA platform for support teams used by globally known names such as Wolt, SoundCloud, Epic Games. They have known each other for more than 20 years, have run several business ventures together as well as both have the ex-Pipedrive tag on their resumes.

In our first-ever 2-on-2 episode we discuss the challenges startups face in customer service quality assurance, cover best/worst practices as well as talk about the overall value of investments into customer support. We also talk about creating a business from scratch, raising seed funding, and the “Pipedrive effect”

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:00] - INTRO AND THE ORIGINS OF KLAUS

  • Doing business together for 20 years
  • The idea of Klaus coming out from Pipedrive customer service experience
  • Main challenges if customer service that started the company

[07:00] - ON CUSTOMER SERVICE BEST/WORST PRACTICES & MAIN CHALLENGES

  • How to measure the quality of customer support communication
  • What should companies pay attention to in CS QA
  • The benefits of doing CS QA at all
  • “No bad conversations”
  • Mistakes companies make in CS
  • Best quality agents are counterintuitively also the fastest
  • Types of QA processes companies employ
  • Peer review as a common form of QA

[17:40] - FIND OUT WHAT BOTH THE PORN INDUSTRY AND CHURCHES HAVE IN COMMON

  • Hint - they care about their customer experience

[20:20] - 40% OF CONTACTS COME FROM TRIAL CUSTOMERS

  • CS as part of sales to trial customers
  • Looking at CS as a revenue vs. cost center
  • Customers don’t care about your org chart, all interactions matter

[25:30] -  ON BUILDING A STARTUP & STILL WORKING IN PARALLEL

  • Is it possible to build a product/business on the side?
  • Finding a balance for product readiness and live customers
  • Scrappy beginnings and getting first paying customer
  • Switching from side project to main business

[29:35] -  STORY ON ‘ACCIDENTALLY’ GIVING DISCOUNT TO THE FIRST CUSTOMER

[31:15] - ON RAISING SEED INVESTMENT & GOOD / BAD THINGS ABOUT VCs

  • Raising while not working full time
  • Finding a champion-investor
  • Bad encounters with top tier VCs

[37:45] – ON THE PIPEDRIVE EFFECT

  • Effect of Pipedrive experience on fundraising
  • School of company building
  • Pipedrive founder support for employee startups
  • Concrete lessons from the Pipedrive experience
  • Get good people on board even if not hiring
  • Hire slowly and test for values

 {43:05] - ON BEING A REMOTE-FIRST COMPANY ‘BEFORE IT WAS COOL’

  • Main motivation to hire globally
  • Team diversity

To reach out to Kair and Martin use:

Linkedin Kair: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kair/ 

Linkedin Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkoiva/  

Website: https://www.klausapp.com/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9594813 Tue, 23 Nov 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2727 Klaus, Martin Koiva, Kair Kasper, Estonia, Estonian Startup, Baltic Startup, Pipedrive 1 38 full true #37 Marek Unt 🇪🇪 (Grünfin, ex-Wise, Bolt). “The PR Special” on what makes Elon Musk newsworthy, and how to build personal brand, measure PR ROI & leverage fundraising announcements #37 Marek Unt 🇪🇪 (Grünfin, ex-Wise, Bolt). “The PR Special” on what makes Elon Musk newsworthy, and how to build personal brand, measure PR ROI & leverage fundraising announcements Marek Unt is one of the most seasoned tech PR professionals in the Baltics who has worked for 4 of Estonia’s Unicorns. He served in senior PR & Communications roles at Wise and Bolt having tenured at Skype and Playtech prior to that as well. Currently, Marek is CMO of Grünfin, a sustainable investment platform.

In this episode, we discuss the role of PR for tech companies as well as the impact the founder has on building successful PR. We also talk about starting up PR at your company, building personal brands,  measuring ROI on PR initiatives, and the specifics of fundraising-related PR.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - INTRO AND THE ROLE OF PR FOR TECH COMPANIES

  • PR as a guild of craftsmen
  • The role of PR for tech companies

[06:20] - B2B VS B2C PR

  • B2B vs B2C PR
  • The newsworthiness of a business/product
  • What industries do journalists want to write about today
  • Getting your message heard

[16:55] - ON FOUNDER PR INVOLVEMENT

  • Talent vs. preparation
  • How Bolt and Wise founders emphasize their core messaging in interviews

[21:50] - ON STARTING PR FOR YOUR COMPANY

  • Getting first breakthrough PR piece
  • Luck vs. grind
  • Months of work behind the scenes to get into the New York Times
  • Importing outside knowledge through PR agencies

[25:45] -  BUILDING PERSONAL BRANDS TO PROMOTE COMPANY

  • The phenomenon of Elon Musk - authenticity
  • People like to follow people, not companies
  • #buildinginpublic
  • Is it worth building a personal Twitter presence?
  • How much work goes into tweets, concise messaging

[32:35] - ON MEASURING ROI ON PR ACTIVITIES

  • ROI in a marketing sense
  • Define what you want to achieve with PR
  • Other types of ROI
  • Use SWOT analysis to plan your PR efforts
  • Journalists are not obliged to share your story

[40:55] – PR FOR FUNDRAISING

  • Fundraising provides a rare and timely news hook/milestone
  • How to make the most out of that opportunity

 

To reach out to Marek use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marekunt/

Twitter: @mrknt

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Marek is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Marek Unt is one of the most seasoned tech PR professionals in the Baltics who has worked for 4 of Estonia’s Unicorns. He served in senior PR & Communications roles at Wise and Bolt having tenured at Skype and Playtech prior to that as well. Currently, Marek is CMO of Grünfin, a sustainable investment platform.

In this episode, we discuss the role of PR for tech companies as well as the impact the founder has on building successful PR. We also talk about starting up PR at your company, building personal brands,  measuring ROI on PR initiatives, and the specifics of fundraising-related PR.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - INTRO AND THE ROLE OF PR FOR TECH COMPANIES

  • PR as a guild of craftsmen
  • The role of PR for tech companies

[06:20] - B2B VS B2C PR

  • B2B vs B2C PR
  • The newsworthiness of a business/product
  • What industries do journalists want to write about today
  • Getting your message heard

[16:55] - ON FOUNDER PR INVOLVEMENT

  • Talent vs. preparation
  • How Bolt and Wise founders emphasize their core messaging in interviews

[21:50] - ON STARTING PR FOR YOUR COMPANY

  • Getting first breakthrough PR piece
  • Luck vs. grind
  • Months of work behind the scenes to get into the New York Times
  • Importing outside knowledge through PR agencies

[25:45] -  BUILDING PERSONAL BRANDS TO PROMOTE COMPANY

  • The phenomenon of Elon Musk - authenticity
  • People like to follow people, not companies
  • #buildinginpublic
  • Is it worth building a personal Twitter presence?
  • How much work goes into tweets, concise messaging

[32:35] - ON MEASURING ROI ON PR ACTIVITIES

  • ROI in a marketing sense
  • Define what you want to achieve with PR
  • Other types of ROI
  • Use SWOT analysis to plan your PR efforts
  • Journalists are not obliged to share your story

[40:55] – PR FOR FUNDRAISING

  • Fundraising provides a rare and timely news hook/milestone
  • How to make the most out of that opportunity

 

To reach out to Marek use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marekunt/

Twitter: @mrknt

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Marek is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9553732 Tue, 16 Nov 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2678 PR, Marek Unt, Startup PR, Tech PR, Transferwise, Wise, Bolt, Communications, Startup, Baltic Startup, Estonia, Estonian Startup 1 37 full false #36 James Berdigans 🇱🇻 (Printify) on record Series A, conquering the US, making connections that enable life-changing opportunities & impressing investors with scrappiness #36 James Berdigans 🇱🇻 (Printify) on record Series A, conquering the US, making connections that enable life-changing opportunities & impressing investors with scrappiness James Berdigans is the CEO and Co-founder of Printify - a print-on-demand platform that helps you create and sell custom products. An alumnus of 500 startups and one of the leaders of the Latvian startup community, Printify just raised a whopping 45mUSD series A round to build on their growth in the US and expand in other markets.

In this episode, we talk about the origins of Printify and the rise of the on-demand printing industry as well as starting a business in the US from Latvia. James also shares his scrappy stories of partnering with Shopify, meeting his co-founders, and getting into 500 startups. Finally, we discuss the Silicon Valley investor community and the timing of your series A round.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:50] - THE ORIGINS OF PRINTIFY

  • Building on previous venture successes and failures
  • Learning from painful mistakes
  • What does Printify do

[05:20] - WHY ON-DEMAND PRINTING INDUSTRY IS HOT

  • Democratization of content creation and product design

[07:15] - ON STARTING A COMPANY ON THE US MARKET FROM LATVIA

  • The attractiveness of the US market
  • Benefits of building a US company from Latvia
  • Running a lean and efficient digital sales organization
  • Supporting sales with content marketing
  • Finding one channel to acquire customers without a budget

[12:40] -STORY HOW JAMES PITCHED TO SHOPIFY

  • Hustle in Canada leads to a fruitful partnership

[16:45] -  ON GETTING ACCESS TO THE SILICON VALLEY INVESTOR COMMUNITY

  • Using 3F’s to kickstart the company
  • Raising your first investment from your accountant!
  • Getting into 500 startups
  • Finding your investor-champion

[22:10] ON BEING BE SCRAPPY & EARNING YOUR LUCK

  • Be scrappy! Doing more with less capital
  • Story of meeting co-founders
  • Definition of luck
  • You will get a lot of ‘No’s. but you only need one ‘Yes’
  • Bonus: story how Pursuit of Scrappiness got its name

[30:20] - ON TIMING YOUR SERIES A

  • Marshmallow test for founders - are companies raising too much too early?
  • Having Richard Branson and Will Smith among investors
  • How to select the right investors

[36:40] - ON ANGEL INVESTING

  • A busy Founder/CEO must have priorities straight
  • Angel investors will introduce you to their network

To reach out to James use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berdigans/

Website: https://printify.com

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with James is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> James Berdigans is the CEO and Co-founder of Printify - a print-on-demand platform that helps you create and sell custom products. An alumnus of 500 startups and one of the leaders of the Latvian startup community, Printify just raised a whopping 45mUSD series A round to build on their growth in the US and expand in other markets.

In this episode, we talk about the origins of Printify and the rise of the on-demand printing industry as well as starting a business in the US from Latvia. James also shares his scrappy stories of partnering with Shopify, meeting his co-founders, and getting into 500 startups. Finally, we discuss the Silicon Valley investor community and the timing of your series A round.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:50] - THE ORIGINS OF PRINTIFY

  • Building on previous venture successes and failures
  • Learning from painful mistakes
  • What does Printify do

[05:20] - WHY ON-DEMAND PRINTING INDUSTRY IS HOT

  • Democratization of content creation and product design

[07:15] - ON STARTING A COMPANY ON THE US MARKET FROM LATVIA

  • The attractiveness of the US market
  • Benefits of building a US company from Latvia
  • Running a lean and efficient digital sales organization
  • Supporting sales with content marketing
  • Finding one channel to acquire customers without a budget

[12:40] -STORY HOW JAMES PITCHED TO SHOPIFY

  • Hustle in Canada leads to a fruitful partnership

[16:45] -  ON GETTING ACCESS TO THE SILICON VALLEY INVESTOR COMMUNITY

  • Using 3F’s to kickstart the company
  • Raising your first investment from your accountant!
  • Getting into 500 startups
  • Finding your investor-champion

[22:10] ON BEING BE SCRAPPY & EARNING YOUR LUCK

  • Be scrappy! Doing more with less capital
  • Story of meeting co-founders
  • Definition of luck
  • You will get a lot of ‘No’s. but you only need one ‘Yes’
  • Bonus: story how Pursuit of Scrappiness got its name

[30:20] - ON TIMING YOUR SERIES A

  • Marshmallow test for founders - are companies raising too much too early?
  • Having Richard Branson and Will Smith among investors
  • How to select the right investors

[36:40] - ON ANGEL INVESTING

  • A busy Founder/CEO must have priorities straight
  • Angel investors will introduce you to their network

To reach out to James use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berdigans/

Website: https://printify.com

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with James is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9512850 Tue, 09 Nov 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2648 James Berdigans, Printify, Startup, Latvian startup, Baltics, Print on-demand, fundraising, scrappiness 1 36 full true #35 Andres Anijalg 🇪🇪 (Roofit.solar) on competing with Tesla, creating market category for solar roofs, fundraising €6.4M and importance of not giving up in Climate Tech #35 Andres Anijalg 🇪🇪 (Roofit.solar) on competing with Tesla, creating market category for solar roofs, fundraising €6.4M and importance of not giving up in Climate Tech Andres Anijalg is the co-founder and COO of Roofit.Solar, producer of solar roofs that look like a regular roof. The Estonia-based company recently raised a 6.4mEUR series A to fund the transformation in roof building from a cost to an investment.

In this episode, we discuss the revolutionary product of Roofit.solar and its various applications. We dig deeper into the aspects of running a hardware-intensive clean energy business as well as selling a high-cost product that the consumers are not aware of. Finally, we talk about the ClimateTech industry trends and promise for a climate-neutral future.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:00] - THE PROBLEM ROOFIT.SOLAR IS SOLVING

  • Debunking myths about solar energy
  • Inventing and designing solar panels that look like a regular roof
  • The challenge of getting enough power for your home + to charge your Tesla
  • Opportunity to earn money from selling excess power to the grid
  • Achieving year-round energy neutrality for your house

[09:50] - FUNDRAISING IN CLEAN ENERGY BUSINESS

  • Finding financing for creating a production line
  • Investors starting to overcome hardware stigma due to the cleantech impact
  • The opportunity in the European solar market

[13:30] - MARKETING AND SALES

  • Selling power instead of selling roofs and striving for the roof as a service
  • Best sales channels for a high-cost product
  • Competing with Tesla Solar roofs

[21:00] DEFINING A NEW PRODUCT CATEGORY IN MARKET

  • Customer value proposition - how fast it pays off?
  • Rising prices in the energy market benefit solar startups
  • Creating a new category in the market
  • Challenges of selling a product that nobody is aware of
  • Rise of home batteries
  • The use case for connecting the car to the grid

[29:50] - ADVICE TO OTHER FOUNDERS

  • The climate tech community is becoming more and more active
  • Advice to other Climate Tech startups - hold on till your moment comes

[33:10] - ON CLIMATE TECH FUTURE IN BALTICS

  • Will Baltics become energy neutral in the nearest future? Yes.
  • Closing remarks

 

To reach out to Andres use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andres-anijalg/

Email: andres@roofit.solar 


Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Andres Anijalg is the co-founder and COO of Roofit.Solar, producer of solar roofs that look like a regular roof. The Estonia-based company recently raised a 6.4mEUR series A to fund the transformation in roof building from a cost to an investment.

In this episode, we discuss the revolutionary product of Roofit.solar and its various applications. We dig deeper into the aspects of running a hardware-intensive clean energy business as well as selling a high-cost product that the consumers are not aware of. Finally, we talk about the ClimateTech industry trends and promise for a climate-neutral future.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:00] - THE PROBLEM ROOFIT.SOLAR IS SOLVING

  • Debunking myths about solar energy
  • Inventing and designing solar panels that look like a regular roof
  • The challenge of getting enough power for your home + to charge your Tesla
  • Opportunity to earn money from selling excess power to the grid
  • Achieving year-round energy neutrality for your house

[09:50] - FUNDRAISING IN CLEAN ENERGY BUSINESS

  • Finding financing for creating a production line
  • Investors starting to overcome hardware stigma due to the cleantech impact
  • The opportunity in the European solar market

[13:30] - MARKETING AND SALES

  • Selling power instead of selling roofs and striving for the roof as a service
  • Best sales channels for a high-cost product
  • Competing with Tesla Solar roofs

[21:00] DEFINING A NEW PRODUCT CATEGORY IN MARKET

  • Customer value proposition - how fast it pays off?
  • Rising prices in the energy market benefit solar startups
  • Creating a new category in the market
  • Challenges of selling a product that nobody is aware of
  • Rise of home batteries
  • The use case for connecting the car to the grid

[29:50] - ADVICE TO OTHER FOUNDERS

  • The climate tech community is becoming more and more active
  • Advice to other Climate Tech startups - hold on till your moment comes

[33:10] - ON CLIMATE TECH FUTURE IN BALTICS

  • Will Baltics become energy neutral in the nearest future? Yes.
  • Closing remarks

 

To reach out to Andres use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andres-anijalg/

Email: andres@roofit.solar 


Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9473096 Tue, 02 Nov 2021 04:00:00 +0200 2389 Andres Anijalg, Roofit.solar, solar energy, climate tech, Estonia, Startup Estonia, Fundraising 1 35 full true #34 Gerri Kodres 🇪🇪 (United Angels VC) on investments in Bolt & Veriff, how investor’s mind works and what mistakes do founders make when approaching VCs #34 Gerri Kodres 🇪🇪 (United Angels VC) on investments in Bolt & Veriff, how investor’s mind works and what mistakes do founders make when approaching VCs Gerri Kodres is a founding partner at United Angels VC and has been a tech investor for more than 10 years with investments in such companies as Bolt, Veriff, Comodule, Monese, Starship, and many others. Alongside that, he spent almost 10 years with Fortumo as a chief business officer and advisor signing clients such as Google, Netflix, and Spotify.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into tech investing by covering the investment landscape in the Baltics, the roles and responsibilities of a tech investor, the skills to look out for both in founders and investors as well as the timing of investments. We also go ‘behind the scenes in some of Gerri’s investment gems - Bolt and Veriff - to find out how they have struggled and found success.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:00] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF UNITED ANGELS VC

  • Advantage of VC vs. angel investing - more money to do follow-on investments

[18:30] - UNDERSTANDING  TECH INVESTING LANDSCAPE IN BALTICS

  • Competition in the tech investing market in the Baltics
  • FOMO and herd investing
  • Timing the right stage to invest
  • Managing founder relationships when also saying “no”
  • The investor is never in charge
  • Helping struggling portfolio companies
  • Missing out on deals

[29:00] - HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF SUCCESSFUL WITH INVESTORS

  • What to look for in founders
  • What mistakes do founders make when approaching investors
  • Skills for a successful tech investor
  • How to test for BD skills in founders
  • Depth of involvement for investors in different phases

[48:30] -  BEHIND THE SCENES - INVESTMENTS IN BOLT AND VERIFF

  • Bolt
    • Cutting out the taxi companies
    • Conquering Africa
    • Preparing for an IPO
    • Europe’s first super app
    • Not a winner takes all market
  • Veriff
    • Backing a young founder
    • Fixing a broken cap table
    • Finding success in Y-Combinator

[1:02:40] - CURRENT FOUNDER PROFILE IN BALTICS

  • Current demographics of founders on the market
  • 3rd generation of startups
  • Positive outlook for the Baltics

To reach out to Gerri use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerrikodres/

Website: https://unitedangels.vc/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Gerri is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> Gerri Kodres is a founding partner at United Angels VC and has been a tech investor for more than 10 years with investments in such companies as Bolt, Veriff, Comodule, Monese, Starship, and many others. Alongside that, he spent almost 10 years with Fortumo as a chief business officer and advisor signing clients such as Google, Netflix, and Spotify.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into tech investing by covering the investment landscape in the Baltics, the roles and responsibilities of a tech investor, the skills to look out for both in founders and investors as well as the timing of investments. We also go ‘behind the scenes in some of Gerri’s investment gems - Bolt and Veriff - to find out how they have struggled and found success.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:00] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF UNITED ANGELS VC

  • Advantage of VC vs. angel investing - more money to do follow-on investments

[18:30] - UNDERSTANDING  TECH INVESTING LANDSCAPE IN BALTICS

  • Competition in the tech investing market in the Baltics
  • FOMO and herd investing
  • Timing the right stage to invest
  • Managing founder relationships when also saying “no”
  • The investor is never in charge
  • Helping struggling portfolio companies
  • Missing out on deals

[29:00] - HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF SUCCESSFUL WITH INVESTORS

  • What to look for in founders
  • What mistakes do founders make when approaching investors
  • Skills for a successful tech investor
  • How to test for BD skills in founders
  • Depth of involvement for investors in different phases

[48:30] -  BEHIND THE SCENES - INVESTMENTS IN BOLT AND VERIFF

  • Bolt
    • Cutting out the taxi companies
    • Conquering Africa
    • Preparing for an IPO
    • Europe’s first super app
    • Not a winner takes all market
  • Veriff
    • Backing a young founder
    • Fixing a broken cap table
    • Finding success in Y-Combinator

[1:02:40] - CURRENT FOUNDER PROFILE IN BALTICS

  • Current demographics of founders on the market
  • 3rd generation of startups
  • Positive outlook for the Baltics

To reach out to Gerri use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerrikodres/

Website: https://unitedangels.vc/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Gerri is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9427353 Tue, 26 Oct 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4319 Gerri Kodres, United Angels VC, VC, Estonia, Startup, Baltics, Baltic Startup, Estonia Startup, Bolt, Veriff 1 34 full true #33 Henrikas Urbonas 🇱🇹 (Interactio) on scaling 12x, raising largest Series A in Baltics, interpreting meetings for world’s leaders and making yourself attractive to investors #33 Henrikas Urbonas 🇱🇹 (Interactio) on scaling 12x, raising largest Series A in Baltics, interpreting meetings for world’s leaders and making yourself attractive to investors Henrikas Urbonas is the CEO and Co-founder of Interactio - your ultimate multilingual meetings solution. Interactio announced a record-setting 30mUSD series A round on the back of explosive growth during the pandemic and being the interpretation platform for such global organizations as the UN, the EU, Microsoft, Google, and many many other global governments and corporate brands.

In this episode, we discuss the seven years old “overnight success” of Interaction, its mission, and product. We discuss challenges in explosive scaling and doing business with global public sector organizations. Henrikas also shares his lessons and findings from their massive round fundraising process.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:20] - INTRODUCTION

[06:00] -  ON INTERACTIO MISSION, PRODUCT AND BUSINESS MODEL

  • The product pivot journey
  • Solving tough technological challenges
  • Finding product-market fit
  • The mission of Interactio
  • The product and business model of Interactio
  • Doing business with the biggest international organizations (EU, UN, etc.)
  • Leveraging an unconventional sales network for B2B - the church

[34:00] - ON EXPLOSIVE SCALING

  • Prioritization of business development opportunities
  • Escalation of the company development due to the pandemic
  • Scaling challenges during the pandemic
  • Lessons from mistakes made during explosive growth
  • Hiring the right team

[48:00] - ON SERIES A FUNDRAISING

  • Planning the Series A fundraise
  • Funding the pandemic growth from revenue
  • Key elements that helped convince the investors
  • Choosing the right investors to speak to
  • Creating investor FOMO
  • Hiring dedicated fundraising team for Series A raising
  • Challenging the investors if they are a good fit
  • Importance of mentors and peers
  • Maintaining investor relationships throughout different stages in the company
  • The outlook for Interactio and the live interpretation industry

To reach out to Henrikas use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrikasurbonas/

Website: https://www.interactio.io/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Henrikas is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Henrikas Urbonas is the CEO and Co-founder of Interactio - your ultimate multilingual meetings solution. Interactio announced a record-setting 30mUSD series A round on the back of explosive growth during the pandemic and being the interpretation platform for such global organizations as the UN, the EU, Microsoft, Google, and many many other global governments and corporate brands.

In this episode, we discuss the seven years old “overnight success” of Interaction, its mission, and product. We discuss challenges in explosive scaling and doing business with global public sector organizations. Henrikas also shares his lessons and findings from their massive round fundraising process.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:20] - INTRODUCTION

[06:00] -  ON INTERACTIO MISSION, PRODUCT AND BUSINESS MODEL

  • The product pivot journey
  • Solving tough technological challenges
  • Finding product-market fit
  • The mission of Interactio
  • The product and business model of Interactio
  • Doing business with the biggest international organizations (EU, UN, etc.)
  • Leveraging an unconventional sales network for B2B - the church

[34:00] - ON EXPLOSIVE SCALING

  • Prioritization of business development opportunities
  • Escalation of the company development due to the pandemic
  • Scaling challenges during the pandemic
  • Lessons from mistakes made during explosive growth
  • Hiring the right team

[48:00] - ON SERIES A FUNDRAISING

  • Planning the Series A fundraise
  • Funding the pandemic growth from revenue
  • Key elements that helped convince the investors
  • Choosing the right investors to speak to
  • Creating investor FOMO
  • Hiring dedicated fundraising team for Series A raising
  • Challenging the investors if they are a good fit
  • Importance of mentors and peers
  • Maintaining investor relationships throughout different stages in the company
  • The outlook for Interactio and the live interpretation industry

To reach out to Henrikas use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrikasurbonas/

Website: https://www.interactio.io/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Henrikas is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9389516 Tue, 19 Oct 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4484 Henrikas Urbonas, Interactio, Lituania, Lithuanian Startups, Baltic startups, Fundraising, VC, Investment, Scaling, Growth 1 33 full true #32 - Martin Tajur 🇪🇪 (Honey Badger Capital, Pipedrive) on success factors in raising a unicorn, hard things entrepreneurs must be prepared for and lessons in angel investing #32 - Martin Tajur 🇪🇪 (Honey Badger Capital, Pipedrive) on success factors in raising a unicorn, hard things entrepreneurs must be prepared for and lessons in angel investing Martin Tajur is an angel investor, partner at Honey Badger Capital as well as a co-founder and ex-CTO of one of the most successful sales CRM companies globally - Pipedrive. 

In our first interview with a unicorn founder, we talk about the origins of Pipedrive,  growing it into a billion-dollar company, and the evolution of the role of the founder as the company grows. We also dig deeper into the hard things about growing a business. Finally, we talk about angel investing and its benefits for companies and investors. 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:20] - INTRODUCTION 

  • Learning how not to do a startup from own experience
  • Is it possible to start a successful company not working full time
  • Skype post-acquisition

[10:40] -  ON PIPEDRIVE AND RAISING A UNICORN

  • Confidence in the product to compete in a crowded space
  • Product simplicity and usability
  • The role of the founder when scaling a startup
  • Keys to success when growing a startup
  • Job interview tips
  • Letting go of responsibilities
  • Acquiring other startups as a growth strategy
  • Do the founders have a say in a unicorn level exit

[31:30] - ON HARD THINGS IN BUILDING A COMPANY

  • Maintaining focus
  • Keeping the company afloat financially in an early stage
  • Agreeing between founders on responsibilities and equity
  • Hire slow, fire fast
  • What to do if a manager cannot keep up with the growth of the company
  • Dealing with strategy misalignment between founders and investors

[49:10] - ON ANGEL INVESTING

  • What it takes to start angel investing
  • How fast you should build up your angel portfolio
  • What angels should bring to the table besides money
  • What do angels get out of the investments besides return
  • How to find the right angel for your business

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Martin is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 


Support the show

]]> Martin Tajur is an angel investor, partner at Honey Badger Capital as well as a co-founder and ex-CTO of one of the most successful sales CRM companies globally - Pipedrive. 

In our first interview with a unicorn founder, we talk about the origins of Pipedrive,  growing it into a billion-dollar company, and the evolution of the role of the founder as the company grows. We also dig deeper into the hard things about growing a business. Finally, we talk about angel investing and its benefits for companies and investors. 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:20] - INTRODUCTION 

  • Learning how not to do a startup from own experience
  • Is it possible to start a successful company not working full time
  • Skype post-acquisition

[10:40] -  ON PIPEDRIVE AND RAISING A UNICORN

  • Confidence in the product to compete in a crowded space
  • Product simplicity and usability
  • The role of the founder when scaling a startup
  • Keys to success when growing a startup
  • Job interview tips
  • Letting go of responsibilities
  • Acquiring other startups as a growth strategy
  • Do the founders have a say in a unicorn level exit

[31:30] - ON HARD THINGS IN BUILDING A COMPANY

  • Maintaining focus
  • Keeping the company afloat financially in an early stage
  • Agreeing between founders on responsibilities and equity
  • Hire slow, fire fast
  • What to do if a manager cannot keep up with the growth of the company
  • Dealing with strategy misalignment between founders and investors

[49:10] - ON ANGEL INVESTING

  • What it takes to start angel investing
  • How fast you should build up your angel portfolio
  • What angels should bring to the table besides money
  • What do angels get out of the investments besides return
  • How to find the right angel for your business

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Martin is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9349895 Tue, 12 Oct 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4048 Martin Tajur, Pipedrive, Honey Badger Capital, Estonia, Estonian startups, Baltic startups, Angel investing, Hard thing about hard things, Investing, Hiring 1 32 full true #31 - Eimantas Bekeza 🇱🇹 (Memby) on turning passion for education into a VC backed startup, the future of learning, and how to validate new ideas and markets with lean methods #31 - Eimantas Bekeza 🇱🇹 (Memby) on turning passion for education into a VC backed startup, the future of learning, and how to validate new ideas and markets with lean methods Eimantas Bekeza is the CEO & Co-founder of Memby, an after-school learning platform that provides top-tier tutoring at a fraction of the cost of private tutors. Eimantas is also a “superstar tutor” himself having tutored since 8th grade and has turned his passion for teaching into an exciting startup.

In this episode, we talk about the origins of Memby and building an EdTech business as well as the development of the EdTech industry as such. We go deeper into what makes a learning experience effective and paint a picture of how the future classroom will look like. 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:30] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF MEMBY

  • Turning personal teaching passion into a business
  • Technological differences between countries globally and within Europe
  • What is a superstar tutor
  • Interaction as the key for quality learning
  • Raising the prestige and income for the teacher profession

[16:45] - ON BUILDING AN EDTECH PRODUCT

  • Using Facebook Live for the first proof of concept
  • Picking markets for geographical expansion
  • Scaling challenges 
  • Defining a business model
  • Sharing the financial benefits of scale with the teachers
  • Dealing with seasonality in the business
  • Using mentors and accelerators 

[36:30] - ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDTECH AND FUTURE OF LEARNING

  • Different learning models fit different people
  • Blended online/offline model for the future
  • Using the workshop format for school education
  • The politicization of the educational system
  • Role of new technologies in learning
  • Disadvantages of learning online
  • Gamification of learning
  • Creating content for different learning types
  • Adding more freedom of choice for students
  • The future for Memby

To reach out to Eimantas/Memby use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eimantas-bekeza/

Website: https://karjera.digiklase.lt/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Eimantas is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> Eimantas Bekeza is the CEO & Co-founder of Memby, an after-school learning platform that provides top-tier tutoring at a fraction of the cost of private tutors. Eimantas is also a “superstar tutor” himself having tutored since 8th grade and has turned his passion for teaching into an exciting startup.

In this episode, we talk about the origins of Memby and building an EdTech business as well as the development of the EdTech industry as such. We go deeper into what makes a learning experience effective and paint a picture of how the future classroom will look like. 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:30] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF MEMBY

  • Turning personal teaching passion into a business
  • Technological differences between countries globally and within Europe
  • What is a superstar tutor
  • Interaction as the key for quality learning
  • Raising the prestige and income for the teacher profession

[16:45] - ON BUILDING AN EDTECH PRODUCT

  • Using Facebook Live for the first proof of concept
  • Picking markets for geographical expansion
  • Scaling challenges 
  • Defining a business model
  • Sharing the financial benefits of scale with the teachers
  • Dealing with seasonality in the business
  • Using mentors and accelerators 

[36:30] - ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDTECH AND FUTURE OF LEARNING

  • Different learning models fit different people
  • Blended online/offline model for the future
  • Using the workshop format for school education
  • The politicization of the educational system
  • Role of new technologies in learning
  • Disadvantages of learning online
  • Gamification of learning
  • Creating content for different learning types
  • Adding more freedom of choice for students
  • The future for Memby

To reach out to Eimantas/Memby use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eimantas-bekeza/

Website: https://karjera.digiklase.lt/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Eimantas is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-9311305 Tue, 05 Oct 2021 04:00:00 +0300 3684 Eimantas Bekeza, Memby, Digiklase, EdTech, Lithuania, Lithuanian Startup, Baltic Startup, Education, Future of education, Startup, Entrepreneurship, Baltics 1 31 full true #30 - Martins Sulte 🇱🇻 (Mintos) on building Europe’s largest loan marketplace, pre-requisites of successful crowdfunding and road to becoming a licensed investment firm #30 - Martins Sulte 🇱🇻 (Mintos) on building Europe’s largest loan marketplace, pre-requisites of successful crowdfunding and road to becoming a licensed investment firm Martins Sulte is the co-founder and CEO of Mintos marketplace. Mintos is the leading loan investment platform in continental Europe with more than 7bn EUR of loans funded. Recently Mintos ran a successful crowdfunding campaign, netting around 7mEUR from its community. On top of that, they have just announced receiving an investment broker license from Latvian finance watchdog FKTK.

In this episode, we talk about the evolution of the Mintos product and the P2P lending/loan investment platform industry as such. We also cover what it takes to run a successful crowdfunding campaign. Finally, we talk about the Mintos achievement of securing an investment broker license and the state and outlook of the Latvian financial services market

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:20] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF MINTOS

[06:00] - ON MINTOS PRODUCT AND THE P2P LENDING INDUSTRY

  • The chicken and egg problem of supply/demand for a marketplace
  • Growth opportunities within the industry
  • The majority of people in Europe are not investing as a whole
  • Building a great product as the main customer acquisition tool
  • The evolution of the P2P lending industry
  • Education of the retail investor base
  • The role of crypto in the lending and investing markets

[26:00] - ON CROWDFUNDING AS AN ALTERNATIVE FUNDING METHOD

  • Considerations for choosing crowdfunding as a fundraising method
  • Structuring a crowdfund
  • Pre-requisites for successful crowdfunding
  • Liquidity of crowdfunding investments
  • VC investment environment in European Fintech
  • Secondary markets for crowdfunding investors
  • Impact on the company of publicly traded “private shares”

[39:25] - ON GETTING INVESTMENT BROKER LICENCE AND THE LATVIAN FINANCIAL MARKET OUTLOOK

  • The regulatory status of P2P lending over the years
  • Considerations for obtaining an investment broker license
  • Peculiarities of working  with the Latvian regulator
  • PR of the national financial sector
  • Evolution of the fintech and general tech space in Latvia
  • Availability of talent
  • Promising areas of Fintech
  • What’s next for Mintos

To reach out to Martins use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinssulte/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Martins is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 



Support the show

]]> Martins Sulte is the co-founder and CEO of Mintos marketplace. Mintos is the leading loan investment platform in continental Europe with more than 7bn EUR of loans funded. Recently Mintos ran a successful crowdfunding campaign, netting around 7mEUR from its community. On top of that, they have just announced receiving an investment broker license from Latvian finance watchdog FKTK.

In this episode, we talk about the evolution of the Mintos product and the P2P lending/loan investment platform industry as such. We also cover what it takes to run a successful crowdfunding campaign. Finally, we talk about the Mintos achievement of securing an investment broker license and the state and outlook of the Latvian financial services market

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:20] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF MINTOS

[06:00] - ON MINTOS PRODUCT AND THE P2P LENDING INDUSTRY

  • The chicken and egg problem of supply/demand for a marketplace
  • Growth opportunities within the industry
  • The majority of people in Europe are not investing as a whole
  • Building a great product as the main customer acquisition tool
  • The evolution of the P2P lending industry
  • Education of the retail investor base
  • The role of crypto in the lending and investing markets

[26:00] - ON CROWDFUNDING AS AN ALTERNATIVE FUNDING METHOD

  • Considerations for choosing crowdfunding as a fundraising method
  • Structuring a crowdfund
  • Pre-requisites for successful crowdfunding
  • Liquidity of crowdfunding investments
  • VC investment environment in European Fintech
  • Secondary markets for crowdfunding investors
  • Impact on the company of publicly traded “private shares”

[39:25] - ON GETTING INVESTMENT BROKER LICENCE AND THE LATVIAN FINANCIAL MARKET OUTLOOK

  • The regulatory status of P2P lending over the years
  • Considerations for obtaining an investment broker license
  • Peculiarities of working  with the Latvian regulator
  • PR of the national financial sector
  • Evolution of the fintech and general tech space in Latvia
  • Availability of talent
  • Promising areas of Fintech
  • What’s next for Mintos

To reach out to Martins use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinssulte/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Martins is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9268999 Tue, 28 Sep 2021 04:00:00 +0300 3775 Martins Sulte, Mintos, P2P, Crowdfunding, Baltic startups, Latvia, lending, Marketiplace, Investment Licence, Startup podcast 1 30 full true #29 Merit Valdsalu 🇪🇪 (Single.Earth) on Climate Tech opportunities, raising $7.9M to tokenize world’s forests and lessons learned in Pipedrive #29 Merit Valdsalu 🇪🇪 (Single.Earth) on Climate Tech opportunities, raising $7.9M to tokenize world’s forests and lessons learned in Pipedrive Merit Valdsalu is the Co-founder and CEO of Single.Earth, a revolutionary blockchain-based ecosystem of earth’s carbon sequestration and biodiversity monitoring, tokenization, and trade. Before starting this highly ambitious project, Merit led localization efforts at the Estonian unicorn Pipedrive.

In this fascinating conversation, we talk about the need to digitize the earth’s nature and create a transparent, reliable, and efficient marketplace for trading carbon credits. We also discuss the business potential of the ClimateTech industry, economic and other motivations for nature preservation as well as overall fundraising and entrepreneurship lessons from Merit’s career at Pipedrive and Single.Earth.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:20] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF SINGLE.EARTH

  • Landowners only make money when natural resources are depleted
  • Pursuing a passion for the environment
  • Planning and implementing a global paradigm-shifting project
  • A digital twin of the earth’s nature in open source
  • Simplifying  and opening the global voluntary carbon trade
  • Voluntary vs mandatory carbon markets

[17:10] - ON BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC MODELS FOR NATURE PRESERVATION

  • Trust and verification provided by blockchain
  • Using investors to replace the insufficient demand for voluntary carbon credits
  • State of the project and token sale
  • Affordable cost of decreasing the carbon footprint

[27:20] - ON CLIMATE TECH INDUSTRY AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

  • The opportunities for starting a cleantech company
  • General public attitudes towards nature and environment
  • Can Western societies even make a difference
  • Balancing emissions and nature sequestration
  • Who owns the land and owner engagement
  • No business models for preserving only for regenerating nature

[45:55] - FUNDRAISING FOR  A CLIMATE TECH PROJECT

  • The abundance of investors looking at sustainability projects
  • Not only impact investors, but also general big VCs hot for this market
  • What investors look for in impact businesses
  • Having a big name VC on your ticket

[56:50] - OVERALL ENTREPRENEURSHIP LESSONS

  • Putting people first
  • Creating a culture of enjoying work
  • Access to talent
  • Mental health
  • Choosing the right investors

To reach out to Merit use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merit-valdsalu/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Merit is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Merit Valdsalu is the Co-founder and CEO of Single.Earth, a revolutionary blockchain-based ecosystem of earth’s carbon sequestration and biodiversity monitoring, tokenization, and trade. Before starting this highly ambitious project, Merit led localization efforts at the Estonian unicorn Pipedrive.

In this fascinating conversation, we talk about the need to digitize the earth’s nature and create a transparent, reliable, and efficient marketplace for trading carbon credits. We also discuss the business potential of the ClimateTech industry, economic and other motivations for nature preservation as well as overall fundraising and entrepreneurship lessons from Merit’s career at Pipedrive and Single.Earth.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:20] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF SINGLE.EARTH

  • Landowners only make money when natural resources are depleted
  • Pursuing a passion for the environment
  • Planning and implementing a global paradigm-shifting project
  • A digital twin of the earth’s nature in open source
  • Simplifying  and opening the global voluntary carbon trade
  • Voluntary vs mandatory carbon markets

[17:10] - ON BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC MODELS FOR NATURE PRESERVATION

  • Trust and verification provided by blockchain
  • Using investors to replace the insufficient demand for voluntary carbon credits
  • State of the project and token sale
  • Affordable cost of decreasing the carbon footprint

[27:20] - ON CLIMATE TECH INDUSTRY AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

  • The opportunities for starting a cleantech company
  • General public attitudes towards nature and environment
  • Can Western societies even make a difference
  • Balancing emissions and nature sequestration
  • Who owns the land and owner engagement
  • No business models for preserving only for regenerating nature

[45:55] - FUNDRAISING FOR  A CLIMATE TECH PROJECT

  • The abundance of investors looking at sustainability projects
  • Not only impact investors, but also general big VCs hot for this market
  • What investors look for in impact businesses
  • Having a big name VC on your ticket

[56:50] - OVERALL ENTREPRENEURSHIP LESSONS

  • Putting people first
  • Creating a culture of enjoying work
  • Access to talent
  • Mental health
  • Choosing the right investors

To reach out to Merit use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merit-valdsalu/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Merit is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9230265 Tue, 21 Sep 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4213 Merit Valdsalu, SingleEarth, tokenization, blockchain, climate tech. global warming, climatetech, Pipedrive, Estonia, Estonian startups, Baltic startups, fundraising, VC, entrepreneurship, hiring 1 29 full true #28 - Taavi Rõivas 🇪🇪 (Auve Tech) on the future of driverless cars & AI, Estonia’s unicorns and government-business interaction #28 - Taavi Rõivas 🇪🇪 (Auve Tech) on the future of driverless cars & AI, Estonia’s unicorns and government-business interaction Taavi Rõivas is the Chairman of Auve Tech, an Estonian producer and operator of self-driving vehicles and autonomous transportation systems that are already operational on public roads. He is also former Prime Minister of Estonia, a long-time member of the Estonian Parliament, and an international public speaker on e-government, cyber security, AI, and other related topics.

In this episode, we discuss the development and promise of the self-driving vehicle industry, the interaction of government and business and how to clone Estonia’s success, the future of work and retirement as well as the risks associated with the development of AI and increasing government power.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - INTRODUCTION, AUVE TECH, AND THE SELF-DRIVING INDUSTRY

  • Reinventing last-mile delivery of people
  • Use Cases for driverless vehicles
  • Estonia as a hub for driverless vehicle companies
  • Funding of development for such high-risk business

[25:00] - ON GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS

  • What’s behind Estonia’s success from the state perspective
  • Practical reasons for going digital
  • Vision for cross-border digital public services
  • Legacy systems are an excuse 
  • Digital adoption psychology
  • Role of the government for business environment development
  • Example of Finland as a historical roadmap
  • The promise of the Baltics as a remote work paradise
  • Unicorn nation and if the govt helped
  • How to keep on the success path
  • Challenges in the labor market and migration

[1:01:20] - ON THE FUTURE OF WORK, RETIREMENT, AI AND GOVERNMENT POWER

  • Jobs that are ripe for automation
  • Universal basic income
  • Work longevity and a different “retirement”
  • Challenges of AI development
  • Lessons from the pandemic

To reach out to Taavi use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taavi-r%C3%B5ivas-18399b134/
 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Taavi is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

 


Support the show

]]> Taavi Rõivas is the Chairman of Auve Tech, an Estonian producer and operator of self-driving vehicles and autonomous transportation systems that are already operational on public roads. He is also former Prime Minister of Estonia, a long-time member of the Estonian Parliament, and an international public speaker on e-government, cyber security, AI, and other related topics.

In this episode, we discuss the development and promise of the self-driving vehicle industry, the interaction of government and business and how to clone Estonia’s success, the future of work and retirement as well as the risks associated with the development of AI and increasing government power.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - INTRODUCTION, AUVE TECH, AND THE SELF-DRIVING INDUSTRY

  • Reinventing last-mile delivery of people
  • Use Cases for driverless vehicles
  • Estonia as a hub for driverless vehicle companies
  • Funding of development for such high-risk business

[25:00] - ON GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS

  • What’s behind Estonia’s success from the state perspective
  • Practical reasons for going digital
  • Vision for cross-border digital public services
  • Legacy systems are an excuse 
  • Digital adoption psychology
  • Role of the government for business environment development
  • Example of Finland as a historical roadmap
  • The promise of the Baltics as a remote work paradise
  • Unicorn nation and if the govt helped
  • How to keep on the success path
  • Challenges in the labor market and migration

[1:01:20] - ON THE FUTURE OF WORK, RETIREMENT, AI AND GOVERNMENT POWER

  • Jobs that are ripe for automation
  • Universal basic income
  • Work longevity and a different “retirement”
  • Challenges of AI development
  • Lessons from the pandemic

To reach out to Taavi use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taavi-r%C3%B5ivas-18399b134/
 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Taavi is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9188598 Tue, 14 Sep 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4730 Taavi Roivas, Auve Tech, Estonia, Estonian startup, Self-driving cars, Autonomous vehicles, AI, Government and business, digitalisation, Baltics, migration, unicorns, pandemic 1 28 full true #27 - Davis Ziedins (Beetroot Lab) on partnership with Conor McGregor, operating $100 M ad budget, science of building successful apps, and recruiting global experts via Linkedin #27 - Davis Ziedins (Beetroot Lab) on partnership with Conor McGregor, operating $100 M ad budget, science of building successful apps, and recruiting global experts via Linkedin Davis Ziedins is Co-founder and Business development lead at Beetroot Lab, a game development studio in Riga operating since 2014, whose biggest hit Dystopia is made in partnership with Conor McGregor and recently hit the 1 million downloads milestone.

In this super-high energy episode, we talk about the fundamentals of the game development business, building a very specialized skillset team in the Baltics, doing partnerships with global celebrities, keys to success in the saturated mobile gaming market, and the marketing of mobile games.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF BEETROOT LAB

  • Mobile game mass development
  • Making the first million
  • Working with game publishers

[10:10] - BUILDING GAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM

  • How realistic it is to build games from the Baltics
  • Scarcity of game development savvy talent
  • The natural personal appeal of gaming for talent
  • Getting top global experts to work with you
  • Why Georgia is an excellent place to build an outsourced IT team

[19:20] - PARTNERING WITH A GLOBAL CELEBRITY, CONOR MCGREGOR

  • Getting Connor McGregor on the project
  • Structuring a deal with a celebrity
  • Giving ownership as a key for engagement
  • Latvian legal entity, not an obstacle

[30:50] - SUCCEEDING ON THE HYPER-COMPETITIVE GAMING MARKET

  • Data-driven trial and error
  • Shipping first version asap to get user feedback
  • Buying users as an expensive experiment to measure fit and monetization
  • The appeal of mobile gaming for users
  • Monetization in gaming
  • The psychological aspect of gaming and monetization
  • Dealing with exploding user acquisition costs
  • Building a game where the best players can make their career

[53:20] - MARKETING OF MOBILE GAMES

  • Economics of game monetization
  • Going back to the ice age in targeting iOS users
  • Creatives is the king - producing the right ones
  • The need for substantial working capital on demand
  • The working capital impact of app stores
  • Working with alternative app stores

[01:12:30] - OUTRO AND THE ROAD AHEAD

  • Next steps for Dystopia
  • New games
  • New project in skill-based cash game industry
  • Geographic reach and China

To reach out to Davis use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davisziedins/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Davis is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Davis Ziedins is Co-founder and Business development lead at Beetroot Lab, a game development studio in Riga operating since 2014, whose biggest hit Dystopia is made in partnership with Conor McGregor and recently hit the 1 million downloads milestone.

In this super-high energy episode, we talk about the fundamentals of the game development business, building a very specialized skillset team in the Baltics, doing partnerships with global celebrities, keys to success in the saturated mobile gaming market, and the marketing of mobile games.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:45] - INTRODUCTION AND THE ORIGINS OF BEETROOT LAB

  • Mobile game mass development
  • Making the first million
  • Working with game publishers

[10:10] - BUILDING GAME DEVELOPMENT TEAM

  • How realistic it is to build games from the Baltics
  • Scarcity of game development savvy talent
  • The natural personal appeal of gaming for talent
  • Getting top global experts to work with you
  • Why Georgia is an excellent place to build an outsourced IT team

[19:20] - PARTNERING WITH A GLOBAL CELEBRITY, CONOR MCGREGOR

  • Getting Connor McGregor on the project
  • Structuring a deal with a celebrity
  • Giving ownership as a key for engagement
  • Latvian legal entity, not an obstacle

[30:50] - SUCCEEDING ON THE HYPER-COMPETITIVE GAMING MARKET

  • Data-driven trial and error
  • Shipping first version asap to get user feedback
  • Buying users as an expensive experiment to measure fit and monetization
  • The appeal of mobile gaming for users
  • Monetization in gaming
  • The psychological aspect of gaming and monetization
  • Dealing with exploding user acquisition costs
  • Building a game where the best players can make their career

[53:20] - MARKETING OF MOBILE GAMES

  • Economics of game monetization
  • Going back to the ice age in targeting iOS users
  • Creatives is the king - producing the right ones
  • The need for substantial working capital on demand
  • The working capital impact of app stores
  • Working with alternative app stores

[01:12:30] - OUTRO AND THE ROAD AHEAD

  • Next steps for Dystopia
  • New games
  • New project in skill-based cash game industry
  • Geographic reach and China

To reach out to Davis use:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davisziedins/

 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Davis is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9147036 Tue, 07 Sep 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4819 Davis Ziedins, Beetroot Lab, mobile games, monetization, Conor McGregor, ufc, gaming, Dystopia 1 27 full true #26 Juan Borras 🇪🇪 🇪🇸 (Outvio) on how good eCommerce sites stand out, importance of post-sales experience, engineering spaceships & reverse trend of working from.. office #26 Juan Borras 🇪🇪 🇪🇸 (Outvio) on how good eCommerce sites stand out, importance of post-sales experience, engineering spaceships & reverse trend of working from.. office Juan Borras is the Founder and CEO of Outvio, an Estonian startup whose mission is helping eCommerce improve the shipping experience. Outvio raised $2.5m just now to expand their product across Europe. An engineer by training with experience from the European Space Agency as well as having started several businesses, Juan now leads Outvio on a rapid growth path towards being a household name in the eCommerce tools space

We talk about the shipping experience and how it can make or break an eCommerce product in conjunction with customer loyalty and lifetime value. We also take an engineer's perspective on starting and running a company as well as talk about different strategies and tools for effective team management and productivity

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:00] - Introduction and the origins of Outvio

  • What Outvio does
  • The issues online stores have with shipping
  • Details of selling on Amazon
  • Importance of the shipment UX
  • Returns as a key part of eCommerce

[25:20] - Customer loyalty and lifetime value

  • Best UX practices in eCommerce
  • Personalization of the shopping experience
  • Lifetime value
  • Standing out in eCommerce 
  • Maximizing sales through good UI/UX

[35:30] - Entrepreneurship & engineering

  • Engineering for European Space Agency
  • Challenging the impossible
  • Serial entrepreneurship
  • Nature of an engineer
  • How hiring works at Outvio
  • Office vs. remote

[52:15] - Productivity and team management

  • Main productivity tool - be at the office
  • Practical tools for productivity and work organization
  • Sales management
  • Plans going forward

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Juan is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 
 


Support the show

]]> Juan Borras is the Founder and CEO of Outvio, an Estonian startup whose mission is helping eCommerce improve the shipping experience. Outvio raised $2.5m just now to expand their product across Europe. An engineer by training with experience from the European Space Agency as well as having started several businesses, Juan now leads Outvio on a rapid growth path towards being a household name in the eCommerce tools space

We talk about the shipping experience and how it can make or break an eCommerce product in conjunction with customer loyalty and lifetime value. We also take an engineer's perspective on starting and running a company as well as talk about different strategies and tools for effective team management and productivity

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:00] - Introduction and the origins of Outvio

  • What Outvio does
  • The issues online stores have with shipping
  • Details of selling on Amazon
  • Importance of the shipment UX
  • Returns as a key part of eCommerce

[25:20] - Customer loyalty and lifetime value

  • Best UX practices in eCommerce
  • Personalization of the shopping experience
  • Lifetime value
  • Standing out in eCommerce 
  • Maximizing sales through good UI/UX

[35:30] - Entrepreneurship & engineering

  • Engineering for European Space Agency
  • Challenging the impossible
  • Serial entrepreneurship
  • Nature of an engineer
  • How hiring works at Outvio
  • Office vs. remote

[52:15] - Productivity and team management

  • Main productivity tool - be at the office
  • Practical tools for productivity and work organization
  • Sales management
  • Plans going forward

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Juan is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 
 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9111592 Tue, 31 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0300 3813 Juan Borras, Outvio, Startup, Estonia, eCommerce 1 26 full true #25 - Kaspars Dancis 🇱🇻 (Whimsical) on building a bootstrapped business for the US 🇺🇸 market, getting acquired, the importance of transparency, and developing a product people love #25 - Kaspars Dancis 🇱🇻 (Whimsical) on building a bootstrapped business for the US 🇺🇸 market, getting acquired, the importance of transparency, and developing a product people love Kaspars Dancis is the CEO and Co-founder of Whimsical, a content collaboration tool that facilitates teams thinking together. Being fully bootstrapped, the company boasts Vinted, Intercom, Hashicorp, Loom, Washington Post, Monzo, Oura, and others as its clients.

In this episode we talk about Whimsical and how it helps teams collaborate on content creation, building a product that users love, bootstrapping, and the considerations to sell your business as well as values for building a sustainable business.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:10] - Introduction and the origins of Whimsical

  • How to collaborate on content creation in real-time and asynchronously

[09:25] - Product development

  • How to build a product that users love
  • Productivity tools shouldn’t be annoying and get in your way
  • Incorporating customer feedback
  • Prioritization
  • Setting the big vision and breaking it down into steps
  • Getting good ratings on product sites
  • Acquiring customers through great product
  • Kickstarting organic growth snowball

[34:00] - Entrepreneurship & acquisition

  • Benefits of bootstrapping
  • Drawbacks of bootstrapping
  • Considerations for selling your company
  • Don’t build the business to sell it
  • Starting a company from the US

[43:00] - Values in business

  • Radical transparency
  • Cash vs. equity compensation
  • Work environment

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Kaspars is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Kaspars Dancis is the CEO and Co-founder of Whimsical, a content collaboration tool that facilitates teams thinking together. Being fully bootstrapped, the company boasts Vinted, Intercom, Hashicorp, Loom, Washington Post, Monzo, Oura, and others as its clients.

In this episode we talk about Whimsical and how it helps teams collaborate on content creation, building a product that users love, bootstrapping, and the considerations to sell your business as well as values for building a sustainable business.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:10] - Introduction and the origins of Whimsical

  • How to collaborate on content creation in real-time and asynchronously

[09:25] - Product development

  • How to build a product that users love
  • Productivity tools shouldn’t be annoying and get in your way
  • Incorporating customer feedback
  • Prioritization
  • Setting the big vision and breaking it down into steps
  • Getting good ratings on product sites
  • Acquiring customers through great product
  • Kickstarting organic growth snowball

[34:00] - Entrepreneurship & acquisition

  • Benefits of bootstrapping
  • Drawbacks of bootstrapping
  • Considerations for selling your company
  • Don’t build the business to sell it
  • Starting a company from the US

[43:00] - Values in business

  • Radical transparency
  • Cash vs. equity compensation
  • Work environment

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Kaspars is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9059420 Tue, 24 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0300 3284 Kaspars Dancis, Whimsical, Startup, Product, Acquisition, Culture 1 25 full false #24 - Tuomas Kosonen 🇫🇮 (Inventure) on investing in Wolt, characteristics of Baltic founders, biggest challenges when scaling and hottest industries for investment right now #24 - Tuomas Kosonen 🇫🇮 (Inventure) on investing in Wolt, characteristics of Baltic founders, biggest challenges when scaling and hottest industries for investment right now Tuomas Kosonen is a partner at Inventure, one of the leading VCs in the Baltic Sea region. Inventure has invested in such familiar Baltic companies as Nordigen, Scoro, and Whatagraph as well as Finnish juggernaut and one of the most used apps in the Baltics - Wolt

In this episode, we talk about the Baltic Sea region as one of the leading global tech hubs and the future outlook of the Baltics and the rest of the region. We also discuss the VC investment decision-making process as well as the key challenges in scaling companies. Finally, we cover some of Inventures biggest hits and misses along with the hottest industries in tech today 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:50] - Introduction and the origins of Inventure

[04:20] - The Baltic sea region startup scene history and outlook

  • The historical relationship between Finland and Estonia
  • First investment in the Baltics - Froont
  • Nordic/Baltic bay - global startup hub
  • Outlook for the Nordics
  • The reasons behind the success of the region
  • Baltics as core home market for Inventure
  • Challenges in attracting talent to Finland and the region
  • Characteristics of Baltic founders
  • Norwegian startup ecosystem

[21:25] - Investment decision making process and investing in the Baltics

  • The importance of legislation for investment decisions - minor
  • Things that VCs are looking for in startups
  • Getting in on Baltic deals in time
  • Investments missed out on 

[30:15] - The biggest challenges in scaling companies

  • Product-market fit
  • Having the right people
  • Building a compelling story
  • Ability to go abroad
  • The ability of the founders to grow with the company
  • The role of VC in the management team changes

[39:35] - European VC trends and the most exciting industries

  • The story of investing in Wolt
  • Last-mile delivery industry - clearing up of an accumulated backlog of opportunities
  • Why is Amazon not in last-mile groceries?
  • Insurance industry - is the hype real?
  • Hyping product teams vs industries
  • Other hot industries - health tech, agtech, products improving quality of life
  • Future of Inventure in the Baltics

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Tuomas is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> Tuomas Kosonen is a partner at Inventure, one of the leading VCs in the Baltic Sea region. Inventure has invested in such familiar Baltic companies as Nordigen, Scoro, and Whatagraph as well as Finnish juggernaut and one of the most used apps in the Baltics - Wolt

In this episode, we talk about the Baltic Sea region as one of the leading global tech hubs and the future outlook of the Baltics and the rest of the region. We also discuss the VC investment decision-making process as well as the key challenges in scaling companies. Finally, we cover some of Inventures biggest hits and misses along with the hottest industries in tech today 

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[01:50] - Introduction and the origins of Inventure

[04:20] - The Baltic sea region startup scene history and outlook

  • The historical relationship between Finland and Estonia
  • First investment in the Baltics - Froont
  • Nordic/Baltic bay - global startup hub
  • Outlook for the Nordics
  • The reasons behind the success of the region
  • Baltics as core home market for Inventure
  • Challenges in attracting talent to Finland and the region
  • Characteristics of Baltic founders
  • Norwegian startup ecosystem

[21:25] - Investment decision making process and investing in the Baltics

  • The importance of legislation for investment decisions - minor
  • Things that VCs are looking for in startups
  • Getting in on Baltic deals in time
  • Investments missed out on 

[30:15] - The biggest challenges in scaling companies

  • Product-market fit
  • Having the right people
  • Building a compelling story
  • Ability to go abroad
  • The ability of the founders to grow with the company
  • The role of VC in the management team changes

[39:35] - European VC trends and the most exciting industries

  • The story of investing in Wolt
  • Last-mile delivery industry - clearing up of an accumulated backlog of opportunities
  • Why is Amazon not in last-mile groceries?
  • Insurance industry - is the hype real?
  • Hyping product teams vs industries
  • Other hot industries - health tech, agtech, products improving quality of life
  • Future of Inventure in the Baltics

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Tuomas is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9039132 Tue, 17 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0300 3655 Tuomas Kosonen, Inventure, venture capital, Wolt, Baltics, Finland, Nordics, Startup, Scaling, VC Trends 1 24 full false #23 - Helmuts Bems 🇱🇻 (Sonarworks) on just raising $6 M, entering China 🇨🇳, building B2B partnerships, evaluating R&D progress, and never voting on decision when to pivot #23 - Helmuts Bems 🇱🇻 (Sonarworks) on just raising $6 M, entering China 🇨🇳, building B2B partnerships, evaluating R&D progress, and never voting on decision when to pivot Helmuts Bems is the co-founder and CEO of Sonarworks, a company making individually perfected sound for creators and listeners used by Grammy-award winning producers. Having recently raised a fresh investment round of $6 M led by Almaz Capital (and $13.8 M in total to date), Helmuts and his team are working tenaciously on getting their software into your headphones and changing the way you listen to music, podcasts, and any audio content forever

In this episode we talk about the future of sound,  discuss the peculiarities of conquering China and other innovative Asian markets, building a B2B strategic partnerships business that is targeted at B2C as well as the nature of developing an R&D intensive product

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:15] - Introduction and sound tech

  • Making any sound come out of any sound device
  • How do listeners know what sound they like?
  • Bass&Treble knobs - in fact, a super complicated UI
  • Simplifying the sound taste discovery experience

[20:40] - How Sonarworks products can improve your listening experience

  • Sonarworks SDK is integrated into headphone manufacturers
  • Customize your sound taste via the Sound ID app
  • Megatrend - hardware products as base products and software upselling as the main business
  • Whoever owns the user data, has the value in the supply chain

[29:45] - Conquering China and global markets

  • China is more innovative than the west, at least in consumer electronics
  • Who is better fit to produce the future car - Volkswagen or Apple?
  • Europe is a global laggard in consumer electronics
  • Having B2B product, but with a B2C engagement
  • User interfaces in China are generally different than in the west

[39:10] - Specifics of selling a B2B product with B2C audiences

  • Leveraging professional niche market for consumer product credibility
  • Benefits of using partner marketing budgets for your promotion
  • Working with media and bringing media benefits for partners
  • Working with influencers
  • Structuring a long term integrated partnership

[56:00] -  Building an R&D intensive product

  • Planning of R&D process with a sprint+iterations approach
  • Managing pivots & building teams with strategists and executors
  • Soundtech cluster in Latvia and its origins
  • Hiring highly specialized engineering talent
  • Using Winamp to develop automotive sound products

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Helmuts is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Helmuts Bems is the co-founder and CEO of Sonarworks, a company making individually perfected sound for creators and listeners used by Grammy-award winning producers. Having recently raised a fresh investment round of $6 M led by Almaz Capital (and $13.8 M in total to date), Helmuts and his team are working tenaciously on getting their software into your headphones and changing the way you listen to music, podcasts, and any audio content forever

In this episode we talk about the future of sound,  discuss the peculiarities of conquering China and other innovative Asian markets, building a B2B strategic partnerships business that is targeted at B2C as well as the nature of developing an R&D intensive product

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:15] - Introduction and sound tech

  • Making any sound come out of any sound device
  • How do listeners know what sound they like?
  • Bass&Treble knobs - in fact, a super complicated UI
  • Simplifying the sound taste discovery experience

[20:40] - How Sonarworks products can improve your listening experience

  • Sonarworks SDK is integrated into headphone manufacturers
  • Customize your sound taste via the Sound ID app
  • Megatrend - hardware products as base products and software upselling as the main business
  • Whoever owns the user data, has the value in the supply chain

[29:45] - Conquering China and global markets

  • China is more innovative than the west, at least in consumer electronics
  • Who is better fit to produce the future car - Volkswagen or Apple?
  • Europe is a global laggard in consumer electronics
  • Having B2B product, but with a B2C engagement
  • User interfaces in China are generally different than in the west

[39:10] - Specifics of selling a B2B product with B2C audiences

  • Leveraging professional niche market for consumer product credibility
  • Benefits of using partner marketing budgets for your promotion
  • Working with media and bringing media benefits for partners
  • Working with influencers
  • Structuring a long term integrated partnership

[56:00] -  Building an R&D intensive product

  • Planning of R&D process with a sprint+iterations approach
  • Managing pivots & building teams with strategists and executors
  • Soundtech cluster in Latvia and its origins
  • Hiring highly specialized engineering talent
  • Using Winamp to develop automotive sound products

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Helmuts is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-9000231 Tue, 10 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4853 Helmuts Bems, Sonarworks, Sound tech, pivot, china, chinese market, b2b, partnerships 1 23 full true #22 - Andris K. Berzins (Change Ventures) on negotiating with investors, finding a mentor, why round sizes in 3 Baltic countries are growing, and what we can learn from the Israelis #22 - Andris K. Berzins (Change Ventures) on negotiating with investors, finding a mentor, why round sizes in 3 Baltic countries are growing, and what we can learn from the Israelis Andris K. Berzins is the managing partner of Change Ventures, the first and largest pan-Baltic seed investor. With an MBA from Stanford and 20+ years of tech experience in all kinds of roles from founder to executive, to an investor, Andris brings a uniquely nuanced opinion on the Baltic startup scene through the eyes of a VC. He is also credited for being one of the most visible shapers and champions of the Latvian startup ecosystem

On this energizing pod, we discuss the Baltics as the next startup nations by drawing parallels to Israel, what it takes to be a successful startup founder, how to build valuable mentor-mentee relationships as well as talk about the overall Baltic startup market situation through the lens of the Baltic Startup Funding Report latest issue

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:15] - Introduction, the birth of Latvian startup ecosystem and going to top US universities

  • Building the Latvian startup ecosystem
  • The promise of the Baltic startup scene
  • The value of going to top US universities and business schools

[13:00] - Investing in the Baltic startup scene

  • When you are a founder, there is no boss to help with your challenges
  • Comparing the Baltics to Israel - Baltics as the next startup nations
  • What can the Baltics learn from Israelis?
  • The emergence of cross-Baltic founder cases and senior hires going across Baltic borders
  • What Andris looks for in founders
  • How to test for grit
  • How to build a working mentor-mentee relationship
  • The value prop of Change Ventures for Baltic founders
  • International and US investors coming
  • It’s never been a better time to raise money in the Baltics
  • What mistakes founder’s make when approaching VCs
  • How to test the ability to ability to enter big foreign markets

[50:40] -  The Baltic Startup funding report

  • Trends behind growth in Baltic round sizes and valuations
  • Baltics as a destination for talent, not low-cost labor
  • Do you need to set a valuation for your raise?
  • Is it possible for Latvia and Lithuania to catch up with Estonia?
  • Global trends in VC funding and the longstanding effect of the pandemic
  • The right time for a product
  • Interactio app experience in timing
  • The future for Change Ventures

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Andris is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Andris K. Berzins is the managing partner of Change Ventures, the first and largest pan-Baltic seed investor. With an MBA from Stanford and 20+ years of tech experience in all kinds of roles from founder to executive, to an investor, Andris brings a uniquely nuanced opinion on the Baltic startup scene through the eyes of a VC. He is also credited for being one of the most visible shapers and champions of the Latvian startup ecosystem

On this energizing pod, we discuss the Baltics as the next startup nations by drawing parallels to Israel, what it takes to be a successful startup founder, how to build valuable mentor-mentee relationships as well as talk about the overall Baltic startup market situation through the lens of the Baltic Startup Funding Report latest issue

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:15] - Introduction, the birth of Latvian startup ecosystem and going to top US universities

  • Building the Latvian startup ecosystem
  • The promise of the Baltic startup scene
  • The value of going to top US universities and business schools

[13:00] - Investing in the Baltic startup scene

  • When you are a founder, there is no boss to help with your challenges
  • Comparing the Baltics to Israel - Baltics as the next startup nations
  • What can the Baltics learn from Israelis?
  • The emergence of cross-Baltic founder cases and senior hires going across Baltic borders
  • What Andris looks for in founders
  • How to test for grit
  • How to build a working mentor-mentee relationship
  • The value prop of Change Ventures for Baltic founders
  • International and US investors coming
  • It’s never been a better time to raise money in the Baltics
  • What mistakes founder’s make when approaching VCs
  • How to test the ability to ability to enter big foreign markets

[50:40] -  The Baltic Startup funding report

  • Trends behind growth in Baltic round sizes and valuations
  • Baltics as a destination for talent, not low-cost labor
  • Do you need to set a valuation for your raise?
  • Is it possible for Latvia and Lithuania to catch up with Estonia?
  • Global trends in VC funding and the longstanding effect of the pandemic
  • The right time for a product
  • Interactio app experience in timing
  • The future for Change Ventures

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

The full interview with Andris is available NOW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 


Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8962971 Tue, 03 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0300 5099 Andris K Berzins, Change Ventures, Baltic startup, Entrepreneurship. Fundraising, Venture Capital, 1 22 full true #21 - Carlos Paniagua 🇪🇪 🇬🇹 🇺🇸 (Glia) on the role of a CTO in a startup that has raised $107 M, ease of doing business in Estonia & revolutionising digital customer service in USA #21 - Carlos Paniagua 🇪🇪 🇬🇹 🇺🇸 (Glia) on the role of a CTO in a startup that has raised $107 M, ease of doing business in Estonia & revolutionising digital customer service in USA Carlos Paniagua is the co-founder and CTO of Glia - one of the leading digital customer service providers that to date has raised $107 million in VC investment. Coming from Guatemala originally, Carlos has spent a third of his life in Estonia, where he also resides currently and runs the technical team of Glia, while his co-founders and the rest of the team are based in the US. 

In this episode, Carlos shares his experience in running a US-Estonian organization in terms of operations and fundraising. We also have an in-depth discussion on the realities and challenges of a startup CTO as well as a look into the role of digital channels for sales and customer service in the pandemic era.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:35] - Digital communication in customer service

  • The impact of the pandemic on customer service
  • Digital sales and support channels becoming mission-critical for most businesses

[09:45] -Being based in Estonia and the US, operations, and fundraising

  • Choosing Estonia for engineering talent
  • Advantages of the time zone difference
  • Establishing enough overlap in work hours between offices
  • Communication and socializing information that is important
  • Ease of relocating to Estonia
  • Living, working, and running a company  in Estonia as a foreigner
  • Hiring abroad vs. relocating
  • What VCs look for from the technical perspective
  • Making sure the licensing is figured out throughout your whole tech stack
  • Considerations in picking VCs to back you
  • The value that VCs bring for the tech side of the business
  • The mechanics of the technical due diligence process
  • Making past and future tech decisions digestible for investors
  • Presenting a US-Estonian company to investors

[34:10] -  The role and reality of being a CTO in a fast-growing company

  • Practical involvement of the CTO in various parts of the business (product, sales, engineering)
  • Choosing fundamental priorities in development to drive all product decisions
  • How to determine if you want/can be a CTO
  • Implementing team onboarding practices
  • Scaling the team
  • Planning of development process and managing expectations
  • Product education for customers
  • Making feature decisions from customer feedback
  • Prioritization in the development process
  • Being a technical founder of a startup without significant prior work experience
  • Competing for tech talent

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Carlos Paniagua is the co-founder and CTO of Glia - one of the leading digital customer service providers that to date has raised $107 million in VC investment. Coming from Guatemala originally, Carlos has spent a third of his life in Estonia, where he also resides currently and runs the technical team of Glia, while his co-founders and the rest of the team are based in the US. 

In this episode, Carlos shares his experience in running a US-Estonian organization in terms of operations and fundraising. We also have an in-depth discussion on the realities and challenges of a startup CTO as well as a look into the role of digital channels for sales and customer service in the pandemic era.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[03:35] - Digital communication in customer service

  • The impact of the pandemic on customer service
  • Digital sales and support channels becoming mission-critical for most businesses

[09:45] -Being based in Estonia and the US, operations, and fundraising

  • Choosing Estonia for engineering talent
  • Advantages of the time zone difference
  • Establishing enough overlap in work hours between offices
  • Communication and socializing information that is important
  • Ease of relocating to Estonia
  • Living, working, and running a company  in Estonia as a foreigner
  • Hiring abroad vs. relocating
  • What VCs look for from the technical perspective
  • Making sure the licensing is figured out throughout your whole tech stack
  • Considerations in picking VCs to back you
  • The value that VCs bring for the tech side of the business
  • The mechanics of the technical due diligence process
  • Making past and future tech decisions digestible for investors
  • Presenting a US-Estonian company to investors

[34:10] -  The role and reality of being a CTO in a fast-growing company

  • Practical involvement of the CTO in various parts of the business (product, sales, engineering)
  • Choosing fundamental priorities in development to drive all product decisions
  • How to determine if you want/can be a CTO
  • Implementing team onboarding practices
  • Scaling the team
  • Planning of development process and managing expectations
  • Product education for customers
  • Making feature decisions from customer feedback
  • Prioritization in the development process
  • Being a technical founder of a startup without significant prior work experience
  • Competing for tech talent

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-8919642 Tue, 27 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4052 Glia, Carlos Paniagua, Digital Customer Service, Startups, Entrepreneurship, Fundraising, CTO, Estonia, Estonian startup, Tech, Baltics 1 21 full false #20 - Jone Vaituleviciute 🇱🇹 (Startup Wise Guys) on what investors want to see in founders, why B2B SaaS is so demanded, and how to avoid getting screwed when raising money #20 - Jone Vaituleviciute 🇱🇹 (Startup Wise Guys) on what investors want to see in founders, why B2B SaaS is so demanded, and how to avoid getting screwed when raising money Jone Vaituleviciute is Partner at Startup Wise Guys that was just named The Hottest Startup Accelerator in Europe. In this episode Jone shares the perspective of the accelerator - with 1-2% acceptance rate, what are they looking for in business models and founders. We also discuss why investors like to invest in B2B SaaS and the value that early-stage support organizations can bring to startups in the pre-accelerator stage.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[06:00] - Startup Wise Guys and early-stage investing/accelerating

  • Accelerator wants you to move 6x faster than without it
  • It’s not school, nobody checks attendance
  • The key value add of the accelerator is the community of founders who are struggling the same as you
  • The average age of founders is increasing
  • Beware of passive accelerators - if you are giving up equity, you want to maximize the value
  • Think very hard whether you want and need accelerating as many companies are already matured past and might give up equity without the necessary value

[22:40] - What accelerators want to see in founders and companies

  • Revenue can be a vanity metric and not say anything about traction and trajectory
  • If founder just wants money, they should go to a Non-accelerator investor
  • If the founder is not committed to full time, it’s a big red flag
  • Founder decisiveness is a key requirement

[38:00] -  What to expect from the acceleration program

  • The acceptance rate is 1-2%
  • This is a long term relationship, accelerator stays on your capable 5-7 years while the accelerating phase usually lasts around 12 months
  • Support for founders in the further round and help avoid big mistakes

[48:20]  - B2B SaaS - Why is it the favorite business model for VCs

  • B2B SAAS is extremely broad, also Fintech can be B2B SaaS
  • The model is relatively easier to build for the founder
  • The traction metrics are easy to track and compare to others, thus it is less risky for the investor to take a bet
  • The importance of revenue in the earliest stages should not be overstated
  • Big corporates develop quickly from product user to acquisition of the provider
  • Edtech and health tech as biggest opportunities in B2B SaaS
  • The next generation of blockchain companies

[1:06:30] - The role of support organizations for startups

  • Internationalization of local startup ecosystems
  • Taking care of startups that are not ready for investment/accelerators yet

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support the show

]]> Jone Vaituleviciute is Partner at Startup Wise Guys that was just named The Hottest Startup Accelerator in Europe. In this episode Jone shares the perspective of the accelerator - with 1-2% acceptance rate, what are they looking for in business models and founders. We also discuss why investors like to invest in B2B SaaS and the value that early-stage support organizations can bring to startups in the pre-accelerator stage.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[06:00] - Startup Wise Guys and early-stage investing/accelerating

  • Accelerator wants you to move 6x faster than without it
  • It’s not school, nobody checks attendance
  • The key value add of the accelerator is the community of founders who are struggling the same as you
  • The average age of founders is increasing
  • Beware of passive accelerators - if you are giving up equity, you want to maximize the value
  • Think very hard whether you want and need accelerating as many companies are already matured past and might give up equity without the necessary value

[22:40] - What accelerators want to see in founders and companies

  • Revenue can be a vanity metric and not say anything about traction and trajectory
  • If founder just wants money, they should go to a Non-accelerator investor
  • If the founder is not committed to full time, it’s a big red flag
  • Founder decisiveness is a key requirement

[38:00] -  What to expect from the acceleration program

  • The acceptance rate is 1-2%
  • This is a long term relationship, accelerator stays on your capable 5-7 years while the accelerating phase usually lasts around 12 months
  • Support for founders in the further round and help avoid big mistakes

[48:20]  - B2B SaaS - Why is it the favorite business model for VCs

  • B2B SAAS is extremely broad, also Fintech can be B2B SaaS
  • The model is relatively easier to build for the founder
  • The traction metrics are easy to track and compare to others, thus it is less risky for the investor to take a bet
  • The importance of revenue in the earliest stages should not be overstated
  • Big corporates develop quickly from product user to acquisition of the provider
  • Edtech and health tech as biggest opportunities in B2B SaaS
  • The next generation of blockchain companies

[1:06:30] - The role of support organizations for startups

  • Internationalization of local startup ecosystems
  • Taking care of startups that are not ready for investment/accelerators yet

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8882123 Tue, 20 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4627 Jone Vaituleviciute, Startup Wise Guys, Accelerator, Startups, Investment, Startup support, B2B Saas, VC, Acceleration 1 20 full false #19 - Jekabs Endzins (Roibox) on serial entrepreneurship, the potential of geo data in AdTech, principles of building multiple profitable companies & helping millions of people to delete embarrassing tweets #19 - Jekabs Endzins (Roibox) on serial entrepreneurship, the potential of geo data in AdTech, principles of building multiple profitable companies & helping millions of people to delete embarrassing tweets Jekabs Endzins is a serial entrepreneur, currently developing Roibox, a digital marketing tool that revolutionizes the potential of geolocation data. He has co-founded several profitable businesses, including Mogo Finance (now Eleving group), Tapbox, TweetDeleter, Finitera. He has also failed close to 10 other ventures over the past 10 years and has some ‘war stories' to share.

As a true serial entrepreneur, Jekabs is always working on several projects at the same time, and in this episode, he shares his secrets on how to manage that. We talk about the latest in AdTech, building and failing companies, choosing the right co-founders, the value of business incubators, challenges in monetizing businesses with great user metrics as well as fails and learnings from building companies for 10 years.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[06:15] - Roibox and making digital ads more geo-targeted and efficient

  • In most online businesses analyzing data is a must
  • The place where consumers work, live, and spend their time has an influence on their commercial decisions
  • Digital ad spending is bigger than TV, print, outdoor and others
  • Deliver product updates as fast as possible to get real market feedback
  • Be decisive - a bad decision is better than no decision
  • Finding product-market fit by trying to help as many and as different customers as possible

[26:18] - Serial entrepreneurship and managing multiple ventures at the same time

  • The key for time management is to have the right partners in multiple projects, to be able to run many companies in parallel
  • The more you do, the more you can get done
  • The ability to multitask between projects is key
  • Finding co-founders based on gut feeling
  • Doing background checks and references on cofounders you don't know well
  • It’s important that you want to spend time together with your co-founder

[38:15] -  Tapbox and the value of business incubators

  • Government support for startups in Latvia is extensive enough
  • Business incubator as big financial support in early stages
  • You can get 50k and more financial support without putting in too much work

[45:15]  TweetDeleter and challenges in monetizing a great and highly demanded product

  • Tweetdeleter is a new type of company - fail it till you make it
  • Challenges in monetizing a convenient consumer product

[59:28] - Business fails and challenges

  • Dealing with modern financial system regular practice of freezing funds
  • Learnings from hiring over 10 years
  • You can always build things faster

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

 

 

 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> Jekabs Endzins is a serial entrepreneur, currently developing Roibox, a digital marketing tool that revolutionizes the potential of geolocation data. He has co-founded several profitable businesses, including Mogo Finance (now Eleving group), Tapbox, TweetDeleter, Finitera. He has also failed close to 10 other ventures over the past 10 years and has some ‘war stories' to share.

As a true serial entrepreneur, Jekabs is always working on several projects at the same time, and in this episode, he shares his secrets on how to manage that. We talk about the latest in AdTech, building and failing companies, choosing the right co-founders, the value of business incubators, challenges in monetizing businesses with great user metrics as well as fails and learnings from building companies for 10 years.

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[06:15] - Roibox and making digital ads more geo-targeted and efficient

  • In most online businesses analyzing data is a must
  • The place where consumers work, live, and spend their time has an influence on their commercial decisions
  • Digital ad spending is bigger than TV, print, outdoor and others
  • Deliver product updates as fast as possible to get real market feedback
  • Be decisive - a bad decision is better than no decision
  • Finding product-market fit by trying to help as many and as different customers as possible

[26:18] - Serial entrepreneurship and managing multiple ventures at the same time

  • The key for time management is to have the right partners in multiple projects, to be able to run many companies in parallel
  • The more you do, the more you can get done
  • The ability to multitask between projects is key
  • Finding co-founders based on gut feeling
  • Doing background checks and references on cofounders you don't know well
  • It’s important that you want to spend time together with your co-founder

[38:15] -  Tapbox and the value of business incubators

  • Government support for startups in Latvia is extensive enough
  • Business incubator as big financial support in early stages
  • You can get 50k and more financial support without putting in too much work

[45:15]  TweetDeleter and challenges in monetizing a great and highly demanded product

  • Tweetdeleter is a new type of company - fail it till you make it
  • Challenges in monetizing a convenient consumer product

[59:28] - Business fails and challenges

  • Dealing with modern financial system regular practice of freezing funds
  • Learnings from hiring over 10 years
  • You can always build things faster

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

 

 

 

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 


Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-19-interview-jekabs-endzins Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8853066 Tue, 13 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4433 Jekabs Endzins, Roibox, TweetDeleter, Tapbox, Serial entrepreneurship, startups 1 19 full true #18 - Meeri Rebane 🇪🇪 🇩🇪 (INZMO) on raising EUR 3M following a successful Insurtech pivot, starting a business from scratch in Berlin, product validation and building the Red Bull of insurance brands #18 - Meeri Rebane 🇪🇪 🇩🇪 (INZMO) on raising EUR 3M following a successful Insurtech pivot, starting a business from scratch in Berlin, product validation and building the Red Bull of insurance brands Meeri Rebane (EE) shares her experience of launching a company in one of the hottest Insurtech markets in Europe - Germany. Having pivoted away from a bicycle identification platform, Meeri together with her co-founder Risto Klausen (EE) is building a consumer-friendly insurance app in the heart of the Berlin tech scene with an edgy brand inspired by Red Bull

In this conversation, we talk about the potential of Insurtech (an industry that raised over 1bn EUR in VC in Europe this year) and how it is helping the age-old insurance industry to reach the young and mobile population. We also dig into the intricacies of starting a company abroad and especially as a foreign founder. Finally, we discuss serial entrepreneurship, pivoting and building on top of existing businesses and ideas

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:00] - Starting an Insuretech business

  • If your home market is tiny, then whatever traction you have there won’t mean anything for proving the ability to conquer the bigger European or other markets
  • Don’t be afraid to start a business in an industry where you don’t have significant experience

[08:45] - The rise of global and European Insurtech and INZMO

  • Customer acquisition cost through digital  is so high in insurance that one must find smarter ways of getting customers
  • B2B2C partnerships as an efficient customer acquisition method
  • Legacy insurance companies invest in Insurtech companies heavily to not become obsolete
  • The insurance market pie is growing both due to new types of products (devices, pets, rent/bills) as well as the growing adoption of insurance products among the younger generations
  • User experience is more important than the cost for the consumer in most cases
  • Subscription and embed models will create huge value by making the insurance experience even more seamless

[28:35] -  Starting a company abroad

  • Picking the market to go-to
  • Legally it’s simple to set up in Germany and most countries in the EU
  • Tap into potential partners for market intelligence
  • Berlin is a great place to start a business in terms of costs and welcoming towards startups and big VC interest
  • Use local accelerators to help market entry with investors and partners
  • Not knowing the local language has not been a problem at least in Germany so don’t be discouraged by that
  • Hiring the local team
  • Making your company an  appealing workplace
  • Employer branding as a foreigner
  • Estonian vs. German company - how to present yourself in a foreign market to investors, employees, and clients

[43:00]  2 Co-founders / 2 Co-CEOs

  • How it practically  works in day to day business
  • Long experience working together with founders seen as a huge plus by VCs

[51:40 ] - Serial entrepreneurship and Pivoting the business

  • Get started, get to market, don’t make the perfect product
  • Raising 3M from VCs shortly after making the pivot
  • To successfully pivot you need to be conscious of the real value that you are bringing to the customer - it might be in just one feature of your whole product
  • Introducing a high;y demanded insurance innovation (apartment deposit insurance)
  • Building a Red-bull like brand in an old-school industry

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support the show

]]> Meeri Rebane (EE) shares her experience of launching a company in one of the hottest Insurtech markets in Europe - Germany. Having pivoted away from a bicycle identification platform, Meeri together with her co-founder Risto Klausen (EE) is building a consumer-friendly insurance app in the heart of the Berlin tech scene with an edgy brand inspired by Red Bull

In this conversation, we talk about the potential of Insurtech (an industry that raised over 1bn EUR in VC in Europe this year) and how it is helping the age-old insurance industry to reach the young and mobile population. We also dig into the intricacies of starting a company abroad and especially as a foreign founder. Finally, we discuss serial entrepreneurship, pivoting and building on top of existing businesses and ideas

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[02:00] - Starting an Insuretech business

  • If your home market is tiny, then whatever traction you have there won’t mean anything for proving the ability to conquer the bigger European or other markets
  • Don’t be afraid to start a business in an industry where you don’t have significant experience

[08:45] - The rise of global and European Insurtech and INZMO

  • Customer acquisition cost through digital  is so high in insurance that one must find smarter ways of getting customers
  • B2B2C partnerships as an efficient customer acquisition method
  • Legacy insurance companies invest in Insurtech companies heavily to not become obsolete
  • The insurance market pie is growing both due to new types of products (devices, pets, rent/bills) as well as the growing adoption of insurance products among the younger generations
  • User experience is more important than the cost for the consumer in most cases
  • Subscription and embed models will create huge value by making the insurance experience even more seamless

[28:35] -  Starting a company abroad

  • Picking the market to go-to
  • Legally it’s simple to set up in Germany and most countries in the EU
  • Tap into potential partners for market intelligence
  • Berlin is a great place to start a business in terms of costs and welcoming towards startups and big VC interest
  • Use local accelerators to help market entry with investors and partners
  • Not knowing the local language has not been a problem at least in Germany so don’t be discouraged by that
  • Hiring the local team
  • Making your company an  appealing workplace
  • Employer branding as a foreigner
  • Estonian vs. German company - how to present yourself in a foreign market to investors, employees, and clients

[43:00]  2 Co-founders / 2 Co-CEOs

  • How it practically  works in day to day business
  • Long experience working together with founders seen as a huge plus by VCs

[51:40 ] - Serial entrepreneurship and Pivoting the business

  • Get started, get to market, don’t make the perfect product
  • Raising 3M from VCs shortly after making the pivot
  • To successfully pivot you need to be conscious of the real value that you are bringing to the customer - it might be in just one feature of your whole product
  • Introducing a high;y demanded insurance innovation (apartment deposit insurance)
  • Building a Red-bull like brand in an old-school industry

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8815977 Tue, 06 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0300 3965 INZMO, Meeri Rebane, Insurtech, Venture capital, Estonia, Estonian startups, Berlin, Berlin tech, Insurance, entrepreneurship 1 18 full true #17 - Martin Koppel (Fortumo) on sales approach that landed Google & Amazon, scaling a global payments business from Estonia, getting acquired and never delegating market entry #17 - Martin Koppel (Fortumo) on sales approach that landed Google & Amazon, scaling a global payments business from Estonia, getting acquired and never delegating market entry Martin Koppel is the CEO and Co-founder of Fortumo. Before iOS and Android existed they offered various SMS services. Now they are solving payment challenges for Google, Spotify, Amazon, Tencent, Epic Games in emerging markets. And they invented Android in-app payments before Google did. Fortumo is truly one of the biggest success stories coming out of Estonia (Tartu to be precise) and Martin shares how he got there.

This episode is overflowing with actionable insights and tips on business development, direct sales, Fortune500 company courting, deciding the right time to exit, deciding when and why to raise VC money, and selling with confidence in yourself and in the value you create for your customers

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[2:30] - Monetizing consumers in markets where it is hard to do so with Fortumo's mobile payment solutions

  • Fortumo are pioneers in offering checkout with payment through mobile phone monthly bill
  • Estonian companies are blessed with the local market being so small that they have to think globally from day one
  • If you want your company to last 20-30+ years, you need to diversify and reinvent your product portfolio
  • Symbiotic collaboration models between Telco companies and consumer tech subscription companies

[15:00] - Scaling the company, profitability, and the right time to exit

  • Building a company to make a profit was old school way of doing business before startup mentality came to Estonia and the Baltics
  • Raising VC money as a way to improve reputation (stamp of approval) and boost top tier sales
  • How to decide when to sell your company?
  • Should big tech be regulated more strictly? Martin shares from his painful business lessons

[36:10] - Business development for startups is all grit and hustle

  • The benefits of starting a company using already existing infrastructure (piggybacking)
  • Creating value for the customer as the no.1 focus
  • Putting in the work to prepare for f2f sales during events
  • Focusing on customer needs and always thinking where the market is heading - being ahead of the curve
  • Even if you're successful, don't be complacent
  • Getting key accounts and is LinkedIn still working?
  • Don't start selling too early. Listen to the customer
  • Selling to Fortune500 companies
  • Book “Snap selling” by Jill Konrath - the bible for everyone doing sales
  • Don't be afraid to reiterate sales messaging after time if no deal has been closed
  • Don't be a customer-pleaser. Go into a sales meeting knowing your value. Avoid master-slave dynamic

[1:07:30 ] - Conquering emerging markets

  • Don't rely on local salespeople to “sell for you” in the early phase. You have to go sell by yourself or your core team
  • Besides local help, you also need “boots on the ground”, best case the founder himself has to spend significant time getting market intelligence

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/


Support the show

]]> Martin Koppel is the CEO and Co-founder of Fortumo. Before iOS and Android existed they offered various SMS services. Now they are solving payment challenges for Google, Spotify, Amazon, Tencent, Epic Games in emerging markets. And they invented Android in-app payments before Google did. Fortumo is truly one of the biggest success stories coming out of Estonia (Tartu to be precise) and Martin shares how he got there.

This episode is overflowing with actionable insights and tips on business development, direct sales, Fortune500 company courting, deciding the right time to exit, deciding when and why to raise VC money, and selling with confidence in yourself and in the value you create for your customers

The topics covered in this episode with Timestamps

[2:30] - Monetizing consumers in markets where it is hard to do so with Fortumo's mobile payment solutions

  • Fortumo are pioneers in offering checkout with payment through mobile phone monthly bill
  • Estonian companies are blessed with the local market being so small that they have to think globally from day one
  • If you want your company to last 20-30+ years, you need to diversify and reinvent your product portfolio
  • Symbiotic collaboration models between Telco companies and consumer tech subscription companies

[15:00] - Scaling the company, profitability, and the right time to exit

  • Building a company to make a profit was old school way of doing business before startup mentality came to Estonia and the Baltics
  • Raising VC money as a way to improve reputation (stamp of approval) and boost top tier sales
  • How to decide when to sell your company?
  • Should big tech be regulated more strictly? Martin shares from his painful business lessons

[36:10] - Business development for startups is all grit and hustle

  • The benefits of starting a company using already existing infrastructure (piggybacking)
  • Creating value for the customer as the no.1 focus
  • Putting in the work to prepare for f2f sales during events
  • Focusing on customer needs and always thinking where the market is heading - being ahead of the curve
  • Even if you're successful, don't be complacent
  • Getting key accounts and is LinkedIn still working?
  • Don't start selling too early. Listen to the customer
  • Selling to Fortune500 companies
  • Book “Snap selling” by Jill Konrath - the bible for everyone doing sales
  • Don't be afraid to reiterate sales messaging after time if no deal has been closed
  • Don't be a customer-pleaser. Go into a sales meeting knowing your value. Avoid master-slave dynamic

[1:07:30 ] - Conquering emerging markets

  • Don't rely on local salespeople to “sell for you” in the early phase. You have to go sell by yourself or your core team
  • Besides local help, you also need “boots on the ground”, best case the founder himself has to spend significant time getting market intelligence

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/


Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-17-interview-martin-koppel Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8777923 Tue, 29 Jun 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4797 Martin Koppel, Fortumo, Mobile, Payments, Google, Amazon, Estonia, Estonian startup. Sales, Business development 1 17 full true #16 - Ieva Dvilinskiene (FlowSpace) on building the future of flexible work, raising money from Antler startup program & challenges female founders face #16 - Ieva Dvilinskiene (FlowSpace) on building the future of flexible work, raising money from Antler startup program & challenges female founders face Ieva is a marketer with a decorated career in product branding. We meet, however, to talk about her 180-degree career change - deciding to become an entrepreneur and joining Antler VC London cohort. After successfully graduating from the program and raising investment Ieva currently is in charge of growth at FlowSpace - a marketplace she has co-founded where teams meet co-working spaces in London. 

An insightful conversation follows. What questions to ask in order to find the right business partners? What the future of work looks like? As well as how to manage family & career and why it is different for female founder? We also came up with at least 2 legit new business ideas in this podcast

The topics covered in this episode (with Timestamps)

[2:00] Becoming an entrepreneur via a startup acceleration program

  • Questions to ask your prospective co-founders (or any people you plan to work with)
  • The difference between a hard-working employee and a hard-working entrepreneur is an obsession
  • How to make a financial plan before jumping into entrepreneurship
  • How to pick the best accelerator program to start your entrepreneurship journey
  • To start with Antler (antler.co) you don't neither a business idea nor a co-founders team
  • That the right order for establishing a team is chemistry, values, and only the business idea
  • To have hard conversations with potential cofounders about motivation, financial outlook, and some polarizing issues that can harm your team chemistry

[31:20] How does the future of work look like 

  • The 15-minute city concept
  • How 3 types of work organization based on team specifics - Fully remote, hybrid, and fully back to the office will play out
  • The future of work and life includes greater engagement with local communities around your home
  • With flexible workspaces, you can do “office-crawling” to keep your environment interesting

[57:50] Women in tech

  • The inner and outer challenges female founders face
  • How to be open about family plans with your team and investors
  • How not to overthink family planning and take career decisions without hesitation

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> Ieva is a marketer with a decorated career in product branding. We meet, however, to talk about her 180-degree career change - deciding to become an entrepreneur and joining Antler VC London cohort. After successfully graduating from the program and raising investment Ieva currently is in charge of growth at FlowSpace - a marketplace she has co-founded where teams meet co-working spaces in London. 

An insightful conversation follows. What questions to ask in order to find the right business partners? What the future of work looks like? As well as how to manage family & career and why it is different for female founder? We also came up with at least 2 legit new business ideas in this podcast

The topics covered in this episode (with Timestamps)

[2:00] Becoming an entrepreneur via a startup acceleration program

  • Questions to ask your prospective co-founders (or any people you plan to work with)
  • The difference between a hard-working employee and a hard-working entrepreneur is an obsession
  • How to make a financial plan before jumping into entrepreneurship
  • How to pick the best accelerator program to start your entrepreneurship journey
  • To start with Antler (antler.co) you don't neither a business idea nor a co-founders team
  • That the right order for establishing a team is chemistry, values, and only the business idea
  • To have hard conversations with potential cofounders about motivation, financial outlook, and some polarizing issues that can harm your team chemistry

[31:20] How does the future of work look like 

  • The 15-minute city concept
  • How 3 types of work organization based on team specifics - Fully remote, hybrid, and fully back to the office will play out
  • The future of work and life includes greater engagement with local communities around your home
  • With flexible workspaces, you can do “office-crawling” to keep your environment interesting

[57:50] Women in tech

  • The inner and outer challenges female founders face
  • How to be open about family plans with your team and investors
  • How not to overthink family planning and take career decisions without hesitation

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/

===

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 



Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-16-interview-ieva-dvilinskiene Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8740404 Tue, 22 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0300 4616 Ieva Dvilinskiene, FlowSpace, flexible forking, future of work, antler, startup accelerator, entrepreneurship, London, raising money, co-founders, women in tech, female founders 1 16 full false #15 - Donatas Keras (Practica Capital) on the bright future of the Baltic tech scene, VC-Founder relationship advice, investment in Interactio and global VCs entering the market #15 - Donatas Keras (Practica Capital) on the bright future of the Baltic tech scene, VC-Founder relationship advice, investment in Interactio and global VCs entering the market Donatas is one of the most well-known investors in the Baltic startup scene. Having hustled in different businesses and investments, he started VC investing 10 years ago and has been part of such success stories as TransferGo, Trafi, Ziticity, Sonarworks, and recent headline maker Interactio

In a super high-energy conversation, we go back in time to compare what the startup scene was like 10 years ago and how far we have come. Donatas also shares many interesting stories from investing and not investing into different companies and principles in VC-founder relationships. 

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • A brief recent history of the Baltic startup scene and key milestones along the road
  • That often hugely successful companies don’t look like it in early stages
  • The societal and psychological benefits of having unicorn level success stories
  • How in some verticals, the Baltics are setting global trends instead of following
  • The role of local investors with the increasing presence of international investors
  • Key things investors like Donatas look for in founders
  • Some mistakes to avoid in VC-founder relationships
  • That it is critical to be open and honest about your company going out of business
  • The role of VC in further investment rounds
  • How Vinted started and missing the opportunity to invest by 4 weeks
  • The amazing tenacity, grit, and timing of the Interactio team whom they rejected 2x before making the investment

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Donatas is one of the most well-known investors in the Baltic startup scene. Having hustled in different businesses and investments, he started VC investing 10 years ago and has been part of such success stories as TransferGo, Trafi, Ziticity, Sonarworks, and recent headline maker Interactio

In a super high-energy conversation, we go back in time to compare what the startup scene was like 10 years ago and how far we have come. Donatas also shares many interesting stories from investing and not investing into different companies and principles in VC-founder relationships. 

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • A brief recent history of the Baltic startup scene and key milestones along the road
  • That often hugely successful companies don’t look like it in early stages
  • The societal and psychological benefits of having unicorn level success stories
  • How in some verticals, the Baltics are setting global trends instead of following
  • The role of local investors with the increasing presence of international investors
  • Key things investors like Donatas look for in founders
  • Some mistakes to avoid in VC-founder relationships
  • That it is critical to be open and honest about your company going out of business
  • The role of VC in further investment rounds
  • How Vinted started and missing the opportunity to invest by 4 weeks
  • The amazing tenacity, grit, and timing of the Interactio team whom they rejected 2x before making the investment

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-15-interview-donatas-keras Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8694246 Tue, 15 Jun 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4266 Donatas Keras, Venture capital, Practica Capital, startup, investment 1 15 full false #14 - Sandris Artemjevs (Codelex) on teaching people to code in 3 months, how to get devs to join your company, the future of AI, and myths about coding that can hold you back #14 - Sandris Artemjevs (Codelex) on teaching people to code in 3 months, how to get devs to join your company, the future of AI, and myths about coding that can hold you back Sandris is the CTO of one of the hottest Baltic fintech startups, Jeff App,  however, in this episode, we focus on Codelex developer school, which he created a few years ago. With Codelex Sandris has added north of 130 able-bodied developers both men and women across different age groups to the market after subjecting them to an intensive 3 months developer Bootcamp.

In a very direct and no bullshit interview Sandris shares his vision that almost anyone can code at a professional level, but also points out that it depends on everyone’s own motivation, explains that discrimination in the job market still exists, and gives advice on what will make developers consider you attractive as an employer

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • That you can become a developer in 3 months if you make an investment in yourself
  • What developers value the most in a job/employer
  • That 80% of the population are able to become a developer
  • How to avoid scams in coding schools
  • How to make the decision between remaining a specialist developer vs. a team lead/manager
  • How software development is similar to business management
  • What the demand for developers will be in the future and the gap between employers and jobseekers
  • What salary  will an experienced developer in the Baltics be making in 5 years
  • Whether AI will take over developer jobs in the near future

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Find out more about Codelex coding school https://www.codelex.io/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Sandris is the CTO of one of the hottest Baltic fintech startups, Jeff App,  however, in this episode, we focus on Codelex developer school, which he created a few years ago. With Codelex Sandris has added north of 130 able-bodied developers both men and women across different age groups to the market after subjecting them to an intensive 3 months developer Bootcamp.

In a very direct and no bullshit interview Sandris shares his vision that almost anyone can code at a professional level, but also points out that it depends on everyone’s own motivation, explains that discrimination in the job market still exists, and gives advice on what will make developers consider you attractive as an employer

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • That you can become a developer in 3 months if you make an investment in yourself
  • What developers value the most in a job/employer
  • That 80% of the population are able to become a developer
  • How to avoid scams in coding schools
  • How to make the decision between remaining a specialist developer vs. a team lead/manager
  • How software development is similar to business management
  • What the demand for developers will be in the future and the gap between employers and jobseekers
  • What salary  will an experienced developer in the Baltics be making in 5 years
  • Whether AI will take over developer jobs in the near future

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Find out more about Codelex coding school https://www.codelex.io/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-8662317 Tue, 08 Jun 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4414 coding, fintech, baltics, codelex, jeffapp, development, sandris artemjevs 1 14 full true #13 - Anastasija Oleinika (Twino) on leading the team through pandemic, 60/40 approach to culture, employee mental health and building a lifelong financial platform #13 - Anastasija Oleinika (Twino) on leading the team through pandemic, 60/40 approach to culture, employee mental health and building a lifelong financial platform Anastasija is the CEO of one of the most recognized tech companies in Latvia - Twino. Having started out in investment banking and M&A advisory, she now manages one of the largest P2P lenders in continental Europe with a team of 400+ people in 6 countries. Having led the company through the pandemic as a shock to investor confidence across asset classes worldwide, Anastasija now builds Twino into a licensed broker and a lifelong financial partner to their clients. 

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • How to take over company management from a Founder CEO
  • About the EU-wide initiative to launch a public fund to support R&D/Capex heavy companies
  • To hope for the best and prepare for the worst as a crisis response strategy
  • About different strategies that P2P lending companies used to handle the pandemic
  • To prioritize profitability over growth in times of crises
  • That more regulation is coming to the business model in Europe to protect investors
  • That the efficient market hypothesis in Finance is getting further and further from the reality
  • How to make remote less depressing and more bearable for your team
  • Advice on dealing with mental health issues in your team
  • A model for coming back to the office in a semi-flexible manner
  • The 60/40 approach for culture, having 60% general company culture and leaving 40% for the separate culture of different offices or even teams
  • That people in the Baltics are universal soldiers and are hard to be replaced with hires abroad
  • The main challenges of growing as a manager
  • Practical advice on managing work/life balance

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Anastasija is the CEO of one of the most recognized tech companies in Latvia - Twino. Having started out in investment banking and M&A advisory, she now manages one of the largest P2P lenders in continental Europe with a team of 400+ people in 6 countries. Having led the company through the pandemic as a shock to investor confidence across asset classes worldwide, Anastasija now builds Twino into a licensed broker and a lifelong financial partner to their clients. 

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • How to take over company management from a Founder CEO
  • About the EU-wide initiative to launch a public fund to support R&D/Capex heavy companies
  • To hope for the best and prepare for the worst as a crisis response strategy
  • About different strategies that P2P lending companies used to handle the pandemic
  • To prioritize profitability over growth in times of crises
  • That more regulation is coming to the business model in Europe to protect investors
  • That the efficient market hypothesis in Finance is getting further and further from the reality
  • How to make remote less depressing and more bearable for your team
  • Advice on dealing with mental health issues in your team
  • A model for coming back to the office in a semi-flexible manner
  • The 60/40 approach for culture, having 60% general company culture and leaving 40% for the separate culture of different offices or even teams
  • That people in the Baltics are universal soldiers and are hard to be replaced with hires abroad
  • The main challenges of growing as a manager
  • Practical advice on managing work/life balance

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8619558 Tue, 01 Jun 2021 04:00:00 +0300 3988 Fintech, P2p, Twino, Anastasija Oleinika, Fintech regulators, team culture, employee mental health, leadership 1 13 full true #12 - Rolands Mesters (Nordigen) on the power of free open banking, reinventing your startup every 6 months and hustling until one of your ideas sticks #12 - Rolands Mesters (Nordigen) on the power of free open banking, reinventing your startup every 6 months and hustling until one of your ideas sticks Rolands is a grade-A hustler who realized early on in his career that he must build companies and products to fulfill his dreams as well as overcome some grudges. Hustling several business ideas, Rolands found himself in the fintech space crunching credit risk numbers from bank statements and now has evolved the business model into providing free open banking and building a crucial piece of financial infrastructure for the successful development of the fintech industry. We also discuss Dr Dre, Netflix and Michael Jordan 

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • Hustling all kinds of ambitious ideas to find the one that sticks
  • You don’t have to be completely insane to build a great company, although it definitely helps to build a legendary one
  • Pivoting is hard. The larger you are, the harder it gets
  • Open banking data is free (at least with Nordigen) and can be used to build a world of fintech applications
  • To pivot  fast when you sense stagnation in your current business model
  • Don’t look for 100% fit for an open position. Hire for overall talent
  • Once you find great talent, don’t waste time and  go all-in to hire them immediately
  • If you can avoid hiring, don’t hire. The more people you have, the more nodes of communication you have to manage

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



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]]> Rolands is a grade-A hustler who realized early on in his career that he must build companies and products to fulfill his dreams as well as overcome some grudges. Hustling several business ideas, Rolands found himself in the fintech space crunching credit risk numbers from bank statements and now has evolved the business model into providing free open banking and building a crucial piece of financial infrastructure for the successful development of the fintech industry. We also discuss Dr Dre, Netflix and Michael Jordan 

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • Hustling all kinds of ambitious ideas to find the one that sticks
  • You don’t have to be completely insane to build a great company, although it definitely helps to build a legendary one
  • Pivoting is hard. The larger you are, the harder it gets
  • Open banking data is free (at least with Nordigen) and can be used to build a world of fintech applications
  • To pivot  fast when you sense stagnation in your current business model
  • Don’t look for 100% fit for an open position. Hire for overall talent
  • Once you find great talent, don’t waste time and  go all-in to hire them immediately
  • If you can avoid hiring, don’t hire. The more people you have, the more nodes of communication you have to manage

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-12-interview-rolands-mesters Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8580852 Tue, 25 May 2021 01:00:00 +0300 4771 open banking, fintech, nordigen, startup, latvia, baltics, pivot, financial industry, psd2 1 12 full true #11 - Petr Antropov (Lokalise) from bootstrapping a B2B SaaS company to serving top tech unicorns, going fully remote permanently and building ‘No Bullshit’ culture #11 - Petr Antropov (Lokalise) from bootstrapping a B2B SaaS company to serving top tech unicorns, going fully remote permanently and building ‘No Bullshit’ culture Petr is an ex-banker turned serial entrepreneur with several startups under his belt prior to founding Lokalise, including Odnoklassniki, Megogo, and Roamer app. The latter turned out to be the source of the product for Lokalise. With a no-BS mentality, Petr and the Lokalise team have achieved fantastic product-market fit with many top Tech names (e.g. Revolut, Bitpanda, Notion) as their loyal customers, which helped them bootstrap up until a 6mUSD VC round last year, becoming one of the most successful startups in Latvia.

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • How to turn a fix for an internal business headache into a successful B2B SaaS product
  • That finding product-market fit in B2B SaaS is relatively easier as the customers “vote with their money” early on
  • How to prioritize which product improvements to implement
  • How to critically listen to your customer’s feature requests
  • About pros and cons of permanent full remote job organization and the reasoning behind Lokalise decision to go fully remote
  • How hiring globally works in practice
  • The difference between the mindset of US vs. European employees - in the US, people see their work as an investment and that’s how they approach it
  • How to bootstrap successfully and the reasoning why to raise VC money even if you have solid growth being bootstrapped
  • That most companies still use spreadsheets for localisation and also for managing many other business processes
  • AI and the future of localization

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Petr is an ex-banker turned serial entrepreneur with several startups under his belt prior to founding Lokalise, including Odnoklassniki, Megogo, and Roamer app. The latter turned out to be the source of the product for Lokalise. With a no-BS mentality, Petr and the Lokalise team have achieved fantastic product-market fit with many top Tech names (e.g. Revolut, Bitpanda, Notion) as their loyal customers, which helped them bootstrap up until a 6mUSD VC round last year, becoming one of the most successful startups in Latvia.

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • How to turn a fix for an internal business headache into a successful B2B SaaS product
  • That finding product-market fit in B2B SaaS is relatively easier as the customers “vote with their money” early on
  • How to prioritize which product improvements to implement
  • How to critically listen to your customer’s feature requests
  • About pros and cons of permanent full remote job organization and the reasoning behind Lokalise decision to go fully remote
  • How hiring globally works in practice
  • The difference between the mindset of US vs. European employees - in the US, people see their work as an investment and that’s how they approach it
  • How to bootstrap successfully and the reasoning why to raise VC money even if you have solid growth being bootstrapped
  • That most companies still use spreadsheets for localisation and also for managing many other business processes
  • AI and the future of localization

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from Nexpay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Buzzsprout-8537081 Tue, 18 May 2021 02:00:00 +0300 3590 localization, lokalise, b2b, SaaS, startup, remote work, fundraising, venture capital, bootstrap 1 11 full true #10 - David Holahan (ex-US Marine) on applying combat experience in Iraq to business, 6 leadership principles & making 500 decisions a day under stress #10 - David Holahan (ex-US Marine) on applying combat experience in Iraq to business, 6 leadership principles & making 500 decisions a day under stress David is a retired US Marine Lt. Col. with real combat experience in Somalia and Iraq, where he commanded a unit of 1 200 soldiers. He then served as the Defence Attache to Latvia in Riga. Since retiring from the military David has been applying the lessons he shares in this episode to both secure millions of USD in contracts for the businesses he worked for as well as to teach leadership both in Europe and the US. 

It turns out there are more parallels in business and military than you may think. In this engaging episode, David shares the learnings from his military career that will help you in your day-to-day combat with deadlines, KPIs, and competitors.

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • To get enough sleep, otherwise, you’ll make bad decisions
  • That stress for a person in a business can be as high or even higher than for a soldier, so needs to be addressed and managed to ensure performance
  • To make a plan based on carefully considered assumptions, execute the plan, measure performance metrics and reiterate the plan
  • To be serious about being good at your job - prepare, make notes and use them as cheat sheets in real business situations
  • David’s 6 leadership principles
  • The importance of clarity in communication. Especially in remote work times if needed, make the other person repeat what you said to ensure no miscommunication
  • To set expectations on performance from the start and regularly articulate those expectations to achieve better performance from your team
  • To never tolerate lies
  • To invest your time and effort in creating a team identity
  • Centralized planning and decentralized execution. Make sure your team knows what exactly needs to be done, and empower them to take care of how to do it 
  • To reward initiative and accept failure instead of celebrating failure

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> David is a retired US Marine Lt. Col. with real combat experience in Somalia and Iraq, where he commanded a unit of 1 200 soldiers. He then served as the Defence Attache to Latvia in Riga. Since retiring from the military David has been applying the lessons he shares in this episode to both secure millions of USD in contracts for the businesses he worked for as well as to teach leadership both in Europe and the US. 

It turns out there are more parallels in business and military than you may think. In this engaging episode, David shares the learnings from his military career that will help you in your day-to-day combat with deadlines, KPIs, and competitors.

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • To get enough sleep, otherwise, you’ll make bad decisions
  • That stress for a person in a business can be as high or even higher than for a soldier, so needs to be addressed and managed to ensure performance
  • To make a plan based on carefully considered assumptions, execute the plan, measure performance metrics and reiterate the plan
  • To be serious about being good at your job - prepare, make notes and use them as cheat sheets in real business situations
  • David’s 6 leadership principles
  • The importance of clarity in communication. Especially in remote work times if needed, make the other person repeat what you said to ensure no miscommunication
  • To set expectations on performance from the start and regularly articulate those expectations to achieve better performance from your team
  • To never tolerate lies
  • To invest your time and effort in creating a team identity
  • Centralized planning and decentralized execution. Make sure your team knows what exactly needs to be done, and empower them to take care of how to do it 
  • To reward initiative and accept failure instead of celebrating failure

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-10-interview-david-holahan Buzzsprout-8495388 Tue, 11 May 2021 02:00:00 +0300 3809 business, military, leadership, performance, stress 1 10 full true #9 - Liudas Kanapienis (Ondato) on scaling his team 6x in 12 months, the 24/7 reality of a startup founder, the importance of 1-1 meetings, and the increasing role of RegTech in eCommerce #9 - Liudas Kanapienis (Ondato) on scaling his team 6x in 12 months, the 24/7 reality of a startup founder, the importance of 1-1 meetings, and the increasing role of RegTech in eCommerce Liudas, a fintech heavyweight, got into RegTech and ID verification as he saw an industry with an exponential rise in relevance for global commerce. Having led a team of 1000+ people before (ex-CEO of Paysera), he is now scaling the Ondato team with rocket speed having grown 6x times in the last 12 months. Liudas shares his management secrets to keep his team aligned on one vision

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • Importance of having a co-founder as it is almost impossible to achieve success alone
  • The realities of startup Founder/CEO lifestyle. Hint - it is a 24/7 job and it does not include a Lamborghini
  • How to tackle the key challenges in scaling 
  • Not to shy away from starting your business in a crowded space
  • How to rally your team behind a vision
  • How to grow as a CEO from managing 5 to 1000+ people
  • Tips on how to ensure high-quality feedback from your team
  • The future of the office, meetings, and human interactions
  • That, not all VCs are relevant to your startup
  • And why setting up your company in London makes sense


Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Liudas, a fintech heavyweight, got into RegTech and ID verification as he saw an industry with an exponential rise in relevance for global commerce. Having led a team of 1000+ people before (ex-CEO of Paysera), he is now scaling the Ondato team with rocket speed having grown 6x times in the last 12 months. Liudas shares his management secrets to keep his team aligned on one vision

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • Importance of having a co-founder as it is almost impossible to achieve success alone
  • The realities of startup Founder/CEO lifestyle. Hint - it is a 24/7 job and it does not include a Lamborghini
  • How to tackle the key challenges in scaling 
  • Not to shy away from starting your business in a crowded space
  • How to rally your team behind a vision
  • How to grow as a CEO from managing 5 to 1000+ people
  • Tips on how to ensure high-quality feedback from your team
  • The future of the office, meetings, and human interactions
  • That, not all VCs are relevant to your startup
  • And why setting up your company in London makes sense


Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8451994 Tue, 04 May 2021 04:00:00 +0300 4973 Liudas kanapienis, ondato, fintech, lithuania, startup, hiring, business, entrepreneurship, baltics, fundraising 1 9 full true #8 - The $2.6 Bn gold rush you never heard of - Amazon rollup companies. $0.5 Tn concept of ‘ammortality’ and Wise pays back to its users while Apple asks for more #8 - The $2.6 Bn gold rush you never heard of - Amazon rollup companies. $0.5 Tn concept of ‘ammortality’ and Wise pays back to its users while Apple asks for more Raising $400 M in the first year of existence? This is the story of 4 companies in 2020 who grabbed a piece of $2.6 Bn investment pie. With 2 million third-party sellers on Amazon responsible for ⅔ of sales on its platform, the market is ripe for consolidation. The “John D. Rockefellers” of the Amazon black gold mean business and are buying and building Amazon sellers left, right, and center.

We also discuss the timeless quest to live longer from alchemy to  ‘ammortality’ with the industry poised to grow to $0.5 Tn. Wise is giving away stock to their most loyal users pre  IPO, robots are driving around Estonian countryside roads (presumably to bring you food from ghost kitchens, hint see Ep 02) and Apple finally decides to go into paid original  podcasting

Things you will learn from listening to this episode:

  • What is a “rollup company”?
  • How buying up sellers on Amazon works?
  • Who are the biggest/ most visible players in the industry?
  • What value do aggregator companies bring to the Amazon sellers?
  • What kind of investors are funding the industry?
  • Why are investors backing these companies?
  • Is this business model scalable?
  • What are the benefits for consumers?
  • What are the inherent risks in the business model?
  • Some extreme scenarios of how this industry might be upended
  • Can you (as a private investor) participate?
  • What is “ammortality” and the emerging industry of life longevity enhancement?
  • Wise giving away shares - good PR or long-term trend in tech?

Highlights of the week

  • Estonian AI&robotics startup Cleveron is cleared to use their fully autonomous delivery robots on all public roads in Estonia - the first company in Europe to get such nation-wide public streets green light
  • Apple will introduce a subscription fee on the Apple podcasts app opening up questions on the balance of power in the podcast media industry

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support the show

]]> Raising $400 M in the first year of existence? This is the story of 4 companies in 2020 who grabbed a piece of $2.6 Bn investment pie. With 2 million third-party sellers on Amazon responsible for ⅔ of sales on its platform, the market is ripe for consolidation. The “John D. Rockefellers” of the Amazon black gold mean business and are buying and building Amazon sellers left, right, and center.

We also discuss the timeless quest to live longer from alchemy to  ‘ammortality’ with the industry poised to grow to $0.5 Tn. Wise is giving away stock to their most loyal users pre  IPO, robots are driving around Estonian countryside roads (presumably to bring you food from ghost kitchens, hint see Ep 02) and Apple finally decides to go into paid original  podcasting

Things you will learn from listening to this episode:

  • What is a “rollup company”?
  • How buying up sellers on Amazon works?
  • Who are the biggest/ most visible players in the industry?
  • What value do aggregator companies bring to the Amazon sellers?
  • What kind of investors are funding the industry?
  • Why are investors backing these companies?
  • Is this business model scalable?
  • What are the benefits for consumers?
  • What are the inherent risks in the business model?
  • Some extreme scenarios of how this industry might be upended
  • Can you (as a private investor) participate?
  • What is “ammortality” and the emerging industry of life longevity enhancement?
  • Wise giving away shares - good PR or long-term trend in tech?

Highlights of the week

  • Estonian AI&robotics startup Cleveron is cleared to use their fully autonomous delivery robots on all public roads in Estonia - the first company in Europe to get such nation-wide public streets green light
  • Apple will introduce a subscription fee on the Apple podcasts app opening up questions on the balance of power in the podcast media industry

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/

Support the show

]]> Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8404293 Tue, 27 Apr 2021 04:00:00 +0300 2999 amazon, amazon aggregators, amazon fba, medtech, ammortality, wise, thrasio, sellerx, cleveron, apple podcasts, 1 8 full true #7 - Elviss Straupenieks (Airboard) on flying a man on a drone, going to Silicon Valley, blowing up his first 50K in a test flight and taking company full cycle before the age of 22 #7 - Elviss Straupenieks (Airboard) on flying a man on a drone, going to Silicon Valley, blowing up his first 50K in a test flight and taking company full cycle before the age of 22 Elviss, a prodigy entrepreneur started Airboard at the age of 16 and takes us through his amazing story of following his dream of putting a man on a drone. Having raised initial funds in Latvia, Elviss shares his experience in the Silicon Valley over two accelerator programs, being mentored by Tim Draper and raising funds from angels from different parts of the world. He also shares his pivot from civil transport to agriculture, making first sales and getting outrun by huge US competitors. A story of ultimate scrappiness awaits!

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • How to build a business when the technology for your business doesn’t exist
  • How to transition from the only engineer/product person to a CEO
  • The value of going to Silicon Valley and the US accelerators
  • Advice Elviss received from Tim Draper - always go for the market with the most money
  • How to set up shop in the US and stick around
  • How to transition from fundraising to sales mentality
  • That being a CEO means eating last every day

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Elviss, a prodigy entrepreneur started Airboard at the age of 16 and takes us through his amazing story of following his dream of putting a man on a drone. Having raised initial funds in Latvia, Elviss shares his experience in the Silicon Valley over two accelerator programs, being mentored by Tim Draper and raising funds from angels from different parts of the world. He also shares his pivot from civil transport to agriculture, making first sales and getting outrun by huge US competitors. A story of ultimate scrappiness awaits!

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • How to build a business when the technology for your business doesn’t exist
  • How to transition from the only engineer/product person to a CEO
  • The value of going to Silicon Valley and the US accelerators
  • Advice Elviss received from Tim Draper - always go for the market with the most money
  • How to set up shop in the US and stick around
  • How to transition from fundraising to sales mentality
  • That being a CEO means eating last every day

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-07-interview-elviss-straupenieks Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8357581 Tue, 20 Apr 2021 03:00:00 +0300 3594 drones, silicon valley, accelerator, startup, funding, hardware, technology, entrepreneurship 1 7 full true #6 - Will your university diploma come from Apple? 3 ways to fund your business without giving up equity and - did you know you can become a VC yourself today? #6 - Will your university diploma come from Apple? 3 ways to fund your business without giving up equity and - did you know you can become a VC yourself today? Global Education and Training is estimated to be a 7tn$ industry by 2025, but only 4% of it is digital. S^&t is about to go down. 

We also list ways to get financing for your startup without getting diluted, give a quick tip on how you can become a VC by buying shares in a Baltic Nasdaq listed investment fund, and try real hard to recall a successful Kickstarter campaign that has since grown into a major company.

Should you go for a 4-year degree from Google in 6 months now available at $39 per month?  Does it make sense to do equity crowdfunding for a B2B SaaS company? Find out in the latest episode!

Things you will learn from listening to this episode:

Remote education:

  • There are not many ways for Big Tech to add hundreds of billions in revenue in order to keep growing their share price. Meanwhile, global Education and Training is estimated to be a 7tn$ industry by 2025 (and only 4% of it is digital)...
  • VC Investment in EdTEch doubles during the pandemic to reach 16.1 bn$ in 2020
  • Existing universities to provide an increasing number of remote and hybrid programs
  • Coursera IPOs at 7bn last week offering a platform to get fully remote degrees & certificates from accredited brands. Google offers it at $39 per month, but you can also get an online degree from HEC Paris - full price, sorry, no shortcuts there. Yet.

Alternatives to VC funding:

  • In the earliest stages, nothing beats a good bootstrap
  • Competition among investors for Baltic startups has intensified with the emergence of strong angel syndicates as well as a growing number of active foreign investors
  • Crowdfunded companies historically have struggled to grow into global businesses
  • Equity crowdfunding is a good funding mechanism for consumer products, especially if the consumers have investable assets
  • Angel syndicates are competing with VCs for Seed and Series A deal flow in the Baltics
  • There are new completely non-dilutive fundraising methods like revenue-based lending and selling of SAAS/subscription contracts

Highlights of the week

  • New early-stage investor - Baltic Tech Ventures - is listed on Nasdaq Baltic meaning that you can now become an investor in a VC fund
  • 3 Nordic startups in Top 6 of Europe-wide rankings of the most well-funded startups in each country (and 2 Baltic unicorns in Top 11) by CB Insights

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> Global Education and Training is estimated to be a 7tn$ industry by 2025, but only 4% of it is digital. S^&t is about to go down. 

We also list ways to get financing for your startup without getting diluted, give a quick tip on how you can become a VC by buying shares in a Baltic Nasdaq listed investment fund, and try real hard to recall a successful Kickstarter campaign that has since grown into a major company.

Should you go for a 4-year degree from Google in 6 months now available at $39 per month?  Does it make sense to do equity crowdfunding for a B2B SaaS company? Find out in the latest episode!

Things you will learn from listening to this episode:

Remote education:

  • There are not many ways for Big Tech to add hundreds of billions in revenue in order to keep growing their share price. Meanwhile, global Education and Training is estimated to be a 7tn$ industry by 2025 (and only 4% of it is digital)...
  • VC Investment in EdTEch doubles during the pandemic to reach 16.1 bn$ in 2020
  • Existing universities to provide an increasing number of remote and hybrid programs
  • Coursera IPOs at 7bn last week offering a platform to get fully remote degrees & certificates from accredited brands. Google offers it at $39 per month, but you can also get an online degree from HEC Paris - full price, sorry, no shortcuts there. Yet.

Alternatives to VC funding:

  • In the earliest stages, nothing beats a good bootstrap
  • Competition among investors for Baltic startups has intensified with the emergence of strong angel syndicates as well as a growing number of active foreign investors
  • Crowdfunded companies historically have struggled to grow into global businesses
  • Equity crowdfunding is a good funding mechanism for consumer products, especially if the consumers have investable assets
  • Angel syndicates are competing with VCs for Seed and Series A deal flow in the Baltics
  • There are new completely non-dilutive fundraising methods like revenue-based lending and selling of SAAS/subscription contracts

Highlights of the week

  • New early-stage investor - Baltic Tech Ventures - is listed on Nasdaq Baltic meaning that you can now become an investor in a VC fund
  • 3 Nordic startups in Top 6 of Europe-wide rankings of the most well-funded startups in each country (and 2 Baltic unicorns in Top 11) by CB Insights

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support for this episode comes from NexPay > https://paynexpay.com/



Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-06-remote-education-vc-alternatives Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8314494 Tue, 13 Apr 2021 04:00:00 +0300 3014 remote education, venture capital, startup, funding, edtech, coursera, google, crowdfunding 1 6 full true #5 - Vytautas Zabulis (CEO H-Finance) on crypto potential, managing his company from Bali, dangers of margin trading as well as the future of NFTs and P2P lending #5 - Vytautas Zabulis (CEO H-Finance) on crypto potential, managing his company from Bali, dangers of margin trading as well as the future of NFTs and P2P lending Vytautas, a serial entrepreneur, and investor caught the crypto bug in 2015. After realizing that, like most things, his P2P lending business should not be put on a blockchain, he went and established a completely different business in crypto. After spending the last 3 months working from Bali and learning to surf, Vytautas has had revelations that fundamentally changed the way he looks at the office as we know it and what it means to have a work/life balance.

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • 5:50 - The process of pivoting your product 
  • 12:30 - Starting to buy crypto in 2015
  • 17:10 - Why they didn't go for an ICO with a working product that potentially could raise millions on 2017
  • 24:30 - Remote work culture and managing team from Bali and is remote work culture scalable when growing the company
  • 31:05 - Maintaining work-life balance. DO what you want to do and be happy
  • 39:35 - Balancing 24/7 access to markets and freedom of investing with consumer protection (mostly from themselves)
  • 49:10 - Losing money while margin trading
  • 50:00 - What are NFTs, what problems are they solving and why they could become a killer application for blockchain
  • 1:06:10 - The future of P2P lending business model in the Baltics and in general

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> Vytautas, a serial entrepreneur, and investor caught the crypto bug in 2015. After realizing that, like most things, his P2P lending business should not be put on a blockchain, he went and established a completely different business in crypto. After spending the last 3 months working from Bali and learning to surf, Vytautas has had revelations that fundamentally changed the way he looks at the office as we know it and what it means to have a work/life balance.

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • 5:50 - The process of pivoting your product 
  • 12:30 - Starting to buy crypto in 2015
  • 17:10 - Why they didn't go for an ICO with a working product that potentially could raise millions on 2017
  • 24:30 - Remote work culture and managing team from Bali and is remote work culture scalable when growing the company
  • 31:05 - Maintaining work-life balance. DO what you want to do and be happy
  • 39:35 - Balancing 24/7 access to markets and freedom of investing with consumer protection (mostly from themselves)
  • 49:10 - Losing money while margin trading
  • 50:00 - What are NFTs, what problems are they solving and why they could become a killer application for blockchain
  • 1:06:10 - The future of P2P lending business model in the Baltics and in general

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-05-interview-vytautas-zabulis-hfinance Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8275374 Tue, 06 Apr 2021 01:00:00 +0300 4902 crypto, Vytautas Zabulis, NFT, P2P, fintech, lithuania, startups, ethereum, remote work 1 5 full true #4 - Is the stock investing app business model irreparably flawed and will a 'local Klarna' bring Buy Now Pay Later to the Baltics? #4 - Is the stock investing app business model irreparably flawed and will a 'local Klarna' bring Buy Now Pay Later to the Baltics? We dig deeper into two fintech verticals - stock investing apps and the business model of Robinhood as well as Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and the reasons why Klarna is Europe’s most valuable private fintech company.

Should you start a new stock investing fintech and will we stop paying full price for goods immediately as the new norm in shopping? Find out in the latest episode!

Things you will learn from listening to this episode:

Stock investing apps:

  • Why does it matter and what are the reasons behind its scorching growth?
  • What is payment for order flow and what does it have to do with Bernie Madoff?
  • What are the incentives and conflicts of interest in the Robinhood business model?
  • What demographic factors shape this market in the US and in Europe?
  • Who are the main emerging players?
  • Does it make sense to start a new company in this space in Europe?
  • How can you as a consumer get to trading stocks?

BNPL:

  • What is the business model of Klarna, the pioneer of this industry?
  • What’s in it for consumers and retailers?
  • Why has this business model not taken off in the Baltics yet?
  • Who are the likely entrants in this space in Baltics and which major companies can be expected to diversify into this business line?

Highlights of the week

  • Our first guest Toms Niparts and Jeff App raises 1mUSD 
  • Estonian co-founded InsureTech Zego hits unicorn numbers with 1.1bnUSD valuation in the latest round

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> We dig deeper into two fintech verticals - stock investing apps and the business model of Robinhood as well as Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and the reasons why Klarna is Europe’s most valuable private fintech company.

Should you start a new stock investing fintech and will we stop paying full price for goods immediately as the new norm in shopping? Find out in the latest episode!

Things you will learn from listening to this episode:

Stock investing apps:

  • Why does it matter and what are the reasons behind its scorching growth?
  • What is payment for order flow and what does it have to do with Bernie Madoff?
  • What are the incentives and conflicts of interest in the Robinhood business model?
  • What demographic factors shape this market in the US and in Europe?
  • Who are the main emerging players?
  • Does it make sense to start a new company in this space in Europe?
  • How can you as a consumer get to trading stocks?

BNPL:

  • What is the business model of Klarna, the pioneer of this industry?
  • What’s in it for consumers and retailers?
  • Why has this business model not taken off in the Baltics yet?
  • Who are the likely entrants in this space in Baltics and which major companies can be expected to diversify into this business line?

Highlights of the week

  • Our first guest Toms Niparts and Jeff App raises 1mUSD 
  • Estonian co-founded InsureTech Zego hits unicorn numbers with 1.1bnUSD valuation in the latest round

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-04-retail-stock-trading-buy-now-pay-later Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8230009 Tue, 30 Mar 2021 03:00:00 +0300 3598 Fintech, Stock trading, Robinhood, Klarna, Paypal, Gamestop, Retail 1 4 full true #3 - Eerik Oja (CEO Planet42) on radical honesty, borrowing money from friends to buy cars in Africa, and raising $20 M to bring mobility to people ignored by banks #3 - Eerik Oja (CEO Planet42) on radical honesty, borrowing money from friends to buy cars in Africa, and raising $20 M to bring mobility to people ignored by banks Eerik (EE) and his partner Marten (EE) co-founded Planet42 in 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. They started by borrowing money from their friends to buy and rent cars to people who otherwise would not have access to credit. Talk about taking risks. Since then, Planet 42 has raised USD 20 million from both VCs as well prominent tech entrepreneurs and is on its way to expand to Mexico this year. 

By listening to this episode, you will learn:

  • How to build a sustainable corporate culture through radical honesty and kindness
  • Hiring Mr. Right vs Mr. Right Now
  • Importance of having the right co-founder
  • Network effects fo hiring good people
  • Picking the right market for your product and ignoring geographical shortcuts
  • How to balance running day-to-day operations of the company with fundraising and market expansion
  • Prepare for the inevitable arrival of competition to a blue ocean by improving your own game
  • How to avoid burnout while building your startup

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> Eerik (EE) and his partner Marten (EE) co-founded Planet42 in 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. They started by borrowing money from their friends to buy and rent cars to people who otherwise would not have access to credit. Talk about taking risks. Since then, Planet 42 has raised USD 20 million from both VCs as well prominent tech entrepreneurs and is on its way to expand to Mexico this year. 

By listening to this episode, you will learn:

  • How to build a sustainable corporate culture through radical honesty and kindness
  • Hiring Mr. Right vs Mr. Right Now
  • Importance of having the right co-founder
  • Network effects fo hiring good people
  • Picking the right market for your product and ignoring geographical shortcuts
  • How to balance running day-to-day operations of the company with fundraising and market expansion
  • Prepare for the inevitable arrival of competition to a blue ocean by improving your own game
  • How to avoid burnout while building your startup

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-03-interview-eerik-oja-planet-42 Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8185882 Tue, 23 Mar 2021 03:00:00 +0200 4085 Planet42, Eerik Oja, fintech, mobility, startup, venture capital, financing, Estonia, South Africa, Baltics 1 3 full true #2 - Is it time for companies to start buying Bitcoin and who will capture the instant food delivery market? #2 - Is it time for companies to start buying Bitcoin and who will capture the instant food delivery market? We discuss 2 things that have seen a meteoric rise in March - Bitcoin and hundreds of millions of Euros in venture capital investments pouring into instant food delivery in Europe

Will Uldis spend his government stimmy checks to buy Bitcoin and why is Janis so excited about strangers in gorilla costumes bringing cookies to his apartment? Find out in the latest episode

Bitcoin:

  • Reasons why holding Bitcoin on your company’s balance sheet could be the most rational thing you can do in the current economy
  • And reasons why you shouldn’t do it 
  • Tesla made more profit from Bitcoin than from selling cars, but is the current price sustainable in long term?
  • Skip the overly technical whitepapers - 4 resources that will help you to learn more about crypto

Food tech:

  • Why ‘dark stores’ and ‘ghost kitchens’ are not titles of shitty horror B-movies, but actually a good thing
  • 2 companies founded in 2020 raise close to 100M together to deliver groceries to your door in 10 minutes
  • With tens of millions of EUR up for grabs potentially in the Baltics who will do that here?
  • Will people return to stores when Covid neds or will ‘One app to deliver them all’ rule the land

Highlights of the week:

  • A new investment fund in Baltics 
  • 51M for Estonian deep tech company

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 



Support the show

]]> We discuss 2 things that have seen a meteoric rise in March - Bitcoin and hundreds of millions of Euros in venture capital investments pouring into instant food delivery in Europe

Will Uldis spend his government stimmy checks to buy Bitcoin and why is Janis so excited about strangers in gorilla costumes bringing cookies to his apartment? Find out in the latest episode

Bitcoin:

  • Reasons why holding Bitcoin on your company’s balance sheet could be the most rational thing you can do in the current economy
  • And reasons why you shouldn’t do it 
  • Tesla made more profit from Bitcoin than from selling cars, but is the current price sustainable in long term?
  • Skip the overly technical whitepapers - 4 resources that will help you to learn more about crypto

Food tech:

  • Why ‘dark stores’ and ‘ghost kitchens’ are not titles of shitty horror B-movies, but actually a good thing
  • 2 companies founded in 2020 raise close to 100M together to deliver groceries to your door in 10 minutes
  • With tens of millions of EUR up for grabs potentially in the Baltics who will do that here?
  • Will people return to stores when Covid neds or will ‘One app to deliver them all’ rule the land

Highlights of the week:

  • A new investment fund in Baltics 
  • 51M for Estonian deep tech company

See the video content exclusively on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/ 

Questions/suggestions? Join our Telegram group > https://t.me/pursuitofscrappiness 

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 



Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-02-covid-bitcoin-food-tech Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps Buzzsprout-8147461 Tue, 16 Mar 2021 02:00:00 +0200 3477 Bitcoin, Michael Saylor, Food delivery, Covid, Wolt, Gorillas, Amazon, Baltics, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Dark stores, Tech, Startup, Business, Venture capital 1 2 full true #1 - Interview with Toms Niparts (CEO Jeff App) on hiring top talent, building company culture, fundraising and the future of fintech apps #1 - Interview with Toms Niparts (CEO Jeff App) on hiring top talent, building company culture, fundraising and the future of fintech apps In our first interview, we are excited to welcome Toms Niparts the Co-Founder and CEO of Jeff-app.com - a matchmaker between people and loans that gathers and utilizes alternative data to help unbanked consumers in Asia access financial services. 

Toms shares his experience of starting a business remotely on the other side of the world, tips on hiring the top talent with a strong cultural fit as well as insights into the future of fintech and consumer apps. Move fast and break things, but don’t forget to set metrics to measure what you’re breaking. 

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • Starting a business fully remotely in a different continent, is it possible?
  • Why hiring is the #1 priority for early-stage startups and what are some practical tricks to manage the hiring efficiently and sort through hundreds of applications
  • What growth strategies worked for Jeff in getting new customers in Asia without having a huge marketing budget
  • What are the key responsibilities of a startup CEO 
  • What chapters from Ben Horowitz’s playbook helped Toms to build his company culture
  • How to balance product obsession with cold, hard metrics
  • Why Square just bought Tidal
  • And last, but not least - will having Jack Dorsey’s beard help you to fundraise

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> In our first interview, we are excited to welcome Toms Niparts the Co-Founder and CEO of Jeff-app.com - a matchmaker between people and loans that gathers and utilizes alternative data to help unbanked consumers in Asia access financial services. 

Toms shares his experience of starting a business remotely on the other side of the world, tips on hiring the top talent with a strong cultural fit as well as insights into the future of fintech and consumer apps. Move fast and break things, but don’t forget to set metrics to measure what you’re breaking. 

By listening to this episode you will learn:

  • Starting a business fully remotely in a different continent, is it possible?
  • Why hiring is the #1 priority for early-stage startups and what are some practical tricks to manage the hiring efficiently and sort through hundreds of applications
  • What growth strategies worked for Jeff in getting new customers in Asia without having a huge marketing budget
  • What are the key responsibilities of a startup CEO 
  • What chapters from Ben Horowitz’s playbook helped Toms to build his company culture
  • How to balance product obsession with cold, hard metrics
  • Why Square just bought Tidal
  • And last, but not least - will having Jack Dorsey’s beard help you to fundraise

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/ 

Support the show

]]> https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/episodes/episode-01-interview-toms-niparts-jeff-app Buzzsprout-8139743 Mon, 15 Mar 2021 02:00:00 +0200 3961 jeffapp, tech, fintech, hiring, baltics, latvia, product, culture, fundraising, startup 1 1 full true