#005 - David Today Ventzel: When Founders Are Fired

In this episode, we are zooming out and take the meta-perspective on Perfect F*ckups with Rikke Skytte. Why is openness around imperfection such a trend right now? Is only the vulnerable leader a good leader? Is authenticity the new perfection? Join us on a deep dive into the Survival of the Realest where we explore an emerging era of flawsomeness, unseen angles about authenticity and perfect imperfection. 

In our latest podcast episode, we chat with Jannik Lawaetz. Currently, Jannik is CEO and co-founder of Luggagehero - a leading on-demand marketplace for luggage storage currently live in +235 cities in North America and Europe. In this episode, we'll dive into his 25 years of experience building companies and making f*ckups. We'll cover: ▶︎ The ever-important user feedback loops ▶︎ How the lack of communications can kill an investment round ▶︎ Chasing vanity KPIs ▶︎ How to hack publicity for an unknown startup ▶︎ And so much more...

In this dynamic episode of our podcast, we connect with Arnulf Refsnes, currently the CEO and co-founder of Naardic Training and Agilis, but most importantly for this episode, the co-founder of the iconic Norwegian start-up, Brødboksen. Arnulf takes us through a captivating narrative of soaring start-up growth, unexpected downfalls, and invaluable lessons learned along the journey. Here's what we delve into: ▶︎ Learnings from building one of the first efficient last-mile logistic operators ▶︎ Expansion strategy and putting leaflets in people's postboxes ▶︎ What to do, when employees start to notice that the cash is running out ▶︎ And so much more... So buckle up for an honest, revealing exploration into the world of entrepreneurship, start-up successes, and inevitable challenges. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring founders, business enthusiasts, or anyone interested in the raw, real side of start-up life.

In our latest podcast episode, we chat with David Today Ventzel, who experienced a sudden end to his role at his own company. Now a key player at Accelerace and a mentor for startups, David shares his story and lessons learned from this surprising turn of events. In our discussion, we'll dive into: ▶︎ How a very mysterious exit proposition can come about ▶︎ What 'channel stuffing' can do to a company - and a founder ▶︎ The consequences of giving in to the temptation of award shows and publicity ▶︎ And so much more... So tune in to uncover the real, raw side of entrepreneurship and learn from the highs and lows of David's inspiring journey.

In this episode of our podcast, we sit down with Charlotta Tönsgård, former CEO and co-founder of Kind, to talk about her journey building and stepping down from the company she built. The conversation gets deep into the values, culture, and personal why behind the decision We'll cover: ▶︎ Why we might not be as forefront within healthcare as we tell ourselves in the Nordics.▶︎ What common denominator is needed to create a coherent culture while still celebrating differences.▶︎ Having your personal why guide you as a founder - even when it guides you to step down.▶︎ And so much more...

In this episode of our podcast, we sit down with Neil Murray, Founding Partner of Nordic Web Ventures, to discuss his experience as a YC-backed Playmaker Co-Founder and CEO. We explore topics such as: ▶︎ How some exits are simply failed ventures marketed as successes ▶︎ How you survive as a person when your company doesn't ▶︎ Why being a founder is a completely different game from being an investor ▶︎ And so much more... Tune in for an eye-opening conversation with Neil as he sheds light on important untold truths about the life of a founder.

In this episode of the podcast, we chat with Nicolai Elmqvist about his experience with startup failures. Nicolai has a wealth of experience founding and exiting multiple companies within the creative tech and SaaS industries. He shares with us his journey with PointVoucher and the events leading up to his stepping down as CEO last year. Tune in as we delve into Nicolai’s story and explore topics such as: ▶︎ Cap-table screw-ups (and how you predict them) ▶︎ Underfunding causing a ceaseless search for funding ▶︎ Who or what (not) to blame when things don’t work out ▶︎ And so much more... Update: Check out Nikolaj's Cap-table forecast tool mentioned in the episode here: https://dilution.io/

In this episode, we hear from Yana, co-founder of the award-winning task manager Swipes. She shares the story of building the company with her husband and ex-boyfriend and the challenges they faced. After gaining 1 million users, the team pivoted to a team collaboration tool, leading to the company's downfall. Despite support from top Silicon Valley companies, Swipes had to close down. Yana offers a candid look at the ups and downs of running a startup and insights on what went wrong.