Leadership Kitchen

In this episode of Leadership Kitchen, I sit down with Sharon Klaver, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Builder Studio, to talk about building startups, AI in entrepreneurship, why founders need to sell before they build, and the realities of turning an idea into a successful business.After more than a decade of entrepreneurship and building seven companies across different industries, Sharon realised that founders often face the same challenges. She wanted to create a smarter, more systematic way to build businesses.Today, through Builder Studio, she co-founds AI-powered enterprise software companies focused on the future of work, helping founders validate problems, find paying customers, build products and prepare for growth.One of Sharon's biggest messages? Just because you can build something doesn't mean anyone wants to buy it.Technology has made building products easier than ever. But finding real customers, understanding their problems and convincing them to pay remains the hard part.Together we explore:• What a venture studio does and how it differs from accelerators• Why founders should fall in love with the problem, not their product• What Sharon learned from building seven companies• How AI is changing entrepreneurship• What makes a successful founder today• Why sales and distribution matter more than ever• Becoming a tech founder without technical skills• How Builder Studio uses AI to automate founder screening• Why the human touch still matters in an AI-driven world• Why founder-led sales is so important• Why people buy from people they trust• How to validate an idea through 50–100 customer conversations• Why founders should find paying customers before building• How autonomy and ownership change team performance• The uncomfortable realities of entrepreneurshipAnd of course, Sharon shares her Leadership Recipe:🥄 Treat people as experts in their fields🥄 Give people ownership and responsibility🥄 Focus on results, not controlling how work gets done🥄 Trust people to find their own solutions🥄 Create opportunities to learn and grow🥄 Make employees feel like they are building something of their ownBecause great leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about trusting people to take responsibility and giving them the freedom to succeed.Sharon also challenges the romanticised version of entrepreneurship we often see on social media.Building a business is hard. The lows can be incredibly low, and the highs incredibly high.And she isn't interested in sugarcoating it.Her message? Entrepreneurship isn't for everyone. You have to love the journey, including the difficult parts.No motivational speeches. No magic formulas. Just the reality of building something from scratch.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Leadership Kitchen and Sharon Klaver00:28 What is Builder Studio?02:21 Why you don't need a finished product to start03:12 Fall in love with the problem03:49 Sharon's journey of building seven companies05:43 Why founders need better systems06:54 Cooking and the Leadership Kitchen08:48 What makes a successful founder?10:46 Becoming a tech founder without technical skills11:33 How AI is changing startup building12:43 Automating founder screening with AI14:15 Why the human touch still matters15:03 The importance of founder-led sales16:32 What if a founder doesn't like selling?17:51 Advice for first-time founders19:17 Validate before you build20:22 Sharon's Leadership Recipe22:17 Ownership and employee equity22:43 The reality of entrepreneurship24:34 Final reflectionsConnect with Sharon Klaver:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonklaver/Connect with Renita Käsper:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renitakasper/Follow Leadership Kitchen:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-kitchen/

In this episode of Leadership Kitchen, I sit down with Kristina Kmieliauskaite, Founder of HiChristina, facilitator, trainer and neuroscience consultant, to talk about why feedback feels so difficult, the neuroscience behind our reactions, psychological safety, and how leaders can build healthier feedback cultures.Kristina started delivering feedback training around seven years ago while working in the corporate world. The more she explored the topic, the more fascinated she became by the science behind human behaviour. Discovering applied neuroscience helped her understand why people avoid feedback, even when they know how valuable it is.Today, through HiChristina, she helps organisations translate behavioural science and neuroscience into practical ways to build stronger teams, healthier cultures and better leadership.One of Kristina's biggest messages is that feedback isn't just about learning the right techniques. It's about understanding what happens in our brains and creating conditions where people feel safe enough to speak honestly.Together we explore:• Why giving and receiving feedback feels uncomfortable• How our brains perceive feedback as a threat to safety, belonging and status• Why people choose silence instead of speaking up• Why being nice is not the same as being kind• How toxic positivity damages teams• Why Radical Candor doesn't work without trust• What companies need to build before introducing feedback frameworks• Why senior leaders and CEOs often receive the least honest feedback• How leaders can encourage employees to speak up• Why the traditional feedback sandwich doesn't work• How cultural differences influence feedback in global teams• Why curiosity matters during difficult conversations• Practical techniques for receiving feedback without becoming defensiveAnd of course, Kristina shares her Leadership Recipe:🥄 Curiosity, especially under pressure🥄 Staying open to different perspectives🥄 Asking questions instead of making assumptions🥄 Listening to understand🥄 Giving others the benefit of the doubtBecause building a feedback culture isn't about introducing another framework. It's about creating trust, understanding human behaviour, and making honest conversations a natural part of everyday work.Kristina's advice for anyone who wants to get better at receiving feedback is simple: You don't have to respond immediately.Sometimes the best response is: "Thank you. Let me think about it."Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Leadership Kitchen01:09 Why feedback is so difficult02:44 When feedback is misunderstood03:42 What is HiChristina?05:06 Kristina's entrepreneurial journey06:22 Living and working across countries08:07 Lithuanian pink soup09:43 What feedback really is and isn't11:43 Why feedback feels threatening13:02 Toxic positivity and being too nice14:27 Radical Candor and psychological safety16:59 When Radical Candor becomes just radical18:48 Building a healthy feedback culture20:14 Why giving feedback to leaders is difficult22:53 How leaders can encourage honest feedback24:12 The cost of silence in leadership26:12 Why the feedback sandwich doesn't work28:10 Kristina's Leadership Recipe29:48 Feedback across cultures31:20 How to receive feedback without defensiveness33:07 Final reflectionsThe conversation covers neuroscience, feedback culture, psychological safety, leadership, behavioural science, Radical Candor, toxic positivity, cultural intelligence, global teams, and why honest conversations matter.Connect with Kristina Kmieliauskaite:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinakmieliauskaite/Connect with Renita Käsper:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renitakasper/Follow Leadership Kitchen:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-kitchen/

In this episode of Leadership Kitchen, I sit down with Bruno Pellicci, CEO and Co-Founder of Cortena, to talk about becoming a founder, building AI for finance, finding the right problem to solve, AI adoption, and the future of finance teams.Bruno started his career in consulting, working at EY and Deloitte before moving through corporate roles and eventually from Brazil to the Netherlands. During COVID, a family situation took him back to Brazil, where he stepped into his family's business and experienced what it was like to run a company himself.That experience exposed him to a problem he would later build a company around: running finance in a small business with limited resources can be incredibly manual and difficult. Today, Bruno and his co-founder are building Cortena, an AI platform designed to automate finance operations.One of Bruno's biggest founder lessons has been that the idea you start with may not be the idea your customers actually need.Together we explore:• How Bruno went from consulting and corporate life to becoming a founder• How running a family business influenced the idea behind Cortena• Why Cortena changed direction after listening to customers• Why founders need to ask: “What problem are we actually solving?”• How to build trust when selling AI in conservative markets like Germany• Why AI adoption is as much about people and change management as technology• How leaders can reduce fear around AI• How finance roles could evolve as AI takes over more manual work• Why future finance teams may become more strategic business partners• When building your own AI solution makes sense — and when it creates another workload• Why getting AI 70–80% of the way can be easier than solving the final complex partAnd of course, Bruno shares his Leadership Recipe:🥄 Positivity🥄 Passion and energy🥄 Listening to the customer🥄 Staying focused on the real problem🥄 Building what creates value, not what follows the hype🥄 Asking: “Does it solve a problem?”Because building with AI isn't about using AI simply because it's new or exciting. It's about understanding the problem, listening to customers, testing your assumptions, and being willing to change direction.Bruno's advice for leaders beginning their AI journey is simple: Just start.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Leadership Kitchen00:29 Bruno's journey from Brazil to consulting and entrepreneurship01:10 Moving to the Netherlands02:39 How Bruno became a founder04:17 Making the decision to build05:47 Bruno's carbonara challenge07:10 What is Cortena?09:31 Why finance operations are still such a painful problem09:59 Building AI for conservative markets11:17 Building trust in the German market12:43 Becoming a transformation partner14:12 AI, automation and the fear of losing jobs16:41 Why accounting talent is so difficult to find19:25 How leaders can reduce fear around AI21:39 Mistakes companies make when introducing AI23:27 Should companies build AI solutions themselves?24:09 The finance team of the future26:49 Bruno's biggest founder lesson28:36 Bruno's Leadership Recipe30:11 Where should finance leaders start with AI?31:28 Just start: final reflectionsThe conversation covers entrepreneurship, AI, finance automation, founder journeys, customer discovery, AI adoption, change management, the future of finance, leadership, and why solving the right problem matters more than building the most impressive technology.Connect with Bruno Pellicci:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunopellicci/Connect with Renita Käsper:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renitakasper/Follow Leadership Kitchen:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-kitchen/

In this episode of Leadership Kitchen, I sit down with Jessica Lacher, Nomad Transition Coach and Mentor, to talk about self-leadership, leaving corporate life, burnout, location freedom, building your own structure, managing your energy, and what it really takes to become your own leader.Jessica started her career in IT project management and consulting, building what looked from the outside like a successful corporate career. But after experiencing burnout in her mid-20s, she began questioning what she actually wanted from her work and life. She eventually left corporate leadership behind, became self-employed, and built a location-independent life that has taken her to more than 60 countries. For Jessica, that transition wasn't only about changing where she worked. It was about learning how to lead herself.Together we explore:• Why burnout became a wake-up call for Jessica and made her question what success really meant to her• How to figure out what you actually want instead of simply following the path society expects from you• Why location freedom isn't quite as glamorous as it looks on Instagram• What happens when there is no boss, no office, and nobody else creating structure or deadlines for you• Why freedom comes with responsibility, discipline, and a lot more decision-making• How to know whether a location-independent lifestyle is actually right for you• Why managing your energy, not only your time, can lead to more sustainable performance• How personal growth and business growth are connected, especially for founders and entrepreneurs• Why self-awareness becomes even more important as you move into leadership• What leaders can learn from doing personal retrospectives, not just business retrospectives• Why knowing yourself may be the foundation of self-leadership and leadership itselfAnd of course, Jessica shares her Leadership Recipe:🥄 Self-care🥄 Love for yourself and the people around you🥄 Personal growth and curiosity🥄 Openness to different perspectives🥄 A systemic view of life and leadership🥄 Agility, flexibility and adaptabilityBecause self-leadership isn't simply about being productive or disciplined. It's about knowing yourself, understanding what matters to you, taking responsibility for your choices, and building a life and way of working that actually fits who you are.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Leadership Kitchen01:37 Burnout, corporate success and the moment everything changed03:26 How do you figure out what you actually want?06:50 Getting to know yourself and finding your direction07:40 Jessica's favorite food and life outside the kitchen09:57 The reality behind location freedom12:42 The hidden mental load of a location-independent life13:32 No boss, no office: creating your own structure15:18 Is location-independent life actually right for you?18:24 Routines, adaptability and constantly starting again20:42 Should we manage our time or our energy?24:37 Why personal growth and business growth are connected27:55 Self-awareness and the leadership blind spot30:17 Seeing the whole person behind the employee32:11 Why we need personal retrospectives36:19 Jessica's Leadership Recipe39:16 What should you know before becoming location independent?43:13 Final reflections and closingThe conversation covers self-leadership, burnout, location-independent work, digital nomad life, self-awareness, energy management, personal growth, leadership, freedom, discipline, adaptability, founder wellbeing, and why leading others may need to start with learning how to lead yourself.Connect with Jessica Lacher:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalacher/Connect with Renita Käsper:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renitakasper/Follow Leadership Kitchen for more conversations on leadership, AI, hiring, founder journeys, self-leadership, and building teams across cultures and borders:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-kitchen/

In this episode of Leadership Kitchen, I sit down with Mayada Fahim, Head of Engineering at JOIN, to talk about her journey from software engineer to leading an engineering organization of around 50 people, building high-performing teams, hiring for culture, women in engineering, and what great engineering leadership really looks like.Mayada grew up in Alexandria, Egypt, and knew from a very young age that she wanted to become an engineer. After starting her career as a software engineer in Egypt, she moved to Berlin looking for a new challenge and an opportunity to learn in a more international environment. Eight years later, she is still at JOIN, having grown from software engineer to Head of Engineering.Together we explore:• Why Mayada left Egypt for Berlin and what she learned from starting over in a new country• How she went from software engineer to Head of Engineering by taking initiative and solving problems beyond her role• Why great teams start with hiring for culture and mindset, not just technical skills• The surprising reality of becoming a manager and why leadership results can take months to show• Why engineering leaders need to stay hands-on, especially in the age of AI• Women in engineering, imposter syndrome, and the problem with being treated as a diversity token• Why new managers shouldn't rush to change everything in their first 90 days• How great leaders build trust, stay close to their teams, and create a culture where people want to performAnd of course, Mayada shares her Leadership Recipe:🥄 Stay close to your team🥄 Stay hands-on and understand what your people are experiencing🥄 Build the environment and tools that enable people to deliverBecause leadership isn't about changing everything the moment you become a manager. It's about understanding your people, earning their trust, creating the right culture, and giving them the environment to do their best work.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Leadership Kitchen00:40 From Alexandria to engineering and moving to Berlin02:28 Finding an engineering role in a new country03:48 Why Mayada chose JOIN05:15 Becoming an engineer and the influence of childhood06:38 How we can encourage more women into engineering07:30 Mayada's favorite food and Egyptian cooking09:07 From software engineer to engineering leader10:40 Building a new team and hiring different profiles12:50 Taking initiative and earning your leadership role14:12 The surprising reality of becoming a manager16:00 Why great teams start with hiring18:09 Do engineering managers still need to be technical?19:27 How AI is changing engineering leadership20:25 Supporting women in engineering22:13 Imposter syndrome and proving yourself24:58 Advice for new engineering managers: the first 90 days28:10 What makes a great engineering leader?29:46 Mayada's Leadership Recipe30:37 Final reflections and closingThe conversation covers engineering leadership, career growth, hiring, culture, AI, women in tech, imposter syndrome, change management, and why great leaders stay close enough to their teams to understand what is really happening.Connect with Mayada Fahim: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayada-fahim/Connect with Renita Käsper:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renitakasper/Follow Leadership Kitchen for more conversations on leadership, AI, hiring, founder journeys, and building teams across cultures and borders:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-kitchen/

In this episode of Leadership Kitchen, I sit down with Liina Laas, co-founder and CEO of Knowzilla, to talk about building an AI startup, scaling sales teams, fundraising, and what leadership really looks like when you're building a company from scratch.Liina has spent her career helping startups grow, from early-stage ventures to scaling Deel from around 100 employees to more than 7,000 globally. Today she's building Knowzilla, an AI-powered revenue intelligence platform that helps sales teams learn faster, perform better, and turn knowledge into results.Together we explore:• Why Liina left one of Europe's fastest-growing companies to build her own startup• How Knowzilla was born from a real customer problem• Finding technical co-founders and why networking still beats waiting• Building AI products when even engineers sometimes ask, "Why does it work?"• Why talking to customers should shape every product decision• Raising venture capital and the fundraising lessons every founder should know• The biggest mistakes startups make when hiring their first salespeople• Why onboarding, culture, and compensation matter more than hiring "rockstars"• Sales myths, commission structures, and why capped bonuses hurt performance• Leadership without ego, understanding people, and building teams that solve problems together• Advice for women founders who are still waiting for the "right moment" to startAnd of course, Liina shares her Leadership Recipe:🥄 Trust your people to solve problems🥄 Stay curious and keep learning🥄 Ask anyway, because if you don't ask, you already have a noBecause leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about building an environment where great people can find them together.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Leadership Kitchen00:40 Meet Liina Laas and the story behind Knowzilla02:11 Leadership, predictability and caring less about others' opinions04:44 Cooking as therapy and founder recipes07:10 Why Liina left Deel after scaling from 100 to 7,000 employees09:51 When startups need processes to scale11:41 What Liina misses about Deel12:39 Finding technical co-founders and building Knowzilla15:16 The biggest challenges of building an AI startup17:51 Communication between founders, product and engineering18:36 Is startup life really as hard as people say?22:10 Raising venture capital and learning how much money to ask for27:10 Hiring great salespeople and common recruitment mistakes31:05 Enterprise sales versus startup sales33:08 Red flags when hiring salespeople35:16 Building motivating sales compensation plans41:07 Why capped commissions don't work43:06 Liina's leadership philosophy44:57 Leadership stereotypes and women in leadership47:42 Advice for women founders ready to build something new49:47 Final reflections and closingThe conversation covers startup building, AI product development, fundraising, sales leadership, hiring, and why the best founders stay close to their customers while creating cultures where people can do their best work.Connect with Liina Laas:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liinalaas/Connect with Renita Käsper:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renitakasper/Follow Leadership Kitchen for more conversations on leadership, AI, hiring, founder journeys, and building teams across cultures and borders:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-kitchen/

In this episode of Leadership Kitchen, I sit down with Gina Schinkel, founder of Driftawave, startup advisor, speaker, and former LinkedIn Talent Solutions leader, to talk about founder journeys, remote work, and building something before you feel ready.Gina's career path has taken her from hospitality and tourism across the world to tech sales and entrepreneurship. Today she helps distributed teams create meaningful in-person experiences through retreats, workations, and offsites.Together we explore:• What it really feels like to leave a stable corporate job and become a founder• The reality of imposter syndrome and building confidence as you go• Why mentors, communities, and founder networks matter• How to measure the impact of retreats and offsites in remote companies• What remote teams still get wrong about connection and trust• Supporting neurodivergent employees in distributed workplaces• Why building a founder brand can open unexpected doors• The small wins, setbacks, and celebrations that come with building a businessAnd of course, Gina shares her Leadership Recipe:🥄 Belief🥄 Energy🥄 A hack-the-game mentalityBecause leadership isn't built from perfect recipes. It's built through experimentation, difficult decisions, and learning as you go.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Leadership Kitchen00:16 Meet Gina Schinkel and her unconventional career journey02:03 Measuring the value of in-person connection in remote work03:12 The Greek recipe and the power of shared meals06:44 From Australia to Aruba: building a global life and career11:09 Leaving LinkedIn to become a founder14:36 Fear, imposter syndrome and making the jump18:09 Family doubts and finding support as an entrepreneur25:36 Why Gina built Driftawave27:10 How often remote teams should meet in person28:53 Measuring ROI from retreats and workations30:14 Offsites as rewards, culture builders and employer branding33:38 Gina's hardest leadership lesson35:34 Leadership, AI and managing teams in startups40:13 The missing ingredient in remote work: trust and respect42:02 Supporting neurodivergent employees at company retreats46:27 Advice for women founders struggling with confidence47:41 When do you finally feel like a founder?51:39 Gina's Leadership Recipe54:30 Final reflections and outroThe conversation covers Gina's journey from global travel and hospitality to entrepreneurship, the realities of startup life, and the evolving role of human connection in distributed work.Connect with Gina Schinkel:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginaschinkel/Connect with Renita Käsper:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renitakasper/Follow Leadership Kitchen for more conversations on leadership, hiring, founder journeys, and building teams across cultures and borders:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-kitchen/

What happens when your co-founder leaves, your product isn't ready, the money is running out, and you still decide to keep building?In the first episode of Leadership Kitchen, I sit down with Alisher Jafarov, founder and CEO of Avery, to talk about startup reality, hiring, leadership under pressure, trusting your gut, and why honesty might be the most underrated leadership skill.We discuss:Building a startup when everything goes wrongWhy hiring managers own hiring successThe role of AI in recruitmentFounder loneliness and resilienceLeadership lessons from the kitchenLeadership isn't built from perfect recipes. It's built through experimentation, difficult decisions, and learning as you go.And don't leave the kitchen too early. At the end of the episode, Alisher shares his Leadership Recipe, the ingredients that have shaped his leadership journey. 🍳