The Only Thing That Matters

In this episode of The Only Thing That Matters, I sit down with Job van der Voort, CEO and co-founder of Remote—a company that has raised over $500 million, operates in 67 countries, and is valued at $3 billion. 🌍Job shares the incredible journey of building Remote from a simple job board to a global platform solving one of the most complex challenges for companies—hiring and managing international teams.We dive into:💡 The moment Remote pivoted from a remote job board to tackling international payroll and compliance—and why it was the right decision.💡 Going all in on venture capital: How Job and his co-founder Marcelo made the high-stakes choice to raise money and grow at all costs.💡 The importance of timing: Why Job believed it was a "now-or-never" moment to build Remote and capitalize on the opportunity.💡 Talking to customers from day one: Job’s approach to building a business by having constant conversations with customers and how it shaped Remote’s evolution.From embracing the risk of failure to scaling with a global vision, Job’s insights are a must-listen for any founder or entrepreneur looking to solve big problems and achieve product-market fit.Tune in to hear how Job built Remote into a billion-dollar company and the lessons he learned along the way.

Timo Buetefisch is an entrepreneur like no other. He's the founder of Cooltra and he is still running the company after 18 years. Not only that, he's grown Cooltra "slow and steady" to over $50M in annual revenue over that period of time. Learn how Cooltra grew from a humble bootstrap startup to a booming enterprise with 28,000 electric vehicles and 550 employees across nine countries.In this episode, Timo also opens up about the biases entrepreneurs often face when forecasting revenue and the critical importance of maintaining realistic business plans. What if your entrepreneurial projections are setting you up for failure? Timo has been there and wants to prevent you from doing the same.He discusses the evolution of Cooltra's business model, the strategic move into moped sharing in 2016, and the subsequent influx of equity funding that fueled their rapid expansion. Discover the teamwork and strategic choices that allowed Cooltra to thrive in a fiercely competitive market.But it's not all business. Timo also opens up about the pressures of entrepreneurship and the impact of an intense work ethic on personal life, including his own. He reveals the vital role of peer learning networks in maintaining a work-life balance and long-term well-being. This episode isn’t just about business growth; it's about surviving and thriving in the entrepreneurial world while keeping personal sanity intact. Tune in for an honest, insightful conversation that could reshape your entrepreneurial journey.

What happens when you can't find product-market fit with your startup idea?It's time to pivot, and Rajiv Ayyangar, CEO of Product Hunt and co-founder of Tandem, is a master at that.In this episode, Rajiv shares his journey from the highs of rapid growth to the tough calls of pivoting and transitioning Tandem to a self-sustainable business. Gain actionable insights as Rajiv recounts how tracking metrics and learning rates helped him and his team decide when to pivot, especially during the pandemic when the stakes were incredibly high. Learn about the importance of co-founder alignment and structured methodologies for idea validation as we discuss the successes and setbacks of Rajiv and his team. This episode is packed with real-world examples that showcase the complexities of startup life and the power of resilience.We also explore the nuances of product positioning, remote work solutions, and the intense journey of fundraising. Listen to Rajiv's experiences under the guidance of Y Combinator and understand the critical role of refining product positioning for success. From handling the surge in demand during the pandemic to making strategic pivots, this episode provides a comprehensive look at navigating the most complex moments behind finding product-market fit. 

How do you build a successful travel app from scratch, grow it to millions of users, and sell it to a big brand in the industry? Join us as my former co-founder, Javier Escribano, and I recount our journey from naive 22-year-olds to existing to Lonely Planet. You'll learn the four critical checks for achieving product-market fit, and why validating user value, ensuring usability, confirming technical feasibility, and proving business viability are the cornerstones of any startup. We share stories of our early days, reflecting on the challenges faced and the importance of perseverance, all while offering practical guidance for aspiring founders.Explore the nuances of startup life with us as we discuss pivotal moments that defined our entrepreneurial path. From our humble beginnings organizing university events to navigating startup acquisitions in Silicon Valley, we recount the highs and lows that shaped our careers. We dive into the importance of niche specialization, leveraging press coverage, and the impact of timing and agility in seizing new technology and distribution channels. Our candid reflections on financial hardships and strategic decisions will provide invaluable insights for anyone looking to make their mark in the startup world.Finally, discover the lessons we've learned in startup growth and product-market fit through our experiences with Tourist Eye and beyond. We analyze contrasting strategies in the travel industry, the role of early adopters, and the journey of landing in San Francisco to face investor challenges. Whether you're a young entrepreneur or simply curious about the realities of startup life, our stories of ambition, camaraderie, and resilience will inspire you to enjoy every step of your journey, regardless of the outcome. Tune in to gain a wealth of practical advice and personal anecdotes that can help light your own entrepreneurial path.

Discover the journey from fun coding project to pioneering password management tool with Alexis Fogel, co-founder of Dashlane and CEO of Stonely. Alexis kicks things off by sharing how a school project aimed at universal one-click purchases evolved into a leading password manager and digital wallet, thanks to invaluable user feedback and a few key pivots. Learn from Alexis's experiences moving from B2C to B2B, and the strategic shifts that have played a crucial role in both Dashlane’s and Stonely’s successes.Alexis reveals the compelling story behind Dashlane's rise, from its early challenges with form filling to its branding as a trusted password manager. Uncover the pivotal moments, including media recognition by the New York Times, that shaped Dashlane’s trajectory and led to its expansion into the B2B space. Alexis also delves into the nuances of marketing and funding strategies, offering tips on leveraging press coverage and navigating the complexities of customer acquisition.In the latter part of our episode, Alexis discusses his transition to founding Stonely, a company focused on automating and personalizing customer support. He provides a thoughtful exploration of the satisfaction derived from creating something new, the importance of timing in raising funds, and the strategic decisions behind bootstrapping versus early investment.

What happens after you sell your startup for $130M?Join us as we sit down with Pau Sabriá, the mastermind behind Olapic and Remotely, to unravel the secrets of sustainable business growth and personal freedom. Discover how Pau transitioned from raising over $22 million in venture capital and selling Olapic for $130M to a more balanced and fulfilling approach with Remotely, where sustainable revenue growth and a harmonious work-life balance take center stage. Learn how his strategic decisions and philosophical shifts can guide you toward building something impactful without the overwhelming pressures of venture capital.Pau's journey offers invaluable lessons. After a lucrative exit with Olapic, Pau and his co-founders approached their next venture with a focus on freedom and sustainability. We delve into their thoughtful funding strategies and the dynamics of co-founding a business with diverse financial backgrounds. This conversation is a goldmine for anyone looking to create a fair and equitable environment while maintaining a sense of autonomy.In this episode, we explore the labyrinth of startup funding, investor relationships, and the importance of timing in entrepreneurship. Pau shares his experiences on choosing between personal funds and external investments, and how bootstrapping can offer resilience against market fluctuations. We also uncover the journey of Remotely, from its inception to finding product-market fit, emphasizing the role of past experiences in accelerating growth. Tune in for a treasure trove of insights on sustainable entrepreneurship and discover how Pau's strategic decision-making can be your roadmap to success.

What if you could build a leading brand in a highly competitive market and grow to $20M in annual revenue without raising venture capital? In this episode, I chat with Amir Salihefendic, the brain behind Doist and its popular task management app, Todoist. Amir reveals his journey of bootstrapping Doist from a side project to a full-blown business. He shares his experience of assembling a top-notch team on a shoestring budget and underscores the importance of a remote-first strategy. Amir also discusses Twist, Doist’s innovative communication tool, and its potential to revolutionize asynchronous work.Amir's story sheds light on the tech trends that have shaped Doist’s evolution, from the rise of web and mobile apps to the transition from B2C to B2B. Discover the origins of Todoist as a personal solution and how understanding user needs can drive a product’s success. Amir provides a candid look at the unpredictable market adoption of products like Twist and shares valuable insights into the iterative nature of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the need to adapt and experiment constantly.Throughout our conversation, Amir talks about the gritty details of maintaining momentum and the pivotal moments that directed Doist's focus toward full-time development. He shares the importance of recognizing product-market fit signals, the challenges of growing a passionate and unique team, and the strategies that have ensured Doist’s financial stability without succumbing to the pressures of becoming a billion-dollar company. Join us for an enriching discussion on the principles behind Doist’s sustained growth and success.

Join us as we uncover the multifaceted entrepreneurial journey of Diego Saez-Gil, who navigated the twists and turns of three different startups. From the highs of selling a successful budget accommodations app to the lows of confronting airline restrictions with smart luggage, Diego's story is a testament to resilience and innovation.In this episode, Diego shares the foundational steps for validating startup ideas across industries, drawing from his rich experience. Discover how principles of customer feedback and doing things that don't scale—lessons from Y Combinator—guided him through ventures in both software and hardware. Learn about the critical phase of achieving product-market fit and the importance of maintaining robust customer support and communication channels to iterate and improve upon products based on user feedback.Get an inside look at the bold journey of building a hardware company from scratch, navigating manufacturing in Asia, and overcoming the hurdles of crowdfunding campaigns. Diego also illuminates the path to creating a sustainable marketplace ecosystem at Pachama, emphasizing the role of a genuine mission in attracting investors and talent. This episode is packed with valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs, highlighting the power of mission-driven companies in making a significant impact on the world.

Discover the secrets behind monetizing open-source projects with Peer Richelsen, co-founder and CEO of Cal.com.In this episode, Peer shares his journey from a frustrated calendar user to a pioneering entrepreneur raising over $30M to create Cal.com, an open-source scheduling platform. We explore the challenges and strategies involved in building an open-source business, including the dynamic where large corporations benefit from open-source tools without contributing back, and how the top 1% users play a crucial role in making this type of business sustainable.Peer shares the importance of recognizing product-market fit and how it led to a successful launch on Product Hunt. He emphasizes the value of community contributions and provides a candid look into the transition from a paid-only beta to fostering a tight-knit community. By comparing different community dynamics and discussing platforms like Slack and Discord, Peer reveals the strategies behind building a dedicated user base and how to manage growth effectively.Gain practical insights on monetizing open-source software through nuanced strategies that balance free and paid offerings. Learn from case studies like Tailwind and Cal.com, and understand the challenges of self-hosting software. Peer also delves into the intricacies of setting global salary benchmarks for a distributed team and aligning investors with the company’s vision and values. This episode is a treasure trove of lessons on building a sustainable, community-driven business while maintaining a solid foundation for future growth.

Unlock the strategies of capital-efficient entrepreneurship with François Derbaix, the mastermind behind Indexa Capital, and delve into the art of scaling a startup without burning vast amounts of capital. This episode is a treasure trove of insights as François shares his journey of achieving profitability and outpacing competitors by a significant margin with less capital. We cover the unique challenges of lean growth, highlighting the importance of versatile talent and the critical metric of revenue per employee, and lay out a roadmap for entrepreneurs to navigate the high-stakes world of startup expansion with finesse.This episode culminates with a candid discussion on marketing strategies and the complexities of measuring their impact, from affiliate programs to broad brand awareness campaigns. We dissect cohort analysis, customer lifetime value, and the balance of investment in growth channels, providing a nuanced view on scaling customer acquisition. Ending on a note of gratitude, François and I reflect on the value of supportive communities in entrepreneurship. This episode is an ode to the collective wisdom of those who dare to dream big and a call to action for listeners to join us on this exhilarating adventure.