#55: Building Europe’s most loved hospitality brand with Bob W. CEO Niko Karstikko

Bob W. is a fast-growing, profitable startup that’s raised €70 million to transform hospitality through technology. What began as an Airbnb side hustle is now Europe’s top-rated hospitality brand, operating in 10 countries. We sat down with CEO and co-founder Niko Karstikko to discuss their incredible growth journey. Learn more: https://bobw.co/ https://generogrowth.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikokarstikko/ (0:00) Introduction (0:30) From corporate life to entrepreneurship (3:15) How an Airbnb side hustle and travels in Asia sparked the idea for Bob W. (7:45) Finding a German co-founder (12:30) Lessons learned from his first startup (16:30) The insight and journey to finding product-market fit (21:30) Building a leaner, tech-powered model for hospitality (25:00) Early challenges: water damage, bad press, and starting up in Estonia (30:00) Navigating the pandemic (33:50) Raising €100 million in funding (40:02) Expansion and customer acquisition (51:40) Growing as a CEO: building a strong team and creating the right work culture