SPEAK LIKE A CEO

Tomer Dean, the CEO and co-founder of Bllush, is changing the way that companies advertise fashion. Bllush is a tech company that enables fashion e-commerce stores to embed photos from micro-influencers onto their website. In partnership with Instagram, his company has found a way to harness the potential of micro-influencers for online retail. It can now be seen on the sites of retailers such as Otto Group and Zalando. Tomer is incredibly passionate about the use of social media as an advertising tool. During our chat, he shared a lot of great tips for approaching potential clients and writing persuasive emails. Communication is certainly one of Tomer’s strength, especially when it comes to making your client the focus of every interaction.

Pia Poppenreiter is an entrepreneur and a fierce businesswoman, turning the world of online dating on its head and challenging the status quo. She is the founder and former CEO of Ohlala, a website that enables men to go on paid dates with women, aiming at reinventing the way people meet. Known for the hashtag #EscortScandal, Ohlala has caused waves in Germany on its mission to legitimize sex work and fight prejudice on the subject. Pia is a strong believer in the importance of educating people around the issue of sex work. During our chat, recorded earlier this year, she told us all about carving out your own space in a saturated market, guerrilla marketing and of course managing an international PR scandal. This was definitely an insightful conversation about how to have difficult conversations and truly own what you’re doing.

Lubomila Jordanova has found the perfect balance between two purposes: building a thriving business and fighting climate change. She is the CEO and founder of Plan A, the first data-driven action platform working to combat climate change while challenging the common single-way association between business and profit. Through her company, she demonstrates how to use communications to show people that it is possible to connect purpose and business.  In this week’s episode, Lubomila tells us all about the right communication to transmit the urgency of action against climate change and make people understand their incredible capacity for change. Through her powerful communication style, she is able to prove that it is possible to make audiences understand how much their voice actually matters.

Oliver's new book is out! For a special bonus episode, Oliver and Lena go behind the scenes to discuss Oliver's new book - Mastering Communications. Discover what it takes for CEOs and Executives to build a great reputation in the digital age in this extended podcast. Enjoy!

Katharina Kurz has been working on giving German beer a new contemporary look. BRLO is one of the most well-known and beloved breweries in Berlin, to the point that it has now become synonymous with the food and drink scene of the city. Since it’s creation, BRLO has collaborated with award-winning musicians and actors and has been making its way through a huge number of bars and events.In this week’s episode, Katharina shares with us how she built and developed a unique brand with very little marketing budget. We explore the challenge of developing a craft beer brand in Germany where the market is very well established. Katharina also lets us in on the secret behind the name BRLO and whether it really is as fun to work at a brewery as it looks. Spoiler: it is!

Matthias Laug is on a mission to change mobility for good. TIER is one of the leading micro-mobility companies in Germany and Europe, operating in over 31 cities and 11 countries. You’ve probably spotted their scooters in a city near you. Matthias is no stranger to entrepreneurship, having previously founded Lieferando. He was also the youngest ever CTO of a stock listed company in Europe. In this week’s episode, he shares with us how to use storytelling and communications to convince people to adopt a radically different type of transportation. We explore the challenge of choosing the right words to deliver your message, and how to focus on brand-building and the importance of transparency in good decision-making. Enjoy the episode!

Holger Seim inspires people to continue learning by making it as easy and enjoyable as watching a movie, listening to music or scrolling through social media. Blinkist provides you with short audio snippets of bestselling nonfiction books you should know and read. The New York Times, Forbes and Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, have all recommended Blinkist.On this week’s episode, Holger shares with us his secrets for capturing people’s attention in just a couple of minutes, as well as his ideas on how a strategic approach to communications can inspire employees to become sincere ambassadors of their company’s brand.Enjoy the episode!

Björn Lampe is the guest on this week’s podcast. The benefits of technology as a vehicle for social change have long been discussed. However, in the realm of non-profit organisations, new technologies and the advent of the digital era have had a big impact on how people approach donating. Björn Lampe, CEO of betterplace.org, is a digital pioneer in the non-profit space and a strong believer in the power of digital tools to improve the way people respond to fundraising campaigns from NGOs. Björn is an expert in helping NGOs figure out the best communication tools and values in order to inspire people to give their contribution. In this week’s episode, Björn shows us the importance of relating to your audience through the use of unedited and sincere storytelling, as well as the importance of openly discussing failure.

What do filmmaking and DJing have in common?  Movies and music are both vehicles for creating a dialogue with your audience without using a lot of words. Linda Broschkowski, also known as DJLinda, is the CEO and founder of Female Music Force and an expert on this matter. She spent over 20 years learning all the secrets to connect with an audience in the most effective way, first through her films and now via her playlists. Today, with her new venture, Female Music Force, Linda wants to create a platform that connects all kinds of party makers with talented female DJs that will meet the music desires of the guests, in order to create a memorable party experience. On this week’s episode, she tells us how it is possible to build a successful business through the power of word-of-mouth alone once you are able to create a real connection with your audience. Enjoy the episode!

Building a successful company without a strong network is practically impossible. Our guest on the podcast this week, Mali Baum, is no stranger to building a strong network, having been described as “one of the people shaping female founder’s future and opportunities in the Berlin startup ecosystem.” She’s the CEO of WLOUNGE and the recently founded MAGDAGroup, which aims to fund more female founders. With over 20 years’ experience building businesses all around the world, she is on a mission to increase diversity in the tech and business industry. This means bringing together experts, professionals and investors to develop a dynamic network that supports female entrepreneurs. In our conversation, Mali shows us the secrets to building valuable connections and how celebrating the success stories of amazing women can give birth to a viral movement that connects and supports women all around the world. Enjoy the episode!