Unicorn Bakery - For the World's Most Ambitious Founders & Teams

HiBob is now doing more than 100M in annual recurring revenue (ARR). They have cracked the threshold from 10m to 100M ARR in 3 years. But how does the organization need to be set up to withstand hyper growth?   What you'll learn: How do I find my culture in early stages? How do I retain culture in hyper growth? What is the path from founder to CEO? Why didn't HiBob raise at a valuation higher than $2.5 billion? ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery (00:00:00) Hibob intro & shortcomings of current leadership levels. (00:06:13) How has your role as CEO changed over the years? (00:10:46) How do you take the whole company with you to achieve goals? (00:18:42) How did you find your company culture at HiBob and how did you know which one was right? (00:27:11) When did you feel with HiBob that you had achieved Product Market Fit? (00:36:56) Do you have imposter syndrome? (00:41:35) How do you build a company that is flexible to change? (00:45:25) What do you think is important about the topic of valuations and investors? Ronni Zehavi  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnizehavi/ HiBob: https://www.hibob.com/  This episode is produced in collaboration and paid cooperation with HiBob. Fast-growing companies around the world such as Taxfix, JIMDO and Happy Socks, among others, rely on bob, an innovative, intuitive and agile HR platform, to help recruiters and managers engage, develop and retain top talent for the long term. Bob's diverse features pay dividends for HR and business development, as well as company culture and employee retention. You can find all information about HiBob here: https://www.hibob.com/de/

Taboula's success story is exciting for you as a founder in many ways: naivety and mistakes can break your neck on the one hand. In this episode, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at a company that has focused on authenticity and the ability to self-correct. Today, Taboola is publicly traded, turns over more than $1.5 billion and employs more than 1,500 people, according to LinkedIn. ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery What you'll learn: The importance of authenticity and self-correction for success as a founder The question of whether naivety is an advantage or a disadvantage for founders Tips for building a work-life balance The fundamentals of a successful company culture: transparency, empathy and passion The importance of expanding into new markets and focusing on key investments Chapter: (00:05:44) - Finding investors and persuasion as a founder. (00:11:38) - Characteristics of successful CEOs (00:16:02) - Values & culture at Taboola (00:25:12) - Culture development at Hypergrowth (00:33:25) - C-level recruiting: what matters? (00:38:23) - Thoughts on global expansion: when should startups think about internationalization? (00:50:00) - How you put together a strong advisory board. Adam Singolda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsingolda/ Taboola: https://www.taboola.com/ WHATSAPP NEWSLETTER: 1-2x weekly get a personalized voice note or content from me that will make you a better founder, sign up now with one click: https://bit.ly/ub-whatsapp-newsletter

In this episode, Jonathan Rothenberg, Chief Strategy Officer at Cyderes, shares their experiences and tips on M&A. He emphasizes the importance of a solid company foundation and M&A from a buyer's perspective. Why is due diligence critical here? And why should you focus on acquisitions? You'll also learn why and how market changes affect M&A deals. In addition, there's a look at the seller perspective: how do earn-outs and retention affect decisions? ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery What you'll learn: When am I attractive as a company to potential buyers? Reasons for M&A beyond growth Evaluating potential acquisition targets and programmatic approach (0:01:34) Defining success and failures in M&A. (0:04:23) Reasons for M&A beyond declining growth (0:05:31) The right time for M&A as buyer & seller (0:08:18) Validating and prioritizing acquisition targets (0:19:36) Why there are no perfect acquisitions (0:23:47) Market environment for corporate divestitures (0:27:00) Deal structure and operational alignment (0:34:11) Earn-out arrangements and non-compete agreements (0:45:13) Structured process for M&A negotiations and due diligence (0:48:24) Integration plan and difficulties in the M&A process Jonathan Rothenberg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanrothenberg/ Cyderes: https://www.cyderes.com/ WHATSAPP NEWSLETTER: 1-2x weekly get a personalized voice note or content from me that will make you a better founder, sign up now with one click: https://bit.ly/ub-whatsapp-newsletter

In this podcast, Bastian Krautwald talks about the impact of the current market situation on founders and their startups. He explains how he has adapted his internal goals to the new reality. We talk about how Basti has adapted his teams and business models to succeed in the current environment. Bastian Krautwald also talks about how he communicated his decisions with his stakeholders and the importance of transparency in doing so. ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery What you'll learn: The importance of cash and profitability for founders in the current marketplace Strategies for adapting teams and business models in challenging times Why having a profitable B2C business model from the start is critical The importance of stakeholder communication and transparency Why self-reflection and honesty are key factors for success (0:03:44) De-investment and focus on revenue generation (0:05:20) Adjusting goals in changing market environment (0:12:02) Collaboration and quick decisions in times of crisis (0:14:12) Difficulty for founders to release emotional attachment to product (0:15:02) Flexibility and adaptability in times of crisis (0:17:35) Self-reflection as a founder: honesty as the key to success Bastian Krautwald LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bastian-krautwald/ OWWN: https://www.owwn.com/ WHATSAPP NEWSLETTER: 1-2x a week get a personalized voice note or content from me that will make you a better founder, sign up now with one click: https://bit.ly/ub-whatsapp-newsletter

In this podcast episode, Mark Sherman of Telstra Ventures talks about the changes that have taken place in the venture and startup industry over the last 20 years. Telstra Ventures invests in companies with $1 million to $10 million in revenue, with a particular focus on identifying promising companies early and understanding product-market fit. Sherman also discusses the impact of artificial intelligence on the industry and stresses the importance of closely monitoring trends. Further, he explains that both large companies and startups will benefit from technology and that there are still opportunities to enter the industry. Sherman also shares insights on how Telstra Ventures is dealing with the impact of current market conditions and how data science and creating value for portfolio companies are key. What you'll learn: Changes in the venture industry over the past 20 years. How do you stay successful in the venture business for 20 years? Focus on companies with revenues of $1 million to $10 million Identify promising companies early and understand product-market fit Impact of artificial intelligence on the venture industry Opportunities and ways to enter the industry ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery00:01:21 How the venture industry has changed over the past 20 years. 00:02:06 The future: data-driven investing 00:13:04 Importance of artificial intelligence. 00:22:04 Technology as an opportunity for businesses 00:31:04 Human resource decisions and innovation 00:37:25 Capital efficiency and trends 00:41:04 Value-add as investor: how Telstra Ventures generates revenue for its portfolio 00:47:51 Dealing with self-doubt and vulnerability. Mark Sherman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheyssherman/ Telstra Ventures: https://telstraventures.com/ WHATSAPP NEWSLETTER: 1-2x weekly get a personalized voice note or content from me that will make you a better founder, sign up now with one click: https://bit.ly/ub-whatsapp-newsletter

General Atlantic invests in growth startups that leverage technology and are already successful in the marketplace. Important criteria for investment include business model, management, market and margins. In addition to capital, the firm offers industry knowledge and expertise in human capital and go-to-market strategies. Exit strategy is not the most important factor, but IPOs and sales to strategic buyers are equally important options.  What you'll learn: General Atlantic's investment strategy and how the firm invests in growth startups. The key criteria for investing: business model, management, market and margins How General Atlantic offers its portfolio companies valuable resources in addition to capital General Atlantic's exit strategy and how the firm identifies potential investment opportunities The challenges companies face in moving from a customer-focused business model to a product-focused business model ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery (0:02:50) - How GA's DNA is lived today. (0:07:59) - Venture capital vs. growth capital (0:12:50) - The definition of "product-market fit" for growth companies (0:16:52) - The importance of business model and profitability (0:29:48) - Successful business models (0:34:22) - Partnership with clear goals (0:38:02) - Exit strategies: IPO vs. sale to strategic buyers (0:53:49) - Founder confidence and character as keys to success (0:56:12) - Partner selection for entrepreneurs. Cory Eaves LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceaves/ General Atlantic: https://www.generalatlantic.com/  WHATSAPP NEWSLETTER: 1-2x a week get a personalized voice note or content from me that will make you a better founder, sign up now with one click: https://bit.ly/ub-whatsapp-newsletter

If you're currently looking for capital for your startup, check out re:cap: https://go.re-cap.com/unicorn Chris Barton developed an app before apps even existed - today, over 1 billion people use his invention. Many scientists thought it was impossible to develop an algorithm like Shazam's. But Chris Barton didn't give up. Developed the product, and since the launch of the iPhone, it has been delighting music fans. Apple then bought Shazam for over $400 million, and is now integrated into every iPhone... I Look forward to a founder story from before Apple iPhones & Co and about a billion-dollar idea. What you'll learn: Did Chris learn anything from his time at Google and Dropbox that he could apply to Shazam? How did the product establish itself without an app store vs. how did the story turn when there was then an app store? How did the company survive the many years until the big hit came? How did Chris make the impossible happen - and what advice does he have for founders who want to build a product that the big market players say is impossible? ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery (00:01:15) What was the first prototype of Shazam looking like? (00:06:16) What was the breaking point in popularity for Shazam? (00:11:02) How did the first version of Shazam work, and how much did it change in the years after? (00:12:43) How did you bootstrap your company for eight years? (00:19:01) What were the hardest decisions to make from launching until it took off? (00:26:57) What would you tell founders worrying about "What if the large corporations are building the same thing as we do"? (00:30:08) When you look at your competitors: why did Shazam survive all the years? (00:32:33) What is your defensibility, and how much longer did it take you to launch because of that? (00:37:13) How did you invent "the impossible thing"? (00:46:26) What did you learn at Google or Dropbox that you brought to Shazam? (00:49:44) Did you ever regret not spending your whole time at Shazam and working at other companies during the building process? (00:52:00) How does your day-to-day life look today? Chris Barton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjpbarton/ Book Chris as an Innovation Keynote Speaker: www.chrisjbarton.com

Especially in today's market, major macro changes can happen quickly. But how do I react to this as a founder? Pascal Finette does just that with be radical: He helps companies arm themselves against disruption and has written his new book "Disrupt Disruption" to do just that. What you learn: How do I recognize impending disruption and what signals do I need to watch out for? How much do I need to consider future market conditions when building my products today to avoid losing value? ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery (00:01:44) How do you define disruption/disruption in the market? (00:08:08) How do I identify which innovation in the market needs my attention and which is important to my business? (00:17:04) How do you know you need to act in the market to avoid a disruption? (00:21:00) Of the startups you deal with, how many are working on ideas that are worth investing in? (00:28:18) How forward-thinking should founders be in building products today, and what is the risk of being outcompeted in four five years if they don't? (00:31:59) What was the writing process of your book like in terms of the two important factors you needed to focus on? (00:38:40) How important are values and ethics to you personally in the startup world, and how do you test whether startups are in line with them? (00:44:02) What are important criteria for you when choosing investors for your own projects or for the startups you invest in? Pascal Finette LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfinette/ be radical: https://beradical.group/ Book Disrupt Disruption : https://amzn.to/40R0F9q WHATSAPP NEWSLETTER: 1-2x a week get a personalized voice note or content from me that will make you a better founder, sign up now with one click: https://bit.ly/ub-whatsapp-newsletter

Formerly an operator at Uber China, now an investor at Stride VC - that's Cleo Sham. In addition to exciting impressions of the Asian market, she also has operational insider knowledge for your success. What you learn: Do you necessarily need people on the ground if you want to operate in a non-European market? What are the differences between the Asian market and Europe and the US? What kind of help do I look for when my company needs operational support? What makes a good internal playbook? ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: https://zez.am/unicornbakery (00:01:21) How did you get into venture and startups? (00:02:41) Why did you start at Uber China instead of entering the US market? (00:04:21) How has Uber China changed as a result of your involvement? (00:07:08) What differences does China or the Asian market have from Europe and US and do I necessarily need locals to operate there? (00:15:51) How do you define operational excellence? What is important? (00:26:26) Playbook topic: How do you get started creating a playbook? (00:32:24) What should be included in my playbook? (00:34:40) How does the cadence of communication differ for a small business vs. a large business? (00:40:02) As an investor today, how does your experience in operations help you identify startups that are on a good path to operational excellence? (00:45:11) I'm a young startup looking for operational help: what skills should that help bring and how can I test the potential for help? Cleo Sham LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cleosham/ Stride VC: https://stride.vc/ WHATSAPP NEWSLETTER: 1-2x a week you will get a personalized voice note or content from me that will make you a better founder, sign up now with one click: https://bit.ly/ub-whatsapp-newsletter

Blake Hutchison, with sales expertise, discusses optimizing processes at Flippa. Topics include leadership styles for CEOs, importance of SOPs, sustainable startup strategies, and when to focus on sales in planning.