Follow the Gradient

Jake Bornstein, a veteran coach who has guided over 150 founders, shares candid insights into the tumultuous world of startups. He reveals that the real killer of startups is often self-sabotage rather than competition. With a background at Bridgewater, Jake discusses the critical yet messy roles that coaching plays in navigating founder challenges and personal chaos. He emphasizes the need for hard clarity and the transformational power of self-acceptance in leadership, offering practical advice for selecting the right coach to foster growth.

Most founders wait until Series A to clean up their cap table. Stef did the opposite - and spent $70K upfront just to get the foundations right.As co-founder of Cradle, he built a biotech company for global scale from day one: navigating European legal complexity, validating science in skeptical labs, and paying early customers out of pocket to prove it worked.In this episode, we get into:​Why Cradle paid its first two customers—and how that unlocked top-tier pharma clients​How to structure your company early to avoid massive headaches later​Why European startup culture struggles with ambition—and what needs to change​How to hire ML talent in Europe when OpenAI is knocking on the same doors​🟢 And before you go, subscribe to our free newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠followthegradient.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Twice a week, we break down startup and tech news, share exclusive insights from our podcast guests, highlight top job openings from European startups, and provide food for thought you won’t find anywhere else. 🟡

Join Alex Limpert, co-founder and CEO of GuestReady and Rental Ready, as he shares how Stoic principles helped him navigate the tumultuous waters of the COVID-19 crisis. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on what you can control and how transparency builds trust during tough times. Alex discusses the Stockdale Paradox, blending harsh realities with hope, and offers insights into maintaining self-worth separate from business outcomes. His journey highlights resilience and mindful leadership when faced with unprecedented challenges.

As co-founder of VEED, Sabba Keynejad spent years building without funding, optimising for what users actually searched for, and scaling through obsessive customer focus—not pitch decks.In this episode, we get into:•⁠ ⁠Why getting rejected by YC twice in a weekend became fuel for growth•⁠ ⁠How to build for what users search for (not what they say they want)•⁠ ⁠What makes SEO and YouTube a powerful GTM engine—if you’re scrappy•⁠ ⁠How loving your users more than your investors changes your roadmap🟢 And before you go, subscribe to our free newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠followthegradient.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Twice a week, we break down startup and tech news, share exclusive insights from our podcast guests, highlight top job openings from European startups, and provide food for thought you won’t find anywhere else. 🟡

Adrian Locher, a serial entrepreneur who co-founded DeinDeal and Almeronitics, shares his gripping journey through burnout and mental health struggles. He reveals the warning signs founders often overlook and discusses how ambition can turn into a personal downfall. Adrian emphasizes the need for reevaluating work-life balance and introduces the three-bucket rule that helped him rebuild his life. This conversation is a candid exploration of transforming failure into empowerment while nurturing personal well-being amidst the relentless pursuit of success.

Patrick Spychalski, Co-founder of The Kiln | A Clay Agency, is revolutionizing how B2B teams approach Go-To-Market strategies. He discusses the pitfalls of starting with tools too early, emphasizing the importance of genuine human relationships in sales. Patrick reveals how AI can enhance prospecting without replacing personal touch, and he introduces the role of the GTM engineer as a crucial connector between sales and tech. He highlights the need for tech-savviness in the evolving marketing landscape and practical steps for effective AI integration.

Omid Akhavan, a leading OKR coach and founder of Lucid Outcomes, shares his insights on effective goal-setting with organizations worldwide. He dives into the common pitfalls that lead to OKR failures and emphasizes the importance of intentional leadership over rigid systems. Akhavan discusses starting with simple tools for OKR management, the balance between ambitious goals and performance assessments, and the value of team collaboration in aligning objectives. This conversation is a goldmine for founders looking to enhance clarity and drive results.

Enzo Wälchli, Chief Commercial Officer of ANYbotics, shares insights from scaling a robotics startup into a significant player in physical AI. He candidly discusses the journey from founder hustle to strategic leadership, emphasizing the importance of hiring well and building a strong company culture. Enzo also touches on balancing the demands of work and family life while maintaining focus on what truly matters, offering practical strategies for personal and professional growth in the tech landscape.

Tobias Gunzenhauser co-founded Yamo with a mission to bring fresh, healthy baby food to families across Europe. After years of growth and recognition, the startup ultimately had to shut down. In this conversation, Tobias shares the rarely discussed realities of ending a company–from team communication to emotional processing, legal steps, and what he wishes he’d known. It’s a thoughtful, practical episode for any founder navigating uncertainty–and proof that endings can also lead to beginnings.🟢 And before you go, subscribe to our free newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠followthegradient.io⁠⁠⁠. Twice a week, we break down startup and tech news, share exclusive insights from our podcast guests, highlight top job openings from European startups, and provide food for thought you won’t find anywhere else. 🟡

Petter Made, co-founder of SumUp and today partner at EWOR, reflects on the chaotic early days of SumUp – assembling an all-WHU founding team, designing custom card readers in-house, and building a global payments company from Berlin with expansion playbooks and local MDs. He shares how SumUp nearly ran out of money three times, what it means to scale with intention, and why founders who neglect sleep are "literally unlearning their own lessons." A raw, tactical episode on what it really takes to build a European fintech giant.🟢 And before you go, subscribe to our free newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠followthegradient.io⁠⁠⁠. Twice a week, we break down startup and tech news, share exclusive insights from our podcast guests, highlight top job openings from European startups, and provide food for thought you won’t find anywhere else. 🟡