Traditional insurance models are limited in growth. In this episode with Robert Dietrich, CEO of Hiscox Europe, we discuss what it takes for embedded insurance and AI-driven models to work and dive into a blended cyber-insurance opportunity worth exploring.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, and how you can build new products and business models around them to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 

Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.

Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:

Robert Dietrich is the CEO of Hiscox Europe, a specialist global insurer. Under his former leadership, Hiscox Germany quadrupled its growth and expanded into direct-to-consumer, technology, and cyber insurance. Today, Robert continues the transformative growth at Hiscox Europe, leveraging technology to meet the evolving needs of brokers and clients.

Follow Robert's socials: LinkedIn

Timeline: 

(01:13) - Embedded Insurance - and it's key success factors

(10:06) – Building flexible, customer-centric tech systems for modern insurance

(16:16) – How AI can enhance underwriting processes and reduce costs

(24:45) – Exploring AI-based cybersecurity solutions with insurance benefits

Looking to build new revenue streams in real estate? Discover the latest market dynamics and digital business opportunities and understand how you can use them to your advantage - in this episode with iad Group Portugal CEO Alfredo Valente.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, and how you can build new products and business models around them to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 

Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.

Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:

Alfredo Valente is the CEO of Portugal at aid Group, one of the leading real estate networks and service providers. With his innovative approach to the real estate market, Alfredo has been pivotal in integrating digital solutions to enhance property accessibility and investment attractiveness in Portugal. His expertise in navigating the complexities of modern real estate markets makes him a sought-after leader in the industry.

Follow Alfredo's socials: LinkedIn

Timeline: 

(00:55) - Challenges in the real estate market & how to adapt to them

(06:20) - The biggest opportunity in the real estate market along the whole value chain

(11:20) - Opportunities for education and advisory services in real estate

(18:00) - Rent-to-own models & their potential

(18:50) - How to leverage data analytics & AI for market insights 

About the Episode:

Is your organization's digital transformation journey hitting roadblocks? This episode is your guide through the maze. From establishing direction to the nuances of ongoing engagement and value creation to protecting the vision and the team, this conversation sheds light on what it takes to sustain transformation efforts.

Check out the full Transformation Guide: Reflections on Organizational Transformation

About the Host:

Kilian Karrasch is a founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models. 

Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the Guests:

Michael Rammelsberger and Franziska Jörg are seasoned experts in organizational transformation, each bringing a rich tapestry of experience from the world of retail, consumer goods, and e-commerce. As executives and change leaders, they have spearheaded strategic initiatives and operations overhauls in some of the leading SMEs and stock-listed companies in Europe.

Follow Michael's socials: LinkedIn;

Follow Franziska's socials: LinkedIn

Timeline: 

(0:58) - Introduction.

(4:36) - Unveiling key principles for successful change.

(9:18) - Effective communication strategies across diverse teams.

(15:00) - The necessity of engaging stakeholders at all organizational levels

(17:26) - How to manage complexity in large-scale transformations.

(20:11) - The significance of adding value and achieving early wins.

(30:56) - Persistence and adaptability as keys to sustaining efforts.

(37:43) - How to foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

(45:27) - How to protect transformations and personnel from negative factors.

(54:14) - Conclusion

About the Episode:

Embarking on a digital transformation but worried about the pitfalls? This episode is your guiding light. Richard and Joachim, with over 50 years of combined experience, share invaluable insights on setting a clear direction, the importance of sponsorship and choosing the right partners, and learning how to engage and motivate your team for a seamless transition.

Check out the full Transformation Guide: Reflections on Organizational Transformation

About the Host:

Kilian Karrasch is a founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models. 

Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the Guests:

Richard and Joachim are esteemed figures in the realm of digital transformation, boasting over 50 years of collective experience. As former executives and current advisors to C-level teams, they've spearheaded major transformation projects across prominent companies and governmental organizations in Europe.

Follow Richard's socials: LinkedIn;

Follow Joachim's socials: LinkedIn"

Timeline: 

(00:50) - Introduction

(05:00) - Discussion on the inception of the "Reflections on Organizational Transformation" document.

(07:20) - The Importance of collaboration in digital transformation.

(09:40) - Organizational transformation vs. mere change.

(12:30) - Real-world examples of transformation: Nokia and Hugo Boss.

(14:55) - The necessity of transforming organizations and how to recognize existential threats to the business.

(17:10) - Discussion on the high failure rate of digital transformations and how to navigate it.

(19:45) - The role of clear direction and clarity in successful transformation.

(22:30) - The challenge of securing leadership sponsorship and alignment.

(25:00) - Selecting the right partners for transformation efforts.

(27:50) - Addressing internal dynamics and engaging the team for transformation.

(30:15) - Strategies for dealing with different mindsets within the organization towards transformation.

(33:00) - Importance of establishing credibility and showing early successes.

(35:45) - The continuous process of transformation beyond the initial stages.

(38:20) - Closing remarks and anticipation for the next episode on maintaining momentum in transformation.

Startup Founders!

If you are looking to gain access to markets and capital, a corporate partner can be a game changer. But how do you select the right opportunities and partners and avoid getting stuck in endless processes and "slow-boat mentality"?

In this third episode of the Boldheart x PwC Exclusive "Innovation Unbound - The Definite Guide to Corporate and Startup Collaborations", we dive into the key indicators to look out for and discuss the dos and don'ts from a startup perspective that will help you navigate the field.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, like, or share this podcast to spread the word. 🙏

And if you have questions about this episode or would like to discuss how to drive your innovation initiatives, reach out via LinkedIn or email to:

• Kilian Karrasch (Boldheart) for general inquiries about the episode and your questions related to ideation, market research, UI/UX design, MVP building and venture building: kilian@boldheart.io

• Jannis Grube (Pwc) for general inquiries about the PwC Scale program and about finding the right corporate partners to accelerate your startup success journey: jannis.grube@pwc.com 

About the hosts:

• Kilian Karrasch is founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he has helped numerous ambitious corporate clients and high-growth startups identify, build and scale successful digital products and services for their next generation of customers.

• Jannis Grube is co-leader of the Scale Program at PwC Germany. He has worked with countless startups to help them collaborate more effectively with corporates.

Corporate Leaders!

Do you want to connect to startups? Identify new market opportunities? Learn about best practices to drive speed? Or simply foster a connected culture of innovation?

In this second episode of the Boldheart x PwC Exclusive "Innovation Unbound - The Definite Guide to Corporate and Startup Collaborations", we dive into the prerequisites you need to fulfill from a corporate side to accomplish those goals.

Step by step, we talk about the different innovation options (both internally and externally) and take a critical look at what it takes to go from "zero to hero".

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, like, or share this podcast to spread the word. 🙏

And if you have questions about this episode or would like to discuss how to drive your innovation initiatives, reach out via LinkedIn or email to:

• Kilian Karrasch (Boldheart) for general inquiries about the episode and your questions related to ideation, market research, UI/UX design, MVP building and venture building: kilian@boldheart.io

• Stephan Hofnagel (PwC) for general inquiries about the PwC Scale program and about finding the right startups and technology to accelerate your corporate innovation journey: stephan.hofnagel@pwc.com 

About the hosts:

• Kilian Karrasch is founding partner at Boldheart, the leading Next Generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he has helped numerous ambitious corporate clients and high-growth startups identify, build and scale successful digital products and services for their next generation of customers.

• Stephan Hofnagel is co-leader of the Scale Program at PwC Germany. Stephan has worked with countless major corporates to help them collaborate more effectively with startups.

Have you ever thought of collaborating with a corporate or startup to accelerate your innovation success?

In this Boldheart x PwC Exclusive "Innovation Unbound - The Definite Guide to Corporate and Startup Collaborations", we dive into dos and don'ts and reveal best practices when it comes to kickstarting and accelerating collaborative innovation at any stage.

Whether you are a corporate innovator or a startup founder, learn the ideal timing and prerequisite to drive innovation success through:

• Hackathons,
• Innovation challenges,
• Accelerator and incubator programs,
• Venture clienting,
• Digital units,
• Venture building and more...

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, like, or share this podcast to spread the word. 🙏

And if you have questions about this episode or would like to discuss how to drive your innovation initiatives, reach out via LinkedIn or email to:

• Kilian Karrasch (Boldheart) for general inquiries about the episode and your questions related to ideation, market research, UI/UX design, MVP building and venture building: kilian@boldheart.io

• Jannis Grube and Stephan Hofnagel (PwC) for general inquiries about the PwC Scale program and collaborative innovation: jannis.grube@pwc.com & stephan.hofnagel@pwc.com 

About the hosts:

• Kilian Karrasch is founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he has helped numerous ambitious corporate clients and high-growth startups identify, build and scale successful digital products and services for their next generation of customers.

• Jannis Grube and Stephan Hofnagel are the leaders of the Scale Program at PwC Germany. Together, they have worked with hundreds of B2B startups, several family businesses and established corporations to foster successful collaborations in the innovation ecosystem. 

My name is Kilian Karrasch and in this episode, I talk to Filip Dames, Founding Partner at Cherry Ventures and former Chief Business Development Officer at Zalando and founder of Zalando-Lounge.

Filip went from founding a first small startup to joining Zalando as part of the founding team to helping build it into one the largest fashion retailers in Europe. Now, Filip is Germany's "Investor of the Year 2022" and has joined the ranks of the FORBES Midas List Europe as one of the most influential investors on the continent.

In our podcast episode, we talk about:

• how to hire the right talent to fuel your innovation ambitions
• how to successfully identify, validate and scale innovations internally
• and some of the hottest trends in the market

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a minute to subscribe, like, or share this podcast to spread the word, so I can continue bringing you outstanding guests and conversations. 🙏

And if you have questions about this episode or on how to start building digital products or services, you're welcome to reach out to me.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/ 

E-Mail: kilian@hatch.studio

Filip Dames on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/filipdames

Cherry Ventures: cherry.vc

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:27 - Who is Filip Dames?

0:48 - Topics of the podcast

1:06 - What you wouldn’t expect about Filip

1:55 - Reasons for choosing an entrepreneurial path

3:13 - How a first business can set you up for success

8.20 - Top learnings from internal venture building at Zalando

9:39 - The entrepreneurial spirit of trial, error, and iteration

11:01 - How to keep the entrepreneurial mindset alive while scaling the company

13:58 - How to transition into startup investments

16:39 - Core success factors for startups and innovation teams in the beginning

17:56 - Who should be your first hire

21:10 - The factors to look at when investing in startups

24:26 - How to know when to pivot and change direction

28:11 - How to identify product-market-fit

31:19 - Boundary conditions for innovation success

33:14 - How to figure out which internal innovation is the most promising

34:30 - Which KPIs are most important for evaluating innovations

37:29 - The hottest trends and ideas in the market

40:27 - How to get in contact with Filip

My name is Kilian Karrasch and in this episode, I talk to Michael Müller-Wünsch, CIO of OTTO and responsible for the digital platform business within the Otto Group.

During his tenure, Michael successfully transformed Otto from catalog to platform business, and with that led one of the few truly successful digital business model expansions in Europe. Today, the platform business already makes up 30% of OTTO’s business revenue, and Michael, for his successes has been named CIO of the Year.

In today’s episode, we talk about:

• The secret behind Otto’s corporate innovation structure 
• How to master technology-driven innovation and successfully identify the next digital business field of your organization?
• How to build a product-driven organization that outcompetes the market - even in a large corporate?

Michael's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/muewue

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a minute to subscribe, like, or share this podcast to spread the word, so I can continue bringing you outstanding guests and conversations. 🙏

And if you have questions about this episode or on how to start building digital products or services, you're welcome to reach out to me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/ or E-Mail: kilian@hatch.studio.

Thanks again for listening to the Digital Transformers podcast. 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:28 - Who is Michael Müller?

0:49 - Topics of the Episode

2:08 - What does Otto do differently to be continuously successful?

5:44 - How is the Innovation Organisation setup at Otto?

8:47 - Michael’s recommendation to mid-sized companies or bigger corporations

11:31 - The venture clienting model

15:33 - How Otto identifies new digital business opportunities

24:12 - How to identify the most relevant topics when building a digital platform

27:08 - The approach to launching new features

28:51 - The OKR cycle setup

33:18 - The biggest challenges and trends in the platform business model

36:40 - Digital projects Otto is working on right now

My name is Kilian Karrasch and in this episode, I talk to Rainer Karcher, Global Head of IT Sustainability at Allianz Technology, about: 

• the importance of IT sustainability - and how to properly sell it 
• best practices to make your IT more sustainable
• and 3 tips on how to get started

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a minute to subscribe, like, or share this podcast to spread the word, so I can continue bringing you outstanding guests and conversations. 🙏

And if you have questions about this episode or on how to start building digital products or services, you're welcome to reach out to me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/ or E-Mail: kilian@hatch.studio.

To get in contact with Rainer: linkedin.com/in/rainerkarcher

Thanks again for listening to the Digital Transformers podcast. 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:08 - Who is Rainer Karcher?

0:30 - Topics of the podcast

0:50 - What is IT sustainability and why does it matter?

3:24 - The often overlooked impact of digitization on the environment

5:56 - The correct way for companies to start becoming more sustainable

8:33 - The simple practice every company can do to become more sustainable

10:41 - How to communicate the company’s sustainability efforts to shareholders, employees, and customers?

13:42 - Why to use persona thinking in internal and external sustainability communication

17:39 - Sustainable IT vs. enabling sustainability through IT-services

20:15 - How to embed sustainable IT in your organization

23:21 - Easy implementations for companies to become more sustainable

24:50 - How to balance usability and sustainability

27:24 - How to become more sustainable as a producer or manufacturer

31:25 - How to track your IT sustainability progress

36:18 - The 3 core factors to master IT sustainability

39:00 - How to get in touch with Rainer Karcher

My name is Kilian Karrasch and in this episode, I talk to Johannes Reichert, Head of Global IT and Chief Information Officer at Hilti Group.

During his career, Johannes drove the global IT agile transformation and large-scale IT projects, introducing not only an innovative CRM system and top-notch ERP functionalities but also developing a microservice-based infrastructure to enable Digital Products in one of the least digitized industries in the world.

In our podcast episode, we talk about:

• his core learnings on launching microservices at startup speed in the corporate IT department?
• best practices on how to transition a multinational company step-by-step into an agile way of working?
• how to evaluate the degree of agility needed in large-scale IT projects?
• and much more…

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a minute to subscribe, like, or share this podcast to spread the word, so I can continue bringing you outstanding guests and conversations. 🙏

And if you have questions about this episode or on how to start building digital products or services, you're welcome to reach out to me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/ or E-Mail: kilian@hatch.studio.

Thanks again for listening to the Digital Transformers podcast. 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:28 – Who is Johannes Reichert?

0:50 – Episode overview

1:18 – One thing you wouldn’t expect about Johannes

1:43 – How Hilti managed to transform one of the least digitized industries

5:38 – The startup “ingredients” that corporations need to create innovative digital products

8:40 – The right agile mindset that leads to success

9:41 – The process behind deciding what systems to innovate

11:22 – Core learnings from digitizing Hilti

12:37 – Digital unit vs. corporate IT - what is the right setup to innovate?

15:55 – Core learnings from the Global IT Transformation at Hilti

19:01 – How to do an agile transformation the right way?

21:06 – How to select the right transformation methods?

22:12 – How to convince your team to use agile methods?

25:19 – When does it make sense to work in an agile manner?

28:43 – Valuable feedback on agile setups

31:30 – How to run an agile IT transformation in a hybrid setting?

34:00 – When does agile make sense in large IT-scale projects?

36:23 – Best practices for running large scale agile IT projects?

38:37 - How to create transparency during agile projects

40:30 – How to protect the team from too much interference?

My name is Kilian Karrasch and in this episode, I talk to Daniel Hanemann, CEO and Co-Founder of Wundertax.

Daniel went from building up Foodpanda in Hong Kong to founding Wundertax, one of the leading tax software in Germany.

But his story has a twist that taught him many lessons…

In our podcast, we talk about: 

• what his experience as a re-founder taught him about succeeding as an entrepreneur
• what most entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs get wrong when starting out
• growth strategies on how to grow your business 60% y.o.y. - without increasing your costs

Daniel on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hanemann

Wundertax: wundertax.de

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a minute to subscribe, like or share this podcast to spread the word, so I can continue bringing you outstanding guests and conversations. 🙏

And if you have questions about this episode or on how to start building digital products or services, reach out to me on LinkedIn (you can find me at linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/) or write me an email at kilian@hatch.studio.

Thanks again for listening to the Digital Transformers podcast. 🚀

00:00 - Introduction

00:28 - Who is Daniel Hanemann

00:40 - Topics of the podcast

01:24 - What led Daniel to become an entrepreneur

02:42 - Idea discovery: Daniel’s epiphany that led to “Wundertax”

03:58 - Why Daniel left his startup after two years

06:02 - An unusual story: how Daniel rejoined “Wundertax” later to accelerate growth

07:05 - How to leverage mixed heritage to build successful companies and cultures

11:03 - The benefits of having a diverse team

12:58 - The challenges of having a diverse team

18:31 - How to decide what features to focus on when starting out

20:09 - Why intentionality is one of the most important traits for founders

22:58 - How to decide on the “one thing” the company should focus on

24:48 - How to deal with co-founder differences

27:12 - How to cope with leaving behind the innovation you’ve dedicated your life to

28:47 - Why founders should prioritize physical and mental health

30:53 - How “Wundertax” grew 60% every year with flat costs - and how you can do so, too

35:22 - The advantage of having a small and lean team of experts

42:02 - The importance of estimating customer lifetime value into marketing budgets

46:06 - The three best digital growth strategies

The insurance industry is ripe for change. In this engaging episode, Nicolas Pöltl, CEO of BNP Paribas Cardif in Germany, and Kilian Karrasch discuss what the future of insurance looks like and how companies can build it best, and explore one of the biggest untapped business opportunities in the insurance market. 

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, and how you can build new products and business models around them to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 

Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.

Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest: 

Nicolas Pöltl is the CEO of BNP Paribas Cardif in Germany. BNP Paribas Cardif is one of the leading bancassurance and personal insurance providers worldwide with a presence in 30 countries. Nicolas has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. His mission at BNP Paribas Cardif in Germany is to leverage data, technology, and agile systems to reinvent traditional insurance models for the 21st century.

Follow Nicolas' socials: LinkedIn

Timeline:

(2:03) – Shifting the paradigm: the importance of customer experience in insurance

(4:53) – Automating the claims process

(7:53) – How to lay the right technical foundation

(10:28) – Creating a culture of innovation and teamwork

(14:38) – Embedded insurance - and what it takes to succeed

(16:11) – Exploring the biggest untapped opportunity: insurance opportunities in the German real estate market

(22:13) - The future of AI-driven health insurance

Today I welcome Marketing Executive and Keynote Speaker Maria von Scheel-Plessen to the show.

Maria started her career as an e-commerce manager at Hugo Boss and - after leadership roles at Amazon and the rocked-backed Asian Zalando Zalora, went on to digitally transform the luxury maison Montblanc to move it into the omnichannel age. She has been nominated Luxury Women to Watch 2021, Business Punk Watchlist 2022 & Business Insider Future Shaper 2022.

In today’s episode, we talk about: 

• how to transform a luxury maison into a leading digital player
• 3 tactics to successfully market to GenZ
• and her personal advice on building a successful career in the luxury industry

Connect with Maria on her socials 📲

Instagram: @mariaplessen

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mariavsp

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a minute to subscribe, like or share this podcast to spread the word, so I can continue bringing you outstanding guests and conversations. 🙏

And if you have questions to this episode or on how to build outstanding products or services for your next generation luxury customers, reach out to me on LinkedIn (you can find me at linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/) or write me an email at kilian@hatch.studio.

Thanks again for listening to the Digital Transformers podcast. 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Intro

0:30 - Who is Maria von Scheel-Plessen

0:55 - Episode overview

1:16 - Why involving external parties is crucial to accelerate innovation success

2:50 - Why Montblanc embarked on the journey of digital transformation

5:51 - What challenges Montblanc faced in the transformation and how Maria overcame them

9:06 - How to prioritize what departments of the company to digitalize first

11:18 - How to convince stakeholders you’re taking the right digitalization approach

14:37 - How support circles in a company can foster innovation

16:25 - How Maria’s support circle at Montblanc came together

18:21 - Why it’s important to communicate the mission of your department

20:23 - How Gen-Z will shape the luxury industry

23:24 - Strategies and tactics to successfully engage Gen-Z

26:56 - How to deal with brand risk when engaging in new marketing channels like the metaverse

28:11 - Should luxury brands collaborate with (micro-)influencers

30:36 - The one tip Maria would give founders and corporate professionals that want to be successful in the luxury industry

Serial entrepreneur and angle investor Robert Ermich went from being a consultant to building one of the fastest-growing online portals for mobile phones and contracts, which he later exited to Mobilezone. 🚀

In this episode, we talk about:

• How to rapidly build up a leading platform in a market dominated by big companies
• 3 tips on fostering a strong innovation company culture
• Succeeding in the new era of digital marketing

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a minute to subscribe, like or share this podcast to spread the word, so I can continue bringing you outstanding guests and conversations. 🙏

And if you have questions to this episode or on how you can identify best build outstanding platforms, reach out to me on LinkedIn (you can find me at linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/) or write me an email at kilian@hatch.studio.

Thanks again for listening to the Digital Transformers podcast. 🚀

In this episode, I talk to Victor Henning, serial entrepreneur, investor, and former advisor to the UK and Dutch governments on technology policy.  

Victor went from opening and raising 75000€ for the first student cafe in the town where he did his Bachelor, to building Mendeley, one of the world's leading platforms for scientific research. After his successful exit, he then went on to build the world's best smartphone camera system with Fjorden.

Victor has been nominated “Best European Startup Founder” by Techcrunch and holds investments in more than 15 startups.  

In today’s episode, we talk about the following:

• how to identify strong customer pain points and build a business around it
• how to organically acquire tons of customers - in B2B and B2C
• and other core learnings of building leading tech companies

Victor Henning on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/victorhenning

Victor's smartphone camera system Fjorden: fjorden.co

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:48 - Who is Victor Henning

1:25 - What we cover in the episode

1:49 - What made Victor the entrepreneur he is today

5:24 - How Victor founded 2 leading companies and which walls he encountered in the process

9:32 - How to validate and size market potential - and what not to do

16:49 - How to rapidly validate prototypes

21:59 - How to use content-marketing the right way to get vast amounts of customers

25:51 - Challenges in scaling a science platform into a market leader

28:40 - The advantage of keeping your product simple

34:17 - How to artfully deal with thousands of customer complaints

37:43 - Why your entire team needs to understand the customers problems

38:27 - Advice on how to succeed in launching new products and services

In this episode, I talk to Bonita Grupp, Head of E-Commerce & HR at TRIGEMA and possible successor to the current CEO Wolfgang Grupp. 

As a member of the family business dynasty, Bonita has played a key role in the digital transformation of the traditional clothing retailer - and has been recognized as Top 40 under 40 for her achievements. 

In our episode, we talked about the following: 

• what it takes for traditional family businesses and organizations to succeed in digital transformations?
• how to win over GenZ employees - also for classical functions such as production
• why strong values will be the core differentiator for companies in future?

Bonita Grupp on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bonita-grupp-396a4923

Jobs @TRIGEMA: https://www.trigema.de/karriere/jobs/

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:56 - Who is Bonita Grupp

1:18 - Topics covered in the podcast

2:31 - The challenge of digitizing TRIGEMA

4:36 - Why the digitization journey of TRIGEMA has differed to that of other competitors

6:25 - The crucial issue that TRIGEMA had to solve through digital innovation

10:22 - How TRIGEMA communicated the transformation to employees and what the action steps were to kick the process off

12:30 - How Bonita selected the individuals to drive the transformation at TRIGEMA

14:06 - How TRIGEMA as a traditional company is approaching New Work

16:52 - Which work values matter to Gen-Z

18:09 - How TRIGEMA is adapting it’s work culture to cater to Gen-Z

21:02 - The #1 tip Bonita would give other corporates who want to successfully transform themselves digitally

24:11 - The biggest challenge companies have to overcome when it comes to digital transformation

In this episode, I talk to Carsten Priebs, CIO of Randstad.

Carsten is a multi-award-winning digitalization, IT, and innovation top-level executive who has led hundred-million dollar transformation and innovation projects at some of the leading companies in their industry, including DB Netz AG and Randstad. 

In this episode, we talk about the following:

• how he as CIO took one of Randstad’s award-winning apps from “zero” to market in 6 weeks
• his top learnings as an innovation executive
• and his suggestions for everyone who wants to build highly successful digital products and services fast

Carsten's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carstenpriebs

Carsten's Blog: https://www.tech-leadership.de/

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:48 - Who is Carsten Priebs?

1:09 - Topic overview

1:33 - Carsten’s secret

2:33 - How endurance sport shapes business success

3:40 - Building an award-winning app

5:29 - Need identification: the big pain point to solve

7:12 - The secret to developing an app in only 6 weeks - as a corporate 9:02 - Determining app features & functioning

12:06 - How to evaluate the viability of your idea - the falsification test

15:42 - Validating your idea with “The three phases of a lean startup”

19:59 - How to pilot-test

21:14 - Project timeline

21:51 - The biggest challenge in the app development process

23:07 - How to convince stakeholders to use the platform

26:07 - Why developing a non-profit app can be a smart business move

28:32 - The two tips Carsten would give founders and corporate innovation leaders seeking to build similar digital products or services

31:13 - The key success factors to pay attention to when bringing digital products and services to market really fast.Timeline:

Christian Ammer climbed the IT ranks at Siemens Financial Services and Real Estate and later led major international IT carve-out projects at Siemens before shifting into the Financial SME and Legal Sector.

He has been awarded twice Top10 CIO of the year and won the Digital Transformation Award in 2021 for his outstanding work.

In today’s episode, we talk about the following:

• what it takes to transform companies in traditional industries such as legal services into digital leaders
• how organizations can leverage digitalization to enhance their service business 
• and why IT M&As only make sense in particular circumstances - and what it takes to make them a success

Christian on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cha23x

Christian's book - Praxis Guide für Digital Leader: https://www.hanser-kundencenter.de/fachbuch/artikel/9783446475625

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:46 - Who is Christian Ammer

1:16 - What topics are covered in the episode

2:18 - How can you radically digitize a traditional law business

3:31 - Creating technology to enhance the work of lawyers 

7:10 - What can you do if you can’t digitize your core business

11:40 - How to overcome the challenge of change in your business

13:34 - What services are crucial to enhance lawyer’s and service personnel’s ways of working

16:03 - The advantage of law firms using digital platform services instead of startup tools

20:07 - Christians' two core learnings in transforming Noerr into a digital leader

25:36 - How to evaluate if the willingness to transform the business is high enough 

30:18 - Why a positive perception of IT is essential in your company and how to change this perception

35:48 - should companies acquire new IT talents to function as role models in the company

38:15 - Christian’s tips on how to facilitate a cultural transformation

40:18 - What are the most crucial challenges the legal industry will have to face in terms of digitization

42:50 - Why artificial intelligence won’t solve everything in the legal business

Today I talk to Marcus Stahl, the founder of Tonies SE

At the age of 45, Marcus and his co-founder created a digital story playback device for small children and within only 6 years of starting operations, scaled the company to IPO.

Today, Tonies has won numerous design awards and has sold its category-defining products to users in more than 100 countries. 

But their story wasn’t easy. Frustrated by the lack of child-friendly solutions to consume audio dramas, Marcus and his co-founder dedicated 3 years to creating a solution before hitting the market. In the process, they learned what it takes to conquer the next generation of customers.  

In today’s episode, we cover:

• why iterative product development is wrong when launching radically innovative products and why you should focus on product perfection instead
• the importance of customer knowledge and passion across the team when building a category-defining product
• and other important factors when building and scaling a hardware-based company to IPO.

Marcus on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcus-stahl-b77a5022b

Tonies (Company): tonies.de

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:19 - Introducing Marcus Stahl & Tonies

1:04 - Topics covered in the episode

2:32 - Marcus Stahl’s background and how he got the idea for Tonies

5:57 - The biggest challenge Tonies had to overcome in the first year

9:44 - The importance of technological development for Tonies 

12:13 - Was the focus on the hardware/physical product or on the storytelling

13:30 - What was the major success factor for Tonies

15:38 - How can you ensure that your product is successful once it hits the market

18:09 - Why you should focus on product perfection before launching radically innovative products

20:23 - Why customer support is so important

22:54 - Being flexible in your daily work as a founder

24:01 - Biggest challenges Tonies faced while building up the company to its size today

26:56 - The importance of customer knowledge and passion across the team when building a category-defining product

29:15 - Advice for staying close to the customer while internationalizing

32:04 - Marcus Stahl’s number one learning during his journey of building an IPO Company

In this episode, I talk to Manuel Müller, Founder & CEO of Emma the Sleep Company, Entrepreneur of the Year 2021, WHU, Kellogg, HKUST, and Harvard alumni, and angel investor.

Manuel went from founding his first business at the age of 19 during his traineeship to building Emma The Sleep Company into the leading D2C Sleep Company in the world that is on the path of reaching $1B in sales - despite only having raised only 7M in total funding and despite facing competition from half a billion funding behemoths such as Casper. 

We'll talk about his 3 core learnings when it comes to building market-leading D2C companies, notably about:

• how a lack of investor funding helped him to build the leading company in the space
• tips on how to stay close to the customers while scaling
• the smartest way to identify opportunities worthwhile pursuing

Plus we cover many more insights on founding teams, inspiring the right culture, etc.

Manuel Müller: linkedin.com/in/manuel-mueller-6300022b

Manuel's company: emma-sleep.com

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Preview

0:37 - Episode Introduction

0:58 - Who is Manuel Müller

1:35 - Topics covered in the episode

3:06 - Manuel’s background and early life that led him to become a founder

6:19 - Why Manuel decided he wanted to start his own venture

9:21 - How Manual overcame critical situations on his founder journey

12:03 - The difficulty of having to be first-order profitable

14:06 - How to deal with the mental pressure of building a company

18:07 - How Manuel and Dennis created a strong co-founder relationship

19:44 - Scaling a business without VC funding

21:15 - The hypothesis that money will make you succeed

22:41 - The core differentiator that made Emma succeed

27:36 - Why Manuel changed the initial business model and built Emma as a side business

33:44 - Transitioning from a side business to a core business

35:04 - How big corporations do innovation

37:10 - The creative way that Emma uses to validate their product

38:15 - The importance of Emma’s product positioning in the market

41:42 - Why one has to change products to the liking of consumer Associations

44:18 - Manuel’s number one suggestion for founders/corporates to create innovative products

In this episode, I talk to serial entrepreneur and super angel investor Stephan Schubert.

Stephan went from bootstrapping his company Onvista to taking it public in 1.5 years and has since exited 3 more companies. As an investor, he has since invested in more than 60 companies including unicorns such as Spotify, Airbnb, Zooplus, and Audibene, and has supported first-hand the rise of many category-leading companies. 

In our episode, we discuss: 

• how you can maximize your chances of building a successful company - and of achieving true financial freedom
• the best indicator for sustainable product-market fit
• how to nail sales and minimize costs as a startup from day 1

Stephan Schubert: linkedin.com/in/stephanschubert1

Investment Anfragen an hi@sts-ventures.de

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:17 - Who is Stephan Schubert

0:50 - Topics of the episode

1:20 - What are “camel” companies and why are they so promising

2:46 - How success should be defined in the startup industry

3:56 - Why the probability of success is higher for camel companies than unicorns

7:32 - The problems of unicorn companies

8:08 - The business models of camel companies

8:30 - Why camels have high contribution margins

12:04 - Why the company “Emma” became so successful as a camel

14:01 - How Stephan managed to make his company “Vista” a success

17:23 - Why sales should be the top priority for every founder

19:11 - Why Stephan defines product-market fit differently

21:29 - Incremental or innovative vs. disruptive or revolutionary products

22:49 - The Mindset of camel companies that makes them successful 

23:06 - What Stephan looks for when investing in B2C businesses 

24:25 - Stephan gives examples of creative ways to reach the end customer

26:15 - Should the evaluation or exit price of founders define success

27:47 - Exit possibilities for camel companies vs. for unicorns

29:26 - Two things you should consider when building a camel company

31:10 - The factors Stephan pays attention to when investing in a company

32:47 - Stephans number one advice to founders who want to build a successful company

34:58 - Why you should consider building a camel instead of a unicorn

37:35 - Why camels lead to more personal wealth

In this episode, I talk to Ante Spittler, Co-Founder and CEO of Moss.

Ante went from quitting his well-paying job in consulting and founding his first successful business to facing bankruptcy.

But instead of giving up, he went all in again and today has built up one of the leading financial management companies for SMEs that has been backed by some of the most renowned global investors and is currently valued at 500M€. 

We talk about:

• how to find your passion project and successfully take the leap from a corporate employee to a founder
• how to rebound successfully after hitting rock bottom with your business or innovation project
• and how to build incredibly successful, disruptive businesses from scratch in the absence of any blueprint

Plus, we talk about his #1 learnings as a founder and the finance industry's future.

Ante Spittler: linkedin.com/in/ante-spittler-241654116

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:56 - Who is Ante Spittler

1:23 - Topics covered in the episode

2:05 - Why Ante decided to quit his job to found his own company and how did it make him feel

5:01 - How to identify the right business opportunity to pursue

7:16 - Ante shares his most important cultural factors in a business

9:06 - How do you find the right people to build a business with

12:43 - How Ante dealt with insolvency and came back to build an even more successful company

14:49 - Looking back could Ante have identified the unit economics problem upfront

18:20 - How did Ante deal with closing down the business

22:03 - How Ante, as a leader, communicated the failure to his employees

23:28 - Why Ante doesn’t want to do consumer business anymore

25:21 - How to find founder-product fit

28:10 - What Ante’s company Moss does and what were the major challenges

30:15 - How did Moss overcome the challenges and what were the major learnings

35:25 - The one piece of advice from Ante for corporate innovators and founders

38:53 - What will the future of the financial industry look like

Learn the single best way to screen and validate 100s of ideas & launch multiple new revenue streams in just 1 year— without breaking the bank. This episode unveils how corporates can use "Innoventuring" to redefine the way they build new ventures. Plus, we discuss 2 travel ideas you should start now. 

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 

Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.

Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest: 

Francesco Ferreri is the Director of Innovation at FUNKE ONE, one of Germany's leading media groups, and the former co-founder of two successful startups. Under Francesco's leadership, Funke One has incubated multiple new business models prone to contribute significantly to group profits in the coming years.

Follow Francesco's socials: LinkedIn

Timeline:

(01:59) - The Secret Sauce to Successful Corporate Venture Building

(08:24) - How to Set Up a Successful Corporate Venture Structure

(10:37) - Creating Deal Flow - and Choosing the Right Approach

(16:28) - How to be Scrappy - a Travel Industry Case Study

(23:00) - Optimizing Costs in the Innovation Process

(27:24) - Opening the Black-Box: Utilizing Consumer Data for 10x Innovation Results

(32:07) - The Importance of Accepting Innovation Failures

(37:54) - Danger! Disconnect Between Innovators and Business Units

(43:08) - Francesco's Pitch for a Conversational AI in Business Travel Planning.

(49:56) - Kilian's pitch for Next-Gen Personalization in Travel

Travel Idea to Steal:

Journey AI - Optimizing Business Travel with AI

Today I talk to Alexander Mrozek, CEO at Oetker Digital, columnist at WirtschaftsWoche, and host of the Digitale Optimisten Podcast, one of the most streamed podcasts globally.

As the leader of Dr. Oetker’s digitalization and venture-building unit, founder of an award-winning startup, and owner of the best database for business ideas in Germany, Alex is an absolute expert on identifying new exciting business models.

In today’s episode, we thus talk about: 

• some of the hottest product ideas to start now
• three ways to spot successful business ideas
• and why side hustles are a great way to get started as an entrepreneur

Alexander Mrozek: linkedin.com/in/dr-ajm

Digitale Optimisten Webseite: https://www.digitaleoptimisten.de/

Digitale Optimisten Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FXCSCa3gecpbZi4Ud9bc7?si=2d7715c6d6644834

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:56 - Who is Alexander Mrozek

1:28 - What topics did we discuss in the episode

1:49 - Alexander’s background and how he got into interviewing some of the most successful founders and investors

3:45 - The goal of his podcast “Digitale Optimisten”

6:42 - Why sharing your business ideas is beneficial

10:00 - What are the hottest business ideas people have shared with Alex

11:37 - What is the underlying trend behind the app BeReal 

15:27 - How Alex identifies successful business ideas

16:09 - The massive potential in e-mail newsletters

19:36 - Copying what works in other markets

20:41 - Identifying trends by looking at annual reports by stock-listed companies

23:58 - Starting new businesses as a side hustle 

29:06 - What founders tell Alex they would have done differently 

30:02 - What implications come with raising venture capital

34:13 - Leveraging generative AI instead of hiring in an early stage

35:39 - Three tips Alex would give young founders and corporate intrapreneurs

In this episode, I talk to Jochen Engert, Co-Founder and Supervisory Board Director of Flix

Jochen quit his promotion and stepped away from a secure career in consulting to found and scale Flix into a unicorn company and one of the largest long-distance mobility networks in the world. 

In our recording, we amongst other things, talk about:

• courage, the importance of timing, and testing value propositions - without huge capital expenditures
• how to successfully manage M&A transactions with other innovative companies
• leadership in times of uncertainty

Jochen Engert on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jochen-engert-61a4a31

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline

0:00 - Introduction

1:04 - Who is Jochen Engert

1:23 - What was covered in the podcast

1:54 - Why most founders are optimists

2:38 - Why Jochen decided to build Flix instead of finishing his Ph.D

4:06 - What's the real risk when deciding to build a company

5:26 - Hiring people with entrepreneurial experience

6:14 - Looking back would Jochen have skipped consulting and directly become a founder

7:18 - Where did the idea for Flix come from

9:06 - How was Jochen able to start building the right value proposition and product for Flix

11:57 - How did Flix manage to win against all the competition

14:43 - The core values and the important role of culture at Flix

16:10 - How did Flix, as the underdogs, convince investors

18:06 - How did Flix manage the merger with a competitor

21:42 - How Flix reorganized the teams after the merger

23:31 - How Jochen dealt with the pressure of the merger

25:42 - The biggest challenge Flix had to face as a company

29:15 - The biggest learnings Jochen made that helped him transform the business

31:51 - Does Jochen have any regrets?

32:36 - The one tip Jochen would give founders or corporate leaders who want to build industry-defining products, services, or organizations

33:59 - The biggest challenge companies in the mobility industry will have to face and how Flix will tackle it

In this episode, I talk to Bernd Preuschoff, former IBM Partner, CDO and CEO at companies such as Schwan-Stabilo and Uvex and winner of the CIO of the Decade Award 2021 & 2022.

During his 20 year career in the digital field, Bernd built up the interactive experience practice at IBM, led major digital transformations and corporate venture-building projects at Schwan-Stabilo and Uvex, and was awarded multiple times digital leader, transformer, and CIO of the year. 

Bernd is also a sought-out keynote speaker and the author of the German book “Als Gäbe es keine Schwerkraft: Business Leadership durch die Augen eines Tänzers''. 

In this episode, we talk about :

• what the recent firing of prominent innovation leaders like Tina Müller, the Ex-CEO of Douglas, reveals about the state of digital transformation
• which 3 core principles any leader who wants to successfully transform and innovate has to master
• and what it takes to successfully cooperate with the young generation in digital innovation

Bernd Preuschoff as Speaker – Premium Speakers (premium-speakers.com)

Book: “Als gäbe es keine Schwerkraft: BUSINESS-LEADERSHIP durch die Augen eines Tänzers” - Preuschoff, Bernd (Amazon.de)

Audio-Books:

iTunes: https://apple.co/3R4ABDC

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3TtIDaO

Thalia: https://bit.ly/3R5tkUb

Bernd Preuschoff on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bernd-preuschoff

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 - Introduction

0:55 - Who is Bernd Preuschoff

1:39 - The topics covered in the podcast

2:05 - Is Europe incapable of succeeding in digital transformation?

4:03 - Digital is not the exception, and change is normal

7:36 - Changemakers are often seen as troublemakers

11:18 - How can we become change agents 

14:13 - The three principles for successful transformations

18:53 - Approach transformation the way you would approach a marathon

20:30 - Disruptive innovation requires practice.

22:26 - Advice on how to kickstart transformation

24:19 - How do you get employees to commit to the vision of the transformation?

30:21 - The importance of vulnerability

31:44 - Leveraging the expertise of different generations

35:41 - Boomers vs. Gen Z

36:43 - Solving big problems can only be done collectively

Today I talk to Marco Vietor, co-founder of the hearing aid unicorn Audibene (aka Hear.com). 

Since launching Audibene in 2011, Marco has grown the company to become the world’s largest online hearing aid seller, with over 1000 employees serving millions of customers around the globe and grossing over $100m in revenue each year.

We talk about: 

• the most important characteristic that every innovator has to have to be successful
• how to systematically develop the confidence to take risks in teams (as well as why it’s so important to do so)
• and other crucial factors to winning the innovation marathon.

Marco Vietor on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marco-vietor-3a9aa

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline

0:00 - Introduction

0:57 - Who is Marco Vietor

1:20 - The topics covered in the podcast

2:07 - Why confidence is so crucial for success

5:51 - Taking risks when developing something new

6.36 - Engraving a risk taking mentality in your team

7:30 - The negative perception of risk taking in society

9:03 - What does it take to develop a risk taking mindset?

11:49 - Marco gives examples of where he takes risks

18:03 - How to develop a risk-taking mentality in a organization

20:44 - Marco’s set of guiding principles in the company

22:45: The critical trigger for initiating mentality shift in organizations.

25:09 - The significance of over-communicating values

26:57 - How Marco determines if someone is risk-taking in the hiring process

31:32 - How Innovation is tied to risk-taking

33:36 - The one tip Marco would give innovators who want to build outstanding digital products

In the second episode, I talk to Franck Denglos, former CEO of Adidas Italy.

Franck Denglos went from being a business unit manager at Adidas, over assuming global leadership roles in marketing and sales and leading one of the largest transformation programs at Adidas to becoming the CEO of Adidas Italy.

Along the way, he repeatedly had to reinvent himself and made crucial learnings when it comes to leading and transforming some of the largest organizations on the planet. 

We'll talk about:

• The 4 crucial steps leaders have to nail in the first 30 days when kickstarting a company-wide transformation (learning, developing relationships & building a team (casting visions, identifying supporters, communication), establishing credibility (role modeling, creating early wins)
• why creating supportive alliances is one of the most important tasks of any innovation leader - and how you can successfully do so?
• why timing is so crucial for innovation success - not only for startup but also in corporates 
• and the #1 tip Franck would give anyone who wants to become truly successful

Franck Denglos on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fdenglos

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline: 

0:00 - Introduction

0:55 - Who is Franck Denglos

1:23 - The topics covered in the podcast

3:23 - Franck explains why adidas needed to be transformed.

4:48 - How does fast fashion work

6:13 - The importance of speed in a transformation

8:48 - Identifying the supporters and detractors in the transformation process

10:21 - How to figure out which problems to prioritize

13:20 - Accepting & communicating strengths and weaknesses

18:29 - Communicate the "why" of the transformation

20:02 - Hierarchies in transformation management

21:10 - How to choose the team for your transformation 

24:03 - What are the boundary conditions you have to ask for from your supervisors?

26:28 - How much time should employees allocate to the transformation?

29:04 - The hardest challenge is selling to customers without samples

30:43 - Why is timing so critical for business transformations?

34:30 - Franck’s number one tip for success

In this first episode of the Digital Transformers Podcast season 2 Kilian introduces himself, talks about his background, what he struggles with, and what ultimately led him to the creation of a business and this podcast.

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Timeline:

0:00 Introduction

1:04 What this podcast covers

1:16 - Kilian's first business and how he developed his passion for creating new solutions

2:46 - Kilian's first business failure and journey to understanding what makes entrepreneurs and digital businesses successful

4:12 - The breakthrough and defining the problem 

5:40 - Kilian's ambitious mission

6:31 - How this podcast will benefit you

7:46 - Kilian's goal for the podcast

8:39 - How to tailor this podcast to your specific needs

9:16 - Announcing the awesome upcoming guests

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast Season 2 🚀

Do you want to understand how to succeed as an entrepreneur or corporate innovator in today’s world? Want to build industry-defining digital products, services, and businesses and become the person who is capable of achieving vast success?

Then this podcast is for you.

Every Thursday, Kilian Karrasch speaks to some of the most accomplished founders and innovation executives who have built and transformed some of the most successful companies in their industry.

Subscribe now to get brand new episodes weekly from guests like Franck Denglos, the Ex-CEO of Adidas Italy, Jochen Engert, the Co-Founder of the mobility unicorn Flix, or Bernd Preuschoff, the winner of the “CIO of the Decade” Impact Award 2021 & 2022, who transformed Schwan Cosmetics, Uvex, & Co

👋 Get in touch with Kilian here: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch

Do you have an innovative idea you would like to validate through market research or rapid prototyping or a validated concept you would like to bring to life (e.g. in form of an MVP)? Then book a free consultation here: http://bit.ly/3Xr0BvG 🚀

Das Staffelfinale des Digital Transformers Podcast S1

Benedict Kleindienst teilt hier nochmal seine Top 5 Learnings von den Gästen aus der ersten Staffel, zu:

• Design (Felix Haas)
• Product ( Patrick Haede & Kilian Karrasch)
• Innovation (Prof. Nadine Kammerlander)
• Digitalstrategie (Dr.Volker)

Vielen Dank an alle Gäste und Hörer der ersten Staffel!

Die zweite Staffel kommt voraussichtlich Ende Oktober!

Wenn ihr Unterstützung bei eurer Digitalen Transformation oder Innovation braucht, Kilian Karrasch hilft euch gerne in einem kostenlosen Gespräch: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

🎧 Top 10 Learnings aus unserem Digital Transformers Podcast S1🏆🚀

Für das Staffelfinale Teil 1/2 teilt Benedict Kleindienst nochmal seine Top 10 Learnings aus den 23.Folgen der ersten Staffel.

Ihr braucht Unterstützung bei eurem digital product oder Venture?

Link zur kostenlosen Erstberatung mit Kilian Karrasch: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

🎙️ EP23: Warum hat die Metro AG / Hospitality.digital Eijsink übernommen & warum Daten so wichtig sind? 📊

Die Fortführung des letzten Podcasts mit Gast: Dr. Volker Glaeser, CEO HOSPITALITY.digital

Hospitality.digital ist das "Speedboat" der Metro AG. Sie digitalisieren mit der Plattform "DISH" ihre Branche und steigern das Kerngeschäft der Metro.

Ihr Online-Tools für Restaurants umfassen Softwarelösungen für:

📲 Online Reservierung

📦 Pickup & Delivery

🧰Webseitenbaukästen

✔️ Weblisting

Mit "booq", Eijsinks cloudbasierten Kassensystemen, wollen sie ihr Service erweitern.

Diese Software soll mit folgenden die Experience für Restaurantbesitzer & Kunden besser machen:

📱 Software ist Hardware unabhängig ➝ Auf dem Tablet, Smartphone nutzbar

🧾 Bestellung & Bezahlung per QR-Code

💸 Vielfältige Bezahlmöglichkeiten ➝ Paypal, Kryptowährungen etc.

🚯 Food-Waste Reduzierung durch Datenerhebung von Einkauf, Stoßzeiten, Saisonalität usw. um den Einkauf der Restaurants zu optimieren

Volker Glaeser: linkedin.com/in/volkerglaeser

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

Are you maximizing your corporate venture’s potential? Uncover the critical success factors that set corporate ventures apart from traditional startups, learn how to effectively incorporate existing startups to kickstart your venture’s success, and discover how to overcome cultural challenges in the process.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 

Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.

Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:

Uwe Frers is a serial entrepreneur and CEO of ADAC’s camping platform PiNCAMP. After successfully building and scaling three travel companies to exit, Uwe started building PiNCAMP as a corporate startup of ADAC SEs into the number one camping vacation marketplace in Europe. Follow Uwe's socials: LinkedIn

Timeline:

(01:42) - The unique resources, networks, and branding challenges faced by corporate ventures

(06:26) - Crucial branding considerations for corporate ventures

(07:27) - Key success factors for corporate ventures

(10:34) - The importance of agility, customer focus, and scalability in corporate ventures - and how to make the shift

(14:02) - Operating approaches for startups in corporate environments

(17:16) - How to master strategic prioritization & resource allocation within corporate ventures

(20:41) - The role of leadership in bridging corporate and startup cultures.

(23:58) - Boosting corporate ventures through integration - and how to overcome its challenges

(28:14) - Building high-performance cultures across merged entities

In der Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Volker Glaeser, CEO HOSPITALITY.digital GmbH der Metro AG, darüber:

Warum Digitalisierung & Innovation in der Gastronomiebranche notwendig ist ❓

Warum die Metro AG die HOSPITALITY.digital GmbH gegründet hat ❓

Wie die Metro AG von der HOSPITALITY.digital GmbH profitiert 📈

Volker Glaeser: linkedin.com/in/volkerglaeser

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

In our first englisch episode of the podcast, Charles speaks to Markku Wilenius, Professor for future studies, Author and UNESCO Chairholder, about the future:

• What technologies could look like in 50 years? 🔮
• What this means for companies and our society? 🔥
• Which questions companies should ask themselves to optimally prepare for the future? 🤔

Markku's YouTube - The Traveling futurist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzG8gqbQZl4

Markku's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markku-wilenius-6776b212

If you want to find out, how we can help you innovate for the future, check out our website: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

In der 20.Folge unseres Digital Transformers Podcast erklärt Ben, in unserer Digital Product-Marketing Reihe, die Unterschiede zwischen B2B- 👔 und B2C-Marketing 🧑👩

Dabei gibt es drei wesentliche Unterschiede die zu beachten sind:

✔️ Zielgruppe Business vs. Customer

✔️ Kommunikation/Ansprache der Zielgruppe und verwendetes Medium/Kanal

✔️ Produkt- vs. Dienstleistungsmarketing

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Ben Kleindienst: linkedin.com/in/benedictkleindienst-innovationsuccsess

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

In der 19.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Charles Augsdörfer, Marketing and Podcast-Producer bei hatch, über digitales Marketing und welche Strategie für dein Business Sinn.

Dabei zeigen sie dir Vor- und Nachteile auf und vergleichen:

• Bezahltes vs. organisches Marketing
• Brand Awareness vs. direct response Marketing
• Search vs. Discovery Marketing
• Product vs. Service Marketing

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Ben Kleindienst: linkedin.com/in/benedictkleindienst-innovationsuccsess

Charles Augsdörfer: linkedin.com/in/charles-augsdörfer

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

In der 18.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Werner Katzengruber, Psychologe, Expert for Change Management and and Leadership, Management Consultant Executive Coach, Profiler, Author, Speaker darüber:

• Was sind die Charakteristiken der erfolgreichen Innovations-Teams
• Wie stellt man ein erfolgreiches Team auf
• Welche Problemquellen sind zu vermeiden

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Werner Katzengruber: linkedin.com/in/werner-katzengruber-84a76321

Webseite von Werner Katzengruber: katzengruber.com/

Mehr Infos zu hatch - digital product & Venture Building company findest du hier: bit.ly/3NKJaB6

In der 17.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Lara Sophie Bothur, Voice of Innovation bei Deloitte, LinkedIn Trainer, Speaker und Moderator darüber:

• Wie sie erfolgreich auf LinkedIn geworden ist
• Welchen konkreten Wert ihre LinkedIn Reichweite für Deloitte hat
• Wie Innovation intern bei Deloitte stattfindet

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Für mehr Tipps zu LinkedIn könnt ihr Lara’s LinkedIn abchecken: linkedin.com/in/lara-bothur

Mehr Infos zu hatch - digital product & Venture Building company findest du hier: bit.ly/3NKJaB6

In der 16.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Kilian Karrasch, General Partner bei hatch, WHU Guest-Lecturer und ehemaliger Advisor u.a. für Mapify darüber:

- Welche Kernfragen man sich als Gründer und Unternehmen stellen sollte, bevor man ein Platformmodell gründet?

- Wie man das klassische Chicken-and-Egg Problem einer jeden Plattform am besten überwindet?

- Was zu beachten gilt, um exponentielles Wachstum von Plattform-Modellen zu erreichen?

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Kilian Karrasch findest du hier: linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch-innovationsuccess

Du hast Fragen oder brauchst Hilfe bei der Umsetzung deiner Plattform? Hier kannst du ein kostenloses Erstgespräch mit Kilian buchen: bit.ly/3loGf5j

Mehr Infos zu hatch - digital product & Venture Building company findest du hier: bit.ly/3NKJaB6

In der 15.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Leon Merkel, Co-Founder von bumpee - das neue Networking Tool über:

• Die Gründerstory von bumpee aus Leon's perspective
• Die Technik hinter der neuen Visitenkarte
• Welche Möglichkeiten NFC-Chips für Unternehmen bieten

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Leon Merkel findest du hier: Leon Merkel

15% Rabatt bei bumpee mit Code: DigitalTransformers:

https://www.bumpee.de/discount/DigitalTransformers

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

In der 14.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Christian Mohr, Geschäftsführer von UnternehmerTUM und Initiator von FamilienUnternehmerTUM über:

• Die Tätigkeiten der UnternehmerTUM
• Nachfolgeprobleme in Mittelständischen Familienunternehmen
• Die Bayerische Start up Szene

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Christian Mohr findest du hier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-mohr-921b56b7/

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

In der 13.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Charles Augsdörfer, Marketing and Podcast-Producer bei hatch und Gründer des Creator-Vereins darüber:

• Welche Faktoren beachtet werden müssen bevor man mit der Vermarktung eines digitalen Produkts beginnt
• Warum ein iteratives Vorgehen beim Marketing wichtig ist
• Was man unter paid- und organischen Marketing versteht

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Charles Augsdörfer findest du hier: linkedin.com/in/charles-augsdörfer

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

Stuck in the innovation slow lane? Discover how corporate acquisition of startups can turbocharge your growth. Get first-hand advice on navigating the acquisition process, fostering a culture of innovation, and ensuring startups flourish post-acquisition.

Welcome to the Digital Transformers Podcast with Kilian Karrasch. On this podcast, you'll hear about the latest next-generation business opportunities, how to build products and business models around them, and how to create more revenue for your business. Plus, you'll learn about the many lessons Kilian and his guests have learned on their path to building and running multi-million euro businesses.

About the host: 

Kilian Karrasch is the founding partner at Boldheart, the leading next-generation product & venture builder. Together with his team, he helps ambitious corporates such as Valora, GEMA, and the International Chamber of Commerce identify, build, and scale successful next-generation digital products and business models.

Follow Kilian's socials: LinkedIn

About the guest:

Hannes Blum went from building and scaling the European version of Amazon - JustBooks -, against the backdrop of the DotCom bubble to eventually selling it to Amazon for an estimated 100M+ Euro. These days, he’s a partner at Acton Capital where he invests in SaaS and consumer internet startups.

Follow Hannes' socials: LinkedIn

Timeline:

02:31 - The founding story of JustBooks

06:32 - Strategies for PR, online marketing, and engaging the first users

08:28 - Lessons on customer-centric product development and continuous iteration

15:08 - The strategy behind JustBooks' successful exits

20:26 - Why it's important to build sustainable business practices for potential acquisitions

24:11 - How to establish value-driven partnerships with potential acquirers

29:04 - How to leverage the acquirer's expertise for mutual growth - while maintaining business autonomy

33:18 - Navigating cultural integration post-integration

38:13 - Core leadership principles for successful growth

In der 12.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Christian Bredlow, Keynote-Speaker, Investor und Geschäftsführer der Digital Mindset GmbH darüber:

• Warum Digitalisierung nicht primär mit Technologie sondern mit der Veränderung der Geisteshaltung zu tun hat
• Wie Organisationen intern das richtige digitale Mindset forcieren können

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Christian Bredlow findest du hier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianbredlow/

Die Digitale Musiksprechstunde von Christian Bredlow: http://wunschwort.nullfuenfelf.de/

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3loGf5j

In der 11.Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Chris Hahn, ehemaliger Growth-Product-Manager bei Enpal und CPO bei Purpose darüber:

• Wie man Digitale Produkte in großen Unternehmen etablieren kann
• Wie der Prozessablauf bei Produkt-Teams idealerweise aussieht und wie man diese erfolgreich leitet
• Welche Vorgehensweisen und Methoden beim arbeiten an digitalen Produkten Sinn machen

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Chris Hahn findest du hier: linkedin.com/in/chris-hahn-087164b3

Mehr zu Purpose, der Career Growth Plattform: https://waitlist.purpose.app/

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/3wnoJne

In der zehnten Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Gerhard Hochreiter, Experte für New Work, Innovationskulturen und Founding-Member bei dwarfs and Giants darüber:

• Warum Innovationskulturen in Unternehmen so wichtig sind
• Wie man eine Innovationskultur im Unternehmen etabliert
• Wie die Einflüsse und Anwendungen aus Ventures in das eigene Unternehmen erfolgreich integriert werden

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Gerhard Hochreiter findest du hier: linkedin.com/in/gerhard-hochreiter-8a030929

Harvard Business Artikel zu New-Work: https://bit.ly/3M0wQN2

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei: https://bit.ly/38W7KAp

In der neunten Folge spricht Benedict Kleindienst mit Dr. Nadine Kammerlander, Family Business Professor @WHU, Director Institute of Family Business & Mittelstand, Top 40 under 40, darüber:

• Was man unter inkrementeller und radikaler Innovation versteht
• Wann welche Innovationsstrategie Sinn für Unternehmen macht
• Wie man die richtigen Mitarbeiter für Innovationsprojekte auswählt und welchen Stellenwert Weiterbildung dabei hat

Höre jetzt rein und folge unserem Kanal, um wöchentlich mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie auch du erfolgreich digital transformieren kannst.

Mehr zu Dr. Nadine Kammerlander findest du hier: linkedin.com/in/nadinekammerlander

Dr. Nadine Kammerlander`s Podcast - "Zukunft Familienunternehmen - Disruption.Transformation.Resilienz": https://spoti.fi/38wgg95

Wenn du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie wir dich unterstützen können, dann schaue auch auf unserer Website vorbei:

https://bit.ly/3Kmx13K