#36 Thinking big from day 1 to Unicorn | Pål Næss (Gelato, a Norwegian Unicorn)

Most startups don’t fail because of their product. They fail because they think too small.

Gelato became a Norwegian Unicorn by doing the exact opposite.

In this episode, I sit down with Pål Næss (employee #2) to unpack what it really takes to build globally from day one - and why most founders never get there.

Pål has seen hundreds of startups and is a well-known voice in the Scandinavian ecosystem - currently advising several CEOs and sitting on various Boards.

In our conversation, we go deep into Gelato’s journey, but also explore generally:

* Why thinking globally from day one changes everything

* The hidden cost of starting “local first”

* What separates ambitious founders from the rest

* What does hands-on Leadership execution looks like

* How to scale across markets without losing focus

* Pål’s lessons learned from his journey and from meeting great Founders

* Dealing with investors

* And more

Enjoy!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afonsofranco.substack.com