Swisspreneur Show

Timestamps: 1:08 - Studying computer science and meteorology 8:49 - What does transparency mean? 28:11 - Finding perseverance 36:55 - Acquiring clients 58:00 - Thinking over a business strategy About Oliver Marchand Oliver Marchand is Managing Director and Global Head of ESG Research and Models at MSCI Inc., a worldwide provider of support tools and services for investment needs. Marchand finished his PhD in Computer Science and Meteorology from ETH Zürich in 2003. In 2005, he took a role as Head of IT at Fisch Asset Management. His small team managed to build the entire portfolio management system for FAM, and his decade-long stay provided many valuable lessons for building a company, like negotiation skills, IT security skills and transparency — according to Oliver, “there’s really no other way to do business”! These tools were soon put to good use. After leaving FAM, Oliver joined forces to found Carbon Delta, a financial technology B2B service evaluating the ecological footprint and possible environmental impacts of companies. Building a social impact company, especially by bootstrapping, was no easy feat. The product was also met with intense skepticism by the investing community of Germany and Switzerland. As an alternative, browsing in America for interested investors and employees meant heavy relocation costs that were just too much for the young company. Climate change is definitely a hot topic these days, and understandably so. According to Marchand, 50% of the economy desperately needs to decarbonize, and it was precisely this feeling of urgency that made Carbon Delta push forward to overcome their funding struggles.  In the first year, their biggest support came from Climate-KIC’s Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Booster Flagship Programme. This valuable help eventually led the company to reach amazing milestones: some of their victories include the Europe’s Best Climate Venture 2016 award and the European Fintech Award 2017 for Risk, Intelligence and Security. Other major players supporting Oliver’s project include the ZKB and a team of encouraging SICTIC investors — our previous podcast guest Thomas Dübendorfer, president of SICTIC and expert angel investor, is also on the list! Carbon Delta was acquired by MSCI Inc. in October 2019, and Oliver couldn’t be happier with his startup’s buyer. Fighting for a cleaner planet still presents many challenges, but Oliver hopes his work at MSCI may continue to have a transforming power in the sustainability of the financial industry.

Timestamps: 6:18 - How Tobias got into online advertising 9:11 - Working at Google in 2007 20:31 - Launching Webrepublic in 2009 29:30 - How to assess talent 51:02 - A marketing family About Tobias Zehnder Tobias Zehnder is Co-Founder and Partner at Webrepublic AG, a Swiss digital marketing agency boosting your company’s online performance through meaningful business value strategies. Zehnder caught the entrepreneurial bug early on: during his student days in the 2000s, Tobias was a freelancing DJ and blogger posting reviews on his favourite records, having taught himself to monetize those endeavors. Then, in 2010, Tobias finished his MA in Socioeconomic History and Linguistics at the University of Zürich with a thesis entitled Online Advertising: the Stepchild of Media Agencies, which would later serve as a blueprint for his agency. It was during his graduate studies that Tobias got a fantastic internship at Google Zürich as a Sales Planner and met Tom Hanan, the team's Head of Sales and his future co-founder at Webrepublic. The timing couldn’t have been better: cloud working was just starting to take off, and the office felt both small and international. Unfortunately, the markets took a deep dive in the 2009 financial crisis, but not all was bad. In hindsight, Tobias sees many advantages in starting a business during those rough times: performance marketing was fairly new, so they could build from the ground up and still see results, and though companies were saving funds, the small demand gave customers the most cost-efficient solutions. Twelve years down the road, Tobias admits that positioning a company in the market landscape is much more complex nowadays, but that there should always be space for integrated services and for small players to shine through. Today, Tobias also holds a position as a lecturer of Digital Leadership at HWZ Zürich, a job that helps him stay focused, inspired and on the freshest page with innovation. His main concerns include responsible leadership, conscious integrating partnerships and market evaluation with a global focus. Keep listening to learn more on building an incredible path during a major crisis! Resources Todoist, a task managing app currently freeing up the mental space of more than 25 million users. Memorable Quotes “Performance marketing is not something that you do in waves. It’s something that’s always on. You don’t switch it on and off. As long as there’s customer demand, you wanna be there.” “Don’t just focus on Switzerland. Go out, really! It’s much more motivating to benchmark yourself against absolute industry leaders than to stick to local players.” If you would like to listen to more conversations on marketing, check out our episode with DEPT's Lukas Stuber. Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!

Timestamps: 2:20 - "Stiff" Switzerland 8:13 - Crucial business angel skills 11:32 - Average ticket size 25:44 - Covid trends 34:08 - Picking 3 markets About Adrienne Perramond Adrienne Perramond is Mediator at GDC Médiation and Board Member at Business Angels Switzerland, one of the leading angel investing networks nationwide. Adrienne grew up in a multicultural environment between Switzerland, the US and England, where she completed her BSc in Business at the University of Buckingham. In 2001, she sold Transfer Solutions, her own relocation service agency in Neuchâtel. After many years in local politics as a Liberal Party councilor in Colombier, Adrienne is now a committed angel investor with a focus on diversified sectors and conscious team building. Through BAS, she has invested in 11 startups, 5 to 7 of which may lead to a great exit in 3 years’ time. Of a total of 16 exits, 9 have profited the club members with a multiple 2,5 return: such is the work of experts! Adrienne’s main interests for the upcoming years include healthcare diagnosis, delivery logistics, remote working and food tech solutions, and she has great predictions about the post-pandemic future to share! Resources Goodwall for amazing networking and exposure opportunities. Memorable Quotes "You've got to have the right mindset. Are you angel material? Do you have a long-term view? You can't be in it just for the money, but if you are, can you afford to lose it? What's your tolerance for risk and failure? You can have the thrill of victory but also the agony of defeat. Most importantly, you’ve got to have respect and love for entrepreneurs and startups." "In Switzerland, getting to an exit is not a matter of two years. Usually, it takes more, at least five to seven years. We're a deep tech nation and that's bound to make things slower." If you would like to listen to more conversations with business angels, check out our episode with Carole Ackermann. Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!

Timestamps: 9:21 - Putting an end to your startup 11:12 - How does a 0 equity accelerator make money? 15:24 - Wingman Ventures' investment focus 24:14 - Launching the Wingman Campus Fund 34:45 - Dealing with an ever-changing group of students About Edouard Treccani Edouard Treccani is Head of Partnerships at Wingman Ventures, Switzerland's leading fund for tech projects in pre-seed and seed stages. From 2012 to 2014, he worked as an intern for Crédit Agricole Suisse and BCV while balancing a smashing GPA in Quantitative Economics and Finance. However, he realised deep down he craved a creative spark that the banking game couldn't give him. In 2015, he founded Incidee and built a valuable media product: his journey took off! Edouard is passionate about helping young founders build something outstanding from the get-go, and this motivation for supporting bold innovation led him to create the Wingman Campus Fund, a small-scale VC fund boosting the entrepreneurial dreams of many university students. Edouard says "the Swiss startup ecosystem is just starting to write its best success stories", and we couldn't agree more! Resources AngelList for finding your next dream opportunity. Sifted for trusty reporting and analysis. Jason Calacanis' work on Angel Investing. Naval Ravikant and his inspiring mindspace. Memorable Quotes “After my first two internships in banking, I knew I’d never enjoy my work. Sure, I could do it by default, get a decent wage and get by month after month. But I would certainly not have been happy.” “You should constantly think about how to build your network, how to make it more meaningful and resilient.” “In an ecosystem like Switzerland, which is maturing more and more, it’s important to get to know founders early — it’s never a given that you’ll be able to invest in the startups you prefer." If you would like to listen to more conversations on VC investment, check out our episode with Tanja Dowe. Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!

Timestamps: 1:25 - Dropping out of university 12:29 - The early days of Seedtable 19:38 - Adding a pay wall 26:25 - The future of the European ecosystem 36:37 - An outsider's perspective on the Swiss ecosystem About Gonzalo Sanchez Gonzalo Sanchez is currently Head of Growth for On Deck, an educational community for those willing to learn about technology and innovation through creativity and self-improvement. Gonzalo is a natural learner: his writing skills and curiosity for new ideas led him to found Seedtable, a weekly newsletter on European tech reaching more than 60,000 monthly visitors. Memorable Quotes: "The European ecosystem has been able to weather this pandemic pretty well." "For the past 40, the US has been the startup hub for ambitious founders. But nowadays that's changing — Europe might be catching up." Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!

Timestamps 1:55 - Biggest mistakes in digital administration 4:00 - Monthly, quarterly, and yearly tasks 30:01 - Where to find resources 38:30 - Core functionalities of a good financial tool 47:13 - How to find a suitable accountant/trustee About Monica Maurer Monica Maurer is a certified trustee and Swiss Certified Fiduciary at ACT Audit & Tax. In her role, she helps startups and SMEs with their accounting questions. Based on her many years of experience, here are some of her recommendations for founders who are just getting started with their accounting: It’s not rocket science. Monica recommends getting some help for the set up of your accounting systems and then running with it yourself for the first couple of years. This saves you money and also keeps you closer to the vital signs of your company, i.e. the cash flow. If you have investors, find out about their reporting requirements and make sure your accounting is set up in a way that allows you to easily produce the numbers that your investors want to look at on a regular basis. This will save you a lot of time and frustration. Starting Jan 1, 2021, if you have employees without a Swiss passport or residence permit C, you are responsible for their withholding tax. Monica recommends updating your employment contracts to make it mandatory for your employees to inform you about any tax relevant changes in their lives (e.g. marriage, child birth or similar) so you can adequately reflect that in your withholding tax declaration. Memorable Quotes "Was man nicht vergessen darf, ist die kontinuierliche Kontrolle. Auch wenn alles elektronisch ist und man nur noch den Knopf drücken muss, sollte man sicherstellen das alles stimmt." If you would like to listen to more episodes on accounting, check out our first and second conversation with Renato Stalder. Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!

Timestamps: 1:33 - Working a minimum wage job in America 8:12 - Finding out what you're passionate about 26:20 - The dot com bubble 53:49 - Getting acquired for $240M 1:08:17 - Merging two teams About Jean-Michel Pittet Jean-Michel Pittet is Vice-President of Engineering of Adobe since 2013. With his decades-long expertise of management and product development, Jean-Michel believes any tech-savvy person can become a skilful leader. His main concerns include creating meaningful digital experiences, cultivating purposeful customer/business connections and promoting a healthy leadership spirit. Memorable Quotes "If I don't understand something, that motivates me. I want to understand." "You don't have to be extroverted to be passionate." "Even when you're at the top, you gotta ask yourself: Can't I do better?" "If after ten years of being acquired you can say "this was the right move", then you know you made the right decision." Resources: Fitbit for grounding the intellect in a healthy physique. Adobe Photoshop for creative minds. Evernote and ConceptDraw MINDMAP for note taking on the go. If you would like to listen to more episodes on big exits, check out our conversation with Ariel Lüdi. Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!

Timestamps: 1:49 - First entrepreneurial activities 7:05 - The start of the NIKIN story 20:47 - Where NIKIN finds its employees 27:35 - The unplanned marketing success 39:29 - Hardcore fans tattooing the NIKIN logo About Nicolas Hänny and NIKIN Nicholas Hänny is the co-founder and CEO of NIKIN, a sustainable fashion startup. Nicholas started NIKIN in 2016 together with his childhood friend Robin Gnehm after having been rejected by several large consulting companies he applied to intern with. Within only 4 years, he grew the company to 30 employees and CHF 7.2 m revenue. In 2019, Nicholas received the “Aargauer of the Year Award” as recognition for his work with NIKIN. Nicholas has a background in marketing and business administration. He holds a Master of Arts in Business Innovation from the University of St. Gallen and was part of the CEMS program. Memorable Quotes "Konzentriere dich besser auf 6 KPI's in Marketing und Sales, anstelle von 30-40 KPI's die wir momentan haben." If you would like to listen to our previous conversations with Nicholas, check out episodes 99 and 101. Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!

Timestamps: 2:29 - Having a surgeon and a business woman for parents 6:13 - Are entrepreneurs born or made? 25:04 - Tanja's investment focus area 29:44 - Red flags for an investor 44:52 - The Finnish and Swiss ecosystems About Tanja Dowe Tanja Dowe is CEO for the Debiopharm International Innovation Fund and Board Member for Novadiscovery and Oncomfort. Using her expertise in strategic business and market demands, Tanja’s work encourages commercialization of innovative healthcare technologies and patient care solutions for a brighter, healthier future. Memorable Quotes "Of course everyone can turn themselves into an entrepreneur. But some people are just born that way: curious, risk-taking, and eager to create something which will outlive them." "The health industry is very focused on treating diseases. We need to start thinking about how to prevent them. And we need to start catering to the digi-native generations." If you would like to listen to more episodes about medtech, check out our conversations with Luiza Dobre, Lea Von Bidder, Michael Friedrich, Katja Berlinger, Sophia Borowka and Dorina Thiess. Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!

Timestamps 2:46 - Why Lukas Speiser was the right co-founder 8:45 - The beginning of Amorana 18:12 - How to sell sex toys in conservative Switzerland 35:20 - Alan's online marketing framework 49:20 - Amorana acquisition About Alain Frei and Amorana Alan Frei is the co-founder of amorana.ch, an e-commerce platform for sex toys and lingerie. In 2020, he sold a majority stake in Amorana to the British Lovehoney Group. Before starting Amorana, he experimented with a variety of other projects such as nachhilfeportal.de and LooksOfLove, from which he learned what it takes to make a company successful. Alan is a University of Zurich alumni and headed the University’s startup center. He lives a minimalist lifestyle, counting less than 120 items in his personal possession. After the acquisition of Amorana by Lovehoney Group, he stayed on as CMO of Amorana with the intention of expanding the brand internationally. He also decided to take his minimalist lifestyle to the next level by giving up his apartment and permanently living out of hotels. Memorable Quotes: "Zuerst versuchst du die Conversion Killer zu minimieren, um dann anschliessend oder auch leicht versetzt Traffic auf deine Website zu schicken." If you would like to listen to Alan Frei some more, check out our previous episodes with him here and here. Don’t forget to give us a follow on our Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin accounts, so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly give-aways or founders dinners!