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- ‘I don’t have time’ is a myth - here’s why
‘I don’t have time’ is a myth - here’s why
Plus: A startup's underrated asset - its brand
Christian Woese & Melanie Gabriel
October 08, 2024 • Read time: 11 minutes
Dear hustlers, founders, operators and visionaries,
While OpenAI’s latest funding round was so oversubscribed it was able to include exclusivity clauses, investors are already chasing the next big AI superstar: Generative audio startup ElevenLabs is reportedly close to complete a funding round at a $3bn valuation after it increased its annual recurring revenue from $23M to $80M within a year. Impressive numbers or overhype? If we had 1€ for every time we mentioned “bubble”, we’d probably have our own unicorn by now. Follow the Gradient and stay tuned.
PS: Has this e-mail been forwarded to you? Sign up here.
Your talk track for this week’s cocktail party
Boardroom drama at Klarna: Shake-up ahead of IPO
As the Swedish fintech preps for a possible $15-20bn IPO, the board is shaking things up, ousting Mikael Walther—a key ally of co-founder Victor Jacobsson—marking the latest power struggle between Jacobsson and Klarna's current CEO & other co-founder, Sebastian Siemiatkowski. Despite stepping back from daily operations years ago, Jacobsson remains a major shareholder, and his influence has clashed with Siemiatkowski’s. With this shake-up, Siemiatkowski aims to consolidate control before the IPO. Will the internal rift settle, or is more turbulence ahead?
Will Lilium ever take off again?
Munich-based flying taxi startup Lilium faces a financial crisis, needing immediate funding to avoid insolvency. With a €186 million loss in the first half of 2024 and only €109 million in cash, it must raise at least €500 million to reach its 2026 market goal. While existing investors have pledged €32 million, the funds depend on Germany’s approval of a €100 million loan. Without fresh capital, Lilium risks being grounded for good.
Who really created Bitcoin?
A new HBO documentary dropping this Wednesday, October 9, claims it has finally uncovered the true identity of Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. For years, the mastermind behind the blockchain and the first cryptocurrency has remained anonymous. But will HBO truly unmask the legend—or is this just another clever PR stunt?
What do you meme?
And the grey hair is for free
Food for thought
Agree with me, or leave?
Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic - the company behind Wordpress - is in a public battle with third-party hosting service WP Engine. Calling the service a “cancer” to the WordPress community, sparking a rift within his own company. His bold move? A generous buyout offer for dissenting employees to exit on the spot.
Crazy, genius or drama queen?
Leave if you disagree with me: 8.4% of Automattic’s employees took the offer
Why every founder should care about their brand
Jung von Matt Start’s latest ranking of Germany’s strongest startup brands is out, with energy startups like Zolar and 1Komma5° leading the pack. Why does brand building matter for founders? In times of crisis, strong brands offer three key advantages:
1. Simplified decisions: Consumers trust familiar brands
2. Risk reduction: Strong brands convey reliability
3. Self-identity: A great brand reflects lifestyle choices
In energy and climate tech, a solid brand can even attract regulatory support and political backing—a major advantage for scaling up. Founders - are you investing in your brand?
‘I don’t have time’ is a myth—here’s why
There’s no such thing as ‘too much’ for me—I always think there’s time for everything. But in reality, what gets sacrificed first is my downtime: relaxation, creativity, family moments. Yes, there’s always room to squeeze in more, but that extra space often holds what truly nourishes and rejuvenates me. It’s not easy to admit that sometimes I need to prioritize my well-being over professional commitments.
Mark your calendar
France
Press opportunity: Sifted’s journalists Anisah Osman and Amy Lewin will be there, say hi (and apply what you learned from our podcast episode about how to get journalists interested in your story 👀)
Germany
Immobilienmesse EXPO REAL in Munich, 7-9 October [Program]
ARRtist in Berlin, for B2B SaaS Founders and CxO, 10 October [Program]
Netherlands
World Summit AI in Amsterdam, 9-10 October [Program]
Digital Procurement World (DPW) in Amsterdam, 8-10 October [Program]
Did we miss an important event? Let us know by replying to this email.
Do you like what we do at Follow the Gradient? Help us grow this community and share a like and add a comment to our LinkedIn post that just went live:
Smart hack
Feeling drained? With World Mental Health Day this Thursday, it's the perfect time to try an Energy Audit to boost your day:
Label last week: Review your calendar—mark tasks as:
Green = Energizing 🟢
Red = Draining 🔴
Yellow = Neutral 🟡
Score your day: Start at zero. Add +1 for green, -1 for red, and 0 for yellow.
Spot trends: Identify what gives or drains your energy.
Adjust: Delegate red tasks, increase green ones, and aim for at least +1 score daily.
One good read
Bitcoin is the talk of the week. While opinions on the value and real-world use cases of crypto currencies differ and the ecosystem has a disputed reputation, the origins of it go back to a highly academic white paper written by its unidentified creator. Let this be a part of your general knowledge on tech.
Join the entrepreneurial journey
Are you ready to take your first steps into the startup ecosystem or seeking an exciting new opportunity? Below is a curated list of startup job openings across Europe for you to explore.
💡💡 Show your future employee that you go the extra mile and let them know directly why you will be the perfect fit! We have added a link to the Hiring Manager’s LinkedIn where we think this helps. Do things differently - message them! 💡💡
Internships
Founder’s Associate [📍Remote, Berlin], Construction Industry SaaS, Cosuno [Apply]
Computer Vision Intern (Research) [📍Zurich], AI, EthonAI [Apply]
Growth Marketing Intern [📍Paris], FinTech, Payflows [Apply]
Intern Business Development [📍Düsseldorf], Event Tech, vivenu [Apply]
Customer Success
Customer Success Manager [📍Manchester], eCommerce, THG Ingenuity [Apply]
Enterprise Customer Success Manager - EMEA [📍Remote Europe], Infrastructure, StrongDM [Apply]
HR & Ops
GTM Operations Manager [📍London], Cybersecurity, Hadrian [Apply]
Office and Feel Good Manager [📍Munich], OTC energy trading, enmacc [Apply]
Business Operations Manager - Project Portfolio Management, Crypto, Finoa [📍Porto, Berlin or Remote], [Apply]
Marketing
Product Marketing Manager [📍London], Industry, Wayve [Apply]
Marketing Manager Germany [📍Berlin, Cologne or Düsseldorf], eBike, Upway [Apply]
Product & Strategy
Strategy & Operations Manager [📍Remote, Germany], Digital Insurance, Clark [Apply]
Product Manager [📍Germany, Croatia, Sweden], Lifesciences, Glooko [Apply]
Head of Product [📍Remote, Germany], HR Tech, Recruitee [Apply]
Sales
Business Development Executive [📍Berlin], Tech Rental Platform, Grover [Apply]
Sales Director [📍Remote, Germany], Circular Economy (Fashion), Retraced [Apply]
🫶 Melanie & Christian
Each week, a lot of work goes into the Follow the Gradient project to help you navigate this crazy jungle called entrepreneurship. Help us grow this community and we’ll make sure that you or your project gets a shoutout in the weekly newsletter!
The Gradient in maths is the direction with the most potential to improve. With Follow the Gradient, we aim to equip you with hands-on insights and real-life learnings to drive your biggest improvements, no matter where you start from: as a first-time founder, operator, solopreneur, aspiring student, or simply a curious mind.
Follow the Gradient and transform your trajectory.
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