Best Bootstrap Connect Podcasts (2025)

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Gwen Whiting (The Laundress) on Acquisition Cautionary Tales, Bootstrapping, and The Fill 58:18

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17h ago58:18

58:18

Gwen Whiting co-founded The Laundress, the luxury laundry brand that transformed washing clothes into a lifestyle statement. What started as a passion project funded by credit cards became a cult favorite—and eventually caught the attention of Unilever, which acquired the company for a reported $100 million. But the dream deal didn’t go as planned.…

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October 2025 Deep Dive – AI Startups, Venture Capital & Fintech in DACH 25:56

1d ago25:56

25:56

🏁 The Deep Dive is here. Germany, Austria and Switzerland enter a new startup cycle where the headline isn’t “Who raised the biggest check?” but “Who’s building the most defensible foundation?” Hosts Jörn ‘Joe’ Menninger and Chris Fahrenbach break down October 2025’s most important stories in AI, fintech, venture capital, and climate tech. 🔎 What Y…

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Episode 242: The TRUST Test | walking through a season of Deep Faith ❖ 242 39:44

3d ago39:44

39:44

"God is always "Gooder "than my current bandwidth about him. He's always better." —Kristen Wambach SHOW NOTES EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Trust is Active and Practical: It's a blend of spiritual disciplines (prayer, communion) and physical self-care (rest, movement, making your bed). Small Wins Build Confidence: Creating immediate momentum through simple, a…

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Spirit Halloween: The Billion-Dollar Pop-Up That Can’t Be Beat 15:02

4d ago15:02

15:02

Today’s episode is all about the billion dollar business built on a business model that defies every rule of traditional retail; they occupy buildings for just three months a year, hire around 50,000 seasonal workers, carry zero inventory for nine months, and somehow they're not just surviving— they are thriving. The business? Spirit Halloween, of …

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Europe’s AI Supercluster: How DACH Startups Are Outpacing Silicon Valley 26:35

6d ago26:35

26:35

What if Europe — not Silicon Valley — defined the future of AI? In this October 2025 episode of Startuprad.io Startup News, hosts Jörn “Joe” Menninger and Chris Fahrenbach break down the latest stories shaping Europe’s AI Supercluster, led by DeepL, Black Forest Labs, and N8N. From record climate tech funding to biotech breakthroughs and industrial…

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RH’s Luxury Mountain and House of Cards: Part 2 23:29

8d ago23:29

23:29

In part two of her Restoration Hardware deep dive, Sammi pulls back the curtain on what’s really at the top of “Luxury Mountain.” From the troubled Aspen expansion and RH’s sky-high ambitions in Europe, to eyebrow-raising governance decisions, failed ventures, and Warren Buffett’s very public goodbye— you have to wonder: is the RH foundation starti…

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Episode 241: BREAKTHROUGH | Why You Must Cast Your Net AGAIN to Unlock Your Personal Blessings | MANNA MASHUP a soul food collection ❖ 241 1:19:18

10d ago1:19:18

1:19:18

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." — Marcel Proust You've waited long enough for that promise. Are you ready to cast your net again? ✨ Episode Highlights 🎣 Believing in the One with Breakfast Waiting: We use the story of Peter casting his net again to show you what it takes to have ignited…

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Yachts, Private Jets and The Restoration Hardware CEO Lore: Part 1 29:40

11d ago29:40

29:40

Today, Sammi delivers the most requested episode topic yet: the lore of Restoration Hardware and its CEO, Gary Friedman. Gary Friedman is part visionary, part provocateur and part illusionist. He is the CEO who took a nearly bankrupt furniture company and convinced Wall Street that it was building the LVMH of America. And for a while everyone belie…

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Episode 240: BEYOND SUNDAY: How to End Spiritual Malnutrition in Your Life with D'wayne J. Louard ❖ 240 1:06:26

12d ago1:06:26

1:06:26

If your spiritual health crumbled when the last storm hit, Pastor D'wayne Louard reveals the 3 clear signs you're running on empty and the one divine technology that changes everything. SHOW NOTES EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Prayer is Responsibility: Stop treating prayer as a religious routine; embrace it as the conversational responsibility God gave you to…

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How Xaver Lehmann Recovered from Burnout After a $60 M Startup Exit 58:52

13d ago58:52

58:52

He sold his AI startup for $60 million — and fell apart. In this raw and powerful conversation, Xaver Lehmann, co-founder and former CEO of e-bot7, opens up about burnout, loss, and recovery after one of Europe’s biggest AI exits. What happens when you achieve everything you ever wanted — and it breaks you? 💡 What you’ll learn in this episode: – Ho…

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Bootstrapping a Tech Agency in the age of AI 1:20:10

13d ago1:20:10

1:20:10

After a busy summer, I Think Tomorrow is back and we are having an informal conversation about what it's like to build a tech agency from the ground up. From working with AI and new technologies to the challenges of selling your own expertise, this conversation digs deep into the emotional and practical realities of bootstrapping, finding your firs…

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Jim McKelvey (Square) on How to Out-Compete a Goliath, Advice for “Wantrepreneurs,” and Economizing Drug Trials 1:03:59

15d ago1:03:59

1:03:59

Building something that lasts is rare. Building something that rewires an entire industry? That’s almost unheard of. But that’s exactly what Jim McKelvey did when he co-founded Square (now Block) with Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. Today, Jim and Sammi talk about how Square went head-to-head with Amazon and won, why Jim believes most startups don’…

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How to Start a Company in Germany — The LegalTech & Fintech Revolution 50:52

15d ago50:52

50:52

Starting a company in Germany used to mean paperwork, notaries, and patience. But now, a new wave of LegalTech and Fintech innovation is tearing down bureaucracy for founders — and turning incorporation into a digital-first experience. In this episode of Startuprad.io, we sit down with Alexander Müller (Holvi) and Felix Gerlach (Beglaubigt.de) to e…

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The Future of Shopping Is Here— And It’s AI 11:17

19d ago11:17

11:17

What if you never had to click “Buy Now” again—because your AI did the shopping for you? Today, Sammi breaks down the partnership between OpenAI and Stripe that could rewrite the rules of e-commerce. With the launch of the Agentic Commerce Protocol, AI can now recommend, purchase, and process transactions entirely within ChatGPT—no links, no websit…

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Episode 239: From Bootstrap to Beloved: Redefining Purpose When You're Forced to Surrender with Tanya Prince ❖ 239 52:06

19d ago52:06

52:06

"The beautiful thing about going through crisis is that you're forced to pause. The Lord uses those experiences to burn everything away that’s not necessary and needed in our life and leaves us really clinging to Him." —Tanya Prince SHOW NOTES EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Your "Rubble" is Sacred Ground: The moments of absolute failure are where true faith be…

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Tracy Anderson (Tracy Anderson Method) on Building a Fitness Empire, Debunking Wellness Trends, and IP in Fitness Routines 1:08:51

22d ago1:08:51

1:08:51

From small studios to celebrity status, Tracy Anderson has built one of the most influential—and imitated—fitness empires in the world. Today, Sammi sits down with the fitness icon whose method has shaped some of the most famous bodies in Hollywood to peel back the layers of the brand, the science, and the woman behind it. Tracy opens up about the …

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Flow State Rituals for Founders: Deep Work, Distraction Hacks & AI Focus 47:44

22d ago47:44

47:44

In this episode, Steven Puri, CEO of The Sukha Company and former Hollywood VFX executive (Independence Day, Godzilla, Transformers Prime), shares the rituals, behavioral frameworks, and AI-powered systems he uses to help founders reach deep work in distraction-heavy environments. Steven’s journey from blockbuster sets to startup leadership reveals…

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Episode 238: Exclusive Access Doesn't Mean Elusive | Unlocking Supernatural Wisdom to Rewrite Your Life ❖ 238 30:32

25d ago30:32

30:32

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SHOW NOTES EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Exclusive Access is Available: The door to God's heart is always open. Access is not hierarchical or based on performance; it’s an inheritance given by grace through Jesus. Authenticity…

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Why I Shut Down My Matcha Business 15:54

25d ago15:54

15:54

Have you ever built a business around something you love—only to realize it’s draining your passion? In this episode, Sammi shares her full founder story: launching a matcha brand during business school, fighting to scale it, surviving the 2020 lockdown, and finally deciding to shut it down. She breaks down the unglamorous side of entrepreneurship,…

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Flow State for Startup Founders: Deep Work That Actually Ships 51:12

27d ago51:12

51:12

Steven Puri, co-founder/CEO of Sukha, shares the flow state for startup founders playbook: body doubling, the coffee-shop effect, chronotype time-blocking, demo-first standups, and outcome-based leadership. You’ll learn how to beat the 22-minute context switching tax, design deep-work rituals for remote teams, and build a best-idea-wins culture tha…

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Neil Parikh (Casper, Slingshot AI) on Using AI for Emotional Wellbeing, Lessons from Cofounding Casper and Finding Winning Angel Investments 55:47

28d ago55:47

55:47

By Social Currency

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German Startup News Sept 2025: Deep Tech, VC Surge, Fintech & Big Fundings 28:47

30d ago28:47

28:47

In this September 2025 wrap-up, hosts Jörn “Joe” Menninger and Chris Fahrenbach break down the signals that actually matter for B2B operators: where capital is flowing, how deep tech is commercializing, and what shifting regulatory winds mean for product, go-to-market, and hiring. Expect fast, factual coverage of German startups, Swiss and Austrian…

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Episode 237: ENCOURAGEMENT | The Transformative Power of Personal Stories | MANNA MASHUP a soul food collection ❖ 237 1:17:06

1M ago1:17:06

1:17:06

You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself. –Alan Alda EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Confront the Source of Doubt: When you question if your prayers are working, stop and ask, "Who told me it wasn't working?" The answer is fear, and your perf…

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Episode 236: How God and You Celebrate YOU: In a World that is Distracted and Oblivious ❖ 236 30:18

1M ago30:18

30:18

You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop." — Rumi, 13th-century Persian Sufi mystic, poet, and scholar. SHOW NOTES 🎙️ Episode Highlights Divine Delight vs. Worldly Approval: Your intrinsic worth is established by God's choice to "take great delight in you," an unconditional joy that completely overrides the world's distra…

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Jeep’s Flop Era? 14:50

1M ago14:50

14:50

Today, Sammi unpacks the dramatic meltdown of the Jeep brand. Once a cultural symbol that survived world wars and recessions, Jeep’s market share has now plunged to historic lows. Behind the scenes: a billionaire family dynasty, leadership obsessed with margins over customers, and a string of decisions so poor they’ll likely become a business schoo…

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German Startup News Sept 2025: $2.3B AI Unicorn, N26 Crisis & Climate Tech 21:32

1M ago21:32

21:32

Berlin’s AI unicorn skyrocketed from $350M to $2.3B in valuation in just months. Meanwhile, fintech giant N26 faces its most severe governance crisis yet, as its co-founder CEO steps down after regulatory pressure. And Europe’s climate tech sector is booming with mega-funding rounds, including a record €825M hydrogen allocation. This is your Septem…

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Julia Hartz (Eventbrite) on Taking a Company Public, Leading Through Crisis and the Future of Live Events 1:08:58

1M ago1:08:58

1:08:58

Julia Hartz co-founded Eventbrite in 2006 with a bold vision: make ticketing accessible for anyone creating an event. Nearly two decades later, she’s still at the helm as CEO, having taken the company public in 2018 and steered it through one of the toughest crises imaginable—the pandemic, when live events disappeared overnight. In this episode, Ju…

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Inside the Protein Boom: The $1.2 Billion Bet Reshaping What We Eat 12:22

1M ago12:22

12:22

Why is everything from your Starbucks drink to your popcorn now enhanced with extra protein? With 61% of Americans increasing their protein intake last year, cottage cheese sales skyrocketing 20%, and Starbucks rolling out drinks with 36 grams of protein, it’s clear this isn’t a fad—it’s a seismic shift in how we eat. Sammi explores the cultural, m…

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Salt-Free Water Softener: How AQON PURE Bootstrapped a Cleantech Startup 49:55

1M ago49:55

49:55

What if fixing hard water could also save energy and rivers? That’s the question Maximilian Wilk, Co-Founder & CEO of AQON PURE, set out to answer. His team developed a salt-free water softener that prevents limescale, lowers energy bills, and avoids the chloride pollution caused by traditional salt-based systems. In this episode of Startuprad.io, …

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Episode 235: The GOSPEL of IMMORTALITY : Michael C. King on Living a "Curious" Faith ❖ 235 1:04:37

1M ago1:04:37

1:04:37

"If the thief is for death, loss, and destruction, but Jesus is after life, it is elsewhere said that death is an enemy. We're seeing that's the work of the thief. Then Jesus is only about life. That's all he's ever been about." —Michael C. King SHOW NOTES Episode Highlights Death is an enemy: Do not be complacent with death or decay in any form. J…

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Maria Davidson (Kojo) on Record-Breaking Fundraising, Building a $4B Platform and Breaking Barriers in Construction 1:03:20

1M ago1:03:20

1:03:20

Maria Davidson is making construction procurement cool— and a billion-dollar business. After studying philosophy, politics, and economics at Oxford and a stint in venture capital, Maria set her sights on one of the least “sexy” industries imaginable: construction. What started with her hustling for meetings by showing up at job sites with pizza has…

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Episode 234: Having PEACE | stories of Triggers, Trust and Taming the Inner Life | MANNA MASHUP a soul food collection ❖ 234 1:12:34

1M ago1:12:34

1:12:34

"Peace is not something you wish for; it’s something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away." — Robert Fulghum EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Peace Requires Surrender: True peace is achieved when we surrender our need to be right in favor of living in a state of peace, both with God and with others. The Power of Understandin…

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Are Membership Clubs Dead? 11:09

2M ago11:09

11:09

From London’s 17th-century gentleman’s clubs to the meteoric rise of Soho House, private membership clubs have always been about more than cocktails and couches—they’re cultural status symbols. But as Soho House goes private again in a $2.7 billion deal, the playbook for exclusivity is being rewritten. Today, Sammi unpacks the cracks in the traditi…

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Episode 233: BEYOND REACTION: Don't Underestimate the Kindness of God ❖ 233 39:18

2M ago39:18

39:18

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." — Martin Luther King Jr. SHOW NOTES EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS You can be spiritually brave without being spiritually venomous. True power is found in choosing love over fear. A "Clarence" mentality—steadfast, kind, and traditional—is the spiritual antidote to a chaotic world. "Keep Y…

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Agentic AI for SaaS: Multi-Agent Playbooks, Pricing Agents & EU AI Act Trust 56:20

2M ago56:20

56:20

Dashboards don’t decide. Agents do. In this episode of Startuprad.io, we sit down with Jennifer Grün, Senior Specialist for Generative AI & ML at AWS, to explore how agentic AI is rewriting the rules of SaaS. Instead of static dashboards and brittle automations, SaaS is moving toward agents that reason, plan, and act—delivering outcomes like churn …

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Vanessa Dew (Health-Ade Kombucha): From Farmers' Markets to a $500M Empire, Life After an Exit and Fundraising 101 50:13

2M ago50:13

50:13

From hand-bottling kombucha in an apartment kitchen to building a $500 million brand sold in tens of thousands of stores across the country, Vanessa Dew didn’t just build a company— she built a movement. As the co-founder of Health-Ade Kombucha, Vanessa turned a niche wellness drink into a household name, all while keeping true to the company’s art…

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Episode 232: Hope The Lifeline We Need Now | MANNA MASHUP soul food collection ❖ 232 1:05:38

2M ago1:05:38

1:05:38

“With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Episode Highlights Hope as a Lifeline: The episode frames hope not as a passive wish, but as an active, vital force—a lifeline that is more essential now than ever before. The Power of Spiritual Truth in History: The discussion explores…

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Episode 231: The Secret PASSWORD in God | a Listener Comment ❖ 231 32:10

2M ago32:10

32:10

"The true password is not a secret. It's a person." —Kristen Wambach SHOW NOTES Episode Highlights Doubt vs. Proof: Our desire for a "password" can be a way of trying to control God, rather than trusting in Him. Jesus Is the Password: The true password isn’t a secret; it’s a person, Jesus, who has been openly revealed as the way to God. Praise Is a…

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3 Lessons from Amazon That Changed My Business 12:15

2M ago12:15

12:15

Today, Sammi’s doing something a little different. She’s pulling back the curtain on her five years at Amazon—and the lessons she’s bringing with her as she builds Social Currency. Sammi breaks down the three Amazon frameworks that really work: customer obsession (yes, the empty chair in meetings is real), the fiery but brilliant “disagree and comm…

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AI Monetization Strategy: From POC to Proof of Value with AWS 1:00:14

2M ago1:00:14

1:00:14

POC is dead. Proof of Value is the new standard for AI startups. In this episode, AWS’s Jennifer Grün reveals the AI monetization strategy that separates demos from businesses. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: – Why hybrid pricing models (subscriptions + credits) outperform per-seat SaaS in AI – How to replace Proof of Concept with Proof of Value…

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Alli Webb (Drybar) on Selling for $255M, Second Acts, and Embracing the Messy Truth 1:01:34

2M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

What do you do after creating a $255 million brand that reshaped an entire industry? If you’re Alli Webb, founder of Drybar, you sell it, rebuild, and then launch something even more personal. Sammi and Alli go deep into the scrappy early days of Drybar, the chaos of scaling to hundreds of locations, and the bittersweet reality of selling your life…

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Episode 230: The Alabaster Box of CHANGE | MANNA MASHUP: a Soul Food Collection ❖ 230 1:19:09

2M ago1:19:09

1:19:09

"We can change. We can allow our spirits, our bodies, our souls to embrace change." —Kristen Wambach MANNA MASHUP HIGHLIGHTS Change as a Spiritual Journey: Seasons of change, whether difficult or exciting, are opportunities for Christian spiritual growth. They can lead us into the very answers we've been praying for. The Power of Worship: Mary's an…

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The Denim War: How American Eagle, Gap, and Lucky Brand Turned Jeans into Culture and Controversy 11:22

2M ago11:22

11:22

This summer, denim wasn't just a fashion statement—it was a battlefield. Today, Sammi unpacks how American Eagle, Gap, and Lucky Brand launched three wildly different campaigns that turned jeans into a referendum on identity, controversy, and cultural capital. From American Eagle’s headline-grabbing Sydney Sweeney campaign to Gap’s inclusive girl-b…

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German Startup Funding, Deep Tech AI, & Fintech M&A – September 2025 News 29:00

2M ago29:00

29:00

What if the next billion-dollar startup was brewing in Berlin, Munich, or Vienna right now? In this episode, we cover the game-changing deals, deep tech breakthroughs, and green innovation stories shaping the DACH startup scene in September 2025. Whether you’re a founder, VC, or ecosystem insider, this is your shortcut to staying ahead in Europe’s …

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Episode 229: Resilience and Faith: The Journey of a Single Mom with Gail Showalter ❖ 229 51:56

2M ago51:56

51:56

"The strongest women I’ve met are single mothers. Their resilience is a testament to what courage looks like in real life." – Gail Showalter SHOW NOTES EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Gail's journey as a single mom showcases resilience and faith. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Single mothers can find support through community and education…

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Bill Ready (Pinterest) on Social Media’s “Big Tobacco” Moment, Growing Pinterest to 578M Users, and What Gen Z Really Wants 1:03:52

2M ago1:03:52

1:03:52

Bill Ready has never been afraid to make big bets—and at Pinterest, those bets are paying off. Since becoming CEO, he’s doubled down on building a healthier internet: one where all accounts under 16 are private by default, AI is tuned for positivity, and users come away inspired instead of exhausted. Today, Sammi sits down with Bill to trace his jo…

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The Only 5 Ways to Build & Scale a Home Service Business in 2025 | Scott Slate 1:08:29

2M ago1:08:29

1:08:29

Want to build a $3M+ home service business — even if you're starting from scratch? In this episode of Founder 2 Founder, I sit down with Scott Slate, a 28-year industry veteran who’s helped scale dozens of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses across the U.S. We break down what works right now — from hiring and training, to increasing your comp…

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DACH Startup News: Berlin AI Rockets, N26 Shakes & Europe’s Hydrogen Bet 21:33

2M ago21:33

21:33

Berlin’s AI just rocketed from $350M to $2.3B. At the same time, Switzerland locked in €825M hydrogen funding, and N26 faced its toughest governance test yet. This is not Silicon Valley news. This is the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) reshaping startup dynamics — and it’s moving fast. In this Startuprad.io Summer Wrap-Up 2025, we unpac…

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The Goop Paradox: $140M and 17 Years Later, Why Isn't It Profitable? 12:50

2M ago12:50

12:50

Seventeen years. $140 million in funding. And Goop—the empire Gwyneth Paltrow built on clean beauty, provocative candles, and aspirational wellness—is still not profitable. Today, Sammi unpacks the paradox of Goop: a brand that pioneered the $6.3 trillion wellness industry, yet can’t seem to make money from it. From the downfall of Goop Beauty at S…

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How Climate Tech SaaS Is Ending Greenwashing | Irene Rosique, Nuvio Planet 30:38

2M ago30:38

30:38

Greenwashing is everywhere — from supermarket shelves to corporate ESG reports. But are those “eco-friendly” claims worth anything without data to back them up? In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Jörn “Joe” Menninger speaks with Irene Rosique-Conesa, CEO & Co-Founder of Nuvio Planet, a climate tech SaaS spun out of BASF. Irene believes the solu…