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Follow the Gradient

Follow the Gradient
Leadership
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Startup Founders
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Crisis Communication
Entrepreneurship
Startup Growth
Employee Engagement
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B2B Startups
External Communication
Internal Communications
Startup Challenges
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Communication Professionals

Insider knowledge and real stories about how to build a business from Europe while staying sane. Each week founders Melanie Gabriel and Christian Woese dive deep into one specific topic on a founder's or startup operator's mind and share how to solve the challenge together with an expert. Follow the Gradient and stay tuned. followthegradient.io/

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes77Founded2 years ago
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Latest Episodes

Europe produced a €690 billion deep tech sector. So why does 70% of its late-stage funding still come from outside the continent?

In this episode of Follow the Gradient, Melanie Gabriel and Christian Woese sit down with Nicolas Autret, partner at Wa... more

What happens when the company that invented modern search cannot enter the fastest growing segment of its own market?

On Follow the Gradient, Melanie Gabriel and Christian Woese sit down with Max Buckley, who spent 12.5 years and 10 teams at Google ... more

What do you do when organic growth cannot get you to 100 million ARR?

In this episode of Follow the Gradient, Melanie Gabriel and Christian Woese sit down with Francine Gervazio, CEO of Shiftmove, and Wouter Hendriks, the company's CFO. Francine app... more

What happens when biology runs on a completely different clock than your company?

In this episode of Follow the Gradient, Melanie Gabriel and Christian Woese sit down with Julia Bösch, co-founder and CEO of Outfittery. Julia built the company from z... more

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Recent Guests

Max Buckley
Exa founder/CEO discussing why he left Google
Exa
Episode: Why I left Google after 12 years to compete against them | Max Buckley, Exa
Francine Gervazio
Founder/Executive at Shiftmove, prior dealmaker who led multiple acquisitions
Shiftmove
Episode: "Organic growth won't get us to 100 million" | Francine Gervazio, Shiftmove
Julia Bösch
Co-founder of Outfittery
Outfittery
Episode: Motherhood made me a stronger CEO | Julia Bösch, Outfittery
Lukas M. Ziegler
Robotics influencer and venture partner, global voice in robotics
Self-employed / media entrepreneur and investor
Episode: How Robotics Startups Actually Survive | #1 Robotics influencer Lukas Ziegler
Andreas Goeldi
Partner at B2 Venture; veteran technologist and investor
B2 Venture
Episode: The SaaS playbook is dead. What replaces it? | Andreas Goeldi, b2venture
Tom Wehmeier
Partner at Atomico, expert in the State of European Tech report
Atomico
Episode: Europe's talent flywheel has finally kicked in | Tom Wehmeier, Atomico
Kate Connolly
Operational powerhouse, former executive assistant and chief of staff
KaaS
Episode: The Hire Most Founders Make Too Late | Kate Connolly, KaaS
Paddy Lambros
Talent director at Atomico, experienced in scaling engineering teams in startups
Atomico
Episode: Why Great Founders Fire Earlier Than They’re Comfortable With | Paddy Lambros, Dex CEO and ex Atomico
Judith Dada
General Partner at Visionaries Club
Visionaries Club
Episode: Europe Isn’t Behind, It’s Playing the Wrong Game | Judith Dada, Visionaries Club

Hosts

Melanie Gabriel
Co-Founder and Host. Melanie offers insights drawn from her extensive experience in the startup world.
Christian Woese
Co-Founder and Host. Christian brings a wealth of knowledge about the startup landscape and operational challenges.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 55 ratings
  • Highly recommended - insightful, real & refreshingly honest podcast

    “Follow the Gradient” is a gem for anyone building or working in a scaleup. Melanie and Christian bring not only insider knowledge but also real, relatable stories. It’s insightful, grounded, and genuinely helpful. I can highly recommend for founders, operators, and anyone curious about the startup / scaleup ecosystem.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Maushart13
    Switzerlanda year ago
  • Priceless start-up podcast!

    Melanie and Christian tell it like it is. The highs, the lows, and how to best manage start-up life. Every week they invite founders and leading experts, serving up invaluable tips and tricks, and brutally honest experiences, to help start-ups learn from their mistakes and also focus on what matters. Love it!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alice the Malice 666
    Switzerlanda year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many find the discussions valuable for understanding the intricacies of entrepreneurship and often highlight the mental health aspects of running a business as particularly relevant.
The show is frequently praised for its blunt honesty about the highs and lows of the startup journey.
Listeners appreciate the practical insights and relatable stories shared by the hosts, which help them navigate the challenges of startup life.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

"Organic growth won't get us to 100 million" | Francine Gervazio, Shiftmove
Q: How do you decide between debt and equity for financing an acquisition?
Debt preserves current ownership and can be faster if you have solid cash flow and a supportive covenant headroom, while equity can be quicker to close in some cases and might be necessary if the target requires a larger upfront investment or if balance-sheet constraints exist.
"Organic growth won't get us to 100 million" | Francine Gervazio, Shiftmove
Q: What was the moment you realized acquisition was the faster path to 100 million ARR?
The realization came from comparing the limitations of organic growth—high costs, slow timelines, and the need to build capabilities from scratch—with the immediate value of an acquired base, existing product capabilities, and the chance to accelerate scale through synergies.
Why I left Google after 12 years to compete against them | Max Buckley, Exa
Q: What's your advice for scale-ups in Europe vs. the US mindset?
Emphasize ownership of one's career, build a strong network early, and leverage Europe's fragmented but dense innovation landscape to assemble teams with diverse expertise, while preparing for rapid, global expansion when the market matures.
Why I left Google after 12 years to compete against them | Max Buckley, Exa
Q: Why Zurich and not another European city for the European HQ?
Zurich offers a rich talent pool from local universities and a budding startup ecosystem; the presence of researchers and engineers in proximity to ETH and EPFL creates a favorable environment to scale a research-driven company from Europe.
How Robotics Startups Actually Survive | #1 Robotics influencer Lukas Ziegler
Q: Why are humanoids still catching funding attention over wheeled robots?
Humanoids are seen as a flexible, all-encompassing form that could fit human environments, but the guest emphasizes that specialization and task-focused solutions often deliver faster ROI and traction.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Follow the Gradient

What is Follow the Gradient about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast offers listeners an authentic exploration of the challenges faced by founders and startup operators in Europe. Each episode features in-depth discussions around critical topics relevant to building and scaling businesses, often complemented by insights from industry experts. Common themes include effective hiring strategies, the pressures of scaling operations, mental health challenges among entrepreneurs, and navigating the European tech landscape. The hosts strive to provide a relatable narrative filled with valuable lessons, personal experiences, and practical advice that resonates with anyone involved in the startup ecosystem.

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How many listeners does Follow the Gradient get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Follow the Gradient?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Follow the Gradient:

1. Servus. Grüezi. Hallo.
2. Swisspreneur Show
3. Dwarkesh Podcast
4. No Priors: Artificial Intelligence | Technology | Startups
5. Hard Fork

How many episodes of Follow the Gradient are there?

Follow the Gradient launched 2 years ago and published 77 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Follow the Gradient?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for Follow the Gradient?

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What guests have appeared on Follow the Gradient?

Recent guests on Follow the Gradient include:

1. Max Buckley
2. Francine Gervazio
3. Julia Bösch
4. Lukas M. Ziegler
5. Andreas Goeldi
6. Tom Wehmeier
7. Kate Connolly
8. Paddy Lambros

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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