Meet the CEOs

By Revenue Journal by Upsales

What drives revenue in Europe's fastest-growing B2B companies? In Meet the CEOs, Daniel Wikberg, CEO and Founder of Upsales, speaks to some of the most prominent business leaders to discover their growth secrets. This podcast is produced by CEOs, for CEOs.

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01. Petter Hedborg, Modular Finance - Sweden's most profitable SaaS company

Meet the CEOsFeb 27, 2023

00:00

13:34

09. Shervin Razani - The award-winning multi-entrepreneur on how to build thriving businesses and company cultures

In this episode, we meet one of Sweden’s most famous multi-entrepreneurs, Shervin Razani, who founded six successful companies. Many recognize him as one of the investors in the Swedish program "Draknästet" and as the CEO and founder of the thriving company Jurek, one of the fastest-growing staffing and recruitment agencies in the Nordics. Shervin is a six-time gazelle winner, and in 2021, he was named the Pioneer of the Year by the Swedish King. Listen to hear more about:

1/ The importance of being cautious during periods of growth to ensure stability when market conditions change.

2/ How a strong, honest sales culture within a company can significantly improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.

3/ Why networking is a crucial element in consultancy and staffing industries.

4/ The staffing industry's challenges

5/ Shervin´s personal lessons on the importance of timely decision-making in business.

Learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Revenue Journal⁠⁠⁠⁠
Grow revenue faster: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Upsales⁠⁠⁠⁠
Join: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Executive Network⁠⁠⁠⁠
Stay up-to-date: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to all content⁠⁠⁠⁠
Connect with: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel Wikberg

Chapters of the episode:

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:00:21) Guest Introduction: Shervin Razani, CEO of Jurek

(00:00:46) Interview begins: background and early entrepreneurial ventures

(00:01:59) Insights on building a winning company culture

(00:03:48) Navigating business growth and maintaining sales focus

(00:05:14) Strategic sales and business growth advice

(00:07:08) The importance of networking in business

(00:08:07) Balancing profitability and growth in low margin industries

(00:09:10) Company culture and employee engagement strategies

(00:11:59) Learning from business challenges and close calls

(00:13:36) Concluding thoughts and future outlook

Apr 24, 202413:49

08. Baltsar Sahlin - How Mynt became the largest spend-management company in the Nordics in six years

In this episode, we meet Baltsar Sahlin, the CEO and co-founder behind Mynt. Baltsar helped grow Mynt to become the largest spend-management company in the Nordics in just six years. He also partnered with Visa, one of the largest companies in the world.

Listen to hear more about:

1/ Why long-term vision and investment in future market needs are key for success.

2/ The balance between maintaining efficiency and pursuing aggressive growth, while managing investor expectations.

3/ CEO Baltsar Sahlin's entrepreneurial journey, underscores the value of adaptability and vision.

4/ Why innovation, is key to differentiating in the competitive fintech landscape.

Revenue Journal is powered by Upsales. We bring you the latest strategies, insights and stories on how to grow B2B revenue.

Learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revenue Journal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Grow revenue faster: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upsales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Executive Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stay up-to-date: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to all content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel Wikberg

Chapters of the episode:

(00:00:00) Introduction to the episode

(00:00:31) Mynt's Growth Journey and Key to Scaling Through Partnerships

(00:02:05) The Strategic Importance of Mynt's Partnership with Visa

(00:04:46) Future Aspirations: Revenue Doubling and Profitability by 2024

(00:05:52) Balancing Business Efficiency with Growth and Investor Expectations

(00:07:56) Entrepreneurial Inspirations and the Long-Term Vision for Mynt

(00:10:49) Importance of Early Positioning for Future Success

(00:11:41) Closing Remarks and Thanks

Apr 05, 202411:48

07. Sofi Franzén, Eventyr - How to turn a crisis into an opportunity

In this episode, we meet Sofi Franzén, the CEO behind Eventyr Nine Yards. Sofi started Eventyr when she was only 23 years old, leading it to become the biggest event company in the Nordics. In 2022, they grew by 160%, reaching a revenue of €23M. She was also awarded "CEO of the Year" in 2018.

Listen in to hear more about:

Why the willingness to change is crucial for success
What to do in crisis: Lessons learned from COVID when Eventyr's services became illegal overnight
Building a strong team culture
Motivating the team with team bonuses
Using mergers as a strategy for expansion

Revenue Journal is powered by Upsales. We bring you the latest strategies, insights and stories on how to grow B2B revenue.

Chapters

[00:01:04]: Founding Eventyr & Early Challenges

[00:02:56]: Evolving from Ski Trips to Event Planning

[00:04:44]: Strategic Event Planning Approach

[00:07:32]: Adapting to COVID-19 Challenges

[00:09:24]: Navigating Through the Pandemic

[00:12:18]: Team Approach to Sales Success

[00:14:39]: Merger and Expansion Strategy

[00:17:29]: Merging Company Cultures

[00:19:30]: Leadership Evolution & Insights

Mar 07, 202422:32

06. Chris Voss - Former FBI Lead Hostage Negotiator on B2B Sales Negotiations

In this episode, we meet Chris Voss, the world's #1 negotiation expert and former FBI hostage negotiator. Chris wrote the best-selling book Never Split the Difference and now joins us to discuss the art of negotiation, particularly for complex B2B deals.

Key takeaways include:

1. Power of 'No': Learn how saying 'no' can be more effective than the usual push for 'yes' in negotiations.
2. Tactical Empathy: Discover how understanding emotions plays a crucial role in successful negotiations.
3. Navigating Unforeseen Challenges: Chris explains how to deal with unexpected 'Black Swans' in business deals.
4. Long-Term Relationship Building: Insights into fostering sustainable business partnerships.
5. Calibrated Questions: Mastering the art of asking the right questions to steer negotiations in your favour.

Revenue Journal is powered by Upsales. We bring you the latest strategies, insights and stories on how to grow B2B revenue.

Learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Revenue Journal⁠⁠⁠⁠ Grow revenue faster: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Upsales⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Executive Network⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stay up-to-date: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to all content⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel Wikberg

(00:00) Introduction to the Episode

(00:24) Chris Voss's Background and Journey to the FBI

(01:35) Transition from FBI to Business Negotiation

(03:35) Client Profile and Learning Mindset

(04:59) Tactical Empathy in Negotiation

(06:10) The Power of 'No' in Negotiations

(08:20) Handling Black Swans in Deal-Making

(11:02) Transparency and Trust in Sales

(13:17) Anchoring in Negotiations

(15:09) Common Mistakes in B2B Deals

(17:09) Implementing Negotiation Strategies in Organizations

(20:47) Dealing with Angry Customers and Renegotiations

(24:21) Identifying and Handling Difficult Clients

(29:04) Calibrated Questions in Negotiations

(34:15) Balancing Openness and Protecting Interests

(37:49) Creating Urgency in Negotiations

(39:17) Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Dec 22, 202341:24

05. Stefan Ytterborn, CAKE - From a local B2C offering to an international B2B expansion

In this episode of 'Meet the CEOs, we're joined by Stefan Ytterborn, CEO and founder of CAKE Bikes.

With a base in Stockholm, Sweden, CAKE is currently expanding internationally and has a presence in countries such as the US, China, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and countries all across Europe.

In this episode, we’re going to cover CAKE's rapid growth journey and how they manage to close multi-million euro deals in some of the world’s biggest markets.

Tune in to hear what Stefan Ytterborn has to share about the following key topics:

Innovation Meets Sustainability: Discover how Cake's focus on sustainability and innovative design accelerates its success.
Rapid Global Expansion: Learn strategies for entering international markets like the US, China, and Mexico.
B2B Strategy: Cake integrates software solutions for fleet management, enhancing its value proposition in the B2B electric vehicle market.
Strategic Partnerships and Relationships: Explore the importance and impact of building strong partnerships.
Challenges of Rapid Growth: Hurdles faced during rapid expansion.

Photo: Tobias Lundkvist

Revenue Journal is powered by Upsales. We bring you the latest strategies, insights and stories on how to grow B2B revenue.

Learn more: ⁠⁠⁠Revenue Journal⁠⁠⁠ Grow revenue faster: ⁠⁠⁠Upsales⁠⁠⁠ Join: ⁠⁠⁠The Executive Network⁠⁠⁠ Stay up-to-date: ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to all content⁠⁠⁠ Connect with: ⁠⁠⁠Daniel Wikberg

(00:00) Introduction to Cake's Business Model and Sales Strategy

(01:21) Genesis of Cake and its Mission

(02:53) Cake's Business Growth and Market Expansion

(04:44) B2B Strategies and Sustainability Goals

(07:16) Product Line Expansion and Software Development

(10:37) Market Entry and Contract Signing Strategies

(12:19) Partnership Strategies and Global Expansion

(13:32) Outreach and Brand Visibility in Global Markets

(16:06) Fundraising Challenges and Strategic Deals in New Markets

(17:31) Licensing and Royalty Strategies in Product Development

(23:49) Alignment with Government Green Initiatives

(28:11) Future IPO Considerations and Strategic Alignment

(29:19) Management Perspectives on Potential Company Takeover

(30:17) Closing Remarks and Future Outlook

Nov 27, 202328:57

04. JR Butler - Transforming Elite Athletes and Military Veterans into Elite Sales Professionals.

In this episode of 'Meet the CEOs, we're joined by JR Butler, CEO and founder of Shift Group. Shift Group transforms elite athletes and military veterans into elite Sales Professionals. JR shares his insights on effective recruiting based on characteristics & leadership. Revenue Journal is powered by Upsales. We bring you the latest strategies, insights and stories on how to grow B2B revenue.

Learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revenue Journal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Grow revenue faster: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Upsales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Executive Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stay up-to-date: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to all content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel Wikberg

(0:00) Introduction and Background of Guests
(0:18) Jr. Butler's Career Path and Impact at Terminomic
(0:50) Overview of Shift Group and Its Mission
(1:16) Shift Group's Curriculum and Candidate Training Process
(1:55) Inspiration Behind Starting Shift Group
(4:02) Challenges and Pivots in the Early Stages of Shift Group
(5:23) Strategic Shift to Focus on Well-Funded, Early Stage Companies
(6:00) Leveraging Networks in the Venture Community
(7:22) Choosing a Bootstrap Approach for Shift Group
(8:55) Attributes Making Athletes and Veterans Effective in Sales
(11:20) Unique Qualities of Athletes and Veterans in Sales
(12:10) Challenges in Hiring Experienced Athletes and Veterans
(14:32) Testing Candidates' Humility and Adaptability
(15:26) Shift Group's Sales Introduction Crash Course
(16:28) Managing High Growth and Performance at Turbotronic
(18:13) Key Insights in Hiring and Training Salespeople
(21:17) Common Mistakes in Coaching Sales Teams
(24:24) Potential Changes if Someone New Took Over Shift Group
(25:49) Future Growth Opportunities and Challenges for Shift Group

Nov 24, 202327:52

03. John McMahon - The greatest sales leader of our time on MEDDIC and building a sales team of A-players

In this episode, we meet John McMahon. John is known as "the greatest sales leader of our time" and has written the best-selling book "The Qualified Sales Leader". McMahon has been the Chief Revenue Officer at five public, enterprise software companies – PTC, Geo-Tel, Ariba, BladeLogic and BMC. Now, he sits on the board at several public software companies, including Snowflake and MongoDB.

In this episode, John shares his insights on: