Growing For It!

About Growing For It!

Real, raw and honest stories from founders who are growing for it!

Publisher

Growing For It

Category

business · news · technology

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

1 Jul 2024

Latest episode

25 Apr 2025

Latest episodes

26 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Apr 2025

   #18: Featuring Mads Friis Jensen - Blue World, Green Energy

   Episode 18 of Growing For It with Mads Friis Jensen In this episode Mads Friis Jensen shares his entrepreneurial journey as the Chief Commercial Officer and co-founder of Blue World Technologies, a deep tech startup focusing on methanol fuel cell technology. Mads discusses his transition from corporate roles to entrepreneurship, driven by a passion for innovative energy solutions. The company aims to revolutionize energy production by developing fuel cells that convert methanol into electricity more efficiently than traditional combustion engines, with a particular focus on the maritime industry. Mads candidly explores the challenges of startup life, emphasizing the importance of persistence, team building, and the ability to pivot quickly. He highlights the company's strategic decision to own its entire supply chain and the complexities of fundraising, including securing investment from notable backers like Breakthrough Energy. Throughout the conversation, he stresses the significance of having a strong founding team, maintaining focus, and being prepared for the unpredictable nature of entrepreneurship. The episode provides insights into Blue World Technologies' vision of making a significant impact on decarbonization, particularly in the marine sector. Mads shares personal lessons about maintaining balance, enjoying the entrepreneurial journey, and the importance of being ready to adapt to changing circumstances. His story is a testament to the power of passion, preparation, and perseverance in building a technology company aimed at creating meaningful environmental change. Key take-aways: Ownership of the entire value chain is critical in deep tech startups, especially when developing complex technologies like methanol fuel cells. By controlling key components, companies can ensure quality, innovation, and competitive advantage. Entrepreneurial success is less about having a perfect plan and more about persistence, adaptability, and the ability to pivot quickly when challenges arise. Mads emphasizes that being prepared to change course is more important than rigidly sticking to an initial strategy. Building a strong founding team with complementary skills is essential. In Blue World Technologies' case, having founders with different perspectives - a speeder, a brake, and a customer-focused approach - helped navigate complex technical and business challenges. Impact-driven innovation requires a long-term vision. Blue World Technologies isn't just developing a product, but aims to fundamentally transform the maritime industry's approach to energy by providing a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Personal preparation is key to entrepreneurial success. This includes not just technical skills, but also financial readiness, mental resilience, and the ability to maintain a balanced perspective - understanding that both success and challenges are temporary parts of the journey. If you wanna learn more about our "Elite Founders Fundraising" program, DM us on our socials listed here: Mikkel on LinkedIn: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mili (https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mili) Travis on LinkedIn: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/trali (https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/trali) Mikkel on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mikkel (https://growing-forhttps//growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mikkel-it.captivate.fm/mikkel) Travis on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/travis (https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/travis) Also be sure to check out Mads on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/madsfriis/"...

2. 

   11 Apr 2025

   #17: Featuring Ilya Katsnelson - From Soviet Refusenik to Global Entrepreneur

   Episode 17 of Growing For It with Ilya Katsnelson Ilya Katsnelson is a multifaceted entrepreneur and investor who emerged from a challenging background in the Soviet Union. Born into a Jewish family, he emigrated to the United States in 1976 at age 10, experiencing a dramatic transition from Soviet life to American opportunity. After settling in Louisiana and Wisconsin, he pursued a comprehensive education, completing a triple major in Spanish, International Relations, and History, and studying internationally in Mexico and Norway. His professional journey began with international trade, particularly focusing on the former Soviet Union after its dissolution. In 1992, he co-founded a food trading company that navigated the complex economic landscape of emerging post-Soviet markets. Leveraging his multilingual skills and deep understanding of international commerce, Katsnelson developed a successful trading business that involved commodities from around the world. Throughout his career, Katsnelson developed a unique set of investment principles: learning something new, trusting founders, benefiting humanity, adding value beyond money, and ensuring potential for profit. His approach to business emphasizes relationship-building, trust, and long-term perspective over short-term gains. His life has been marked by significant challenges, including navigating post-Soviet economic transitions, dealing with complex international trade regulations, and even facing an Interpol Red Notice. These experiences have shaped his resilient approach to business and life, emphasizing continuous learning, adaptability, and personal integrity. Currently based in Denmark, Katsnelson works as an investor and advisor to startup founders, drawing from his rich international experience and diverse background. His story is a testament to the power of adaptability, education, and maintaining a global perspective in an increasingly interconnected world. Key take-aways: Adaptability is Crucial: Katsnelson's life demonstrates the importance of being flexible and resilient. From emigrating from the Soviet Union to navigating complex international trade markets, he consistently showed an ability to adapt to new environments, languages, and business challenges. Trust and Relationships Trump Short-Term Gains: His business philosophy emphasizes building long-term relationships and maintaining integrity. He would rather lose money in the short term than damage his reputation, believing that trust is the most valuable asset in business. Multilingualism is a Powerful Business Tool: Speaking multiple languages (Russian, English, Danish, Spanish, and Italian) allowed Katsnelson to create unique business opportunities and understand different cultural contexts, giving him a significant competitive advantage. Continuous Learning is Essential: Whether learning languages, understanding new markets, or adapting to different business environments, Katsnelson's approach to life and business is rooted in a commitment to continuous learning and personal growth. Principles Matter More Than Profits: His investment criteria go beyond financial returns, focusing on learning, benefiting humanity, and adding value. This holistic approach to business and investment reflects a deeper understanding of success that transcends monetary metrics. If you wanna learn more about our "Elite Founders Fundraising" program, DM us on our socials listed here: Mikkel on LinkedIn: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mili (https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mili) Travis on LinkedIn: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/trali (https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/trali) Mikkel on Insta:<a...

3. 

   28 Mar 2025

   #16: Featuring Jakob Neua Nørgaard - Turning frustration into innovation

   Episode 16 of Growing For It with Jakob Neua Nørgaard Jakob Neua, a serial entrepreneur and founder the online real estate tool Estaldo, as well as NASDAQ-listed Penneo, discusses his journey from founding Penneo in 2011 to its IPO in 2020. Initially, Penneo aimed to digitize contract signing, facing challenges with government approval. Despite initial struggles, Penneo gained traction and was approved for digital signing of annual reports. Neua left Penneo in 2017 and co-founded Estaldo, a digital platform for selling homes, which offers significant cost savings. Neua emphasizes the importance of balancing work and personal life, sharing his experience of quitting Penneo to prioritize family. He also highlights the challenges of Denmark's taxation on unrealized gains post-IPO. Jakob Neua discusses his experience on a Danish TV show where he and his co-founder pitched their company. Despite extensive preparation, they forgot to mention the amount of money they were seeking. The show lasted three hours, and they received bids from investors. Jakob emphasizes the importance of deep preparation and transparency. He also shared insights on Estaldo, and his pride in moving from a single-parent household to a stable family life. Jakob advises understanding personality types to improve team communication and business success. The conversation concludes with reflections on balancing personal and professional life. Key take-aways: Prioritize Family: Always put being a good parent and spouse first, even if it means stepping back from a successful business. Embrace Change: If something stops being fun or meaningful, don't be afraid to quit and pursue new opportunities. Solve Real Problems: Build businesses that address genuine pain points, like Penneo's digital signature solution and Estaldo's simplified home selling platform. Prepare Thoroughly: Whether pitching on TV or meeting investors, deep preparation and understanding of your business is crucial. Maintain High Ethical Standards: Always treat people fairly, be transparent, and take responsibility for other people's investments and trust. If you wanna learn more about our "Elite Founders Fundraising" program, DM us on our socials listed here: Mikkel on LinkedIn: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mili (https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mili) Travis on LinkedIn: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/trali (https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/trali) Mikkel on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mikkel (https://growing-forhttps//growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mikkel-it.captivate.fm/mikkel) Travis on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/travis (https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/travis) Also be sure to check out Jakob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakobneua/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakobneua/) Thanks to our sponsors: Shaping New Tomorrow (https://shapingnewtomorrow.dk/) State Energy (https://state.nu/en/) Vestermark Consult (https://www.vestermarkconsult.com/) Chapters: [0:00 - 7:00] Early Entrepreneurial Sparks [7:00 - 12:00] The McDonald's Mindset [12:00 - 20:00] Digital Magazine Adventures [20:00 - 28:00] Web Development Struggles [28:00 - 40:00] Penneo's Origin Story [40:00 - 52:00] Digital Signature Revolution...

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

38

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

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Guest appearances

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