Hole in the Whole

The first episode of themed "Reality over substance" is devoted to some of those recurring, polarizing, and puzzling topics. They are not always urgent but very important to every entrepreneur, especially when life happens, reality kicks in, and you may need a moment with a glass of wine and a good friend.

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [00:24] Welcome back!
• [00:35] Yana and Tom share about having episodes with recurring themes.
• [01:03] If you, the listeners, have anything you want us to talk about, please let us know.
• [01:20] Tom speaks about a topic they had discussed offline.
• [01:51] Yana chats about figuring out something that was stuck in her head.
• [04:36] Tom discusses the recurring episode that he can relate to most, state of mind.
• [06:54] Yana speaks about asking questions and subjective feedback.
• [09:15] If you open yourself up, relax, or someone says a phrase, and it will just click in your brain.
• [10:01] Tom agrees with Yana that intuition or empathy with clients will allow you to understand their point of view.
• [11:03] Yana believes first you have thought, then you have a feeling.
• [12:49] Tom feels that working with thoughts and emotions is not deep enough.
• [14:08] Do you ever wonder why you feel sad? Why do you think you are depressed?
• [15:45] Yana says that she believes it is imperative to know why you are unhappy.
• [17:35] Tom talks about things you can not control.
• [20:51] Tom speaks about things that happen when you are in the default mode network.
• [23:21] Yana shares that there are a million things she could potentially do, but to have access to them, she has to get out of her negative place.
• [25:26] The self is the optical illusion of consciousness - Albert Einstein.
• [26:10] Tom discusses the recurring episode they titled STSH, the shit storm that should happen.
• [29:30] Tom believes that the opinion of your sponsor should be weighed against the intention of your fans?
• [30:38] Yana would strongly advise against a prominent athlete or CEO taking any political stance on anything.
• [32:47] Tom agrees on a business or compliance perspective, but he wishes from a personal level that people would be able to take a stance.
• [34:20] Tom shares about second-tier artists in Singapore digitizing their artwork.
• [36:07] Yana thinks that the issue for artists is how hard it is to get exposure for their work.
• [38:06] Tom believes that if you support an artist or piece of art, it may allow you to get kickbacks down the line once the artist becomes known.
• [39:15] Yana describes the downside to this model that it is similar to an MLM.
• [41:52] Tom shares about being contacted by a sports association that had a very similar business model.
• [44:45] Yana speaks about transparency in all markets.
• [45:17] Do you think in terms of private equity and venture capital, that data can make up for personal due diligence and connection with the founders and management team?
• [46:45] We hope to get some feedback from the listeners about what kind of recurring episode you would like.
• [47:18] Thank you for tuning in, and we will see you back here next week.

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 

Have you ever started a company with your best friends or worked with your children? How about romance at work? Listen as Tom and Yana share their insights into the topic of doing business with your loved ones. They discuss when it is ok to work with friends and family and, in their opinion, when it causes issues. Yana and Tom also speak about romantic relationships in the workplace and the point that it becomes unacceptable. They are always good for a few laughs, so sit back and smile.

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [00:24] Happy Monday everyone, we are back!
• [00:37] Yana shares the topic for this episode.
• [00:57] Yana describes when she feels it's ok to mix friendships and business.
• [02:52] Tom says he can relate to her feelings, but his opinion is that it doesn't matter.
• [05:04] Tom believes that when it comes to  you need to keep your private funds and corporate funds separate.
• [06:12] Does it make a difference if you had a friendship first then became business partners or if you were business partners first, then later became friends?
• [08:15] Tom wants to know how Yana can hang out with friends, but she doesn't like team-building exercises. 
• [09:18] Yana says when there are romantic relationships in business it gives her headaches.
• [10:52] Tom agrees that romantic relationships can lead to issues at work but if it works out they can be beneficial to the company.
• [12:30] The problems start when someone in the higher levels of the company starts  something with someone in the lower levels.
• [13:04] Yana believes that working with her kids is the best thing ever and she hopes it continues.
• [14:42] Tom shares that he worked with his son and people in the office thought they were brothers.
• [15:35] Have you ever had a conflict of interest when dealing with your child as a boss as opposed to a parent?
• [18:01] Tom and Yana speak about having their children on the podcast because Tom's son felt like they had some information wrong on a couple of episodes.
• [18:58] Thank you for sticking with us, we hope you enjoyed the episode.

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 

Do you like to keep everything in house, or does outsourcing work better for you? Listen as Yana and Tom give their opinions on this and their insight into whether it is better to hire more employees or freelancers when your company grows enough that your current team can't handle the workflow. Yana and Tom may not always agree, but they definitely keep it interesting, so tune in and let's get started.

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [00:25] Good morning, glad to have you back with us.
• [00:34] Yana shares today's topics.
• [0051] Tom believes that there will be bipolar opposite opinions on outsourcing.
• [02:32] Yana says that new startups should not outsource because their first customers are golden and you learn so much from them.
• [03:51] Tom agrees with Yana that you need to learn and understand your clients but if you find a good outsourcing relationship it can be a good option.
• [05:25] Yana speaks about hybrid outsourcing models.
• [06:14] Do you think that in some functions that outsourcing works better, like engineering or compliance?
• [07:00] Tom believes that having a virtual and a globally distributed team is an immense value add.
• [08:13] Yana gives an additional example of the value of having a virtual assistant.
• [10:18]  Invest the time upfront to make sure you have the right assistant for you and your business.
• [11:34] Yana speaks about having trial tasks when looking for an assistant instead of just an interview.
• [13:32] Do you agree that freelancing is sometimes a promising and cost-effective sourcing and hiring channel?
• [15:00] Yana shares an example of where hiring freelance workers would be beneficial.
• [16:16] Tom is skeptical about the value-added when outsourcing.
• [18:03] Tom, is there anything we haven't covered around outsourcing?
• [20:53] If your pricing model is skewed, your customer will optimize what they need.
• [23:20] Yana shares that your vendor or outsourced party has to see the value in continuing the relationship.
• [23:57] They like outsourcing and believe it is part of business as usual.
• [24:15] Bye, everyone, see you next week.

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 

Do you have trouble relaxing? If so, you need to listen to Tom and Yana's conversation on why they don't believe in working harder or longer and why they find it essential to figure out your own personal way to relax, unplug, or let go. Yana and Tom discuss last-minute people versus early birds, mini-breaks during the day, bath tabs with or without movies, digital and much more...Intrigued? Please tune in and let's do it! 

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [00:26] Good Monday everyone!
• [00:38] Yana and Tom speak about the need to rest and how the lack of can affect you.
• [01:25] Tom states that he has always enjoyed being super busy but he always took time for microbreaks.
• [02:46] Yana speaks about having the freedom and flexibility to change her agenda if she has the need.
• [04:06] Do you feel like working harder and really long hours can help you achieve your goal faster?
• [05:26] Tom shares that you should not use this as an excuse; you should be ready to pull an all-nighter on occasion if it's needed.
• [06:41] Yana gives her son as an example for someone who gets really energized when he has a last-minute deadline.
• [07:48] Tom relates to what Yana shared about her son because he works the same way.
• [08:39] They discuss the different personalities that are involved in business and how everyone works differently.
• [09:48] Yana wants to know why people have artificial drama and a sense of urgency when it's time to get something done. Is it because of an adrenaline rush?
• [11:34] Tom do you have any productivity or rest hacks? Can you give us some examples?
• [13:40] Yana says that anything that has to do with water allows her brain to calm down.
• [15:01] Yana does not believe in digital detox...she says why do you need to detox from something that you can control every day.
• [15:41] Tom believes it is the choice between fighting symptoms versus fighting the root cause.
• [17:18] Tom concludes by asking you to look back on the day and see if you have made time for some micro-breaks.
• [18:01] Yana ends with the phrase, "The less I do, the more I make." 

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 

Do you know how to go about getting a bank account or a partnership signed for a new Fintech startup? Tom and Yana discuss the best ways to get these things done and how to avoid pitfalls around your company's name. Because launching a new startup can be hard to navigate and confusing, listen as Yana and Tom share their knowledge and experience when facing these challenges. Maybe this discussion will answer all of your questions.

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [00:24] Hello, we are back again!
• [01:19] Does it matter what the startup looks like to the bankers?
• [02:41] Yana shares how to name your startup so that you don't put up red flags.
• [03:49] The more boring your name is the safer you are to the banks.
• [04:21] Yana speaks about pitfalls you want to avoid when looking for funding.
• [05:19] Did you know what you name your startup can keep you from getting funded?
• [07:15] Tom feels that a lot of time you can distinguish between the name of the legal entity and the name of the product and service.
• [08:05] Yana says that if you plan to become a financial institution or service provider in two to three years, you don't have to make these statements to your bank on day one.
• [10:15] How do you demonstrate your financial stability if this is your first startup?
• [12:08] Tom shares, if possible, have some senior advisors on your board, they may help you with introductions.
• [13:27] Yana shares and a new strategy that she saw in the early days.
• [14:30] Tom says approach banks in their innovation or startup division to see if there is a way to build a relationship.
• [16:03] You should not rely on one single approach. Ideally, you should have backups.
• [16:57] Tom speaks about other strategies he has seen work.
• [18:51] Tom finishes with more things that you should not do when trying to get a bank to fund what you are doing.
• [20:27] Tom and Yana both believe that there are no shortcuts; you must start on the right foot when setting up a banking relationship.
• [21:17] Happy banking, everyone.

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 

Do you think trust in a startup company should be earned over time or granted right away? This question has been on Tom and Yana's minds for the last few weeks, and as usual, they both have opinions on it. Listen as they each share their thoughts and insights on trust, why it's hard for startups to let people leave when business levels out, and why trust makes a strong foundation, but it's not everything.

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [00:26] Hello, we are back again!
• [00:37] Yana and Tom share today's topic, which has been on both of their minds lately.
• [00:59] Yana speaks about one of the areas she is concerned about, which is trust in business relationships.
• [02:15] She believes businesses today have to show regulators that consumers like the business model.  
• [03:35] Tom agrees and says that both sides have evolved, meaning financial services and regulators.
• [05:04] Yana asks, 'what is trust'? She gives examples of what she means.
• [08:15] Tom says he doesn't understand why you can't value trust and skills and be upfront about it.
• [09:26] In a startup, Yana says if someone leaves the company, it's a huge deal, but in the corporate world, people go all of the time, and people hardly notice.
• [10:00] Tom thinks that you have to look at how productive one has to be in a startup compared to a big corporate situation.
• [10:37] Isn't it almost like an inherent conflict that will blow up one day?
• [11:25] Tom shares that in most startups, the founders or original team members don't stay; they like the challenge and move on once the business has leveled out. 
• [13:35] When it comes to the trust concept, it boils down to two things, the parties that need to trust and the timeline for that to happen.
• [14:54] Tom speaks about trust being a solid foundation and potent ingredient but on its own, can't do magic.
• [16:29] Yana thinks that good relationships shouldn't be hard work, but she knows people don't always make her expectations.
• [18:00] Tom shares that as long as he feels good in the presence of a person, then he feels like the relationship is good.
• [19:01] Yana says if she can rationalize what is happening or where it is going, it gives her a level of trust.
• [20:34] Yana and Tom give their concluding thoughts on trust.

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 

When should a new startup become profitable? Listen as Tom and Yana discuss 4 key steps to profitability in this episode of the Hole in the Whole podcast. Their views on this are different as usual but entertaining nevertheless. Yana lays out a 4-phase pricing ascension model for new startups, and Tom gives his opinion and insights into each phase.

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [00:26] Hello, everyone!
• [00:40] Tom and Yana discuss the topic of today's episode
• [01:34] Yana gives her insights into new startups, the offers, and revenues.
• [02:30] Tom gives his opinion on compromising with clients to get the best return.
• [03:26] If you with lower price points, will it allow you time to learn and grow?
• [04:44] Yana speaks about the second iteration as a startup grows.
• [05:37] Have you ever said I don't like that customer, but I need them?
• [07:20] As your business grows, it is possible to reach a more valuable third phase.
• [09:23] Tom says the most critical aspect is being able to answer the client's question "what makes you different" and deliver on it.
• [10:47] If your sales process is repeatable, and you have a standard approach book to follow, it will work out in most cases.
• [13:05] Yana says that it is ideal to have a reliable partner that can support you in the beginning, but it is not easy.
• [15:00] She says that while you are growing and getting your product out there, you don't have to be perfect, but as soon as your brand and visibility increase, you are subject to much more scrutiny.
• [15:49] Tom talks about having your team scale up to match sales, and it should allow more lead way.
• [17:02] Does PayPal protect you from careless behavior? Keeping your passwords and payments secure?
• [18:10] Tom speaks about raising funds and how difficult it is to do in phases one and two. 
• [20:03] They both agree that it will take easily one and a half to two years to go from stage one to stage three.
• [20:22] Tom and Yana give their final thoughts on this model and the benefits to new startups.

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 

Welcome to episode 19 of The Hole in the Whole. Your hosts Yana and Tom with a guest Nina Portier Reinhart talk about how kids being exposed to entrepreneurship early in their lives can make a difference. 

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [00:25] Welcome to the show, Nina!
• [00:55] Nina tells us a little about her background.
• [02:18] They talk about how large conglomerates are affecting young minds around entrepreneurship.
• [03:01] Can you tell us what Camp BizSmart is about and how you got involved with it?
• [06:31] Nina speaks about how the younger generation feels about large corporations.
• [08:03] They discuss how education needs to be adapted to fit the world today.
• [09:14] Do you believe that having such a strong focus on economic success affects social consciousness?
• [11:01] Nina says that you should have clarity as an of what you want to achieve.
• [13:01] Yana gives her thoughts on Nina's insights on the emotional component of a company.
• [16:36] They wonder how resilient their kids will be when they face challenges.
• [19:07] Nina speaks about the awards they hand out at the camp she founded and what they had to do to get them.
• [21:59] How do we bring out entrepreneurship in our children?
• [23:03] Nina tells us about her work with the Swiss ICT Investor Club.
• [25:30] What is your recommendation to startups when they want to grow internationally?
• [27:10] Nina chats about one of her favorite companies.
• [28:35] Thank you so much for coming on the show!

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 
• Ginger Camp
• Camp BizSmart
• Swiss ICT Investor Club
• Reinhart Capital

In episode 18, Yana and Tom continue talking about their lessons from 2019. Today, the focus is on being more introspective, how to make better decisions by looking in the mirror, and the main reasons for parting ways with clients, partners or team members. Yana and Tom also look back and happily smile at their joint 2019 pet project "Hole in the Whole" and reflect on how easy and effortless it has been for them to start this podcast.

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [01:27] Tom speaks about his favorite book of 2019. The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory by David Chalmers.
• [02:25] Yana says she believes that meditation is a waste of time.
• [02:35] Tom tells us what meditation does for us.
• [03:26] Yana asks, so what does it do?
• [04:05] How do you know it's working?
• [05:17] Tom asks Yana what her pet project is for 2020, she says Hole in the Whole.
• [06:00] Yana tells us that she feels that this podcast will be around for a long time.
• [07:56] He tells Yana that she is one of the only content writers that deliver content and not just opinion.
• [08:15] She says she had no idea what she was doing last year, but now she understands so much more.
• [09:56] Do you have any big unanswered questions for the year 2019?
• [10:49] Yana speaks about knowing what a person's why is when she is hiring them.
• [13:24] She likes projects that are successful because otherwise, she feels like she is wasting her time.
• [14:22] Tom tells her he can relate to that, but a lot of times, there are signs on the horizon.
• [15:34] Yana rated her projects this past year by how emotionally attached she was to it.
• [16:40] She says that she made more on the ones she wasn't emotionally attached to.
• [17:30] To wrap it up, it was a fantastic year, and Yana & Tom look forward to bring you new insights in 2020.

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 
• The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory by David Chalmers

Welcome to episode 17 of the Hole in The Whole Podcast. Today Yana and Tom discuss the lessons they learned in 2019. They focus on what's been going on in the industry, and talk about the ever-present entrepreneurial challenge of being judged and compared to others. Next week in episode 18, they will look in the mirror and become a bit more reflective. Stay tuned! 

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friends, leave comments, and reviews if you like what you hear.

Today's Episode:

• [01:30] Hello !!
• [01:35] Today, we are going to talk about the key takeaways from 2019.
• [02:01] Yana says one thing she learned this past year was improving time management both at work and personally, she explains.
• [03:51] Tom talks about wasting time participating in meetings that were just reruns from week to week and how they revised it.
• [04:58] Yana speaks about making the change to stop attending meetings and became more productive.
• [05:26] Tom asks how did not attending these meetings make you more productive?
• [06:43] Yana chats about the second lesson she learned and explained how she made the changes.
• [08:48] Tom comments on what Yana learned and how she used it to grow her business.
• [09:33] He speaks about what he saw when he spent time in Silicon Valley and the differences he saw compared to Europe and Asia.
• [11:44] She talks about not having to compromise profitability overgrowth in her business model.
• [14:08] Tom tells us about FinTech's how get funded to operate and how dreams make startups valuable.
• [15:01] Yana gives her insight into the issues Tom was discussing and a book that she likes.
• [17:14] Tom talks about a statement lighting his red lamps, being economical with the truth.
• [18:24] They discuss the premise of the book, and the obstacles the lead faces and cutting corners is business.
• [20:09] Tom says that money is made when you take calculated risks.
• [21:59] He says you must be honest with yourself and show progress. Once you know that what you are doing won't work, you need to take the loss and move on.
• [23:17] Thank you for listening and subscribe, so you don't miss an episode.

Show links:

• How to get in touch with us, if you'd like to tell your startup story: Yana on Instagram, Tom on LinkedIn 
• Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou