It has been quite some time since you heard last from Michelle and Joe, BUT this time is over. They get together to wrap up their 2023 and talk about planning for 2024.

In today’s episode, your hosts Jörn “Joe” Menninger and Michelle Tsing dive into a reflective and heartfelt conversation about their experiences over the past year. From Michelle’s adventures in various countries to Joe’s entrepreneurial challenges and personal setbacks, they share their highs and lows with authenticity and vulnerability. Join us as we discuss the importance of resilience, the impact of COVID-19, the power of technology, and the value of finding joy in the simple pleasures. Along the way, we’ll touch on topics such as AI, NFTs, blockchain, self-care, and the hope for a better world. So grab your favorite hot beverage and let’s unwind as we explore the lessons learned and the aspirations for the future. Happy Holidays from all of us at Starting Y!

1. How has Michelle’s travels and experiences with different cultures influenced her perspective on technology and its potential for improving lives?
2. In the face of challenges and setbacks, how has Joe managed to maintain focus and stay motivated in his startup journey?
3. What are some lessons that Joe has learned from fundraising for his startup idea? How has he adjusted his approach based on positive responses from investors?
4. How has the ongoing impact of COVID-19 affected the hosts, and what frustrations do they express regarding their country’s response to the pandemic?
5. What personal experiences related to COVID-19 do the hosts share, and how have these experiences highlighted the importance of education and preparedness in dealing with the virus?
6. How have the hosts found moments of joy and positivity amidst the difficulties of the past year? What specific experiences or encounters have stood out for them?
7. The hosts express gratitude for Uber drivers and the lessons they have learned from them. Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had with an Uber driver or a similar service?
8. How do the hosts discuss coping mechanisms for dealing with stress, and what techniques do they personally find helpful in finding relaxation and maintaining mental well-being?
9. The hosts reflect on their hopes and aspirations for the upcoming year. What are some of your own goals and desires for the future?
10. How do the hosts balance their professional lives with personal experiences and relationships? What lessons have they learned about prioritizing and making time for loved ones?

Daniel Alfon is undoubtedly an expert when it comes to LinkedIn. As one of the platform's very early users, having joined back in 2004, he has gotten 18 years of experience optimizing profiles, sales strategies, and more throughout his tenure. In a recent episode of Starting Y with Joe Menninger, Alfon gave Joe some tangible tips on re-designing his profile and showing him how to use LinkedIn as a sales tool. Known as "social selling," this can be a powerful way to make sales online when done effectively and efficiently - both things we learned from the conversation between Alfon and Menninger. The episode was full of helpful advice for those looking to take more control of their sales through their LinkedIn presence!

Hint: You get most of this episode if you have your LinkedIn profile in front of you.

Get Daniel’s book here: https://amzn.to/3lzYOar (AL)

Follow us on medium: https://medium.com/@startingy or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/StartingY1

The Hosts:

Michelle, a radio, and podcast host based in Silicon Valley. She is a lawyer by training and has worked in and with many startups, especially fintech, and blockchain. Currently, she is working for several non-profit organizations and startups. Michelle is the host of the Stanford Radio Show "Laptop Radio (Wednesdays 2–4 PM)", which is also available as a podcast (https://linktr.ee/laptopradio). You can learn more about Michelle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laptopradio/

Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, and entrepreneur based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has more than 12 years of management consulting background, with a focus on financial services and capital markets and working as a startup scout. He hosts an English podcast covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio). You can learn more about Jörn "Joe" here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/

Our Intro is based on Quantum Jazz’s piece “Orbiting a distant planet,” published under Creative Commons.

Our guest is best-selling author Brant Cooper, he made it to the New York Times Best Seller List. He co-wrote the Lean Entrepreneur (AL https://amzn.to/3ILKgxj) and more recently Disruption Proof (AL https://amzn.to/41batfM). He does not call himself an entrepreneur, but he is one. He is also a speaker and active in the startup community of San Diego. You can learn more about him here: https://brantcooper.com/ or follow him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brantcooper/ 

Together with him, we tackle questions like:

• How can I write down all subconscious assumptions?
•  How can I set up an assumption workshop to really catch all my assumptions?
• How to be lean in a small or large company?
• Why do large companies measure the wrong KPIs?

The Hosts:

• Michelle, a radio, and podcast host based in Silicon Valley. She is a lawyer by training and has worked in and with many startups, especially fintech, and blockchain. Currently, she is working for several non-profit organizations and startups. Michelle is the host of the Stanford Radio Show “Laptop Radio (Wednesdays 2–4 PM)”, which is also available as a podcast (https://linktr.ee/laptopradio). You can learn more about Michelle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laptopradio/
• Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, and entrepreneur based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has more than 12 years of management consulting background, with a focus on financial services and capital markets, as well as working as a startup scout. He hosts an English startup podcast, covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio) You can learn more about Jörn “Joe” here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/

You can suggest questions here, use #startingy. Follow our hosts on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/StartingY1

Happy 2023 and a happy new year of the rabbit. 

Today we bring you another episode on the Starting Y Podcast, where we talk about the WHY of Entrepreneurship.

This new year, Michelle and Jörn are getting together to discuss their plans for the future. Both entrepreneurs are passionate about chasing their dreams and helping others do the same. The topic of their discussion: what to change, since the new year is already here.

At the forefront of this conversation is how Michelle and Jörn can get more productive, healthier, and stay focused throughout the year. 

Jörn started intermediate fasting from one day to another, he does not need a year to go by to promise to get better the next one.

Michelle is currently experimenting with having two work days in one, meaning she plans mornings and afternoons as separate workdays with dedicated schedules and goals. Also, she treats quarters as years and squeezes as much in 3 months, as she used to into a whole year. 

Jörn is having one hour each week on Mondays the “hour of the skunk” together with a friend where they hold each other accountable for doing their least favorite thing e.g. accounting, cold calls, and so on.

The Host:

• Michelle, a radio, and podcast host based in Silicon Valley. She is a lawyer by training and has worked in and with many startups, especially fintech and blockchain. Currently, she is working for several non-profit organizations and startups. Michelle is the host of the Stanford Radio Show “Laptop Radio (Wednesdays 2–4 PM)”, which is also available as a podcast (https://linktr.ee/laptopradio). You can learn more about Michelle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laptopradio/
• Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, and entrepreneur based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has more than 12 years of management consulting background, with a focus on financial services and capital markets, as well as working as a startup scout. He hosts an English startup podcast, covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio) You can learn more about Jörn “Joe” here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/

You can suggest questions here, use #startingy. Follow our hosts on Twitter: https://twitter.com/StartingY1

Happy Holidays!

Today we bring you another episode on the Starting Y Podcast, where we talk about the WHY of Entrepreneurship.

This time Michelle and Joern get together for the Christmas Episode of 2022.

Welcome to the Starting Y Podcast Christmas Episode of 2022! In this edition, Michelle and Joern open up about how the past year — full of startup journeys, entrepreneurship ambitions, and new plans — changed them. They tell tales of woe, joy, risks, and rewards associated with being an entrepreneur while they both had to grapple with familial deaths and additions to their families during this tumultuous time. Surprisingly enough, they also found ways to explore Lisbon’s technology startup scene as well as travel despite the constraints posed by the COVID-19 epidemic. As a result of all these events, 2022 saw new insights into life for both hosts as well as the realization that bigger changes are guaranteed for 2023 with all these experiences behind them.

The Host:

• Michelle, a radio, and podcast host based in Silicon Valley. She is a lawyer by training and has been working in and with many startups, especially fintech and blockchain. Currently, she is working for several non-profit organizations and startups. Michelle is the host of the Stanford Radio Show “Laptop Radio (Wednesdays 2–4 PM)”, which is also available as a podcast (https://linktr.ee/laptopradio). You can learn more about Michelle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laptopradio/
• Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, and entrepreneur, who is based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has a background of more than 12 years of management consulting, with a focus on financial services and capital markets, as well as working as a startup scout. He hosts an English startup podcast, covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio) You can learn more about Jörn “Joe” here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/

You can suggest questions here, use #startingy. Follow our hosts on Twitter:

Twitter Michelle: https://twitter.com/salutemichelle

Twitter Jörn: https://twitter.com/JoeMenninger

Visit our blog: https://medium.com/@StartingY/how-to-scale-globally-3ab7079db5c5

Our Intro is based on Quantum Jazz’s piece “Orbiting a distant planet”, published under Creative Commons

Happy Thanksgiving guys!

Today we bring you another episode on the Starting Y Podcast, where we talk about the WHY of Entrepreneurship. This time we talk to two guests about the mindset you have to have from the start in order to scale globally. The basis of our discussion is the experience Aaron and Klaus gained in their previous positions, their activities in 10X Innovation Lab, as well as their Wallstreet Journal bestselling book Global Class. 

Global scaling is one of the biggest challenges companies face in the business world today. In order to remain competitive and reach untapped global markets, businesses must adopt a global mindset and invest in global teams made up of skilled professionals who specialize in different areas. This strategic shift requires companies to rethink how they operate and scale their operations, as global markets have different needs. Companies should focus on localizing the customer experience while maintaining global consistency, as this complex process can be achieved by implementing a revision to the agile methodology so that resources are allocated for global projects. To take advantage of new global opportunities, companies need to use data-driven insights, invest in research and development, generate global content with local views, and foster cross-cultural collaboration between digital nomads and diverse global teams. Overall, to stay ahead in this changing landscape relentless innovation is necessary; only those companies with a global outlook can succeed in international markets.

Our guest is Aaron McDaniel, a serial entrepreneur with 3 exits, adjunct professor at the University of California Berkley, co-founder of 10x innovation lab, co-founder and managing partner of Velocity Capital Group, as well as the author of the Wallstreet Journal Bestseller “Global Class.” https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbiz/ 

Our additional guest is Klaus Børme Wehage, an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, CEO, and co-founder of 10x innovation lab, co-founder and advisor to several startup companies, as well as the author of the Wallstreet Journal Bestseller “Global Class.” https://www.linkedin.com/in/mr10x/

You can buy the book here at https://amzn.to/3EYultm 

The Host:

 Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, consultant, and entrepreneur, who is based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has a background of more than 12 years of management consulting but spends most of his time helping international investors and corporations to find, cooperate and invest in startups in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He hosts an English startup podcast, covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio) You can learn more about Jörn “Joe” here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/

You can suggest questions here, use #startingy. Follow our hosts on Twitter:

Twitter Michelle: https://twitter.com/salutemichelle

Twitter Jörn: https://twitter.com/JoeMenninger

Visit our blog:

“Why only give Tipps? I thought why not give typical traps?” Arnauld Henneville-Wedholm

Our Intro is based on Quantum Jazz’s piece “Orbiting a distant planet”, published under Creative Commons

Our Guest:

• Arnaud Henneville-Wedholm (https://www.linkedin.com/in/henneville-wedholmarnaud/) is an entrepreneur and bestselling author. He is originally from France, but currently lives in Sweden. You can learn more here: https://www.howhardcanitbethebook.com/

The Host:

· Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, consultant, and entrepreneur, who is based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has a background of more than 12 years of management consulting but spends most of his time helping international investors and corporations to find, cooperate and invest in startups in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He hosts an English startup podcast, covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio) You can learn more about Jörn “Joe” here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/

You can suggest questions here, use #startingy

Twitter Michelle: https://twitter.com/salutemichelle

Twitter Jörn: https://twitter.com/JoeMenninger

Visit our blog: https://medium.com/@StartingY/lessons-from-taking-on-facebook-and-failing-5161cba528f4 

“The best salespeople are not the best talkers, they are the best listeners”  Terry Tucker

Our Intro is based on Quantum Jazz’s piece “Orbiting a distant planet”, published under Creative Commons

Our Guest:

• Terry Tucker started out working at Wendy’s International, at a hospital, in a publishing company, and even as a SWAT hostage negotiator. Terry is currently fighting a rare form of cancer called Acral Lentiginous Melanoma, which returned after six years after which he had to get his left foot amputated.

The Host:

· Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, consultant, and entrepreneur, who is based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has a background of more than 12 years of management consulting but spends most of his time helping international investors and corporations to find, cooperate and invest in startups in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He hosts an English startup podcast, covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio) You can learn more about Jörn “Joe” here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/

You can suggest questions here, use #startingy

Twitter Michelle: https://twitter.com/salutemichelle

Twitter Jörn: https://twitter.com/JoeMenninger

https://medium.com/@StartingY/sales-is-trust-73b3ec87a2ae 

“You can multi-task on a lot of things, but some tasks really need deep focus” Joe Templin, Entrepreneur

Our Intro is based on Quantum Jazz’s piece “Orbiting a distant planet”, published under Creative Commons

Our Guest:

• Joe Templin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-templin/) is an ultra-marathon runner, entrepreneur and a special needs parent. So he has to fit a lot of work in 24 hours. Besides that he is also a mentor for entrepreneurs. You can follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EDEwithJoe or visit his website https://everyday-excellence.com/

The Host:

· Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, consultant, and entrepreneur, who is based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has a background of more than 12 years of management consulting but spends most of his time helping international investors and corporations to find, cooperate and invest in startups in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He hosts an English startup podcast, covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio) You can learn more about Jörn “Joe” here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/

You can suggest questions here, use #startingy

Twitter Michelle: https://twitter.com/salutemichelle

Twitter Jörn: https://twitter.com/JoeMenninger

https://medium.com/@StartingY/how-to-be-a-mentor-as-an-entrepreneur-for-entrepreneurs-b13a1d30272d 

“Two guys and two laptops in a garage are usually valued at 2 m US$ pre-revenue”Bharat Kanodia, Founder and Chief Appraiser Veristrat LLC

Our Intro is based on Quantum Jazz’s piece “Orbiting a distant planet”, published under Creative Commons

Our Guest:

• Bharat Kanodia (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bharat-kanodia-asa/), the founder and chief appraiser of Veristrat. Bharat is a contributor to inc.com (https://www.inc.com/author/Bharat-Kanodia). He runs his own YouTube channel on valuation topics https://www.youtube.com/c/whatsitworth and has a lot of information dedicated to the valuation of startups on his company website https://www.veristrat.com/hub/startup-valuation/ 

The Host:

• Jörn is a podcaster, startup scout, consultant and entrepreneur, who is based in Frankfurt, Germany. He has a background of more than 12 years of management consulting but spends most of his time to help international investors and corporations to find, cooperate and invest in startups in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He hosts an English startup podcast, covering the German startup scene (https://linktr.ee/startupradio) You can learn more about Jörn “Joe” here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joernmenninger/ 

You can suggest questions here, use #startingy

Twitter Michelle: https://twitter.com/salutemichelle

Twitter Jörn: https://twitter.com/JoeMenninger