In this milestone 10th episode of WORK IN PROGRESS, Ian Piepenbrock and Wes Botman reflect on a transformative 2024 and lay the groundwork for an ambitious 2025. From navigating personal losses to reshaping business strategies, this conversation explores the lessons, challenges, and opportunities that defined the past year and what lies ahead.

In this episode of WORK IN PROGRESS, Ian and Wes navigate the highs and lows of running productized agencies and building systems that never skip a beat. From dissecting LinkedIn's "gray mass of mediocrity" to unveiling Noco's refined 2025 service offerings, the conversation touches on authenticity, content strategy, and the delicate balance between grind culture and scaling sustainably.

(2:30) Reflections on 2023: Challenges & Lessons Learned

(6:00) Content Systems: Building Consistency & Avoiding Writer’s Block

(9:30) The Power of Never Skipping a Beat

(12:00) Burnout & The Importance of Systems for Focus

(14:40) The Role of Creativity & Scheduling Time to Think

(17:00) ELI5’s Focus on Productivity Tools & AI Solutions

(20:30) Problem-Solving as the Key to New Opportunities

(23:50) Personal Branding: Finding Your Voice in a Crowded Space

(26:40) The Rise of Authentic Content in the AI Era

(30:10) Physical Events & The Future of Authentic Media

(35:00) Noco’s Value Delivery Framework & Service Offerings for 2025

(41:30) Building, Optimizing, Amplifying: Noco’s New Approach

(46:00) Scaling Productized Services for Creativity & Efficiency

(52:00) LinkedIn’s Flaws & The Need for Recruitment Disruption

(1:08:00) Closing Thoughts: LinkedIn Cringe & Holiday Wishes

In this episode of WORK IN PROGRESS, Ian and Wes dive into a rollercoaster of topics ranging from the challenges of running a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand to the systemic issues within Europe's tech landscape. Wes opens up about the ups and downs of his DTC furniture brand, Selé, revealing valuable lessons on delegation, operations, and branding. The conversation then shifts to a candid critique of Europe's innovation stagnation, comparing it to the accelerating tech dynamism in the U.S.

This episode also touches on:

A must-listen for entrepreneurs, technophiles, and anyone curious about the intersection of business, technology, and culture.

(0:00) Intro & Wes’s Morning Routine
(2:30) The Story Behind Selé: A DTC Furniture Brand
(8:00) Lessons Learned: Delegating Too Early
(12:30) Operational Challenges in DTC
(18:00) Finding the Right Production Partner
(22:00) Marketing Strategies for DTC Brands
(27:00) Tech & Branding: OpenAI vs. Claude
(35:00) Why Europe’s Tech Sector Is Falling Behind
(43:00) The Future of Europe’s Innovation Landscape
(50:00) Balancing Remote Work and Productivity
(1:02:00) Reflecting on Leadership in Productized Agencies
(1:04:00) Closing Thoughts: Lessons for Entrepreneurs

The WORK IN PROGRESS podcast hosted by Ian Piepenbrock and Wes Botman, two founders who are scaling and refining their businesses every day.

In Episode #7 of WORK IN PROGRESS, Ian and Wes dive into the emerging world of AI agents, their potential to revolutionize industries, and how they’re tinkering with tools like Lindy AI. They discuss practical applications, challenges, and exciting prospects for the future of automation and efficiency in business.

In this episode of WORK IN PROGRESS, Ian Piepenbrock and Jelle Bot explore the transformative future of no-code tools, the challenges of minimalist design in B2B SaaS, and how agencies can stay ahead in a fast-evolving creative landscape. They discuss Webflow vs. Framer, the role of AI in shaping websites, and why emotional, maximalist design may be the key to standing out in a saturated market. If you're passionate about design, creativity, and staying ahead in SaaS, this episode is for you.

In Episode 5 of WORK IN PROGRESS, Ian and Wes dive into:

The duo also shares insights into sleep trackers, including Wes’s personal journey with Whoop, and why sleep data can both help and harm. They explore how to optimize sleep for better health and productivity.

Chapters:
(0:00) - Positive affirmations and momentum in entrepreneurship
(7:00) - Sleep trackers: Anxiety booster or productivity tool?
(18:00) - European tech landscape: Challenges and opportunities
(22:00) - Hampton Founders community and its European potential
(27:00) - Marc Andreessen on Joe Rogan: Overton Window shifts
(33:00) - The reality of censorship and debanking in tech
(41:00) - Late civilization vibes: Lessons from history
(48:00) - Lean governments and private-sector efficiency
(55:00) - Competition and authenticity: Lessons from Peter Thiel and Naval Ravikant

The WORK IN PROGRESS podcast hosted by Ian Piepenbrock and Wes Botman, two founders who are scaling and refining their businesses every day.

In this episode of WORK IN PROGRESS, we explore the grind of building businesses with some practical insights and unfiltered takes. From why front-loading energy and pain is essential for success, to the controversial (if not disastrous) Jaguar rebrand, we cover the highs, lows, and lessons learned. We also dive into the game-changing potential of AI-powered video localization and how it could reshape content distribution. Plus, we share thoughts on the startup grind, ads vs. organic growth, and more.

00:00 Ian’s boxing mishap and the Jaguar rebranding controversy

14:00 YouTube’s AI localization: What it means for creators and brands

29:00 Front-loaded energy: Building momentum in daily life and business

49:00 Balancing ads and organic growth in scaling businesses

01:02:00 Podcasting as a learning tool and refining ideas through conversations

In this episode of the WORK IN PROGRESS podcast, we dive into the grit and grind of building businesses, with topics ranging from startup lessons and iterative growth to the inefficiencies of corporate bureaucracy. We also tackle the stark contrasts between the US and EU entrepreneurial climates, highlight Pieter Levels’ critiques of European policies, and debate Elon Musk’s push for governmental efficiency. Plus, some lighthearted takes on Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and nostalgic TV shows to keep things fresh.

Timestamps:
Intro & Catch-Up
00:00 - Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: Ian’s take on the fight, Netflix streaming issues, and Tyson nostalgia.
05:00 - Nostalgic TV Shows: Discussing Lost, Breaking Bad, and other iconic series.

Key Topics
10:30 - Y Combinator Pocket Guide: Startup lessons like “Launch Now” and “Do Things That Don’t Scale” with reflections on the “Decel Mindset.”
19:00 - Iteration vs. Inefficiency: Piloting new services and learning through non-scalable processes.
24:00 - Broken Startups: Embracing chaos as a natural part of growth.

Corporate Challenges
27:30 - Avoid Long Corporate Deals: How bureaucracy kills energy compared to working with leaner, smaller clients.
32:00 - Skip Unnecessary Conferences: Inefficiencies of traditional networking versus better alternatives.
34:00 - One Problem at a Time: Lessons in focus and managing multiple challenges effectively.

Europe vs. US Entrepreneurship
38:00 - EU’s Bureaucratic Struggles: Comparing innovation climates in Europe vs. the US, focusing on regulation and taxes.
49:00 - DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency): Elon Musk’s push to address government waste, with parallels to EU inefficiencies.
55:00 - Pieter Levels’ Critiques: Examining EU policies on taxes, labor laws, and potential solutions like streamlined EU business frameworks.

If you’re a founder, creator, or just someone obsessed with learning, this is for you. Hit subscribe for raw, unfiltered conversations about the real journey of entrepreneurship.

Welcome to the second episode of WIP The Podcast – straight out of Amsterdam, where we dive deep into the realities of scaling, struggling, and sometimes stumbling as founders. We’re not here to sell you the polished “guru” story; we’re in the trenches ourselves, sharing the raw, unvarnished truth of building something real.

In this episode, we tackle:

If you’re grinding, building, and constantly learning, this is for you. Hit subscribe and join us for the unfiltered journey. We’re just getting started.

WIP The Podcast is hosted by Ian Piepenbrock and Wes Botman, two founders who are scaling and refining their businesses every day.

Follow us on X for more raw insights, thoughts, and a good dose of founder reality:

Welcome to the first episode of WIP The Podcast – straight out of Amsterdam, where we get real about the grit and grind of building a business. We’re not your average gurus with a success story wrapped in a bow. We’re founders in the trenches, sharing what it actually takes to scale, learn, fail, and iterate.

Plus, a bit of esoteric wellness (Epsom salt and baking soda baths) for good measure

This is for anyone who’s building, grinding, and constantly learning. Hit subscribe if you’re here for the unfiltered, raw journey. We’re just getting started.