Too Long; Don’t Listen

E54 From Startup to Acquisition

How Did Mehdi Transform His Passion for Technology into a Successful Business in Canada? Tune in to learn more about his journey from Tunisia to Canada. The episode delves into the acquisition of Data Performers (Mehdi's company) by Deloitte, Mehdi's leadership style, and the cultural differences between startups and corporate environments. Mehdi's story underscores the significance of resilience, transparency, and pursuing one's passions in entrepreneurship.Find out more about TLDL on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toolongdontlisten/Subscribe to TLDL on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tldltoday
Say hello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/too-long-don-t-listen/
Mehdi's Background (00:00:39)
Discovering Canada (00:01:13)
Icebreaker Question (00:02:59)
Journey from Tunisia to Canada (00:04:27)
Spontaneity in Career (00:06:51)
Success and Luck in Entrepreneurship (00:09:48)
Founding Data Performers (00:11:39)
Challenges in Early Business (00:13:06)
PhD and Machine Learning (00:14:17)
Bootstrap Growth Strategy (00:17:23)
Breakthrough with Toyota (00:19:00)
Entrepreneurial Comparisons (00:21:21)
Learning from Challenges (00:22:15)
Passion as a Driving Force (00:23:47)
Frustrations of Being an Underdog (00:25:45)
Acquisition by Deloitte (00:26:09)
Fundraising and Growth (00:26:31)
Maintaining Team Stability (00:27:22)
M&A Conversations (00:28:48)
Team Transparency (00:30:04)
Cultural Pillars of Leadership (00:32:21)
Learning from Experience (00:35:55)
Startup vs. Corporate Life (00:37:03)
Advice for Young Professionals (00:39:26)
Key Takeaway on Courage (00:41:07)
Thanks for listening!

E53 Launching a Food Startup in London

In this episode, I speak with Sasha and Michael, founders of Crunch, an innovative food startup. Listen to this episode to learn more about their founding journey, and get inspired by their story!
Find out more about TLDL on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toolongdontlisten/Subscribe to TLDL on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tldltoday
Say hello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/too-long-don-t-listen/
 
Introduction (00:00:09)
Sasha's Background (00:02:39)
Michael's Journey (00:04:35)
Initial Business Ideas (00:06:57)
Product Development Process (00:08:37)
Consultation and Budgeting (00:10:19)
Shift to Sandwiches (00:12:29)
Building the Brand (00:14:43)
Early Traction and Growth (00:16:58)
Influencer Impact (00:17:16)
Understanding Crunch's Unique Position (00:19:00)
Quality of Ingredients (00:22:07)
Challenges of Scaling (00:22:58)
Customer Feedback Importance (00:24:04)
Distribution Channels Overview (00:26:15)
Marketing Strategies and Growth (00:28:05)
Incorporating Past Experiences (00:31:11)
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs (00:36:12)
Finding Your Purpose (00:37:23)
Gratitude for Sharing (00:38:15)
Open Dialogue (00:38:26)
Closing (00:38:31)
 

E52 From Edtech to Entrepreneurship

In this episode, I speak with Ama, founder of the edtech platform Nova Tuition and host of the podcast "Nova and Boba." Ama shares her journey from tutoring to entrepreneurship, shedding light on the importance of personal development alongside academic success. 
Introduction to the Podcast (00:00:00)Ama's Background (00:01:03)Transition to Startup Tech Media (00:01:34)Ama's Career Path (00:02:16)Identifying Student Needs (00:03:21)Founding Nova Tuition (00:03:35)Early Interest in Entrepreneurship (00:03:53)Hiring Tutors for Nova Tuition (00:05:46)Building the Nova Community (00:07:22)Inspiration for the Podcast (00:08:35)Work-Life Balance Insights (00:11:32)Struggles with Saying No (00:12:38)Experiencing Burnout (00:12:45)Future Aspirations for Nova (00:15:18)Book Recommendations and Final Insights (00:16:50)

E51 From Dreaming to Executing

In this episode, I explore the theme of "dreaming versus executing," sharing stories from three guests: Khulan, who transitioned from international relations to a tech job at Google; Malo, who demonstrated discipline in his quest to swim the English Channel; and Emily, who turned her passion for travel into a career after studying chemical engineering. I focus on the importance of identifying dreams, creating actionable plans, and taking steps to achieve career goals.
 
Introduction to the Podcast (00:00:09) The Gap in Career Conversations (00:01:12) Dreaming vs. Executing (00:02:34) Khulan's Journey (00:03:45) Malo's Challenge (00:06:14) Emily's Career Shift (00:09:35) Key Learnings from the Stories (00:10:39) Closing (00:14:16)
 
 
 
 
 
 

E50 Navigating Your Career In Your 20s

In this episode, Olfa and I discuss strategies for young adults in their 20s to maximize early career success. We emphasize starting young, developing discipline, and aligning actions with personal values. The conversation covers the impact of social norms, managing imposter syndrome, and the importance of authenticity. Olfa shares personal experiences to illustrate these points, stressing that success involves self-discovery and aligning with one's true self. The episode aims to provide practical advice and support for navigating the challenges of early adulthood and career development.
00:00 Welcome 
01:15 Starting Young
04:45 Discipline and Healthy Habits 
05:55 Aligning Actions with Values 
07:00 The Impact of Social Norms 
08:30 Navigating Dark Times 
11:15 Understanding Imposter Syndrome 
13:15 Coping with Imposter Syndrome
15:32 Valuing Personal Growth 17:00 Closing

E49 The Most Essential Tips For Studying Abroad

In this episode, I speak with Olfa, Founder of Edusmart, an international educational consulting service company. We discuss the ambitions of students moving abroad, the challenges they face, and how Olfa's company, Edusmart, supports them. We shed light on the importance of expert guidance, particularly in navigating visa requirements and choosing the right academic path. Olfa shares insights on the transformative impact of studying abroad and the hurdles such as financial constraints and visa regulations.
You can watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/Emw0zi38zXkYou can follow TLDL on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toolongdontlisten/
 
00:00 The icebreaking 02:15 Introduction to EduSmart 03:44 Challenges of moving abroad 05:53 Importance of expert guidance07:54 Coaching for decision-making 09:59 Helping lost students 15:28 Visa requirements and challenges 19:40 Closing

E48 From Product Manager to Entrepreneur

In this podcast episode, I interview Jake, founder of Day One Data, about his career path from studying politics to entering the marketing and data analytics field. Jake recounts his time at Tesco, where he developed an interest in data analytics and transitioned into product management. He later joined Farfetch as a product manager, influenced by his mother and LinkedIn opportunities. Jake emphasizes the value of continuous learning, networking, and being proactive about career progression. He also shares his experience starting a consultancy after being made redundant, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the role of empathy in leadership, aligning with his ENFJ personality type.
You can watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/4oTmLGVaYJ8?si=1Kd-Tp7qVztbq4JKYou can follow TLDL on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toolongdontlisten/
 
00:00 Introduction 01:30 Introducing Jake 05:10 Why Marketing? 08:30 Working at Tesco 10:30 From Marketing to Data Analytics 12:30 Competitive Grad Scheme 15:20 Becoming a Product Manager 19:00 Product Analytics at Tesco 20:20 Know When To Move On 24:00 Farfecth: The Experience 27:00 How Much Does The Industry Matter? 33:00 Asking For A Promotion 37:10 Founding Day 1 Data 47:00 Personality Test & Closing
 

E47 From Chemical Engineering to Travel Vlogging

In this episode, I speak with Emily (aka 20camels on Instagram), an American slow traveler, who turned her passion into a full-time activity. Emily has been traveling for the past four years, creating short and long video content to cover all the depth and secrets of different countries she visited. Today, Emily is in Tunisia (my home country!), where she's diving into the secrets of the country, from the people to the food, she's got it all covered! 
 
00:00 Welcome & Introduction03:00 Why Traveling and Vlogging?06:15 How to become a Travel Vlogger?10:13 Why Tunisia?16:30 Moving to Tunisia: The Challenges as a Foreigner21:00 Where to Find Emily22:18 Turning Your Passion into a Job
25:00 Questioning your career path 27:00 Finding your audience, and tricking the algorithm!28:20 The Challenges of Digital Marketing30:00 Where to next?!31:00 Personality Test and Closing🔗 RESOURCESSubscribe to TLDL's newsletter for weekly updates: https://toolongdontlistenpodcast.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/toolongdontlisten/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/too-long-don-t-listen/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tldltodayTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@toolongdontlistenX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/tldltoday

E46 From Product Marketing to Founder & CEO

Derek Osgood, Founder & CEO at Ignition, a tool designed to help product marketers, joins me on this episode to discuss his entrepreneurial journey. With marketing experience at PlayStation and several growing startups, Derek shares his story from applying practical marketing knowledge, to founding a company enabling product marketers to do a better job.
 
00:00 Welcome & Introduction03:15 What is Product Marketing?05:20 When It All Started08:00 Founding Ignition14:50 Entrepreneurial Journey & Growth17:00 Personality Test18:45 Final Tips & Closing
 
🔗 RESOURCESSubscribe to TLDL's newsletter for weekly updates: https://toolongdontlistenpodcast.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/toolongdontlisten/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/too-long-don-t-listen/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tldltodayTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@toolongdontlistenX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/tldltoday

E45 From Startup Intern to Founder

Maria Tsarkova is a growth marketer turned founder. Early on, she decided to build her career in start-ups. She became a Growth Lead at Loop Money, a London-based fintech where she led the startup's UK rollout until it landed a successful exit through a buyout by Tandem Bank and top-tier PE firm, Pollen Street. She then co-founded Solid Water Marketing Agency, which develops growth programs for various tech and traditional businesses.
00:00 Welcome & Introduction01:20 Working in startups05:00 Decision-Making Process07:00 Different Marketing Roles and Responsibilities09:20 Learning Journey12:20 Lack of Management15:13 Starting a Growth Marketing Agency20:30 Team Structure23:00 Challenges24:45 Personality Test & Closing🔗 RESOURCESSubscribe to TLDL's newsletter for weekly updates: https://toolongdontlistenpodcast.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/toolongdontlisten/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/too-long-don-t-listen/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tldltodayTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@toolongdontlistenX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/tldltodayTL;DL Blog: https://medium.com/@toolongdontlisten