Episode 13

full
Published on:

4th Jul 2023

Freedom to Flourish as a Founder with Philipp Zentner

Freedom can be a powerful motivator for a founder. Especially for those that have an intrinsic defiance of authority.

I sit down with Philipp Zentner, the CEO and Co-Founder of LI.FI, in this episode. LI.FI has been growing fast since 2021, with 23 million dollars of funding raised in two years and a team of 40. This isn’t Philipp’s first company, though. Philipp started his first company when he was 15 and has spent the last 10 years specialising in building B2B SaaS companies.

Employment has never been the right path for Philipp. In our chat, he shares his early memories and his less-than-successful experiences with the school system. We speak about different learning styles and what freedom really means for a founder.

Philipp believes that a team is the company’s most important asset. He shares with us the effective hiring process that LI.FI use to hire the right people and avoid hiring mistakes. We also speak about funding, and Philipp gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the funding process that he went through which had him speaking with 340 investors.

Philipp also shares his uncompromising ambition for making LI.FI a billion-dollar company and his advice for those considering starting a business.

In this episode, we cover -

  • Philipp’s journey from starting his first business at 15 to founding a company that has raised 23 million dollars in 2 years.
  • The importance of finding the right co-founder and team.
  • The reason why LI.FI requires a week's paid trial for new team members.
  • The key to LI.FI’s success.
  • Insights into the funding process for a startup.
  • The biggest challenge and biggest highlight for Philipp as a founder.
  • What freedom really means for a founder.
  • Advice for those considering starting a business.

LEARN MORE

LI.FI - https://li.fi/

Mont Ford - https://montfordrecruitment.com/

Mont Ford on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/mont-ford-recruitment/

CONNECT

Philipp on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippzentner/

Jordan on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanluxford/

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1BbzuvWRR4TcU9IN0IG74C

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@startupstoriespodcast

Captivate - https://startup-stories.captivate.fm

Listen for free

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About the Podcast

Startup Stories
We dive deep into what life is really like inside a Startup
Startup Stories is a podcast where we dive deep into what life is like inside a Startup, we find out what led the guest to entrepreneurship and why they think the way they do.

We tackle the highs and lows, and ultimately, what it takes to thrive when you have all the odds stacked against you.

We also learn about their company, what they're doing and how to overcome the hurdle of turning your idea into a reality.

My name is Jordan Luxford, founder of Mont Ford, a Tech recruitment agency in Berlin. This podcast was born because I believe there is something magical about a startup story and I hope that this podcast may encourage you one day to turn your idea into a reality

About your host

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Jordan Luxford