Episode 4 of Growing With It joined by Christoffer Bak

Christoffer Bak, Chief Innovation Officer and co-founder of Shaping New Tomorrow, discussed the brand's journey from a local Danish clothing brand to an international success. He emphasized the importance of customer feedback, innovation, and maintaining a strong company culture. Shaping New Tomorrow's growth included a successful Kickstarter campaign, which raised 160,000 Danish kroner, and participation in a Danish version of Shark Tank, which led to significant sales growth. The brand expanded to multiple stores in Denmark and Germany, faced challenges during COVID-19, and is now entering the women's market. Christoffer highlighted the importance of self-development, radical open-mindedness, and maintaining a strong co-founding relationship.

Take-aways:

1. Focus on customer needs and feedback to drive innovation, even in traditional industries like clothing.
2. Building a strong company culture and customer experience is crucial for scaling a business successfully.
3. Partnerships and media exposure can provide valuable boosts, but managing rapid growth requires agility and automation.
4. Maintaining open communication and shared vision among co-founders is key to navigating challenges.
5. Continuous self-improvement through habits and learning from others' experiences can help entrepreneurs stay resilient.

Chapters:

1. The Founding of Shaping New Tomorrow [0:00 - 10:00]
2. Solving Customer Needs Through Innovation [10:01 - 20:00]
3. Building a Community-Driven Brand [20:01 - 30:00]
4. Scaling Internationally and Overcoming Obstacles [30:01 - 40:00]
5. Leveraging Crowdfunding and Media Exposure [40:01 - 50:00]
6. Maintaining a Strong Co-Founding Relationship [50:01 - 60:00]
7. Cultivating a Scalable Customer Experience [60:01 - 70:00]
8. Embracing Continuous Improvement and Perseverance [70:01 - 97:00]

If you wanna learn more about our "Founders" initiative, DM us the word PODCASH on our socials listed below:

Mikkel on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mikkel

Travis on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/travis

Be sure to check out Christoffer Bak om LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christoffer-bak-813134102/

Thanks to our sponsors:

Shaping New Tomorrow

State Energy

Vestermark Consult

Tune in when Christoffer Bak of Shaping New Tomorrow pours out from his business wisdom!

Episode 3 of Growing With It - #2 Coffe talk with Mik & Trav

Picking up from the previous Coffee Talk, Mikkel, Travis, and their co-founders - inspired by Mikkel´s wife Klaudia - rebounded from bankruptcy by incorporating Air Flight in Denmark, securing a workshop in a suburb. Initially funded by Klaudia, they faced financial strains, necessitating Mikkel to work as a consultant in Odense, commuting three hours back and forth. Despite challenges, including a global pandemic, they persevered, eventually flying their flying car after a year. This milestone attracted media attention, including front-page coverage. However, the success was short-lived, leading to a pivotal decision about the project's future, setting the stage for future episodes.

Key take-aways from this episode:

1. Resilience: Mikkel and his team persevered after bankruptcy to incorporate AirFlight, showcasing their determination.
2. Diverse team: The team recognized the need for a range of skills, but faced challenges in managing the dynamics.
3. Financial constraints: Mikkel took on a demanding consulting job to fund the project, highlighting the need for creative solutions.
4. Adaptability: The team had to rethink their approach when the pandemic disrupted their business model.
5. Celebrating milestones: The team celebrated the first successful, albeit brief, flight of the flying car prototype.

Chapters:

Chapter 1: Incorporation and Early Challenges [00:00 - 04:00]

Chapter 2: Building the Flying Car Dream [04:01 - 09:00]

Chapter 3: Weathering the Storm [09:01 - 15:00]

Chapter 4: The First Flight and Looking Ahead [15:01 - 17:39]

More:

Mikkel – https://www.linkedin.com/in/10xmks/

Travis - https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-james-mathers/

Thanks to our sponsors:

Shaping New Tomorrow

State Energy

Vestermark Consult

Episode 2 of Growing With It this time with Kim Scott

In this episode Mik & Trav are joined by Kim Scott, author of "Radical Candor," and they discuss the importance of balancing care and challenge in management. Scott emphasizes the need to address power imbalances and build genuine relationships with direct reports. Scott shares her experiences, including a pivotal moment at Google where she learned the value of direct feedback. She also highlights the distinction between superstar and rockstar modes, advocating for fair treatment of all employees. Additionally, Scott addresses gender inequality, stressing the importance of addressing bias, prejudice, and bullying with empathy and clear communication.

Take-aways:

1. Radical candor is about caring personally and challenging directly to build trust and improve performance.
2. Leaders must make time for both task-oriented work and nurturing relationships with their team.
3. Providing timely, honest feedback is crucial to avoid negative impacts on the team and individual performance.
4. Respecting all work and honoring both "superstar" and "rock star" modes of employee performance is important for building an inclusive culture.
5. Addressing bias, prejudice, and bullying in the workplace requires vulnerability, empathy, and a commitment to creating a respectful environment for all.

Chapters:

Chapter 1: The Dilemma of Firing Bob [0:00:00 - 0:10:00]

Chapter 2: The Inspiration Behind "Radical Candor" [0:10:01 - 0:20:00]

Chapter 3: Mastering the Art of Radical Candor [0:20:01 - 0:35:00]

Chapter 4: The Power of Honest Feedback [0:35:01 - 0:50:00]

Chapter 5: Building an Accountable and Inclusive Culture [0:50:01 - 1:05:00]

Chapter 6: Navigating Workplace Inequalities [1:05:01 - 1:20:00]

If you wanna learn more about our "Founders" initiative, DM us the word PODCASH on our socials listed below:

Mikkel on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mikkel

Travis on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/travis

Be sure to check out Kim Scott om LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimm4/

Thanks to our sponsors:

Shaping New Tomorrow

State Energy

Vestermark Consult

Episode 1 of Growing For It - Coffee Talk #1 with Mik & Trav

*Contains a sponsored segment*

In this coffee talk and intro episode to the Growing For It Podcast, Mikkel and Travis take us through the steps of their entrepreneurial adventures. Mik and Trav are the co-founders of a company called Air Flight, which is building flying cars, flying cranes, and other flying vehicles. Mikkel's entrepreneurial journey began with a pivotal moment on a flight to a wedding in London, where he experienced a feeling of pure joy and adventure from the takeoff and wanted to recreate that in a flying vehicle. Driven by a strong belief and self-confidence that he could build anything, Mikkel started designing and prototyping a flying car.

Mikkel and Trav met through a mastermind group in 2017 and bonded over their adventurous spirits and sports backgrounds, leading them to partner up and work on the flying car project. In late 2018, Mikkel's previous company ran into financial troubles due to a problematic construction project, leading to the company going bankrupt. This was a major setback, but with the encouragement of his partner Klaudia, Mikkel regained his motivation and decided to fully commit to building AirFlight, the company focused on developing flying vehicles.

Mikkel and Trav are the co-founders of a company called AirFlight, which is building flying cars, flying cranes, and other flying vehicles. Mikkel's entrepreneurial journey began with a pivotal moment on a flight to a wedding in London, where he experienced a feeling of pure joy and adventure from the takeoff and wanted to recreate that in a flying vehicle. Driven by a strong belief and self-confidence that he could build anything, Mikkel started designing and prototyping a flying car.

Mikkel and Trav met through a mastermind group in 2017 and bonded over their adventurous spirits and sports backgrounds, leading them to partner up and work on the flying car project. In late 2018, Mikkel's previous company ran into financial troubles due to a problematic construction project, leading to the company going bankrupt. This was a major setback, but with the encouragement of his wife Klaudia, Mikkel regained his motivation and decided to fully commit to building AirFlight, the company focused on developing flying vehicles.

Key Takeaways:

1. Mikkel's pivotal moment on the flight to London sparked his passion for creating a personal flying vehicle to recapture that sense of adventure and connection to the ground.
2. Mikkel's strong self-belief and confidence in his ability to build anything drove him to pursue the flying car dream, even when it seemed unconventional.
3. Mikkel and Trav's bond and shared mindset as adventurous, risk-taking entrepreneurs was a key factor in them partnering up on the AirFlight project.
4. Mikkel's previous business failure and bankruptcy was a major setback, but his wife's encouragement helped him regain his motivation to keep pursuing the flying car vision.
5. Mikkel's determination to never give up, even in the face of significant challenges, has been a defining characteristic in his entrepreneurial journey.

Chapters:

Chapter 1 - The Inception of AirFlight [0:00 - 5:40]

Chapter 2 - Finding a Co-Founder [5:41 - 12:00]

Chapter 3 - The Downfall and Rebirth [12:01 - 20:00]

Chapter 4 - Committing to AirFlight [20:01 - 27:46]

If you wanna learn more about our "Founders" initiative, DM us the word PODCASH on our socials listed below:

Mikkel on Insta: https://growing-for-it.captivate.fm/mikkel

Travis on Insta: