I am thrilled to have Greg Alexander, the founder of Collective 54, the first mastermind community for thriving professional services firms. Collective 54 helps founders and leaders grow, scale and exit their firms bigger and faster.

In this episode, Greg Alexander, founder of Collective 54 and author of The Boutique, shares his journey of building and scaling professional services firms. He explains the three life-cycle stages: Grow, Scale, and Exit, and the importance of moving away from trading time for money. Greg discusses the unique business model of Collective 54, monetisation strategies for boutique firms, the critical elements that make a firm sellable, and much more!

Timestamps

[00:02:30] - Inspiration behind writing The Boutique during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[00:04:15] - Explanation of the three phases of a boutique firm: Grow, Scale, and Exit.

[00:06:00] - Importance of moving away from trading time for money in monetization strategies.

[00:08:20] - Collective 54's unique model: mastermind community with monthly dues.

[00:09:45] - Retainers as a monetization strategy for marketing agencies.

[00:11:30] - Scaling professional services firms with technology and global talent.

[00:13:00] - The concept of leverage in professional services: increasing the ratio of non-partners to partners.

[00:14:45] - Example of a 100-to-1 leverage ratio in Collective 54.

[00:16:20] - Key differences between Collective 54 and other professional networks like Pavilion.

[00:18:00] - Collective 54’s focus: professional services, boutique firms (25-250 employees), and the owner.

[00:20:10] - Criteria that make a boutique professional services firm sellable.

[00:22:00] - Importance of diversified client base and growth metrics for attractiveness to buyers.

[00:23:45] - The role of private equity in acquiring boutique professional services firms.

[00:25:30] - Focus on North American market due to time zone challenges and market size.

[00:27:10] - Different growth strategies for communities like Collective 54 and Pavilion.

[00:29:00] - Collective 54’s member cap at 500 to maintain quality and meaningful connections.

[00:31:00] - Six key features of Collective 54: Network, Content, Events, Data, Software, and Coaching.

[00:34:00] - Future of professional services: increasing complexity and demand for expertise.

[00:35:30] - The shift towards gigification in professional services.

[00:37:20] - Advice for starting out in professional services: start with identifying a problem, not a solution.

[00:39:00] - Importance of selling painkillers (urgent problems) over vitamins (nice-to-have solutions).

Greg’s Links

LDN– https://www.linkedin.com/in/gpalexander/

Website – https://www.collective54.com/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Agency: https://bit.ly/41YuNnx

Renan Devillieres is the CEO of OSS Ventures. Renan Devillieres is a CEO who is passionate about making a positive impact on society and the environment, and who believes in using technology to drive change. Renan has a wealth of experience in areas such as manufacturing operations, SaaS, and venture capital.

Timestamps

01:00 – Renan’s unconventional path from Google search to joining McKinsey.

03:00 – Transition from factory director to building a tech startup; early failures and pivots.

05:10 – Moving to San Francisco, finding product-market fit, and exiting the company.

06:30 – Renan’s “two-brain” perspective: manufacturing ops + tech nerd.

07:45 – The “McKinsey Mafia” mindset and lessons in execution and client obsession.

09:10 – Building a business in Brazil due to GDPR limitations in Europe.

10:30 – Insights into Brazil's leapfrog into mobile-first B2C products and the “Brazil Tax.”

12:20 – Founding OSS Ventures to marry tech and factories.

13:50 – Crawling 400 industrial startups and discovering lack of deal flow.

15:30 – OSS Ventures’ two-track model: invest or build startups from scratch.

17:00 – 22 companies launched, 11 have reached Series A, $34M ARR collectively.

18:15 – OSS is geography agnostic; scaling across 2,200 factories globally.

19:30 – U.S. vs. European ecosystems: founder mindset vs. investor influence.

21:00 – Lack of scale-stage capital and talent density in Europe.

22:40 – AI’s impact: blue-collar factory jobs have already been reduced—white-collar roles are next.

24:00 – Supply chains must adapt to geopolitical uncertainty and rising material costs.

25:30 – Manufacturers now facing extreme swings in inputs like cocoa and need vertical integration.

27:15 – War economy forces creative supply chains; rethinking of products and processes.

28:30 – Advice to manufacturing founders: swing for big markets; this space is hard but rewarding.

29:40 – Learning from Elon Musk: physical innovation and first principles over optimizing CTRs.

31:10 – A cultural shift: new builders prefer solving real-world physical problems.

32:40 – The 12-week co-founding trial to test for resilience and fit with OSS.

Renan’s Links

LDN– https://fr.linkedin.com/in/renan-devillieres

Website – https://www.oss.ventures/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Agency: https://bit.ly/41YuNnx

Shubham Khoker was the Head of Growth at Topmate. Topmate.io is a fast-growing online platform that connects freelancers and clients, he used to lead the growth strategy and execution for the company. rifa.ai founder. IIT bombay

In this episode, Shubham Khoker, former Head of Growth at Topmate and founder of Rifa AI, shares his unconventional journey from UPSC preparation to the startup world, insights from scaling Topmate in India and the US, lessons from failed experiments, and the evolution of the creator economy. He discusses the future of AI in growth and operations, the difference between growth sales and traditional sales, and how brands can drive user retention, and much more!

Timestamps

[09:00] Early days at Topmate – not a marketplace, but a tool for freelancers.

[11:30] Topmate’s shift from tool to marketplace model.

[13:00] Initial traction in India – focus on Bangalore and Mumbai.

[15:00] Decision to expand internationally – choosing the US market over others.

[18:00] Unique challenges in India: hesitation to pay for someone's time.

[20:00] Lessons learned from experimenting with free incentives in the US.

[22:00] How lack of pricing on Topmate's website hurt US expansion.

[24:00] CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) vs LTV (Lifetime Value) differences between India and US.

[26:30] Failed experiments: why cold outreach strategies in India didn’t work in the US.

[29:00] Lessons from automation failures in early US outreach efforts.

[31:00] Shubham's view on when startups should consider paid acquisition.

[33:00] Key metrics Shubham used for growth and user acquisition.

[36:00] Difference between traditional sales vs. growth sales mindset.

[39:00] Importance of brand building even for small startups.

[41:30] Driving user retention: why talking directly to customers matters.

[44:00] Defining a retained and engaged user at Topmate.

[46:00] Underappreciated growth channel: how LinkedIn worked for Topmate.

[48:00] Creator economy trends in India vs. the US and sustainability challenges.

[52:00] How Shubham sees AI impacting marketing and growth roles.

[54:00] How Shubham uses AI tools like ChatGPT to support growth strategy.

Shubham’s Links

LDN– https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhamkhoker/

Website – Topmate.io, rifa.ai

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Agency: https://bit.ly/41YuNnx

I am thrilled to have Palash Soni, the CEO of Goldcast, an AI-powered B2B Video Campaign Platform that transforms marketing by putting video and events at the heart of the customer journey.

In this episode, Palash Soni, CEO and Co-founder of Goldcast, shares how dropping out of Harvard Business School during the pandemic led to building an AI-powered B2B video marketing platform. Palash walks us through his early failures, the moment he saw the COVID tailwind, and how Goldcast scaled from zero to $1M ARR with Drift as an early customer. He also explains the future of AI-powered video content, why authentic human storytelling will never be replaced, and how lean teams using AI can transform marketing, and much more!

Timestamps

01:15 – Palash shares how he got started in startups and his journey to Harvard

03:10 – Early startup failures and the mindset shift at Harvard Business School

05:45 – Identifying the Goldcast opportunity during COVID and recognising tailwinds

08:30 – Convincing family to drop out of Harvard with a newborn and navigating visa challenges

11:40 – Raising the first $1.5M and the urgency of going full-time on the startup

13:10 – Launching Goldcast’s first product and targeting B2B marketers

15:00 – Getting early traction through cold outbound sales

16:45 – Drift becomes a customer and helps Goldcast scale from $50K to $1M ARR

18:30 – Expansion into multi-product strategy in 2023

20:15 – Navigating product positioning and building a second AI-powered tool

22:40 – Funnel strategy: free trials leading to sales conversations

24:00 – Advice for early-stage founders on when to hire AEs and VPs of Sales

26:10 – Will AI replace human creativity in B2B video marketing?

28:00 – Goldcast’s thesis: Authentic, human-led content will rise in value

29:40 – How AI helps repurpose expensive, time-intensive content

31:15 – The future of AI-powered video marketing and authentic communication

33:00 – AI compressing the content creation funnel for modern marketers

34:50 – Will AI displace jobs? How to stay relevant as a student or early professional

36:55 – The rise of AI agents and their impact on sales and marketing teams

39:00 – Coding AI and its effect on product building and entrepreneurship

41:10 – Pricing pressures in SaaS and AI’s effect on procurement expectations

43:30 – Klarna’s AI-powered savings: can every company build in-house tools?

45:00 – Biggest mistake: not defining company values early enough

Palash’s Links

LDN– https://www.linkedin.com/in/palashsoni/

Website – https://www.goldcast.io/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Agency: https://bit.ly/41YuNnx

Kishore Ravichandran is the investor at Plug and Play, the ultimate innovation platform. Over the past 15 years, PnP has brought together 35,000+ startups, 500+ world-leading corporations, and hundreds of venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies across 20+ industries

In this episode, Kishore Ravichandran, Investor at Plug and Play Tech Center shares how a university program in Singapore sparked his passion for startups and led to a career in venture capital. Kishore explains Plug and Play’s global model—investing in over 2,000 startups, supporting them with a 550+ strong corporate partner network, and operating across verticals from mobility to sustainability. Kishore also discusses the future of space tech, nuclear innovation, and why lean AI-first teams are poised to build $100M businesses—and much more!

Timestamps

[01:00] – Kishore shares how he stumbled into the world of startups and venture capital via NUS and internships.

[02:30] – The impact of COVID on his original plans and how it rerouted his journey into consulting and startups.

[04:00] – Differences between the APAC startup ecosystem vs. Europe and US.

[05:40] – Plug and Play’s investment strategy and their emphasis on B2B startups.

[07:00] – How Plug and Play leverages its corporate network for startup validation and strategic value.

[08:30] – Kishore explains Plug and Play’s corporate innovation model and global network.

[10:00] – Reserve investing strategy: how they double down on winners using specific funds.

[11:20] – How Plug and Play aligns with startups to avoid conflict and support existing portfolio founders.

[12:30] – Mindset shift VCs need to make when investing in deep tech.

[14:00] – The difference between incremental B2B SaaS and revolutionary deep tech.

[15:30] – Kishore’s belief that the next VC wave will focus more on deep tech and frontier tech.

[16:30] – The “Three T’s” framework for evaluating early-stage startups: Team, Technology, Traction.

[18:00] – Why team/founder quality often outweighs the market in early-stage investing.

[19:30] – Role of traction vs. revenue in pre-seed and seed evaluations.

[21:00] – The role of private companies in space exploration and Kishore's views on Elon Musk's SpaceX.

[23:00] – Kishore on the cultural risk aversion in APAC and how it limits deep tech startup formation.

[25:00] – Advice to scientists and researchers in APAC: “Get out of the lab and build something.”

[26:30] – How founders should approach market sizing using both top-down and bottom-up methods.

[28:00] – The myth of early-stage TAM/SAM/SOM and the example of Uber and Grab evolving beyond initial markets.

[29:30] – Kishore on VC overexuberance in 2021 and why many VCs had to reassess their strategies.

[31:00] – Rise of AI-native companies and the shift to agentic AI solutions.

[32:30] – Key qualities of successful founders: conviction and “cockroach mentality.”

[34:00] – Kishore’s bullish sectors: space tech, small modular nuclear reactors, sustainability.

Kishore’s Links

LDN– https://sg.linkedin.com/in/kishore1997

Website – https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Agency: https://bit.ly/41YuNnx

Hugo Gomez is the co-founder and CEO of Bourgeois Bohème (BoBo), a fintech that caters to the unique needs of (U)HNWIs. Hugo has over 15 years of experience in traditional banking, including roles at HSBC and Banistmo

In this episode, Hugo Gomez, Co-founder and CEO of Bobo Fintech, shares how his background in traditional banking led him to build a luxury fintech platform tailored for high-net-worth individuals. Hugo discusses how Bobo offers customizable financial experiences—from wearable payment devices to accounts for private staff—and why legacy banks are unprepared for the $84 trillion generational wealth transfer. He delves into growth strategies, including strategic partnerships and content marketing, and explains how AI and personalization will shape the future of wealth management, and much more!

Timestamps

01:00 – Hugo shares his banking background and early career in Panama.

02:55 – Discovering the gap in banking services for affluent clients.

04:20 – Why corporate banking struggles to innovate quickly.

06:00 – How Hugo’s experience led to the founding of Bobo.

07:10 – Differentiating Bobo from banks and fintechs.

08:45 – Offering financial services to private staff like nannies and chauffeurs.

10:30 – Use of wearables (rings, charms) in Bobo’s fintech offering.

12:00 – Payment facilitation and delegated approvals for high-net-worth clients.

13:30 – The $84 trillion generational wealth transfer and why banks aren’t ready.

15:00 – Customization gaps in traditional banking apps for millennials.

16:40 – Bobo’s opportunity in serving HNIs and UHNWIs during generational shift.

18:00 – Two major challenges in luxury fintech: regulation and trust.

19:45 – The importance of partnerships in luxury brand positioning.

21:00 – Hugo’s advice on wealth diversification and personal risk appetite.

23:30 – Hugo’s own portfolio: ETFs, private equity, crypto, and real estate.

25:00 – How Bobo is using their €6.5M seed funding.

26:30 – Addressing cross-border needs of global HNIs with the right partners.

28:00 – Initial growth tactics: leveraging the founders’ network.

29:30 – Key strategy: partnerships with real estate, family offices, concierge services.

31:00 – Underutilized tactic: emotional storytelling via content marketing.

32:30 – Product testing using a lean approach with trusted HNI clients.

34:00 – Trends in wealth management: personalization, ESG, and blockchain.

36:00 – Hugo’s belief in small Bitcoin allocation as a hedge against inflation.

Hugo’s Links

LDN– https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugo-gomez-052b2352/

Website – https://www.bobofin.com/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Agency: https://bit.ly/41YuNnx

Ilya Drozdov, is the CEO at Dwelly, an AI-enabled Lettings & Property Management Marketplace, that boosts 3x margins of the letting agency in 2 months only. He previously co-founded the largest tech-enabled letting company in Eastern Europe that managed 10,000+ properties and reached $50M GMV in three years.

In this episode, Ilya Drozdov, former Uber GM and CEO of Dwelly shares his journey from scaling Uber Russia to building tech-enabled property management platforms. He dives into lessons from managing fierce competition with Yandex, what made Uber’s playbook effective, and how Dwelly uses AI to transform traditional letting agencies. Ilya also discusses why culture mirrors founders, the balance between innovation and tradition in real estate, and the critical role of timing in startup success. He explains Dwelly’s acquisition and partnership strategy, the importance of product-market fit before scaling, and how founders can detach personal identity from company outcomes—and much more!

Timestamps

[02:15] – The general manager role at Uber and how it trained him for entrepreneurship.

[03:40] – Uber’s entrepreneurial culture under Travis Kalanick and the motto: “Make big, bold bets.”

04:50] – Growing Uber Russia from 5 to 1,000 people and focusing on market share over team size.

06:05] – Uber’s expansion across 17+ Russian cities and the dominance of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

08:00] – Yandex’s advantages: local product teams and integration with existing services (maps, navigation).

09:30] – Uber’s city expansion playbook: choosing based on market size, competition, and local partnerships.

12:00] – How Yandex was equally aggressive in pricing and competition.

12:30] – Why Ilya transitioned into property lettings and how marketplaces shaped his lens.

13:30] – Challenges of building a marketplace in lettings due to lower transaction frequency.

14:50] – Dwelly’s unique edge: leveraging AI, especially LLMs, to automate communication-heavy property management.

16:00] – Dwelly's two-pronged growth: acquiring agencies and partnering with existing ones.

17:10] – Why traditional agents won’t disappear: AI + human hybrid model is the future.

18:30] – Targeting small-to-mid-sized agencies (500–3,000 properties) for scale and partnership.

19:45] – Dwelly aims for 35–40% EBITDA margins, significantly higher than traditional agents.

23:15] – Real estate innovation: evolution vs. revolution; building on top of existing industry norms.

24:30] – Why timing plays a critical role in startup success—compared to catching waves while surfing.

25:50] – On simplicity in product: it depends on the market’s cultural context (e.g. China vs. US).

Ilya’s Links

LDN– https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilyadrozdov/

Website - https://dwelly.group/

My Links

Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes

Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe

YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/

Agency: https://bit.ly/41YuNnx