Pierre Verstraeten

Popular belief is that Silicon Valley is the only viable destination for startups looking to expand and tap into a larger market. However, I assert that Iberia (Spain and Portugal) offers significant untapped potential for startups aiming to dominate a larger slice of the global market. Here's why: Iberia forecasts a continued increase in passenger traffic between Europe and Latin America, creating a substantial demand for startups in the travel and logistics sectors. Furthermore, over 80% of funds raised by Spanish startups come from international investors, highlighting the strong global support and confidence in this region's startups. Startups in industries like big data, fintech, marketing, transport, travel, and housing have seen substantial success, indicating a robust ecosystem for innovation. So, instead of solely focusing on Silicon Valley, it's high time we also start looking at Iberia as a prime hub for startup expansion and growth. #IberiaStartups #GlobalMarket #StartupExpansion #IberianSales #Fintech #TravelStartups #Logistics #InnovationEcosystem #StartupGrowth #Iberia

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You’ve assembled a global dream team with Remote ✅ But is that dream team thriving? Do they feel like they truly belong? Hybrid work is the new frontier, and navigating it is tough. Done badly, it can spiral into loneliness, work-life imbalance, and more. That’s why Oliva has partnered with Remote. Now, you can give Remote-employed teammates and managers the mental wellbeing support they need with just a click. Help them wake up ready to excel, no matter where in the world they find themselves. #RemoteWork #EmployeeWellbeing #GlobalTeams

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It's taken me years of both exciting wins and humbling mistakes to learn how to hire A-players. There are 3 traits we look for at Abacum to make sure we never compromise and always hire the best person for each role: 1. Intensity Someone with intensity has a certain fire in their eyes that you just can't teach. I've noticed some folks have this fascinating internal drive—they roll out of bed already thinking about moving mountains. They have extremely high standards and a work ethic that helps them meet that bar. When they hit obstacles, they don't just stop and wait for directions... They naturally start looking for another path. Not because they're trying to impress anyone, but because that's just who they are at their core. They are committed to delivering results, no matter what. 2. Street smarts This one's interesting... I've worked with some brilliant minds who got so caught up in perfection that real opportunities just drifted by. You know what I prefer? The 80/20 approach. Give me someone who can read the room, flex their approach when needed, and find solutions that actually work in the real world. They get that a good solution you can use today usually beats a perfect solution that's always "almost ready." High intelligence is key but it's far more valuable when combined with pragmatism. True mastery comes from knowing when to make a trade-off in pursuit of progress over perfection. 3. Low ego This might be the hardest trait to find. These rare folks are laser-focused on getting results, not collecting credit. They stay coachable because they're more interested in growing and learning than proving themselves right. They don't burn energy protecting their turf or territory or managing their image. When things go sideways (and they do sometimes), they own it and grow from it. And when the team wins? They're genuinely excited about the collective victory. Finding people who bring all three qualities? Yes, it takes time. But that's actually the point. I've learned that hiring slow doesn't mean your business moves slow — it means you're building things right from the ground up. So take your time; think about what matters most in your team. In my experience, that's how you find the right people.

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I've personally onboarded several people recently at Abacum and learned one major lesson about hiring the right team members: If you've hired right, your new people will make a tangible impact before you expected. Maybe 2 lessons... You still need to have a tight onboarding, it matters a lot. There's a massive asymmetry of information when someone joins: ➝ Cultural context ➝ Ways of working ➝ Business knowledge We operate fast, and truthfully, I'm not patient. So the two ways I make sure we hit our goals is investing in a solid and clear onboarding to bring people to the level of performance we require. But hiring is the first line of defense. Think about it: When someone joins your team, their first few weeks are like a mirror reflecting back every decision you made during hiring. Did you accurately assess their capabilities? Did you set clear expectations? Did your interview process match the actual role? I've noticed three distinct types of people: 1. The naturals who dive right in. They grasp their role quickly and start delivering value almost immediately. I wish we could find these people all the time. 2. Those who need initial guidance but find their rhythm. These are great additions to the team, but you need to have great onboarding to get them up to speed. 3. Those who struggle to gain independence despite ongoing support. This is the clearest signal that something in our hiring process needs adjustment. Curious to hear how other founders are approaching hiring and onboarding.

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I Weekend Reflection: Navro’s Mallorca Offsite 🌴 I’ve worked in later-stage startups and public companies, but I’d never experienced something quite like this—our Navro offsite in Mallorca was one of those moments that made me pause and realize just how fortunate I am to be part of this journey. Having nearly 90 people from across the UK, Ireland, Poland, and Portugal come together was special on so many levels. For many of us, it was the first time meeting in person. There was an incredible energy in the air, everyone being greeted with open arms by Yuliya Kniazeva & Charlotte Mepham as they arrived, and it didn’t matter if you were brand new or had been with Navro for a while, everyone was looked after. I had a personal moment of reflection when my boyfriend Derrick Sasu dropped me off after we spent the weekend hiking together. He’s heard so much about my colleagues & has spoken to my team virtually but this was the first time he met most in person. Watching him being welcomed into the Navro team just reinforced how inclusive this company is, & I realized how lucky I am to be part of such a supportive & welcoming culture. And it wasn’t just me. Our COO Peter Rowan brought his wife Maggie & stayed the weekend. Our CFO James Deane brought his son Connor since his wife Susan O’Neill was doing big things in New York. That mix of family & work—seeing partners & children as part of the experience—made it feel even more special & close-knit. The entire offsite had this vibe of being on the verge of something huge, and I felt it from the moment our founders Aran Brown & Eddie Harrison kicked things off. No slides, no formalities—just real talk about how we are all owners in this journey. We’ve got equity, a stake in Navro’s success, & it’s up to us to make it happen. It hit many that this isn’t just a job—it’s something we’re building together. During the work sessions, we were present - no phones or laptops unless dealing with clients. We were pushed to challenge each other & align on our product roadmap, working cross-functionally with teams from engineering, sales, product & operations. The Navro Pitches were another highlight—teams coming together with the energy of a Dragons’ Den competition. It was incredible to see the creativity & passion driving everyone’s contributions. But it wasn’t all work. There was still time for early morning ocean swims, hikes & dancing late into the night. The mix of work & fun made the whole experience unforgettable. I came away feeling emotional, inspired & beyond grateful to be part of something so special. A huge thank you to Eddie & Aran for bringing me on this incredible journey. I’ve never felt so lucky to work alongside such talented, passionate people & I’m excited for what’s next. We’re all in—and we’re going BIG. 🚀 We have a number of open roles - so check out our career page if you want to be part of an incredible journey 💜

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Every new hire we've welcomed recently shares one common reason for joining Abacum: We're customer-obsessed. They were happy to join us because they know we do what is right for our customers. And as a founder, that feels amazing. People seem to forget what the North Star should be. They think it's hitting growth targets. But for us, it's to have happy customers. Of course, you have metrics you have to hit as a founder. But what truly matters is when you wake up every morning, are you doing the right thing for your customers and are they happy? When you nail that, you'll hit your targets by default. If you want a core value to truly drive your company, it has to be deeply ingrained in your team. 3 ways we do this at Abacum: ➝ When we hire, we don’t just look for skills—we hire people who are as obsessed with customers as we are. ➝ Once a month, we bring in a customer to talk to our entire team for 30 minutes about their business how they're using Abacum, and what they're liking or not liking. We want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. ➝ We have a dedicated "customer-obsession" Slack channel where people share stories, testimonials, and just rally around how we're making our customers the heroes of their organizations. We really are intentional with integrating consistent rituals and habits that keep customer obsession top of mind for everyone. To get your team to truly embody the company values, it's our job as founders to walk the talk.

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+++ exits exist +++ Last week Cobee 🇪🇸 from Speedinvest portfolio signed an agreement to join Pluxee (fka Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services) 👏 😎 quick recap: 2019 375k pre-seed round ESC Venture Capital SGEIC (antes Encomenda Smart Capital), LANAI Partners 2020 2.1m seed round Speedinvest and Target Global 2021 14m seriesA Balderton Capital DILA Capital 2022 40m seriesB Notion Capital Octopus Ventures 2024 trade sale To Borja Aranguren and everyone at the fantastic team Cobee: All the best for the next stage of your journey of redefining employee benefits and thank you for trusting us with your seed round!!! 🙏 Some personal observations and thoughts: 🔸 Pluxee spun out from Sodexo (roots dating back to 1892!!) and listed on Euronext (EPA: PLX) in January 2024 to form a pure player and the global leader in employee rewards & benefits. Pluxee serves 1.7m partner retailers, 500k corporate clients and 36m consumers. A large base for scale. 🔸 It took Cobee (only) 5yrs from pre-seed to exit. They started from scratch to build a digital player in the space. 🔸 The avantgarde of smart european corporates is actively driving the digital transformation of their industries and business models by M&A and investing in startups. With this acquisition Pluxee is going FFD in mastering the digital transformation of its industry. 🔸 If the economics make sense and the strategic and cultural fit is there then swift action pays off for all: 1) for the founders and the startup's employees who get the unique chance to grow and see their "baby" adding value to the economy 2) for the acquiring corporate to leapfrog digital transformation And last but not least for the VCs involved and all their LPs underpinning the attractiveness of the asset class VC. 🔸 We all need more of this! Esp in Europe. It produces full-cycle experienced founders in under a fund's lifespan. This is so crucial to the whole tech & VC ecosystem. And to the wider economy! Good Luck team Cobee for your onward journey!! EU-Startups has more: https://lnkd.in/eSZDKPXm Invest Europe invest.austria #venturecapital

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Today, we’re excited to share the next step on Remuner’s journey! 🚀 After months of work and collaboration, I’m thrilled to introduce RemuScore – a tool I truly believe will reshape the way professionals approach their compensation strategies. 💪🏻 If you are working in sales, understanding how your incentive plan compares with others in your industry and region is crucial for staying competitive. RemuScore is designed to give you those insights in real time. ✔️ Compare your performance and remuneration with peers by role, country, and industry. ✔️ Benchmark your compensation strategies with accurate market data. ✔️ Optimize your incentive plans to drive better results and retain top talent. ✔️ Simulate your compensation plan to predict your earnings. This tool isn’t just about numbers – it’s about empowering you to make informed decisions that drive real impact. I’m incredibly proud of what our team has achieved, and I can’t wait for you to explore RemuScore. Ready to see how you stack up? Dive into RemuScore today! 🎯 #RemuScore #CompensationBenchmarking #SalesLeadership

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Balancing Coaching, Freedom, and Tech Success :: My Clients Journey is Beautiful Let's work: https://lnkd.in/d5GsD_-3

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🚀 Ready to elevate your coaching business to 6-figure heights? 🚀 Join me today at 5PM ET / 10PM London / 11PM CET / 7AM AEST for an exclusive webinar: "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟔-𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦." Unlock the secrets to: ✨ Leveraging your expertise for maximum impact 💰 Attracting high-ticket clients effortlessly 📈 Scaling your business to achieve true financial freedom In today's session, we'll delve into: 🔍 Identifying the most valuable offering for your clients 🎯 Crafting irresistible offers that drive results 🛤️ Mapping out your customer journey for success 💡 Understanding the true power of coaching and the four pivotal roles 💼 Acquiring and retaining clients while boosting their lifetime value Plus, learn how to craft a Signature Program that propels your business to 6-figures in less than 6 months! Don't miss out on this game-changing event. Comment "YES" below or DM me to secure your spot and gain access to the webinar link. Let's build your path to 6-figure freedom together! 💼✨

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𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗿: 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 #𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿! 🇵🇹 After speaking at their 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩 event last year, I'm thrilled to be back at #WebSummit this November, buzzing through the halls, catching up on the latest trends, and connecting with innovators and creators from all over the 🌍 Looking forward to seeing what Unicorn Factory Lisboa and Startup Portugal have lined up for this edition— Ready to uncover the next wave of unicorns at #WebSummit 2024 Are you attending too? ➡ Let's connect and share insights on entrepreneurship, growth, and sustainability. ------------------- 📬 About Me: I'm Carole, founder of 𝐒Ø𝐃𝐄 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 and 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐫. I have been helping startups and scaleups, as a Fractional CMO and Marketing advisor tackle growth challenges, refine their branding, expand internationally, and build sustainable Marketing strategies. 🌱 If you want to chat about 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠/𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, let's connect. I'm always up for a discussion about finding balance as a founder (plus, we can talk yoga and pets! 🧘‍♀️ 🐶 🐈). ➡️ Feel free to reach out! #WomeninTech #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability #Growth

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Today marks one year since I officially left paid employment and brought @TheKindBraveLeader to life. I had set myself some ambitious goals: to become an ICF Coach, to become a Strengthscope Master, to spread the kindness revolution, and to deliver trainings and facilitate people in bringing their teams together. I am proud to say I have achieved all of these. Over the past year, I've also gone beyond those original goals. I've written and published a book, delivered countless hours of online training, coached incredible people, and built a powerful network of connections. I’ve supported fellow entrepreneurs, and I even won a *Small Business Sunday* award! But I know the best is yet to come. This next year, I’m launching my redundancy support program, expanding my work globally to create a kinder world, and continuing to make positive change wherever I can. Financially, this year will see me more secure, as my business grows from strength to strength. A year ago, I was fragile, broken, and exhausted. Now, I am strong and happy, and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings! #EntrepreneurJourney #SmallBusinessOwner #KindnessRevolution #ICFCoach #StrengthscopeMaster #LeadershipDevelopment #CoachingSuccess #TeamFacilitation #OnlineTraining #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusinessSunday #Resilience #KindLeadership #WellbeingAtWork #PositiveChange #EntrepreneurLife #YearInReview #PersonalGrowth #RedundancySupport #MakingTheWorldKinder

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This summer, we embarked on an ambitious and important project at N.Rich: defining our Core Values. As any startup knows, this is no easy task. Corporate culture already exists—you can feel it “in the air💨”—but when you try to put it into words, you’ll often find that it’s not as simple as it seems. 🧠Biggest lesson so far: What seems obvious to you may not be so obvious to others. This one☝️ is also obvious, right?😅 Core values aren’t just a list of traits and behaviours you slap on a website; they reflect how a diverse group of people understands and embodies those traits. It’s not enough to say, "Integrity is now one of our core values✅". We have to define what Integrity means on a company level, especially given the nuances across different teams. Integrity in Sales might look very different from Integrity in Finance🤔. And things get even more complex in a diverse, distributed team. At N.Rich, we’re proud to have people from 🌐25 different countries on board. We recently ran a survey, and almost 75% of our team felt that Integrity should be central to how we operate. Sounds like complete alignment, right? Not quite👾. When we dug deeper and asked for examples of Integrity in action, we uncovered something surprising. 👉For one group, Integrity is tied to a strong moral principle of mutual respect. It’s about considering others’ feelings—even if that sometimes means holding back on certain issues to maintain harmony🧘. 👉For another group, Integrity is all about straightforwardness—choosing honesty over kindness to help others grow and ensure alignment🎤. One word, two quite different interpretations. And that’s not a problem—it’s actually an opportunity to look on things from different angles. This highlights an important part of working with company values: aligning on what we mean by Integrity (or any value) and how we want it to shape our behaviour across the company. For a diverse team like ours at N.Rich, this alignment is key to creating a truly diverse culture where everyone can thrive🚀.

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Episode #13 of the Future of Work podcast is now live!🚀 The link to Spotify is in the comments.👇 I am very excited to announce the release of our new podcast episode with Lina Szaks. Lina is a seasoned expert with 18 years of experience in global payment, including global payroll, HCM and EOR - a true lover of the intricacies of international employment. In this episode we cover; Passion for Global Employment, the Importance of the Payroll Industry & The Impact of Remote Work on the Value Chain. This podcast aims to answer the question, "What will work look like in the future? 🔮 To get closer to an answer, we talk to the most promising, disruptive and knowledgeable people in this industry. Enjoy listening to this podcast episode! #futureofwork #contingentworkforce #podcast

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🌟 Ever wonder why incredibly smart people sometimes make choices that just don't add up? 🤔 It's all about the paradigm—a set of deeply ingrained habits and beliefs in our subconscious mind that steer our behavior, often without us even realizing it. Think about it… we spend years in school, gaining knowledge, earning degrees, but no one ever teaches us about the paradigms that shape our lives. 🎓 We step into the world intellectually prepared to do amazing things, but something holds us back. That "something" is the paradigm, and it's incredibly powerful. When we try to step outside our comfort zone and challenge these old patterns, we often hit a "terror barrier"—it feels scary, uncomfortable, and so we retreat. 😨 But here's the truth: the paradigm controls our vibration, our comfort zone, and ultimately our life. ✨ If you want to truly change your life, it starts with changing your paradigm. Break free from those old habits, reprogram your mind, and watch your world transform! 🌍 With love and gratitude.... #ChangeYourMindset #BreakTheBarrier #TransformYourLife #MindsetShift #ParadigmShift #LiveYourBestLife #WomenWhoLead #Leadership #WomenLeaders #EmotionalBalance #WorkplaceTips #TransformationalCoaching #ConfidenceCoach #Success #Habits #WomenExecutives #HrBusinesspartner #HrLeadership #ImposterSyndrome #EmotionalIntelligence #EQ #emotionalhealth #procrastination #gratitude #manifestation #SocialSkills #PersonalGrowth #AffirmationPower #ManifestYourDreams #GratitudeAttitude #PositiveVibesOnly

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We have a dream 🚀 💫! ..but does it come with a challenge? For sure consciousness, holistic wellbeing, ‘woke’ society are also buzzwords. Nevertheless we believe that truly embodied mindfulness is not only practice on a yoga mat. It impacts all areas of our life, including HOW we do, what we do! Arcturus World has a dream to make this world a better place by implementing the best tech advancements into modern platform for global holistic wellbeing community But we also agree to Gregg Braden who in podcast Know Thyself says that: ‘The technology has been developed faster than the morality of how we use it’. So for us, as creators of Arcturus World there lies a challenge and the higher task - to put morality first, and technology second. To remain mindful of what we do and why we do it! Do you often wonder how your work and actions impact you and society? And is it in favor of the highest good?

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Touchdown Spain! Not just for the warmer weather (though that helps) – it’s about shifting my environment for new perspectives. → Because sometimes, a change of scenery is all it takes to spark fresh ideas. → To recharge, refocus, and bring new energy into your work. As a founder, I’ve learned that growth often happens outside your comfort zone. So what’s on my agenda? → Working remotely to see my business from new angles. → Learning Spanish because growth isn't just professional. → And exploring every corner of the city because life’s too short to stay still. Here’s to embracing change, stepping outside routine, and coming back ready to lead with new energy. The journey for me is starting – are you making room for new perspectives?

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Last Friday, we had a fantastic business breakfast: Success Stories of Businesses in Portugal Started by Expats. We not only delved into inspiring case studies but also discussed why companies often relocate as they scale. It was truly uplifting to hear statements like "You're surrounded by the top 1% of people" and "Lisbon Founders brings together the best and supports expats." A huge shoutout goes to Kalinde von Lohrmann for moderating the topic and sharing your invaluable experience, and to Eugene Zolotarevsky, Sabir Shaykhlislamov, Anna Pavlova and other participants for creating such an amazing vibe. Are you a forward-thinking founder in Portugal (whether expat or local) and not yet a member of the Lisbon Founders Club ? You're missing out on so much. Why wait?

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