Dipl.-Ing. Lars Behrendt

//CEO@GRANNY&SMITH, DE-RISKING INNOLAB FOR THE MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

I’m an inventor, innovator and investor. I turn real problems into real companies.My career changed the moment I realized most innovations fail for the same reason: everyone talks about ideas - almost no one builds them.In boardrooms and workshops, I watched brilliant concepts suffocate under politics, process and PowerPoints. The spark in people’s eyes faded the moment reality entered the room. I couldn’t unsee it.So I stopped helping people discuss the future and started building it.Over the past 15 years, I’ve created products, ventures and business models that didn’t exist before. What began as engineering evolved into a practice: recognizing real unmet needs, inventing the solution and forming a company around it.Today, I operate where invention, innovation and investment meet. I don’t manage portfolios — I create the companies they’re built from.How I work: • real-world problems • physical + digital products • validated demand • scalable models • long-term ownershipWhat drives me: If you can see a better future, you’re responsible for building it. I work with people who believe progress comes from creating, not talking — and who want to bring things into the world that should already exist.That’s why I build.More: grannyandsmith.com

We are here to help you develop, test, and grow new business ideas in a few weeks instead of months. We specialize in innovation development, constantly keeping up with the latest trends, methods, and ways of working.

We have been developing innovation for our customers for more than 15 years now. Our teams, consisting of designers, engineers, software developers, and business model experts, have tried a lot and gained much experience. Today we know what works and what does not - so you don't have to make all those experiences again.

Our INNOWEEK® method is the result of more than 15 years of continuous development and project experience with well-known DAX groups and Fortune 500 companies and helps you to develop, test, and grow new business ideas in a few weeks instead of months.

STEVE JOBS: HOW MANY OF YOU ARE CONSULTANTS? OH... THAT'S BAD!

Consulting is broken.

A lot of smart people…
 _Sell you a PowerPoint.
 _Disappear when it’s time to execute.

_No skin in the game.
_No responsibility.
_No results.

Consulting can feel like hiring someone to build you a sandcastle…
 …and finding out they only brought a whiteboard.

Big ideas. Fancy slides.

And when it’s time to actually do the thing — poof — they’re gone.

We prefer a different game: roll up sleeves, build stuff that works, and maybe get some sand in our shoes.

Because in innovation, the fun part is not talking about the castle.
 
It’s standing in front of it saying: 

“Yep. We made that.”

———

The strategy 7 of Germany's most innovative companies already follow
https://lnkd.in/dexsVrw8

#innovation #innoweek #venturestudio #companybuilder #startupstudio #vc 

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Dipl Ing Lars Behrendt 

INVENTOR · INNOVATOR · INVESTOR - Building Companies. Not Slide Decks. We build and scale industrial ventures. At own risk.

STEVE JOBS SAID ONE DECISION IN LIFE SEPARATES SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE FROM THOSE WHO ONLY DREAM

That decision? 

PERSEVERANCE.

Steve Jobs put it perfectly:

"I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.... Unless you have a lot of passion about this, you're not going to survive. You're going to give it up."

Jobs knew this from experience. He was fired from Apple, started over with NeXT, then came back to build one of the world's most valuable companies.
Here's what separates dreamers from achievers:

_Passion fuels persistence - Without deep passion for your mission, you'll quit when things get tough

_Setbacks become feedback - Every failure reveals what customers really want and where you need to improve

_Long-term vision beats short-term pain - When you're anchored in your "why," you can weather any storm

_Persist, but pivot - Stay committed to the goal while being flexible in your approach

Research backs this up: Angela Duckworth's studies show that grit and sustained perseverance predict success better than IQ or talent alone.

The next time you want to quit, ask yourself: Am I facing a dead end—or just the natural friction of progress?

The leaders who refuse to quit, who show up one more time after setbacks, are the ones who ultimately cross the finish line.

What's one time perseverance made all the difference in your journey? 

———

The strategy 7 of Germany's most innovative companies already follow
https://lnkd.in/dexsVrw8

#innovation #innoweek #venturestudio #companybuilder #startupstudio #vc 

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Andrea Petrone

The CEO Whisperer | Top 1% Executive Coach & Speaker in the UK | CEO at 35 | Founder of WCL21 | Host of The World Class Leaders Show | Follow for Mindset & Leadership Mastery

I'm known as The CEO Whisperer because CEOs come to me for the conversation they can't have anywhere else.

When you're in the CEO seat, the hardest part isn't strategy. It's the invisible pressure:

↳ Boards
↳ Investors
↳ Optics
↳ Internal politics
↳ Leadership team (reading every signal you send)

That's why most CEOs need a private, high-trust space where they can:

↳ Speak without consequences
↳ Think without distortion
↳ Pressure-test the decision before it becomes public
↳ Refine the message so people actually follow

For 20+ years across seven countries, I've worked with Fortune 500s, mid-caps, and high-growth companies - partnering with CEOs and top leaders at Shell, Unilever, Goldman Sachs, Takeda, EssilorLuxottica, BT, ENI, Snam and others.

My work strengthens what decides outcomes at the top: identity, influence, and presence - and the CEO's ability to align the company through a clear message.

The result: CEOs who make faster, clearer decisions and lead with unshakeable conviction- even when the pressure is highest.

My work happens in three ways:

1. CEO Coaching & Labs – Confidential, high-trust advisory for CEOs navigating complexity and high-stakes decisions
2. Leadership Development – Partnering with organisations to strengthen their C-suite and senior leadership teams
3. Keynote Speaking – International stages, corporate events, and leadership summits where I challenge leaders to think differently about identity, influence, and impact

I also lead:

↳ WCL21, an invitation-only CEO hub built on trust, peer learning, and growth
↳ The World-Class Leaders Show (top 5% globally)
↳ CEO Playbook weekly newsletter

I'm a Wiley author with a new CEO book coming Q4 2026.

I share practical leadership insights with 160K+ leaders on LinkedIn, but my most important conversations happen in private.

Connect with me and let me know which conversation you're looking for.

Andrea

Performance and Executive Coach to CEOs and their Leadership Teams, Facilitator, Speaker

I help visionary and ambitious CEOs to become world-class leaders, build extraordinary companies and achieve breakthrough performance.

Since 2019: 👇 

- I've been coaching and advising 250+ leaders across the globe.

- I've seen them:

 - transform themselves and become powerful leaders
 - shift their mindsets and behaviors to achieve breakthrough results
 - create a bold future for themselves and their company
 - lead and empower their executive teams to raise the capability of their organization
 - lead successfully massive change and strategic initiatives

Your future isn’t a mystery.

It’s already visible in your daily habits.

If you want to know who you’ll be in 5 years, don’t look at your goals. Look at this:

1. The books you read
↳ Choose books that really stretch you
↳ Highlight ruthlessly and turn ideas into action
↳ A great book changes behaviours

2. The foods you eat
↳ Your brain runs on what’s on your plate
↳ Eat 2–3 default “high-energy” meals per week
↳ Comfort food is just anxiety with better branding

3. The habits you build
↳ Tiny habits beat giant plans, you never start
↳ Attach new habits to old ones
↳ What you repeat in private = what you become in public

4. The friends you meet
↳ Your standards = the people you spend time with
↳ Ditch people who love gossip
↳ Spend time with people who talk about ideas

5. The workouts you do
↳ Training is for the 60-year-old you
↳ Treat workouts as investor meetings
↳ Strong body → calmer mind → better decisions

6. The money you invest
↳ Pay yourself first, then live on what’s left
↳ Buy assets & skills, not things to impress strangers
↳ Every $1 you invest buys you future freedom or regret

7. The sacrifices you make
↳ Saying “yes” to everything is the path to disaster
↳ Trade one hour of scrolling for one hour of building
↳ Short-term comfort is just an expensive addiction

Your future self is watching how you live this week.
 
Which one of these will you change today?

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(picture found on Pinterest)

The CEO Whisperer | Author of “Reinvention at the Top” (Wiley, 2026) | Global Executive Coach & Advisor | Where CEOs Turn When the Stakes Are Highest | Keynote Speaker

True culture doesn’t show up when things are easy.

It’s tested when the storm hits:

When challenges come, that’s when you see what your culture is truly made of.

That’s when a company’s real culture is revealed.

If that happens to you, here’s what you need to do:

1. Face the reality of a toxic environment
↳ It’s hard, but it’s necessary
↳ Leadership means admitting when things aren’t right
↳ Ignoring the problem only deepens it

2. Encourage open, honest conversations
↳ Create a safe space where people feel free to speak up
↳ No fear of repercussions
↳ Honesty is the foundation for real change

3. Lead by example
↳ People will watch what you do, not just what you say
↳ If you want trust, you must show it
↳ Set the tone for the culture you want to create

When toxic behaviour shows up, you have two choices:

You can ignore it and hope it disappears.

Or you can step up, take responsibility, 
and make the changes needed.

This is leadership.

The real test for a leader isn’t how they perform in smooth sailing.

It’s how they handle the storm.

Are you ready for it?

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---

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I've hired hundreds of people, and I learned one truth:

Resumes rarely tell the whole story.

I still remember one applicant who stood out because of an impeccable resume. 

Yet six months in, they struggled to adapt. 

Another, whose CV was underwhelming, became a game-changer because of their mindset.

It taught me this: 

Success isn’t written on paper.
It’s shaped by the traits that can’t be listed.

Here’s what truly predicts success:

1. Mindset over skillset
Skills are teachable but growth mindsets build leaders
Seek people who tend to ask “How can I improve?” 
These are the ones who thrive when stakes are high

2. Curiosity fuels growth
The best candidates don’t settle for surface answers
They ask “why” until they uncover breakthroughs
Their relentless curiosity opens doors others overlook

3. Adaptability beats expertise
During change, rigid expertise can become a liability
Look for those who pivot with grace
Accept ambiguity and adapt faster than market shifts

4. Collaboration over solo talent
A star performer can deliver results
But a true team player multiplies them
Seek people who amplify others’ strengths

5. Integrity above all
Competence matters
But without character, it crumbles under pressure
Integrity builds trust, and trust shapes the right culture

The perfect candidate may not have:

↳ The most polished CV
↳ All the “right” answers
↳ Or a flawless interview

But they bring the attitude and values that elevate your team and drive results.

Next time you’re hiring, think beyond qualifications. 

Your company will thank you.

What did you learn from hiring?

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The CEO Whisperer | WCL21 Founder, The Hub for $20M-500M ARR CEOs | 250+ CEOs & C-Suite Coached | Keynote Speaker | Wiley Author

Most presentations lose the room in the first 30 secs.
Not because the content is bad.
Because of one thing almost everyone gets wrong:

They don't connect with the audience.
But stories do.

They’re how humans connect, trust, and remember.

Here’s how to make your next presentation unforgettable:

1️⃣ Introduce the Villain
Start with the problem you’re solving
Be specific: what pain points does your audience face? 
When they feel the problem, they’ll lean in

2️⃣ Position Your Solution as the Hero
Show how your solution saves the day
Make it aspirational, not just functional
Think: “This could change everything for you.”

3️⃣ Add Personal Touches
Share your “aha” moment: how did you solve this?
Vulnerability creates trust
Your story becomes theirs

4️⃣ Use the Power of Three
People love patterns
Give them three parts:
The challenge, the breakthrough, the transformation

5️⃣ Create a Visual Journey
Your slides should feel like a movie, not a spreadsheet
Bold visuals + concise words = memorable
The simpler, the better

6️⃣ End With a Mic Drop
Leave them with ONE unforgettable message
Tie it back to their pain—and what they can do next
A powerful ending moves people to act

7️⃣ Rehearse Until It Feels Natural
Practice your story—not your slides
Your authenticity is your superpower
The more natural you feel, the more they’ll believe you

Great presentations don’t just share information.

They spark emotion. Build trust. Inspire action.

What strategy resonates most with you?

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----------------

📌 Want more? Grab your FREE template to create presentations that captivate every audience: https://lnkd.in/evgSDXEX

This isn’t my list, but I can’t stop thinking about it.

I’ve decided to put my own lens on it:

1/ Everything is Temporary
Projects end. Markets shift. Even great teams evolve
Learn to lead through change as permanence is a myth

2/ Life Isn't Fair
You’ll face setbacks despite doing everything right
Stop expecting fairness, lead through resilience

3/ Family Matters More Than Friends
In business, your core team is your family
Protect them. Grow them. They’ll carry your legacy

4/ Others Treat You the Way You Treat Yourself
If you tolerate chaos, so will they
Model self-respect and high standards. They’ll mirror it

5/ Beneath Anger, There's Always Fear
If people push back, don’t push harder. Look deeper
Great leaders address fear, not just behavior

6/ Happiness is a Choice and Requires Hard Work
Job satisfaction isn’t a perk. It’s a product of design
Create a workplace where people want to do great work

7/ A Lifetime Isn’t So Long As You Think
Don’t wait to drive bold change
The clock is ticking (make it count!)

8/ The Biggest Risk is Not Taking Any Risk
Avoiding risk is the biggest risk of all
Stagnation kills relevance. Bet on progress

9/ Things Don’t Matter So Much
You won’t remember the stress
You will remember the impact, people, and growth

10/ You Played It Too Safe
Comfort zones breed regret
Bold leaders don’t avoid failure. They chase greatness

Don’t wait for hindsight.

Turn these truths today into action:

➤ Give someone a chance to lead
➤ Say what needs to be said
➤ Take the risk you’ve been avoiding

If this hit home:

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(Image credit: Think Pozitiv)

Losing a top performer doesn’t just leave a gap.

It leaves a ripple.

And most companies underestimate the true cost.

Let’s break it down:

1. Financial cost: 2.5x their salary
↳ Recruiting, onboarding, productivity loss add up—fast
↳ But that’s just the beginning

2. Lost knowledge
↳ Top performers hold more than job descriptions
↳ They hold relationships, context, and insight
(𝘉𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴: 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘤)

3. Morale drop
↳ When a high performer leaves, it sends a message
↳ People wonder: “Why do they leave? Should I go too?”

4. Burnout for those who stay
↳ Someone has to pick up the slack
↳ And it’s usually your other top people
(𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦)

5. Client confidence dips
↳ When a well-known employee exits, clients feel it too
↳ Service, relationships, and trust all take a hit

6. Momentum slows
↳ Every departure causes delays, projects stall, doubts
↳ The team moves from thriving → surviving

7. Culture weakens
↳ If departures become common...
↳ A “what’s the point?” mindset creeps in
(𝘙𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵)

So...

The real cost of losing great talent?

It’s not just the hire.

It’s:

→ Lost energy
→ Lost loyalty
→ Lost time
→ Lost belief
→ Lost self-confidence

Retention isn’t HR’s job.

It’s a leadership responsibility.

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The Cost of Losing One Employee

The team that stayed with me through the worst year of my career didn't stay for the salary. 

They stayed because of something I almost didn't notice I was doing.

It wasn't a grand gesture. 

It was showing up the same way every day. 
Listening when it was easier not to. 
Giving credit when nobody was watching.

Loyalty doesn't come from perks or titles. 

It comes from how you lead when no one's keeping score.

7 things that build the kind of loyalty people don't walk away from:

1. Listen Like It’s Your Job
Go beyond surface conversations
Dive into your team’s true challenges, goals, and ideas
When people feel truly heard & valued → loyalty follows

2. Invest in Their Growth, Not Just Their Role
Appreciation is more than a thank-you
It’s about investing in their potential
Show them you see who they can become

3. Let Them Lead
Trust your team with meaningful responsibilities
Let them take charge and make decisions
True empowerment builds pride and commitment

4. Foster Peer-to-Peer Praise
Loyalty grows when appreciation flows in all directions
Create open channels to recognise each other’s efforts
Build a culture of respect and genuine camaraderie

5. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Outcomes
Wins are great, but hard work behind them matters too
Acknowledge late nights, dedication, and resilience
Reinforce that every effort counts, not just final results

6. Offer Feedback That Fuels
Don’t wait for reviews
Celebrate wins and tackle challenges in real time
Be specific and show them how they make a difference

7. Show Up Every Day
Appreciation isn’t a once-a-month gesture
Make it a habit and stick with it
Regular acts of gratitude build real trust 

Remember:

Loyalty isn’t earned with perks.

It’s built in the small, daily ways you lead.

What action resonates most with you?

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7 Powerful  ctions

The smartest person in the room keeps losing arguments.
Not because they're wrong. 
Because being right isn't enough:

Your idea was better. 
Your logic was sound. 

And they still said no.

Because the delivery triggered identity, not curiosity.

Here’s how to challenge the status quo without starting a fight:

1. Lead with a “credit sentence”
“What we built has worked.”
Respect buys you attention.

2. Name the trade-off, not the failure
“This was the right move then. It’s expensive now.”
People defend effort. Not logic.

3. Move from “your idea” to “our outcome”
“If we want X, we can’t keep doing Y.”
Shared goals disarm ego.

4. Use questions that don’t corner people
“What are we assuming that might have changed?”
Curiosity is a softer kind of authority.

5. Keep identity safe
“The approach needs updating. The work was solid.”
Attack the method, not the person.

6. Bring one clean proof
One metric / one customer story / one example.
Evidence beats intensity.

7. Offer a small test
“Let’s run a 2-week pilot and compare.”
A pilot feels safe. A declaration feels threatening.

If your challenge makes people defensive, 
you won’t get change.

You’ll get compliance.

The goal isn’t to win the point.
It’s to win the room.

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