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.

HERE IS MY APPROACH TO INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT

The difference between bringing your product to market in theory?

VS

Bringing your product to market in practice?

-------

In "the theoretical" way, you tried to be perfectly prepared and get hit by the market, and it´s over.

In "the practice way", you are learning step by step. (Like small hits that won't knock you out)

In "the practice way", you get feedback from the market and learn to iterate.

-------

After +15 years in the innovation business, I will never go "the theoretical way" anymore. 

It just hurts too much ;-)

You get that one hi,t and it's over.

It´s your choice.

#innovation

Dipl Ing Lars Behrendt 

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

YOU FEEL TIRED?

If you are feeling tired in your life...

...then you should take a good look at this video*!

Don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something. 

_You got a dream? 
_You gotta protect it. 
_You want something, go get it

P.S.
*Actually, this movie is based on a true story by Chris Gardner
He is also here on Linkedin

———

This is how we bring your ideas to market in 2025:
https://lnkd.in/dexsVrw8

#innovation

THE FOUNDER OF NETFLIX LITERALLY DROPPED HIS BEST BUSINESS ADVICE IN UNDER A MINUTE 🔥

The most valuable business advice I've heard in years 💡

Netflix's founder just dropped this truth bomb that every entrepreneur needs to hear:

"Nobody knows anything when it comes to new ideas. I've started seven companies, including Netflix, and I promise you - I could never have predicted which would succeed and which would fail on day one."

His solution? Stop overthinking and START DOING.
→ Take the risk → Build something
→ Test something → Try something

Because here's the reality: 
You learn more in one hour of action than in three months of planning.

This hits different when you realize Netflix was just one of his seven attempts. 

Imagine if he'd stopped at attempt #6 because he was afraid of failure.

The companies that win aren't the ones with perfect plans - they're the ones brave enough to test their imperfect ideas in the real world.

What's one idea you've been overthinking that you could test this week?

P.S.
This is exactly the approach we are taking with our startup studio and family office. Reach out if you're interested in collaborating to build startups systematically.  

#innovation #vc #familyoffice

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

The real leadership failure is invisible.
It starts when humans become secondary to status.
Because some leaders fall in love with their:

↳ Ego
↳ Title
↳ Power
↳ Authority

And their team pays the price.

Here’s what leaders must avoid:

❌ Ignoring personal connections:
↳ Focusing only on metrics erodes trust
↳ Strong relationships show you genuinely care

❌ Overlooking team achievements:
↳ Neglecting to celebrate hard work kills motivation
↳ Recognition fuels engagement and loyalty

❌ Engaging in gossip:
↳ Negative talk about team members spreads toxicity
↳ A toxic culture always starts at the top

❌ Hoarding information:
↳ Secrecy undermines trust
↳ Transparency shows respect and builds confidence

❌ Criticizing without solutions:
↳ Pointing out failures without guidance crushes morale
↳ Constructive feedback inspires growth

Want to lead with impact? Here's what to do:

✅ Create meaningful connections:
↳ Spend time with your people
↳ Build real teamwork through trust

✅ Celebrate successes:
↳ Publicly recognize achievements
↳ What gets celebrated gets repeated

✅ Be transparent:
↳ Share decisions openly
↳ Trust grows in the light, not the shadows

✅ Offer constructive feedback:
↳ Focus on solutions, not problems
↳ Help your team improve and thrive

✅ Prioritize well-being:
↳ Encourage breaks and time off
↳ Boundaries aren’t optional—they’re essential

Great leaders know:

It's not about you. It's about them.

So, which leader are you becoming?

♻️ Share this to remind leaders of what truly matters
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---

📌 Want a stronger leadership identity and a message people follow? Get CEO Playbook: https://lnkd.in/ec3XVa9w

The CEO Whisperer | Wiley Author (New Book → Q4 2026) | Keynote Speaker & Advisor | Coached 250+ CEOs & C-Suite Leaders to Win Under Pressure | Founder of WCL21 & World Class Leaders Show

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.

♻️ Share it for those who think turnover is “just business”
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The cost of losing one employee

You don’t lose energy because you do too much.
You lose it because you manage it the wrong way.
10 ways to protect and grow your energy every day:

1. Audit your leaks
↠ Notice what drains you
↠ People, habits, clutter, overthinking
↠ Awareness is step one

2. Protect your mornings
↠ Don’t start with screens
↠ Start with silence, water, and movement

3. Say fewer yeses
↠ Every yes is a withdrawal from your energy bank
↠ Spend it wisely

4. Simplify your space
↠ Physical order creates mental clarity
↠ Remove all distractions

5. Move every day
↠ Not to burn calories (which is helpful!)
↠ To release tension

6. Fuel with intention
↠ Eat and hydrate to sustain focus
↠ Not just to fill time

7. Pause between tasks
↠ A 2-minute reset keeps your brain sharp all day
↠ Don't book back-to-back meetings

8. End rumination early
↠ Worry is a thief that never pays you back
↠ It's the best pathway to unhappiness

9. Sleep like it’s strategy
↠ Recovery is not rest
↠ It’s performance insurance

10. Guard your joy
↠ What excites you gives more back
↠ Than any caffeine ever will

Energy isn’t built overnight.

It’s built by protecting what matters.

One small choice at a time.

♻️ Share this post to help others to recharge
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---

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The CEO Whisperer | Wiley Author (New Book → Q4 2026) | Helping CEOs & Leaders Turn their Identity, Message and Presence into Results | Founder of WCL21 & World Class Leaders Show | Top 1% Executive Coach & Speaker

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?

♻️ Share this to inspire someone to tell their best story
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----------------

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

Ever feel like everything’s urgent?

Here’s how to focus on what moves the needle:

1️⃣ Don’t start with your tasks, start with your outcomes
↠ Ask: “What does success look like this week?”
↠ Clear on results = drop what doesn’t serve them
↠ Busyness ≠ Progress

2️⃣ Use the ‘Impact vs. Effort’ filter
↠ Plot your work into 4 categories:
↠ High impact / low effort = do first
↠ High impact / high effort = plan and schedule
↠ Low impact = question if it’s worth doing at all

3️⃣ Prioritize people, not just projects
↠ Some of your most important work is invisible:
↠ Building trust, clarifying direction, helping them
↠ Your calendar should reflect this

4️⃣ Choose 3 priorities per day—max
↠ The brain isn’t built for 10 urgent tasks
↠ Choose 3 things that matter most.
↠ Everything else? Bonus, not baseline

5️⃣ Say “not now” without guilt
↠ You don’t have to say “no” forever, just not now
↠ Try: “Happy to revisit your idea next week?”
↠ “This deserves full attention which I can't offer now"

6️⃣ Share your focus with your team
↠ Tell your team what you’re working on and why
↠ This creates alignment and fewer interruptions
↠ You can’t lead with clarity if you prioritize in silence

7️⃣ Check in weekly: what’s noise vs what matters?
↠ Each week, ask: What’s the most valuable thing I did?
↠ What could I drop with no real consequence?
↠ Over time, you’ll learn to spot true priorities faster

Hard truth:

You don’t need more hours.

You need to know what makes a real difference.

Share it with someone stuck in overwhelm
And follow Andrea Petrone for more.

The CEO Whisperer | Wiley Author (New Book → Q4 2026) | Helping CEOs & Senior Leaders Lead Under Pressure | Founder of WCL21 & World Class Leaders Show | Top 1% Executive Coach & Speaker

How to Set Priorities When Everything Feels Urgent

Capable people often fail not because of their ability. 

But because of the system they’re in.

I see too many great people fail in the wrong systems. 

They are hired to bring a fresh perspective to the organization...

But end up getting swallowed by the environment they find themselves in.

Because the system pushes them away.

Often unintentionally.

Bottom line:

They can't create the impact they were hired for.

If you feel this way, you have three options:

1️⃣ Blame the system and complain
 ↳This is easy because you don't have to fight it. You get off the hook by accepting the status quo.

2️⃣ Take responsibility for what is not working
↳ It gives you back the power to shape the system and make a real difference. You don't resign mentally.

3️⃣ Leave (but only if you tried hard to make it work)
↳ Only when you have tried really hard after having taken responsibility. If not, it's just quitting because it's easier.

In summary...

There’s no chance to create an impact when you feel like a victim of the system.

You create impact when you face the system despite the headwinds.

Have you ever experienced that?

♻️ Repost it to spread the idea
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People engage when they get connected with you. Here’s how to stop broadcasting and start connecting:

1. Start with why it matters 
→ Don’t begin with facts. 
→ Start with purpose. 
→ Show people what’s at stake.

2. Use stories, not slides 
→ People remember feelings more than facts. 
→ Stories spark attention.

3. Ask more than you tell 
→ Make your message interactive. 
→ Ask for reactions, ideas, responses.

4. Short sentences, real words 
→ Cut the jargon. 
→ Speak like you would to a friend.
→ Clear and human.

5. Move your energy 
→ If you’re flat, so is the room. 
→ Energy is contagious.
→ Use yours well.

6. Use names, not just roles 
→ Call people in directly. 
→ Engagement rises when people feel seen.

7. Create space to pause 
→ Don’t fill every second. 
→ Let silence do some of the talking.

8. React to the room 
→ Engagement is a two-way street. 
→ Adjust your style based on what you see.

9. End with a call, not a close 
→ Don’t just wrap. 
→ Say, “What will you do next?”
→ To turn listening into action.

Because you don’t need a mic to move people. 

You need real connection.

♻️ Repost to lead more engaging conversations 
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How to Communicate in a Way That Drives Engagement

AI isn’t a wave. 

It’s a tsunami that will hit the unprepared leaders.

For 30+ years, Nancy Duarte has shaped how leaders communicate, written bestselling books on presentations, and delivered one of the most-watched TED talks on how great talks work.

In our conversation, she shared insights on how to win with AI and how CEOs and leaders can communicate powerfully.

Here are 5 big takeaways:

1. If you delegate AI, you delegate your voice.
You can outsource tools and vendors. 
You can’t outsource how AI changes the way you:
Think, speak and show up as a leader

2. Use AI to clarify your thinking, not fake your genius
Let it test your logic and structure your story
Then put everything back into your own words
“This doesn’t sound like you” is the worst feedback

3. Prepare for resistance more than applause
Every big move now creates friction
List the toughest questions people will ask
And rehearse those out loud

4. Cascade one story, not ten slogans
Your execs should all share the same simple narrative: 
Where we are, we’re going, and what this means for you
Their style can change. The story can’t

5. Hold performance and belonging at the same time
Letting go of low performers is brutal
But if you talk about it clearly and respectfully..
They learn that courage & honesty are part of belonging

I bet the CEOs who win the next decade will be the ones who lean into AI personally and treat communication as a core system of the company, not a soft skill.

This conversation with Nancy is a masterclass in both.

If you’re a CEO or aspire for greatness, this episode is for you.

Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/ev-Nwsyx

Which of these five would make the biggest difference in how you lead if you fixed it this quarter?

♻️ Share this post to inspire more leaders
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