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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Luke Tobin

Founder of Unusualgroup.com | Follow for posts on Business, Marketing, Investing & AI

Commercial and speaking: sponsorship@luketobin.com

3 exits, different industries, each one bigger than the last. Turned a £100 investment, into an eight-figure agency exit in 5 years. 

I help founders turn self-doubt into leverage, and leverage into exits.

My last business started with £100 and a lot of imposter syndrome. No funding. No safety net. Just a laptop, a tiny runway and lots of grit. Five years later, we sold for eight figures. It was one of the fastest growth-to-exit stories in the UK at that level.

That was exit number three. Before that, I built and sold a hospitality business and an e-commerce brand. Different industries, same scale-to-exit playbook. Build lean. Price for profit. Systemise delivery. Think like a buyer long before you ever meet one.

Now I back other founders and work on fixing what is broken in the agency world.

Current work:

Unusual Group (Founder)
We take minority stakes in agencies and plug them into the capital, infrastructure and operator support they need to grow margins and become exit-ready.

Tobin Capital (Owner) 
I invest in more than 25 brands, including SpaceX, Atom Bank, and Honest Mobile. When I invest, you do not just get capital. You get an operator in your corner on pricing, operations, hiring and exits.

A-Frame Venture Studio (Partner)
We build consumer brands from scratch. Our first brand, Mirth Water, is now live in the United States at drinkmirth.com.

The Success Method Newsletter
Every week, more than 100,000 founders get my breakdown of how to turn self-doubt into an advantage in their business. I share how I structure deals and exits, the pricing moves and margin levers that work in practice.

Book (Q2 2026)
My first book, on how founders can turn doubt into an asset rather than a drag on growth, is coming in Q2 2026 from a major publisher.

In total, I have started seven businesses. Two failed. Three exited. Two, I am still building. The failures taught me more than the exits. Self-doubt never went away. I learned how to use it as a filter to make better decisions in hiring, pricing, partners, and exits. That is what I teach and invest around now.

Today, I share what actually works with more than 800,000 founders across my channels. The playbooks, the red flags, the live deals and the parts of the mental game most people never talk about.

If you are an agency owner or founder who wants to raise, exit or fix your margins in the next 12 to 36 months, send me a DM.

Newsletter (100K plus subscribers): www.luketobin.com/newsletter

DM me about: investments, agency exits, speaking

Investor

The next‑generation personalization AI for e‑commerce.

Entry-level should mean entry-level.

Not 3-5 years of unpaid experience.

Here's the hard truth:
If an entry-level job requires years of experience,
it’s not entry-level.
It’s exploitation.

Why unrealistic job requirements are a problem:

1. They block talented candidates
– Companies lose out on fresh talent because they focus on years over skills.

2. They favour privilege
– Not everyone can afford unpaid internships to gain ‘experience.’

3. They create a skills gap
– How can people gain experience if no one is willing to hire them?

4. They push talented people away
– Skilled candidates get frustrated and move on to companies that invest in them.

5. They harm businesses too
– Great employees aren’t always the ones with the most years on a CV.

If companies want the best talent,
they need to rethink their hiring process.

Here’s how businesses can fix this broken system:

1. Redefine ‘entry-level’
– If a role needs 3-5 years, be honest about it.

2. Hire based on skills, not just years
– A motivated, trainable candidate can outperform someone with experience but no drive.

3. Invest in real training and development
– If you expect employees to hit the ground running, build onboarding programs that set them up for success.

4. Offer paid internships and apprenticeships
– Give candidates a fair chance to gain experience without forcing them to work for free.

5. Use practical hiring tests
– Instead of filtering candidates by years, assess their skills with real-world tasks.

6. Create a mentorship system
– Pair new hires with experienced employees to help them grow into their roles.

7. Be realistic with job descriptions
– If the role requires niche expertise, don’t label it as ‘entry-level’ just to underpay candidates.

8. Recognise that potential matters more than experience
– Some of the best hires are those who don’t ‘check every box’ but are eager to learn and grow.

For job seekers:

If you’re stuck in the ‘experience paradox,’ here’s what you can do:

1. Highlight transferable skills
→ Focus on what you can do, not just job titles.

2. Showcase real results
→ Use your experience on projects worked on as social evidence.

3. Leverage networking
→ Sometimes, who you know opens doors faster than a CV.

4. Upskill continuously
→ Take online courses, work on side projects, and keep improving. The best investment is in yourself.

Talent isn’t always measured in years.
Give people a real chance.

Stop the cycle of unrealistic job expectations.

♻️ Repost if you agree entry-level should actually mean entry-level.
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cc Adam Danyal (Shout out for the inspiration behind the messaging of this post)

3x Exited Founder | Follow me for posts on Business, Marketing, M&A & Success Psychology

Success that burns through your mental bandwidth isn’t success.

It’s mismanagement disguised as commitment.

Early in my career, I thought being available meant being valuable.
Every ping got a reply.
Every meeting got a “yes.”
Every spare minute became a catch-up slot.

On paper, it looked like momentum.
In reality, it was erosion.

High performance isn’t about being always on.
It’s about knowing when to switch off so your decisions stay sharp.

These are the boundaries that keep my focus intact:

1. Control inputs.
No phone before strategy, no Slack before thinking.

2. Batch reactions.
Email and messages twice a day, everything else waits.

3. Protect transitions.
Five minutes between calls to reset the brain.

4. Create unreachable hours.
Evenings or weekends when nobody gets access.

5. Guard energy like capital.
Spend it where it compounds, not where it’s wasted.

This isn’t self-care.
It’s self-leadership.

Because success that costs your sanity will eventually cost your results.

Which boundary protects your focus the most?

♻️ Repost to help more leaders build sustainable success.
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cc Dr. Carolyn Frost (shout out for the image and powerful message)

We are often told to "play it safe".

But, safety doesn't help you grow.

Here's what does:
1. Taking chances on the dreams that scare you.
2. Betting on yourself when no one else will.
3. Choosing courage over comfort, every single time.
4. Believing in the vision only you can see.
5. Acting on what feels like destiny, even if you're unsure.

The truth is:
Every bold move looks unrealistic until someone makes it real.

Why? 
Because the world has always been shaped by people who were willing to look a little “crazy” in pursuit of something bigger.

The innovators. 
The builders. 
The dreamers.

Fear will tell you to wait.
Doubt will tell you you’re not ready.
But growth only happens when you decide to move anyway.

Reminders when chasing your dreams:
If it feels impossible → it’s probably worth the risk.
If people doubt you → you’re likely onto something powerful.
If it feels like destiny → that’s your sign to leap.

At the end of the day, I've learnt that regret weighs heavier than failure.

And the world needs more people who are brave enough,
to follow the dream that feels like destiny.

♻️Repost to help inspire someone in your network.
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cc Codie A. Sanchez (shout out for the image and powerful reminder!)

The action you're most scared to take is usually the right one.

Deep down, you know what you need to do.

You've been thinking about it for weeks. 

Trying to convince yourself that you need more time, maybe more information, or just a better moment to make that particular move.

But that moment isn't coming.

Some of the best things I've done in business felt completely wrong at the time. 

And there was always a reason; it was too early or felt too risky.  

That feeling of unease is just part of it.

So whatever you've been putting off, make the move.

♻️ Repost if you needed to hear this today. 
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cc Justin Welsh (Shout out for the powerful reminder!)

Most founders start the sale process in the wrong place.

Before you think about valuation, you need to answer three questions. 

1. Can someone quickly understand your business? 
2. Are your clients likely to stick around?
3. And if you stepped back, would it still run without you?

If any of those questions make you feel uncomfortable, it's worth paying more attention to that area.

Succeed helps founders get ready, find the right buyer, and manage the whole process, without getting messed around.

Take our free exit assessment:
https://lnkd.in/ey8-zd9G

♻️Repost and save to help other founders in your network.
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I’ve done this more times than I’d like to admit:

I sit down to write. 
I open LinkedIn for a "quick look." 
20 minutes later, I feel like I have nothing original to say.

We aren't short of ideas. 
We’re short of confidence in the ones we already have because we're looking at the wrong metrics.

Your best content isn't the stuff that mimics a trending format, 
it’s the lesson that took you years to learn that you now think is "obvious."

It’s not obvious to everyone else. 
It’s your edge.

Read the full breakdown on finding your voice in today's newsletter.

Found this useful? 
Repost and subscribe to my newsletter:
https://lnkd.in/esWbc_33

🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more personal branding strategies.

There's a certain type of paralysis that hits when you sit down to write something and open LinkedIn first. You tell yourself you're looking for inspi

Open article: Personal branding gets easier when you stop writing from other people's feeds. by Luke Tobin • 3 min read

Personal branding gets easier when you stop writing from other people's feeds.

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