Sound of Business

Prior to the Covid19 pandemic, Susanne Klepsch, the founder and CEO of Meetfox, had invest a lot of time in persuading target customers about the benefits of her video-conference scheduling software. This drastically changed when everything shifted to “remote-only”. Tune in and learn how Susanne enabled her company’s growth potential, what she thinks of Accelerator programs and what she wishes to have known prior to coming to the U.S. In this episode, we will discussstrategies for Accelerator programs and how important they are for a newcomer entering a marketdifferences between U.S. and Austrian investorsmanagement tips for startupsAbout MeetfoxMeetFox is a one-stop-shop for efficiently managing client meetings with scheduling, video calls, and payments. MeetFox combines online scheduling, seamless video calls and instant payments in one product, helping professionals save a ton of time and focus on growing their business. With the vision to make expertise accessible at a push of a button, MeetFox is now used by over 15,000 professionals worldwide.

In this episode we are interviewing Dieter Eier, Vice President of Product and Solutions and one of the co-founders of the Austrian subsidiary Frequentis USA, Inc.  More than 20 years ago he was sent to the United States with the goal to set up a successful company in five years.  He did it in three and never left. In this very personal talk Dieter tells us about his real-life experiences of how he had to adapt to the American dream as a Vienna-native and his most surprising lessons learned: The glass is always half-fullStudying English extensively in school did not teach me to understand "American"Wow, the world is really big out there!About Frequentis Frequentis provides communication and information systems for Air Traffic Management, Space Flight Operations, Air Defense, Vessel Traffic, Coastal Surveillance, and Public Safety and Transport. The company’s products and solutions are behind more than 25,000 operator positions in over 140 countries. Frequentis is the world's leading provider of safety-of-life-critical voice communication systems … all making our world a safer place every day!

Thomas Schauer has established himself as one of the world’s leading culinary film directors and photographers, shooting extensive campaign work for over two decades between around the world. Operating two photography companies in Vienna and New York plus one film production company TASTE.Growing up in his native Austria, Thomas cultivated an artistic sensibility inspired by the European culture that surrounded him. His deep knowledge and passion for food led to work with Samsung, Nespresso, Uncle Ben’s, Wegmans, Papa John’s, Harper Collins, Fuji Film, Simon & Schuster, Chick-fil-A, Breckenridge, Carl’s Jr., Marzetti, Publix, Newman’s Own, Panera, Kroger, Pepsi, Patron, Outback, Budweiser, TGI Fridays and Burger King.Thomas’ work has been exhibited globally. His first solo exhibition “Pure Real Taste” took place at La Boite in New York City. That same year, he was invited to exhibit in Osaka, Japan.Thomas has created over 25 cookbooks for celebrated chefs including Dominique Ansel, Lior Lev Sercarz, Daniel Boulud and David Bouley. Complementing his portfolio is the nomination for the Onaeba “Shimizu Award” in Osaka, Japan; the second place Pink Lady Award for “Best Food Photographer in the World,”; and the Gourmand Cookbook Award for Best Cocktail Book, “Cocktails.”

Climate Risks, Opportunities & PolicyIn this episode we interview Gernot Wagner, a climate economist and associate professor at NYU and discuss the following questions: How will the new admninistration address climate changeWhich climate policies are useful to address current issuesWhat can we as people do to help the causeHow did COVID-19 change our actions in regards to climate change About GernotGernot Wagner is a climate economist. His research, writing, and teaching focus on climate risks and climate policy. He teaches climate economics and policy at NYU, where he is a clinical associate professor at the Department of Environmental Studies and associated clinical professor at the NYU Wagner School of Public Service.Gernot writes the Risky Climate column for Bloomberg Green and has written three books: Stadt, Land, Klima (“City, Country, Climate”), published, in German, by Brandstätter Verlag (2021); Climate Shock, joint with Harvard’s Martin Weitzman and published by Princeton (2015), among others, a Top 15 Financial Times McKinsey Business Book of the Year 2015, and Austria’s Natural Science Book of the Year 2017; and But will the planet notice?, published by Hill & Wang/Farrar Strauss & Giroux (2011).

In this episode we interview Thomas Meth, Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Enviva and discuss the following questions: What it is like to start a company & raise money in the US.Cultural differences in Entrepreneurship between Austria and the US and the right to fail.What it is like to be an Austrian in an entirely American company. The Biden administration and Renewable Energy in the post Trump world.Thomas Meth was born and raised outside of Vienna, Austria in Gablitz. He graduated from high school in Tulln and then studied at the Vienna University of Economics and Business.  He was the head of Sales at Europay (MasterCard) Austria (today Paylife) before he did his MBA at the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.  After a 2 year stopover in Germany as Head of Sales and Marketing for Colfax, EMEA he returned to the US in 2004 to start Enviva (formerly known as Intrinergy) in 2004, now the largest wood pellet manufacturer in the world. Traded at the NYSE (EVA) valued at almost $2bn, the company employs ~1200 associates in the South East of the US with offices in Bethesda, MD (HQ), Raleigh, NC, Berlin, York, UK and Tokio. 

Tune in and listen to Florian Krisch, our Sector Manager for Startups & Innovation interviews one of New York’s startup gurus. Over the last years, Brian Frumberg has transformed VentureOut into a well established platform for foreign startups seeking to enter the U.S. market. Hundreds of companies participated in customized VentureOut programs and collectively raised over two billion USD in Funding from investors. Enjoy 40 minutes of condensed “startup-talk”, learn what is going on in NYC’s innovation ecosystem and how founders can react to the ongoing crisis. Main topics:Digital transformation: How VentureOut went from 100% in person to fully virtual and maintained its revenue streamHow to raise funds remotely during the pandemicWhat to expect from the new U.S. Administration in terms of their startup policiesBrian’s personal take on the NYC startup ecosystem – What could be the next “hype”About BrianBrian is the CEO and founder of VentureOut, which he launched in 2012 while working at Gotham Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund. He started VentureOut as a vehicle to help bridge the gap between the innovators around the world and the opportunities available to them in the New York and San Francisco technology ecosystems.Prior to VentureOut, Brian’s career has spanned venture, at Gotham Ventures, consulting, supporting early stage tech startups in NYC, business development, at OTR Global, and sales, as the youngest institutional salesperson globally at Standard & Poor's. Brian received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Richmond.About FlorianFlorian Krisch acts as a sector manager for startups and innovation at Advantage Austria’s New York office. Over the last 4 years, he has advised numerous Austrian startups on their U.S. market entry strategy and organized one-week long fast accelerator programs. Florian seeks to foster meaningful relationships between the Austrian startup ecosystem and stakeholders in NYC. 

In this episode Petra, the office manager of the Austrian Trade Commission in New York, talks to Dan Casterella, CEO of American Christmas, an MK Illumination company. Dan Casterella talks about how the "Magic of Christmas" is created and how this iconic American company became Austrian and is now spreading cheer around the world. American Christmas has been in charge of a large share of NYC's holiday decoration for years. In this episode you will hearwhat were some of the most challenging decorating projectswhere you can take a stroll in NYC to find traditional and new creationswhy NYC businesses decided to decorate in this difficult year 2020and why NYC is the "Christmas Capital of the World"American Christmas was acquired by Austrian company MK Illumination, a world leader in holiday decorations and light installations. This has started a whole new chapter and brings exciting new opportunities for the traditional American company. We look forward to seeing many more projects from American Christmas and MK Illumination in the future. Dan Casterella has had a long career with the company, starting by counting ornaments to production to sales, overseeing production and visiting facilities around the world to gain moe knowledge about the industry. He will tell us what makes his job so fascinating and why becoming part of MK Illumination is a great opportunity for the company but also himself personally.

In this episode Angelika Heitzmann, who is based at our Austrian Commercial Office in Atlanta, is talking with Barbara Dolleschal, General Manager of Zotter Chocolates US in Cape Coral, Florida.  In the conversation Barbara Dolleschal kindly provided feedback regarding the following questions:How did the business relationship with the Austrian company Zotter chocolates start?How did you set up the Austrian subsidiary of Zotter chocolates in the USA?How did you familiarize yourself with the craft chocolate industry in the USA?What are the daily tasks of an importer and distributor of premium Austrian chocolatesWho are your valid customers? What are your distribution channels?Did you experience any disruption of your business due to the global pandemic?Could you describe some terms always used in connection with organic Zotter chocolates like single-origin, bean-to-bar, fair-trade?Barbara Dolleschal is also co-owner, VP & CFO of the IT company Smargasy Creative Solutions which is also located in Cape Coral, Florida.

In this episode Michael, the Austrian Trade Commissioner in New York, talks to one of the most famous Austrian journalists and TV anchorwomen.Hannelore Veit talks about the US presidential elections in 2020 and the role the so-called traditional media and social media played. She tells us more about the beginning of her career in Europe and Asia and how a marriage with two international careers and many subsequent moves can work. The following topics will be discussed: The different of the role of the media plays in Austria, Japan and the USMedia in the 21st Century and during the 2020 US presidential electionsWorking and living in different countries and cultures Hannelore Veit is one of the best-known faces on Austrian TV. She started her career as a radio correspondent for the Vienna office of Voice of America, and later as a Foreign Correspondent for the European Business Channel in Japan.From 1993 until 2002, she was one of the lead anchors of Austria’s biggest and most popular news format Zeit im Bild.In 2013, she assumed her post as the Bureau Chief of the ORF office in Washington D.C. while publishing many articles and a book about her time in the US.

In this episode, Verena talks to Michaela Grob about leaving a job at a large tourism corporation to starting a vegan cheese shop and the challenges involved.Michaela speaks about the main differences of working for somebody else compared to working for oneself, running a standalone store versus operating a booth inside a large food market.They also speak about the growth of the plant based food sector in general and how her shop, Riverdel, has adjusted operations during Covid.The following topics will be discussed:making a complete career change to fulfill one´s dreamthe use free resources available to get goingthe challenges involved in running a business, in particular in 2020the rise of the plant based food sectorAbout Michaela:Michaela´s  background is in the hospitality and travel industry, which has allowed her to explore many countries, cultures and different foods. Originally from Austria, Michaela grew up on a meat heavy diet. She also always loved animals, and eventually realized that she can not support a diet consistent of animals and call herself an animal lover. She made the switch to a vegan diet about 6 years ago and has never looked back. After giving up her corporate sales career in 2014 she decided to open a vegan cheese shop in Brooklyn, called Riverdel (named so after two of her pets “River” and “Fidel” = “River-del” ). Host:Verena recently joined the team at Advantage Austria after having worked in the hospitality industry for the past five years. She has worked in a three Michelin star restaurant as well as in more casual establishments. At Advantage Austria, she helps Austrian food, drink and creative companies wishing to export their products to the US market.

In this episode we welcome Julia Puaschunder, who currently teaches Economics at the Parsons School of Design of the New School and conducts research at Columbia University. Julia will discuss the following topics:Innovation & Trade in the COVID-19 EraCurrent Trends in Health, Hygiene and De-UrbanizationHow the Education Sector and Specifically US Universities Had to AdjustGovernance and Digi-Diplomacy Julia will be interviewed by Daniel Moertl, our Technology and Innovation Officer at Advantage Austria in New York. Together they will elaborate on the many ways COVID-19 has changed the aforementioned industries and propelled the adoption of digital technologies even further. We will touch on how telemedicine and digitalization in healthcare as well as global access to online education could finally bridge the gap of inequality in access to healthcare and education around the globe. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the pandemic, it looks like social inequalities have only become more apparent and widened even further.About JuliaJulia Puaschunder is a Prize Fellow in the Interuniversity Consortium of New York. She currently teaches Economics at the Parsons School of Design of The New School and conducts research at Columbia University here in New York. Julia was born and raised in Austria and lives, what she personally calls, an “Austrian American dream” with her roots and heart being Austrian, but having her heart beat to an American tact after living in the US for over a decade.After some time at Harvard University on a Max Kade Foundation Scholarship specializing on Behavioral Economics, Julia started a Prize Fellowship in the Interuniversity Consortium of New York in 2014. At Columbia University, she collaborates with Graciela Chichilnisky who currently invents a Global Thermostat machine that is ‘harvesting the sky’ – commercializing CO2 emissions from the atmosphere for soft drinks and concrete production. Most recently, Julia conducted research at Yale University on anti-corruption in digitalized healthcare around the world until the outbreak of COVID-19.

In Episode 8 of our Sound of Business Podcast show we are very happy to welcome Nicole Vogrin, Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer at Western Union as our guest speaker. As a global leader in cross-border, cross currency money movement and payments Western Union is at the forefront of the most recent trends, developments and innovation in the FinTech sector. Born in Vienna Nicole joined Western Union in 2009 and held several roles in Europe and the United States learning the industry inside out. Today she will talk abouther very personal career path from Austria to the U.S. & how Austrians can be successful in the U.S,the Future of Fintech, the impact of COVID-19 to the industry and the business model of Western Union,and the role of immigration and migration within the FinTech sector. Bio of Guest SpeakerNicole Vogrin became Western Union’s (WU) Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer in 2019 when she was tasked with spearheading the company’s global corporate brand, affairs and communications strategy with a focus on elevating and protecting the company’s reputation. In this role, Vogrin actively shapes Western Union’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitment while strategically aligning it to the company’s global advocacy. She is based at the company’s global headquarters in Denver, Colorado.Self Description of Western UnionThe Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments. Our omnichannel platform connects the digital and physical worlds and makes it possible for consumers and businesses to send and receive money and make payments with speed, ease, and reliability. As of June 30, 2020, our network included over 550,000 retail agent locations offering our branded services in more than 200 countries and territories, with the capability to send money to billions of accounts. Additionally, westernunion.com, our fastest growing channel in 2019, is available in over 75 countries, plus additional territories, to move money around the world. With our global reach, Western Union moves money for better, connecting family, friends, and businesses to enable financial inclusion and support economic growth. 

In Episode 7 we talk about:how it is important to have a solid base and being an “expert at something” in an international careerHospitality & Covid-19Innovation as key to future in hospitality businessIn this episode, Petra talks to Guntram Merl, the General Manager of The St Regis Atlanta. Guntram was born in Austria and looks back at an impressive international career, which started in the kitchen of a 700 room hotel in London with 150 chefs and led him to Australia, the Caribbean and finally the United States where he switched from the food and beverage to the management side of hospitality.Guntram will tell us why the true craftsmanship in hospitality lies in the luxury sector and what he thinks the future holds. Also, he will tell us how his hotel was affected by the worldwide COVID pandemic and all the changes that had to be implemented in a short time. The hotel has been hit hard, especially on the event side as all social and corporate events had been scratched. But there is also hope and the confidence in returning customers allow for a brighter outlook. Another important business for The St Regis Atlanta is the entertainment industry, which is already starting to rebound. For the future, Guntram foresees innovative trends to play a larger role.Speaker:Originally from Carinthia, Austria, Guntram Merl has had an impressive international career. The concept of “hospitality” has been instilled in him at a very young age in his home where guests and family members were always welcome and Sunday lunches had to be done in shifts to accommodate all. A solid education in Austria and hard work and long hours in seasonal tourist resorts were the base for his international success. His training programs and pit stops in London, Australia and the Caribbean brought him to The St Regis Atlanta, the top address for luxury stays in the area. Guntram manages all aspects of the 156- room hotel as well as the 53 private residences of high net worth individuals and an extensive event business.Host:This episode is hosted by Petra our office manager who also always keeps an eye on the travel industry and has observed its impact during the current pandemic including extensive travel bans between Europe and the United States and radical behavioral changes in the transportation and hospitality sector.

In this episode, Julia covers together with fellow Austrian Barbara Badelt-Ford, one of the most American activities ever: shopping! The US is a classic buyer’s market and the customer has probably more rights than anywhere else in the world.Barbara will tell us more about how culture plays a vital part in consumer behavior and we hear about the main differences between China, Europe and the US. Of course, in 2020 Covid-19 has also impacted the retail industry like no other crisis before and the pandemic has accelerated the rollout of new technologies, in particular in the payments and point-of-sale (checkout) space. It’s too early to say if we will ever shop again the way we did pre Covid-19 but in order for brick and mortar stores to stay relevant, retailers need to merge online and offline shopping into a truly unified experience for the shopper. Choosing the right technology partners and enabling staff with these technologies is the key to success!Bullet Points:How culture affects consumer behavior Retail & Covid-19Tech in Retail and the future of physical RetailBio:Originally from Vienna, Barbara lived in London before moving to New York in 2019. Over the last decade, she has worked with retailers on their point-of-sale and payments technologies, with a special focus on retail tourism and, in particular, creating the in-store experience for the Chinese traveler. Most recently, Barbara started a new role at Adyen Inc., the payments platform of choice for many of the world’s leading companies.  In her role, she helps build and scale Adyen’s ecosystem and unified commerce strategy with retail and e-commerce partners.  Host:This episode is hosted by Julia our communication and events manager who also covers the areas Consumer Goods and Lifestyle at Advantage Austria New York.

When thinking about American Whiskey, the rolling hills and grain fields of Kentucky or Tennessee come to mind, the Bourbon heartland. But did you know, that close to the city center of Chicago you will find KOVAL, the first distillery opened in the third largest city of the US since the end of prohibition? There you will find some of the best and tastiest bourbons and fruit schnapps, prepared with very Austrian craftsmanship. In this Episode #5 we are talking to Sonat Hart and Robert Birnecker, an American-Austrian couple who not only started a family with two lovely kids in Chicago, but also one of the best craft distilleries in the United States. They will tell us about the challenges of establishing a business in a place that did not even have the required laws and regulations in place yet, how the mix of US salesmanship and Austrian taste engineering led to so much success and,how you can stay very relevant and even pivot your entire business as a Whisky distillery in the middle of a global pandemic.It’s time to taste KOVAL while listening to this fascinating cross-cultural story on how to scale a start-up and establish commercial success in a hard-fought and very competitive environment.

In this episode Fabien will discuss with you the following topics:Challenges for the NYC startup ecosystem during the ongoing Covid19 crisis.How can startups and large corporations improve their cooperation?What are common red flags foreign startups coming to the U.S. should avoid?Future areas of growth: How did Covid19 change how investor’s view startups?It is time for a holistic look on the New York City tech ecosystem. This time our startup & tech guy Florian Krisch will interview Fabien Legland from BNY Mellon. The two will talk about the challenges for the dynamic NYC startup ecosystem and how the pandemic disrupted it. Fabien will provide insights from his day-to-day business and explain how startups can increase their chances of onboarding a new corporate client. Especially in B2B sales, featuring extensive negotiations and complex solutions, the right approach is key to success. In addition, Fabien and Florian will talk about the investment landscape and recent trends they witnessed. About FabienFabien has more than 15 years of experience in the field of IT management. He spent 3 years working at a major consulting group in Europe, helping large public and private clients to execute digital transformation, followed by 12 years at French banking heavyweight Credit Agricole, where he acted as head of sourcing and procurement and as the head of project management and digital transformation. Fabien joined Wall Street bank BNY Mellon’s Technology Business Management group about a year ago. In his new role, he has led initiatives to drive cost optimization and boost the digital innovation. Besides his full-time banking job, Fabien is also a mentor and advisor to startups looking to expand in the U.S. market. He has led several learning expeditions for large European corporations in the U.S. and strives to foster innovation by connecting startups, investors and large corporations. About FlorianFlorian Krisch acts as a sector manager for startups and innovation at Advantage Austria’s New York office. Over the last 4 years, he has advised numerous Austrian startups on their U.S. market entry strategy and organized one-week long fast accelerator programs. Florian seeks to foster meaningful relationships between the Austrian startup ecosystem and stakeholders in NYC. 

Around 330.000 people work in New York’s restaurants and bars, most of them out of a job for three months. Slowly, the city that never sleeps, but was put in an artificial coma, is opening its restaurants again. A lot will have changed, hearing your neighbors more than the person you share a table with in overcrowded places might be a thing of the past. The latest hotspot where people already line up outside for hours might not be the place you want to go to for a while. Erwin Schröttner has been a successful restaurateur in NYC for decades and will tell us about his personal experience, what he thinks about the restaurant business of the future and how messaging and Social Media have been important during this time of crisis. His famous Austrian Café Katja in the East Village is partly open for business, but times have been challenging for the Schnitzel Master from Styria.

Jazz belongs to New York City like gondolas to Venice or rainy weather to London. The city has a multitude of famous jazz joints, is home to world renowned musicians, jazz universities and recording studios. In the past months all these places had to close their doors and a lot of musicians were out of a job and had to find new ways to financially survive. Franz Hackl has founded his own jazz festival in Tyrol, Austria and has been playing with top musicians in the US for decades. We will hear about how he pivoted and concentrated more on musical education through digital platforms. Instead of teaching only in the city, his student audience grew globally. Find out what new opportunities the Covid-19 challenge presented to the jazz scene and listen to Franz compare the musical landscape in Europe and the US.

It has become more and more common to consume news and media digitally and on the go. We want to be up to date whenever and wherever we are. Not only has the need for availability and actuality increased but also our primary source of information has shifted away from the morning newspaper and the evening news program to a vast array of platforms with infinite and unregulated content creators. We are thus more independent than ever in choosing whom we want to trust and which information, we want to believe in. With this freedom to choose our own source or even create our own content comes also comes the responsibility to identify the factual truth. With a simple click, we share pictures, videos, statements and ideas and support its spread among our peers and the world. Regardless whether it is true or not a story that goes “viral” can very quickly have implications on people’s lives, businesses and even politics. Within that spectrum, videos are taking a particularly relevant position as we easily connect with the moving image, the emotions and situations shown and we are more likely to believe a situation that we see unfold “right in front of our eye”. The famous New York Times has established a team of very specific video journalist with a particular skill set who specialize in analyzing video based stories, verifying their authenticity and given a holistic context of a situation always hunting – the truth! Christoph Köttl, a fellow Austrian is one of those video journalists and in our first podcast episode, he will share with us insights in his very personal and professional battle against misinformation and fake news. This is the story of Christoph Köttl, This is the Sound of Business!