Behind the Mic: What We Have Learned from 50+ interviews with Melanie Gabriel & Christian Woese
Description
We close out the year by turning the mic on ourselves. After a full year of conversations with Europe’s most thoughtful founders, operators, and investors, we reflect on the lessons that truly changed how we think about building companies, leading people, and staying sane along the way. From international ambition to focus, ego, and introspection, this episode pulls together the patterns that kept showing up, on the podcast and in our own journeys.
In this episode we talk about:
• Why thinking big and international from day one is a mindset, not a stage
• How saying no became one of the most important growth skills
• Why introspection and emotional intelligence are underrated founder advantages
• How to define success beyond funding rounds, titles, and external validation
A reflective end-of-year conversation about ambition, focus, and what it really means to build meaningful companies in Europe - without losing yourself in the process.
For more reflections, book lists, and behind-the-scenes insights, subscribe to our newsletter at followthegradient.io.
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