After greater than two years, over 100 episodes, and numerous insightful conversations, the EU-Startups Podcast is marking a brand new milestone.
Our ultimate episode of the 12 months can be a particular one – it marks the final episode hosted by Marcin Lewandowski, who has been the voice behind the mic for the previous two years. In an unconventional and fittingly energetic farewell, we flipped the script: I, David Cendón Garcia, the Information Editor at EU-Startups, interviewed Marcin on the padel courtroom, stay and in a single take.
And sure, we performed whereas recording.
This isn’t only a farewell – it’s a handover. From this episode onwards, I’ll be taking on the internet hosting duties of the EU-Startups Podcast. It’s an honour and a problem I’m excited to embrace, particularly after seeing firsthand the affect and worth this podcast has dropped at the European startup ecosystem.
Marcin’s journey into podcasting wasn’t a standard one. His ardour for storytelling and connecting with folks was rooted in his early years in Poland, the place he helped out in his father’s enterprise – an organization specialising in home windows, doorways, and technical parts. From a younger age, he supported operations in varied methods, typically even unloading supplies when shipments arrived. Working alongside his father and observing the entrepreneurial grind up shut, planted the seeds of curiosity and drive that will later form his world path by means of startups, storytelling, and ultimately the mic.
That keenness later took him throughout 50 international locations, by means of varied startups – together with his personal – and ultimately to podcasting with a mission: to highlight actual, inspiring tales of founders and traders throughout Europe.
“I needed to make it enjoyable and private and inform nice tales of individuals from totally different backgrounds who turned enterprise capital traders or startup founders,” stated Lewandowski.
Earlier than becoming a member of EU-Startups, Marcin had already launched his personal present, TurnedVC. He was not sure whether or not a Zoom-based podcast format would convey the identical vitality, however rapidly discovered that nice conversations come from nice folks – not the medium.
“It turned out to be all in regards to the folks. In case you meet on a weekly foundation individuals who construct one thing superb and who you possibly can be taught a lot from, you’re going to get excited – regardless of the way you meet them,” he famous.
Over the course of 100+ episodes, Marcin spoke with a few of the most inspiring figures in tech and enterprise, together with Man Kawasaki, Steve Chen, and Jacqueline van den Ende.
“It’s onerous to decide on … however I feel you turn out to be the sum of the folks you meet. This has been a tremendous alternative to satisfy over 100 unbelievable folks I may be taught from and who, in a method, turned a part of me,” he mirrored.
Whereas lots of the interviews have been performed from the studio or over Zoom, behind-the-scenes logistics may get intense – particularly with TurnVC. One episode had Marcin and his cameraman Max flying from Barcelona to London at 6:30 a.m., filming in 4 totally different areas, and returning dwelling by 2:30 a.m. the following morning, simply in time to maintain a promise to his daughter.
“She was lacking me quite a bit after I was away filming. So I’d all the time promise her I’d be again to place her to mattress – and convey her one thing from the journey,” he stated.
Now, with the mic handed over, Marcin is diving into new ventures. One in every of them, Founders to Be, is a contemporary initiative to convey Europe’s high founders again to their universities to share their journeys and mentor the following era of entrepreneurs.
“I need to assist entrepreneurs construct a happier and extra sustainable future that my daughter shall be excited to stay in,” he shared.
From all of us at EU-Startups, thanks, Marcin. You’ve constructed greater than a podcast – you’ve constructed a platform and a group. And as for what’s subsequent? Effectively, I’ll do my greatest to hold the torch ahead with the identical curiosity, heat, and dedication to nice conversations that made your tenure so memorable.
Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast if you happen to haven’t already – and catch this ultimate episode with Marcin to get an sincere, enjoyable, and heartfelt look behind the scenes of one in all Europe’s most beloved startup podcasts.
Video model of episode 148:
Audio model of episode 148:
Key Takeaways:
→ Marcin’s story and the way it began
→ the conversations that made the most important affect
→ the hardest moments
→ favourite visitors + classes discovered
→ and what’s subsequent
