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Invest and ScaleEP 31 From Investment Banking to E-commerce: Alexej Pikovsky's Dynamic Career JourneyWelcome back to another episode of Invest & Scale! I’m your host, Gabriel Murillo, and today we’re diving into an inspiring conversation with Alex Pikovsky. With a career spanning investment banking, venture capital, private equity, and entrepreneurship, Alex brings a wealth of experience and adaptability to the table.From starting in investment banking focused on natural resources to investing in early-stage tech and scaling businesses in industries like cannabis, psychedelics, and SEO, Alex’s journey is nothing short of remarkable. In this episode, he shares invaluable lessons on navigating challenges in family offices, scaling a scented candle...2024-12-2950 min
Play It SmartTurn Clicks Into Cash: Conversion Hacks Every Business NeedsOliver Kenyon is a UK-based entrepreneur and the Co-Founder of ConversionWise, a company specializing in conversion rate optimization (CRO). Under his leadership, ConversionWise has collaborated with over 3,500 brands, including GFUEL, Lotus Biscuits, and Lamborghini, as well as prominent figures like Lionel Messi and Kim Kardashian.He is also the Founder of AffiliateFix, a leading affiliate marketing community that grew to over 70,000 members and 400,000 discussions. This platform was later acquired by Neil Patel’s investment firm in 2017.Before his entrepreneurial ventures, Oliver was a fully qualified chef. Beyond his business achievements, he is dedicated to...2024-12-0646 min
Play It SmartDon’t Dilute Your Ownership! The Debt vs Equity Debate Every Tech Founder Needs to HearIn this episode with Luc Arama, you’ll learn:HSBC Innovation Banking’s acquisition of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Luc’s feelings about it.How companies manage a debt facility with SVB in both the UK and the US.Why a founder should consider going down the debt route rather than the equity route.At what stages does HSBC Innovation Banking lend to companies.What terms HSBC Innovation Banking usually offer for someone who is raising money through both an equity round and a venture debt facility.How HSBC Innovation Banking differentiates itself in the market against tradit...2024-11-2934 min
Play It SmartThe Path to Independent Success: Rand Fishkin on How to Build Without VC FundingIn this podcast episode, Alexej and Rand Fishkin discuss the advantages of angel funding over venture capital for startups, emphasizing sustainable business growth over rapid scaling. Rand shares insights from his experience with Moz and SparkToro, highlighting alternative investment structures and the potential impact of AI on search and SaaS industries. They also explore wealth-building approaches for entrepreneurs and the importance of antitrust policies in fostering innovation.🔍Timestamps:00:01 Alexej welcomes Rand to the conversation00:44 Rand introduces himself, discussing Moz and SparkToro02:19 Discussion on non-VC funding choices04:40 Reasons for pre...2024-10-2857 min
Tropical MBA: Entrepreneurship & Founder Lifestyle#778 - Agencies vs. Products + What Happened in the Amazon Aggregator Space?This week’s episode is for the business finance and idea nerds.
We’re joined this week in a business breakdown session with Alexej Pikovsky of Alphawellbrands.com. Alexej raised 4MIL to build a CBD marketplace. They were forced to pivot and have currently acquired an Amazon FBA brand and started up a success agency in the process, the combined revenue of both is on track to be over 4MIL this year.
We’ll dig into the Peter Paul problem– how to choose where to focus your energy when you have multiple businesses?
We’ll al...2024-10-2452 min
CEOAFTERDARKThe No-VC Funding Blueprint for Explosive Business Growth with Alexej PikovskyJoin George Kapernaros as he sits down with Alexej Pikovsky, CEO of Alphawell Group, to discuss his journey from finance to entrepreneurship. Alexej shares insights into his ventures, including an SEO and PPC agency that evolved from a CBD marketplace and a booming e-commerce scented candles brand. His entrepreneurial success is rooted in leveraging his finance experience for business growth and optimization.Alexej highlights the transformative power of private communities like OnDeck and Hampton, crediting them for vital networking and learning opportunities. He also outlines practical strategies for scaling businesses without VC funding, emphasizing patience, trial and...2024-10-0329 min
Play It SmartFrom Viral B2C AI Video templates to leading AI Video SaaS platformIn this podcast episode, we dive deep into Rizzle's innovative journey from a short-form video platform to a leading SaaS for AI-driven video creation. Discover how Rizzle prioritizes product features, manages challenges, and envisions the future of video editing. Hear personal insights on fundraising, team dynamics, and the entrepreneurial spirit from the co-founder with a rich tech background. Don't miss key lessons and an inspiring success story on navigating the tech industry and scaling a startup.🔍Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Product Features and Prioritization01:03 What is Rizzle?03:21 The Journey of the Founders2024-07-3147 min
Play It SmartHow to be a Tech Disruptor in One of the Oldest Sports Industries of our TimeIn this podcast episode we dive deep into Pegasus, a pioneering SaaS platform transforming the equestrian event management industry. Sam, the founder, takes us through the company's vision of becoming the global operating system for the equestrian economy. Learn about their unique journey from bootstrap beginnings to launching with potential, powered by a strong marketing strategy and deep industry insights. Discover the challenges and triumphs of developing such specialized software, their strategic approach to market entry, and how they plan to dominate this niche yet lucrative industry. Perfect for tech enthusiasts, aspiring founders, and anyone with a passion for...2024-07-0156 min
Play It SmartHow to Build a Modern B2B Commerce NetworkIn this episode, we sit down with Dipti, the founder of CRSTL, a modern B2B commerce network focused on enabling brands of all sizes to go omni-channel. Dipti shares the journey of launching CRSTL, discusses the challenges faced, and the unique value CRSTL brings in the EDI space. Learn about her background, the importance of customer focus, and the strategic decisions behind building and scaling a SaaS business in the eCommerce infrastructure space. Timestamped segments include the origin story of CRSTL, growth channels, customer validation, team building, resource allocation, fundraising experiences, and advice for other entrepreneurs.2024-06-2441 min
Play It SmartLeading WhatsApp Integrations SaaS for CRMs and SalesIn this episode of the SaaS Minds Podcast, host Alex interviews Ishay Tentser, CEO and founder of Timeless AI. Ishay shares his unique journey of pioneering a business on WhatsApp five years ago, which has now become a trend among VCs. He explains how he runs Timeless AI, which integrates WhatsApp with CRM systems to bring all customer communication into one platform. Ishay also discusses managing platform risks, maintaining a first-mover advantage, and balancing his time with a web development agency he co-founded. The discussion covers Timeless AI’s product-led growth strategy, challenges faced with WhatsApp API changes, and fu...2024-06-1840 min
Play It SmartBootstrapping to $1m ARR while competing at American Ninja WarriorIn this episode of the SaaS Minds podcast, we explore the remarkable journey of serial entrepreneur Chris Baden. Chris, a three-time founder and CEO of Flowchat, shares his experience in transforming his latest startup from an agency tool to a standalone SaaS business, achieving $1M in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in just two years. Discover how Chris balances his entrepreneurial ventures with family life, having three kids, and competing in multiple seasons of American Ninja Warrior. Learn about his strategies for scaling Flowchat, the importance of branding and partnerships, and insights from his involvement in Dan Martell's SaaS Academy...2024-06-1153 min
Play It SmartHow Grain Hit $1m ARR With Product LoopsIn this podcast episode, Jeff Whitlock, CEO of Grain, discusses the evolution and innovative strides of Grain, an AI note-taking and conversational intelligence tool. Learn about Grain's unique features, market positioning, growth strategies, and Jeff's insights on navigating the SaaS landscape. Get an inside look at their product's journey, challenges faced, and the importance of innovation in retaining customers. Jeff also shares his personal experiences balancing work and family, and offers valuable advice for aspiring SaaS founders.🔍Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the SaaS Minds Podcast00:25 Meet Jeff: CEO of Grain0...2024-06-0341 min
Play It SmartHow Culture Built a $30m ARR B2B SaaSIn this episode of SaaS Minds, Alina Vandenberghe, co-founder and co-CEO of Chili Piper, shares her journey of migrating from Romania to building a $30 million SaaS company. She elaborates on her philosophy of leadership, rebranding her title to better reflect her role in guiding her team rather than commanding it. Alina dives into the challenges and strategies of scaling a SaaS company, emphasizing the crucial roles of customer segmentation, brand, culture, and decision-making processes. The conversation also touches upon the nuances and responsibilities of maintaining a personal and company presence on LinkedIn, alongside the impact of humor and transparency...2024-05-2732 min
Play It SmartHow Two Brothers Built a Waste Management SaaSIn this episode, Alexej hosts Charlie Dolan, co-founder of DSQ Technology, a company specializing in software for the waste and water management industry. Previously, Charlie and his brother built and sold Sequoia Waste Solutions, a tech-enabled service business in the same sector. This episode delves into the entrepreneurial journey of pivoting from a service to a software company, discusses strategies for scaling without capital raising, and explores product feature prioritization and M&A. Charlie shares insights from the early days of starting a business in college to developing DSQ Technology and its products like Discovery and Pioneer, aimed at...2024-05-2043 min
Play It SmartHow DrugHunter Grew to $2M ARRIn this podcast episode, Alexej interviews Dennis Hu, a chemist-turned-founder who launched Drug Hunter, a B2B subscription service for drug discovery professionals. Dennis discusses his academic background, including a fast-tracked PhD from Stanford and work in the biotech industry, before founding Drug Hunter. He shares insights on the initial challenges, such as pricing strategies and deciding on product features, and how the company has grown to serve over 150 institutions with an ARR exceeding 2 million dollars. Key takeaways include the importance of focusing on what customers are willing to pay the most demand for, and how pivoting from offering...2024-05-1334 min
Play It SmartHow This LinkedIn SaaS Hit $2M ARR With SEOIn this podcast episode, Alexej interviews Jean Baptiste (JB), the French founder of EvaBoot, a LinkedIn scraping tool. JB shares his entrepreneurial journey, detailing how he and his co-founder scaled EvaBoot from zero to 2 million ARR in two years without external funding. He discusses the importance of talking to customers before building a product, the strategic use of no-code tools for fast development, and leveraging SEO and YouTube for growth. JB also touches on the challenges of pricing, the decision against moving to the U.S., and the insights gained from bootstrapping and networking. The podcast delves into JB's...2024-05-0851 min
Play It SmartBootstrapping eCom SaaS to $5m ARRIn this podcast episode, Alexej interviews Cody McGuffie about his transition from a recruiter at Qualcomm to establishing successful e-commerce brands and ultimately founding a SaaS business, Everbee. Cody shares his journey of scaling Everbee from zero to $5 million ARR in just over two years through bootstrapping. The discussion covers Cody's insights on identifying a market need despite existing solutions, his focus on the e-commerce tools sector, and the importance of mindset and values before starting a business. Cody also delves into his strategies for customer acquisition, growth channels, and his decision against venture capital funding. Lastly, Cody offers...2024-05-0157 min
Play It SmartRob Smith at SlickRob Smith is the co-founder of Slick, a salon management SaaS tool.He explains how Slick, which is catering to hair and beauty salons, aids in managing bookings, payments, website and marketing, and has seen expansive growth with over 2000 customers. Rob also highlights the importance of their quality product which has an 85% NPS and less than 1% churn.In the interview, he provides insight into the hair and beauty industry, explaining the reliance on pen and paper and the potential impact of digitization. Further in the conversation, he discusses their relationship with L'Oreal, their unique sales...2024-04-1642 min
Play It SmartSam Shepler at Testimonial HeroAlexej interviews Sam Shepler, the founder of Testimonial Hero, a company specializing in creating impactful video testimonials for SaaS and professional services firms. They delve deep into the significance of social proof in today's business world and discuss the unique value video testimonials bring to the table. Sam shares his entrepreneurial journey from starting a video production agency to creating Testimonial Hero, which is now a multi-million dollar business. During their conversation, they also explore the importance of focusing on your ideal customer persona, choosing the right verticals, and valuing trust as a key factor in customer acquisition and...2024-04-0246 min
Play It SmartHow to Build AI for Institutional FinanceFrom leading a medical cannabis testing software company to venturing into the private equity industry, Tony Lewis shares his experiences, tips, and lessons. He discusses his perspectives on co-founding, scaling up a software business, understanding the evolving SaaS market, finding the right fit between AI technology and potential clients, and the importance of values in business. He also shares his approach towards fundraising and the crucial role of networking in scaling a SaaS business.Timestamps:💡 Key HighlightsTony’s experience at Stanford University, why he decided to launch Confident Cannabis, and how he scale...2024-04-0248 min
Play It SmartHow to Monetize Communities with TechHannah Forbes is the CEO and co-founder of Lima, a SaaS business for communities.We discuss insights on how to launch a SaaS business in the community space and how to leverage an accelerator to find a co-founder. We also cover strategies for achieving product-market fit, dealing business challenges, defining pricing strategies, managing investor relations, and the importance of taking breaks for sustenance in the start-up journey.🔍Timestamps:00:25 Meet the Guest: Hannah Forbes, CEO of Lima01:39 Understanding Lima: A SaaS Business for Communities02:01 The Journey of Finding a Co-Founder03:22 The...2024-03-2028 min
Play It SmartRaised $16m to Build an AR & AI SaaSVadim Rogovskiy is a three-time founder, and a partner at an early-stage tech fund in New York. He is the Founder of 3D Look, an AI enterprise SaaS which raised $16m. We delve into Vadim's journey of scaling a body scanning enterprise SaaS business that sells into Fashion and Fitness.He also discusses the challenges he faced, the changing perspective about fundings, and the importance of patience in business growth.🔍Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and Guest Background00:29 Vadim's Journey and Thesis on Delaying Series A00:59 Vadim's Latest Venture and His Experience in the...2024-03-1129 min
Play It SmartBuilding a Martech SaaSJenny Wolfram is the CEO and Founder of Brand Bastion, a MarTech SaaS business that works with prestigious clients like Uber, Netflix, and North Face. Jenny shares her journey from studying law in Finland to moving to LA two years ago and starting her successful business. She also talks about the challenges and strategies of building a SaaS business without a technical background, the evolution of the product offering of her company, and the unconventional route they took in fundraising. We also discuss the balance between learning and leading. 🔍Timestamps:2024-03-0531 min
Play It SmartWill Your SaaS Get Acquired in 2024? TinySeed's OutlookEinar Vollset is the founder of Tiny Seed (over $40m assets under management), a leading B2B SaaS accelerator, and Discretion Capital, an M&A boutique for SaaS founders. Einar shares insights as an entrepreneur with experience in different sectors, discussing why he decided to launch TinySeed over a venture studio. He provides an insightful view into how TinySeed operates, comparing it to YC, and detailing the nuances of its investment model. We also examine how SaaS has performed over the last few years, voiced concerns about AI's potential market frothiness, and Einar revealing his gu...2024-02-2838 min
Play It SmartThe Dangers of VC Funding in SaaSMatteo Grassi is a five-time founder backed. He grew Popup to over 40 people in the team, and it successfully raised $3.5 million from many backers including Accel, 20VC, and SeedcampUnfortunately, the business encountered difficulties and, in January 2024, Popup was shut down. The episode dives into the challenges Grassi faced in the competitive world of content management systems, the importance of community building, and the crippling reality of venture capital's 'moonshot' expectations. Now, Matteo works as a mentor and advisor for startups. He also has built an app called Baseline that is designed to he...2024-02-2056 min
Play It SmartHow to Acquire Startups to Exit Your SaaSSimon Hay is the founder of Firefly, one of the UK's top EdTech SaaS businesses. We discuss Firefly’s 17-year journey, from its humble beginnings when Simon was still in school to its notable exit. Simon shares insights into the formation and growth of Firefly, the challenges faced during funding rounds, their growth strategies, their mergers and acquisitions, and their subsequent successful exit. Simon also shares the lessons he learned along the way, the significance of focusing on one thing at a time, and the importance of having reliable, predictable future revenue stre...2024-02-1235 min
Play It SmartSaaS Secrets from $40m Revenue Serial FounderJordan Shlosberg is the founder and former managing director of ProSapient - a leading expert network platform. Jordan shares his experience of successfully raising £10 million and scaling ProSapient to an impressive 300 staff and £40 million in revenue. In addition to this, we delve into Jordan's decision to embark on two new businesses - a recruitment and an HR tech company. We discuss the unique opportunities and challenges faced by second-time entrepreneurs, the importance of understanding customer needs, and the power of personalised marketing. The episode also reveals Jordan's plans for the future, includ...2024-02-0638 min
Play It SmartHow to Bootstrap to $2.5m ARR Whilst Travelling The WorldIn this episode, Alexej interviews Amar Ghose, CEO of ZenMaid. ZenMaid is a successful maid scheduling software which helps business owners grow their maid service. Amar shares his journey from starting out with a friend to bootstrap ZenMaid up to an impressive $2.5 million ARR, all while leading a digital nomadic lifestyle. He discusses his approach to customer acquisition, the importance of testing various marketing channels, and the importance of maintaining a balanced lifestyle while scaling a business. Amar also shares valuable insights about competitor analysis, feature prioritization, and the significance of not giving up. 2024-01-3048 min
Play It SmartHow to Sell Your SaaS Into Enterprise CompliantlyIn this episode of SaaS Minds, Aman, Head of Growth at Nuoptima, is joined by Deepak, co-founder and CEO of BoxyHQ. They discuss the ins and outs of selling SaaS compliantly to enterprises. Topics include BoxyHQ's foundation story, the hidden costs and challenges of building bespoke security solutions, understanding compliance and security requirements of enterprise buyers, future trends, and marketing strategies. Particularly useful for developers or founders considering upmarket shift.🔍 Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Episode00:11 Guest Introduction: Deepak, CEO of BoxyHQ01:14 Understanding BoxyHQ and its Role in the Market03...2024-01-2353 min
Play It SmartExiting an Enterprise SaaS to a US Strategic Owned by Vista EquityIn this episode, David Scott Turner, co-founder and CTO of Imburse Payments, shares his entrepreneurial journey starting from the launch of his enterprise SaaS solution business, Imburse, to its acquisition by Duck Creek. The episode covers a variety of topics including the challenges and rewards of scaling, customer acquisition strategies, crucial considerations during hiring, insights into the acquisition process and post-merger integration. David also shares valuable lessons on keeping product development simple and effective, the importance of maintaining a globally diverse team, and the vital role of networking in enterprise-level business growth.🔍 Timestamps:0...2024-01-1248 min
The Founders LoungeThis Investment Banker "Accidentally" Built a 7-Figure Agency in 2 Years - Alexej Pikovsky | E75Alexej Pikovsky is the CEO and founder of Alphawell Brands, a holding company under which he currently operates a 7-figure growth agency and a fast-growing wellness ecommerce brand. Early in his career he spent two years at a $3 billion private equity fund, gained board-level experience and led a EUR 226 million sale of a portfolio business. Then he went on to start the UK’s largest CBD marketplace, which he then led through an award-winnign pivot (yes, apparently that’s a thing!) into what’s now a profitable agency and a growing ecommerce brand. Alexej was previously featured in Fortune, Financ...2024-01-031h 03
The Velocity Juice PodcastThe Velocity Juice Podcast - Episode 4: The Story of Alphawell Brands with Alexej PikovskyOur fourth episode introduces Alexej Pikosvky, founder of Alphawell Brands, a global e-commerce platform for health & wellness brands. In this podcast he discusses his journey into entrepreneurship and building brands within the wellness space.
Our first podcast series aims to empower founders by providing them with curated conversations on growing Direct-to-Consumer businesses. We will engage our listeners will stories from our portfolio founders and learn about their journeys and the ups and downs of building their dream companies.
Our listeners will be introduced to experts specialising in assisting with scaling D2C businesses, from SEO t...2023-03-2841 min
Make Each Click Count Hosted By Andy SplichalWinning eCommerce With A Long-Term Mindset with Alexej PikovskyThis episode features Alexej Pikovsky, the founder of Alphagreen Group. Alphagreen is a digital house of Health and Wellness brands. With over 15 VC-backed startups/scaleups, Alphagreen uses a long-term mindset, favoring strategies such as SEO & acquire profitable brands and scaling them to enter new geographies and unlocking new growth channels.Alexej discusses why they focus on long-term strategies such as SEO, rather than shorter-term, mediate client acquisition strategies such as Google paid ads, or Facebook paid ads. He shares they get into the health and wellness brand and the strategies they use such as not using Google...2022-11-1833 min
The D2Z PodcastHealth and Wellness DTC, Supply Chain and Distribution, and Social Proof with Alexej Pikovsky - 34Brandon talks with Alexej Pikovsky, CEO & Co-Founder of Alphawell Brands and NUOPTIMA (formerly the Alphagreen Group), a global health and wellness e-commerce platform. They talk about building health and wellness brands online, how to determine what brands to acquire or pursue, the anatomy of product supply chain and distribution channels, and Health and Wellness trends. They explore authentic brands, social proof, and building a business. Links: Find Brandon Amoroso at https://www.brandonamoroso.com and https://www.electriqmarketing.com. Find Alexej Pikovsky at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexej-pikovsky-9743701/ and A...2022-10-3133 min
The Story of a BrandAlphawell Brands - Acquiring, Scaling Health & Wellness BrandsThis episode is brought to you by Sendlane. Alexej says, “most margins are compressing because supply chain costs are going up, raw material prices are going up, and other factors are going up because of inflation in other areas. What you see is that a lot of the bigger brands are struggling. So when we look at brands, we look at smaller brands. Why? On top of all the issues you have for bigger brands, you don't actually have a big universe of buyers for smaller brands. So we are one of the few...2022-10-301h 04
Retrain your Brain for successGUEST EXPERT: Alexej Pikovsky - Top tips to start and scale a businessWith so many people starting a business, or scaling up a micro-business, Alexej Pikovsky of Alphagreen IO gives his tips for entrepreneurs. #business #scalingup #entrepreneurship 2022-06-0115 min
Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture CapitalAlexej Pikovsky on Building an e-commerce incubation and acquisition platform in health & wellnessIn this episode, Alexej talks about how Alphagreen picks companies to acquire, what are retail cos doing to combat Amazon’s massive marketplace, the importance of trust and quality in brand building, and much more! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit partnergrow.substack.com2021-11-1336 min
New Thinking: LeadersBusiness Leaders - Alexej PikovskyAlexej Pikovsky is co-founder and chief executive of Alphagreen Group. Founded in 2019, the company has become the leading e-commerce platform for wellness and consumer health. Their mission is to build, buy and scale brands in the holistic wellness space. Prior to this, Alexej spent several years in venture capital and at a multi-billion-pound private equity fund. In this in-depth conversation, he reflects on his career journey so far, from trading equities at 16 to how he moved into the holistic wellness industry; discusses building a marketplace for holistic health and why he decided to broaden this to also launching own...2021-11-0351 min
The Cannabis ReviewAlphagreen to be the Amazon of Cannabis | Alexej Pikovsky (CEO / Co-Founder of Alphagreen Group) | The Cannabis ReviewIn this episode we chat to Alexej Pikovsky, the co-founder and CEO of Alphagreen Group Ltd.
We discuss:
- Story of Alphagreen Group
- Current landscape of CBD in the U.K.
- Recent listings on the London Stock Exchange
For more - https://www.irishmedianetwork.com/the-cannabis-review
2021-03-2213 min
The Cannabis Conversation | Medical Cannabis | CBD | HempEPISODE #86 CBD and E-Commerce with Alexej Pikovsky, CEO of Alphagreen GroupThis week we’re joined by Alexej Pikovsky CEO and Co-Founder of Alphagreen - online marketplace for CBD and alternative health products.Join us as we investigate some of the many marketing challenges CBD brands face when selling online, alongside Alphagreen’s tried and tested SEO strategy and advice on how to gain traction online.→ View full show notes and summary here: https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/episode-86-cbd-and-e-commerce-with-alexej-pikovsky-ceo-of-alphagreen-groupAbout AlexejAlexej is the Co-Founder and CEO of Alphagreen Group...2020-11-0226 min