Every Second Friday Off? Live Podcast from the Project A Knowledge Conference – with Markus Wübben, CrossEngage

About this episode

At the Project A Knowledge Conference (PakCon), Markus Wübben, founder of CrossEngage, provided fascinating insights into seven years of company building. Together with Fabian Tausch, he spoke candidly about successes, failures, and lessons learned from building his tech company.

From Foundation to Today: CrossEngage's Journey

CrossEngage has existed as a tech company for around seven years now. During this time, the company has experienced both severe setbacks and remarkable successes. Markus Wübben honestly shared what went wrong during this period and which strategies proved to be extremely successful.

Particularly interesting: the evolution of sales processes from the very first customer to today's systematic sales approach. This demonstrates how companies develop organically while continuously adapting their processes.

Major Mistakes and Important Learnings

Markus Wübben spoke openly about the major mistakes that befell his company. This transparency is particularly valuable for other founders, as it provides concrete guidance on which pitfalls can be avoided. His insights about what he would do differently today offer practical perspectives for entrepreneurs in similar phases.

A central point was also the question of profitability and whether it's currently the company's focus. This strategic orientation is particularly relevant in times when many startups are reevaluating their priorities between growth and profitability.

Sales Evolution: From First Customer to Scalable Acquisition

The development of customer acquisition at CrossEngage exemplifies how sales processes must change in growing companies. Markus explained how the company won its first customer and what changes in the sales process became necessary over the years.

An important success factor: "Putting yourself in the person's shoes gets you to your goal" – an insight that shows how important empathy and customer understanding are for successful sales strategies.

Building an Employer Brand During Peak Times

A particularly exciting aspect of the conversation was the development of the employer brand. Markus shared how CrossEngage worked on its employer brand especially during peak times and at which points specific changes were made.

This strategic approach to employer branding is particularly relevant, as a strong employer brand not only helps with talent acquisition but also contributes to employee retention.

The Partial Four-Day Week: Structures for More Flexibility

A highlight of the podcast was the discussion about the partial four-day week at CrossEngage. Markus explained concretely which structures are necessary to introduce such work-time flexibility for everyone's benefit.

The question "When can I introduce partial four-day weeks?" concerns many entrepreneurs. Markus's answers provide practical orientation for leaders who want to establish similar models in their companies.

Investors and Temporal Flexibility

The discussion about whether investors have become more temporally flexible today was also interesting. This development reflects the change in the startup world and shows how investors' expectations and understanding have also evolved over the years.

Conclusion: Practical Insights for Founders

The live podcast from PakCon delivered valuable, practical insights into company building. From concrete structures for flexible work models to sales development and building a sustainable employer brand – Markus Wübben honestly shared his experiences from seven years of CrossEngage.

Particularly valuable: the open discussion about mistakes and learnings that can help other founders avoid similar pitfalls and adapt successful strategies.