Swisspreneur Show
Swisspreneur
Why Startups Win Or Lose On People: Witena Partner Samuel Berger (EP #556)
APR 23, 202653 MIN
Why Startups Win Or Lose On People: Witena Partner Samuel Berger (EP #556)
APR 23, 202653 MIN
Description
<p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>9:49 - Challenges for Founders in Hiring</p><p>20:26 - The Role of Boards in Startups</p><p>38:52 - Incentivizing Management Teams</p><p>49:00 - Celebrating Swiss Innovation and Competitiveness</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Episode Summary:</strong></p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-berger-creatingbusiness/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Samuel Berguer</a> is a Partner at <a href="https://www.witena.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Witena</a>, an executive search firm with a dedicated focus on supervisory board and executive committee appointments. Before moving into executive search, he spent years working closely with growing companies in Switzerland, giving him a front-row seat to what actually drives success as companies scale - and where most of them get it wrong.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, we break down why startups quickly become a people game, and how having the right people in the right roles at the right time separates companies that scale from those that stall. Samuel shares why founders should surround themselves with challengers, not supporters, and why decision-making, not consensus, is one of the most underrated leadership skills. We also dive into hiring mistakes founders repeatedly make, including why they tend to hold on to the wrong people for too long.</p><p><br></p><p>We also explore the role of boards in Swiss startups: when to set one up, how to structure it, and why most early boards fail to add real value. Samuel explains why boards shouldn’t be filled with “fans,” but with people who bring experience, challenge assumptions, and evolve with the company. On a broader level, we discuss the Swiss startup ecosystem, from its strong technical foundations to its talent pipeline challenges, and what needs to change for Switzerland to build more globally competitive companies.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re building a startup and want to make better hiring, leadership, and board decisions early, this episode is a must listen.</p><p><br></p><p>The cover portrait was edited by <a href="http://www.smartportrait.io/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">www.smartportrait.io</a>.</p><p><br></p><p>Don’t forget to give us a follow on<a href="https://x.com/swisspreneur" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong> </strong></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/swisspreneur/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Instagram</strong></a>,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/swisspreneur" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong></strong></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/swisspreneur" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Linkedin</strong></a>,<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@swisspreneur" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong> TikTok</strong></a>, and<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Swisspreneur" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong> Youtube </strong></a>so you can always stay up to date with our latest initiatives. That way, there’s no excuse for missing out on live shows, weekly giveaways or founders' dinners.</p><p><br></p>