Scaling Nerds | Startup PR, Thought Leadership and Storytelling for Startup Founders

The Future of Media, AI & Founder Visibility Guest: Steven PerlbergLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sperlberg/⁠ · Merantix Capital: ⁠https://www.merantix-capital.com⁠Head of Communications at Merantix Capital — Berlin-based VC investing in early-stage AI. Former reporter at WSJ, BuzzFeed News, and Business Insider covering media, tech, and politics. Happy to connect with journalists exploring life after reporting.Host: Marina SchmidtLinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠ · Website: ⁠https://www.scalingnerds.com⁠Communications advisor helping science and tech founders get seen, heard, and backed — on stages, podcasts, and in the press.The media landscape is shifting fast — and as a founder, understanding that shift is no longer optional. Steven Perlberg, Head of Communications at Merantix Capital and former tech journalist at the Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed News, and Business Insider, joins Marina to unpack what AI, fragmentation, and the death of the "mushy middle" mean for how founders should think about visibility, PR, and media strategy.Warning: this one gets philosophical.US vs. European tech media — The fundamental difference is size and reach. US outlets skew toward covering Silicon Valley companies, making it harder for European seed-stage startups to break through without a strong narrative hook, major fundraising news, or a US expansion angle. Steven's rule: define your goal first, then pick the outlets that match it.Why founders should pitch journalists directly — When Steven was a reporter, a direct email from a founder saying "I cover your space, want to grab coffee?" always got a yes. Today's version of the five-reporter shortlist might include a Substack writer or LinkedIn creator. Build those relationships personally, not through agencies.The AI slop problem — Faceless, generic AI content is flooding every channel. The counter-move: a growing premium on human faces and authentic voices. OpenAI's acquisition of tech news show TBPN for reportedly hundreds of millions signals exactly this.LLMs as the new search — If your audience is getting their news via AI tools instead of clicking TechCrunch, the tier of the outlet matters less than it used to. What matters is that your company and point of view exist across enough credible sources to be surfaced by LLMs. GEO is becoming as important as SEO.Opinions as the new gold — As information becomes a commodity, what becomes scarce and valuable is judgment, taste, and a distinctive point of view. Founders who show up consistently with a genuine perspective are positioned to become trusted, parasocial key opinion leaders in their space.The 10-80-10 rule for AI-assisted content — 10% you → 80% AI → 10% you again to edit, humanize, and make it sound like yourself. Prompt it to use your actual language from transcripts and speeches. Don't let it default to "momentum" and bullet points.Trust Me, I'm Lying — Ryan HolidayTBPN — live tech news show acquired by OpenAIETN — European equivalent of TBPN

Most founders walk onto stage cold. Even Usain Bolt doesn't do that.In this solo episode, Marina shares the exact warm-up routine she uses as a professional moderator — a five-minute ritual that will make you sharper, more confident, and more connected with your audience. Do this before your next pitch, panel, or keynote and you'll be in the top 5% of speakers on stage.The framework: Breath → Body → Mind. Always in that order.👉 Working on your visibility as a founder?Marina helps deep tech founders get seen, heard, and backed — on stages, podcasts, and beyond. Learn more at www. wearekinetik.com or connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/🫁 BREATHStart with 5–10 deep belly breaths to ground your voice and calm nerves. Try a slight backbend while breathing to open the diaphragm. Also try the Physiological Sigh (from Huberman Lab): inhale through the nose, take a short top-up breath, then exhale slowly through the mouth. A few of these settle the nervous system fast.For your voice:– Lip trills: blow air through relaxed lips while going up and down in pitch — stretches your vocal range without straining the cords– Lion & Lemon: alternate between stretching your face wide open (lion) and scrunching it tight (lemon) — activates your facial muscles and makes you more expressive– The Finger Bite: lightly place a finger between your teeth and practice speaking clearly. Remove it and your articulation is immediately sharper. Marina's #1 non-negotiable — especially if you tend to mumble or trail off.🧍 BODYOpen your chest. Get your elbows away from your ribcage. Confident speakers take up space. Do a power pose, shake out your arms and legs, and prime your body to gesture freely. According to researcher Vanessa Van Edwards' analysis of thousands of TED Talks, gestures are the single most consistent predictor of how many views a talk gets.🧠 MINDLast, because you need to be grounded first. Adopt a host mindset: you're here to take care of the audience, not to perform for them. Shift the spotlight from yourself to the room. Ask: how can I make sure they have a good experience?If you can, walk the stage beforehand. Find real faces in the audience. Make eye contact with individuals. You're priming your brain to talk to people, not at a crowd.---Referenced in this episode:– Huberman Lab podcast (Andrew Huberman, Stanford) — the Physiological Sigh– Die Gastgebermethode (The Host Method) — available in German only– Vanessa Van Edwards — TED Talk gesture researchMarina Schmidt is a founder communications strategist and professional moderator. If you're a founder working on getting on stages, podcasts, or using storytelling to grow your visibility — reach out on LinkedIn.Scaling Nerds is ranked in the top 5% of podcasts globally, with listeners in 160+ countries.

Make your investor updates the highest-leverage tool to unlock intros, hires, and your next round.In this episode, you get a full, practical breakdown of how to write investor updates that actually work. We cover how to keep them fast and simple, what to include (and what to leave out), how to structure wins, losses, and asks, and how to turn a simple email into a system that builds trust, momentum, and fundraising advantage over time.Why investor updates are one of the most underused growth toolsHow to use updates to activate your investors (not just inform them)The ideal structure: reflection, highlights, metrics, wins/losses, asksHow to balance transparency with confidence when things go wrongWhat changes from pre-seed → Series A and beyondHow to keep updates short, readable, and high-signalWhen and how often to send them (and why consistency matters more than length)How to use updates during a live fundraising round to create momentum and FOMOCommon mistakes: radio silence, overdesign, inconsistent formats, and bloated contentInvestor updates are not newsletters—they are operating tools“Radio silence is a kiss of death” → consistency builds trustInvestors want both wins and problems—and how you handle themShort, structured, and regular beats long and sporadicYour asks are the leverage point—don’t bury themA strong update builds a track record over time, not just a snapshotDaniel Ruben’s article on investor updates (Solvable Syndicate):https://www.solvablesyndicate.comNewsletter platforms:https://www.beehiiv.comhttps://mailchimp.comWriting reference:On Writing Well by William ZinsserFoodTech Weekly newsletter:https://www.foodtechweekly.comSolvable Syndicate:https://www.solvablesyndicate.comLinkedIn:(link in episode description)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] use some help with your comms?Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wearekinetik.com/⁠Scaling Nerds helps science and tech founders master the communication skills behind fundraising, hiring, and growth—so you can scale faster without relying on luck.KeywordsInvestor updates, startup investor communication, founder communication strategy, fundraising strategy, startup fundraising tips, venture capital communication, investor relations startups, startup growth strategy, founder updates, startup metrics reporting, pre-seed startup advice, seed stage fundraising, Series A preparation, startup storytelling, founder transparency, startup email strategy, investor engagement, startup accountability, startup communication systems, scaling a startup, deep tech founders, startup leadership communication

Your voice communicates leadership long before your words do.In this solo episode of Scaling Nerds, Marina Schmidt explores a subtle but powerful communication skill most founders never think about: vocal placement.LinksConnect with the host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] use some help with your comms? Work with Marina via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wearekinetik.com/⁠⁠Why do some people instantly sound trustworthy, calm, and authoritative — while others unintentionally sound nervous, strained, or less confident than they actually are?The answer often lies in where the voice is coming from in the body.Drawing from vocal training, podcasting experience, and hundreds of founder conversations, Marina explains how founders can use their voice more intentionally when pitching investors, speaking on stage, or leading teams.You will learn how different vocal placements — from head voice to chest voice to belly voice — affect how others perceive your confidence, credibility, and presence.Most importantly, Marina shares simple exercises you can use before an important presentation or pitch to ground your voice and project calm authority.If you are a technical founder who wants to sound as credible as the work you are building, this episode will help you become more aware of the leadership signal hidden in your voice.In This EpisodeWhy the voice of a pilot can instantly calm nervous passengersThe concept of vocal placement and why it matters for foundersThe five common places people speak from: head, mouth, throat, chest, and bellyWhy chest and belly voice create more authority and trustThe difference between speaking loudly and projecting your voiceHow vocal strain and sore throats reveal poor vocal placementA simple breathing exercise to ground your voice before a pitch or presentationWhy smiling slightly while speaking can make your voice sound warmerHow founders can consciously train their voice for leadership presenceYour voice shapes first impressions.Before people process your ideas, they interpret your vocal tone, grounding, and confidence.Authority is often a physical phenomenon.Speaking from the chest or belly creates a grounded vocal tone that naturally communicates credibility.Projection is not about volume.It is about directing your voice so it carries through a room without strain.Warmth can be heard.Even a subtle smile changes the vocal pattern and makes a speaker sound more approachable.Before an important pitch or presentation:Find a private space.Place your hands on your lower back.Lean slightly backward in a gentle backbend.Take slow deep belly breaths.This activates the diaphragm and helps move your voice into a more grounded register.Key TakeawaysPractical Exercise From This EpisodeWho This Episode Is For

Imagine you are about to perform a three-minute startup pitch. You stand on stage, the countdown timer ticking. Precious seconds go by, and as you start talking about your business, you explain who you are. You mention the team — beep, beep — the time is up. What. Already. Well, that has happened to a lot of founders.I can guarantee you, nailing a three-minute stage pitch is not easy, and it’s not something that most of us can just wing. Some of the best practices for preparing a long presentation actually do not apply to a three-minute stage pitch and can even be harmful.Why? Because the margin of error is so thin.In this episode, you’ll find out how many words and sentences you can actually fit into a three-minute pitch, what the four elements are that you absolutely have to include, and how you can end your pitch on a powerful note. The interesting thing is, it’s easier to turn a three-minute pitch into a five-minute or eight-minute pitch than the other way around.It’s better to start with a short version and then add to it, whereas cutting content is really, really tough. So whatever you take away from today, this is the essence of your pitch.Our lovely guest today is David Beckett. David is an international pitch coach who has trained over 2,900 startups and scaleups to win over 490 million in investment. David is also the creator of the Pitch Canvas and author of the books Pitch to Win and Blue Moon Pitch. It was really a blast to talk to him, and I hope you’ll enjoy the conversation as much as I did.Scaling Nerds helps science and tech founders master the essential communication skills of startup growth so you can fundraise easier, attract customers, and scale faster. I’m your host, Marina Schmidt, a communications advisor for founders specialized in AgriFood, biotech, and materials — or put differently, I scale nerds.LinksConnect with David Becketthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeckettpresentationcoach/Best3Minuteshttps://best3minutes.com/The Pitch Canvashttps://best3minutes.com/the-pitch-canvas/Connect with the host:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] use some help with your comms? Check out ⁠⁠⁠https://www.wearekinetik.com/#StartupPitchTraining#ThreeMinutePitch#FounderFundraising#InvestorPitchTips#PitchCoachInsights#StartupCommunication#DeepTechFounders#ScienceTechStartups#PitchToWin#PitchCanvasFramework#ScalingNerdsPodcast#StartupGrowthStrategies#StartupSEO#PodcastSEO#PodcastShowNotes#FounderSkills#PitchStructure#StagePitchPreparation#EntrepreneurAdvice