Live from München at ISPO! Today was the first day of the show and it is massive. I spent quite a bit of today roaming the many halls starting conversations with brands I'd never seen before, many classic ones and even running into a few familiar faces. In the words of Dave Hemming: "it makes Eurobike look like a garagesale". Truly.
With a tradeshow of this scale, I'm spending the upcoming days working through lists of companies we've already contacted on behalf of our clients. The main goals for the show are:
• meeting new partners for komoot.de (marketing managers)
• new clients for ignitiondg.com (tradeshow / retail & merchandising managers)
• new clients for phoenix-wharf.com (marketing & branding directors).
If you're here, I still have some time Wednesday to catch up before hopping back on the night train back to Amsterdam. Of course I'm also finding time to ride each day too. ; ) As always, thanks for reading!
Cycling
My bud Frank the Tank has a new freelance site: frank.works
Frank is a die-hard cyclist. All-round creative and visual artist. A concept and brand developer who's able to work from idea to end product. Beyond this a very dedicated and passionate person with a ton of ambition. Check out his work!
Why cycling makes us happy: the positive psychology of being on the bike
Cycling is a beautiful sport. We hear it all the time. We experience it when we ride and race. Not to mention Cyclists are more intelligent, charitable and cool than the average person. ; )
121 Bikepacking Experts Share Their Routes Around The World
Bicycle touring has a rich and unique history. From working class travel in late 19th century Europe, to US soldier brigades traveling entirely by bike in the early 1900’s history has seen its share of people who supported and got the most out of bike travel. However, prior to 1976, bicycle touring was really seen as a European phenomenon. It didn’t take off in the United States until the “Ride Across America” started taking off.
Startups
Gossip Isn’t a Flaw—It’s a Necessary Social Skill
If you don't have anything nice to say, say it anyway. Just kidding.
This article remindinded me of one of my favorite newsletters, Startup Gossip. Successful gossiping entails being a good team player and sharing key information with others in ways that won’t be perceived as self-serving. It’s about knowing when it’s appropriate to talk, and when it’s probably best to keep your mouth shut.
Do Startups Require Less Capital to Succeed than 10 Years Ago?
There’s a new breed of SaaS company that is far, far more capital efficient than ever before. Why? Over the past 16 years, the sales models for SaaS companies become better refined and startups have begun to benefit greatly from the reduced costs of building and deploying on cloud infrastructure.
How to stay sane when starting a company – The Path Forward
Key takeaways:
Make sure you are really committed;
Find a co-founder, investor, or advisor who can help you in difficult moments;
Don’t take it personally;
Take care of your physical and mental health;
Sales
Your Most Important Skill: Empathy
Empathy is the most important skill you can practice. It will lead to greater success personally and professionally and will allow you to …
30 Phrases That Kill an Introductory Sales Email
"Trust me," I "can guarantee" you won't want to use any of these cringeworthy phrases in your sales emails. Teaser: Erase “just” from every sentence and take note of how the sentence improves and becomes stronger.
What We Learned From Sending 1,000 Cold Emails
Cold emailing potential contacts is a necessary evil in business. So we sent 1,000 to busy execs to see what works and what doesn't.
Radness
Well, it looks like I won't be able to do the Dalsland Runt for a second time this year, so I found a comparable dirt counterpart: The 1st Torino – Nice Rally.
It is a 700km self-supported ride from Turin on the high altitude roads and stradas of the France-Italy border and finishes along the coast to Nice. More info on the website. There is an ongoing discussion of the route & planning here. Who's down to join?
