Communications Guide for Startups E-Book

Lydia Prexl

• Herausgeber: UVK
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 617

Beschreibung

Turning communication into your start-up's biggest asset Nine out of ten startups fail. One cause of failre is bad communication - both externally and internally. Yet there is little systematic advice on how startups and scale-ups can overcome this challenge and inspire all stakeholders around the company's vision, values, and offering. This book closes this gap - with seventy experts sharing their learnings and experiences. It is a guide for all curious to learn more about how to win customers, investors and new talent through a convincing narrative, covering external, internal, social media and leadership communication.

Leseprobe

Lydia Prexl

Communications Guide for Startups

How to Win Customers, Investors, and new Talent through Inspiring Messaging

UVK Verlag · München

Lydia Prexl has been responsible for corporate communications at startups since 2019. For Getsafe, she built the communications function from the ground up; in 2022 she moved to Unzer. Before that, she worked as a communicator for numerous other companies.

Umschlagabbildung: © anilakkus · iStock

Avatare im Buch: © faisafvrr

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24053/9783739882185

© UVK Verlag 2022— ein Unternehmen der Narr Francke Attempto Verlag GmbH + Co. KGDischingerweg 5 • D-72070 Tübingen

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Internet: www.narr.deeMail: [email protected]

ISBN 978-3-7398-3218-0 (Print)

ISBN 978-3-7398-0614-3 (ePub)

Contents

List of AbbreviationsThe Experts at a Glance1 On the Why and How of Startup Communication1.1 Public Relations from a Scientific Perspective1.2 Why Startup Founders Should Invest in PR – Answers from a Founder1.3 Communications as a Strategic Management Function1.4 Why Strategic Communication Makes a Difference in Times of Growth2 Is that still PR? Related Disciplines of Corporate Communication2.1 On the Difference Between Marketing and Communications2.2 How to Make the Most of Brand in Communications2.3 Employer Branding – from Why to How3 Organisational Challenges for Communication Teams in Startups3.1 How to Build Great PR Teams3.2 How to Master International PR to Locally Adapt, Centrally Align and Come Out on Top3.3 Working with PR Agencies – From Coexistence to Collaboration4 PR, Yes, But How? From Strategy, Tactics, and Monitoring4.1 The Secrets of Positioning Your Company Through Corporate PR4.2 Growing Your Reputation Through Your Corporate Narrative4.3 PR Strategy – Aim for Goals, Stick to Targets4.4 PR Tactics – Power-​Up Your Plan of Action4.5 PR Campaigns – Launching Engagement, Landing Impact4.6 PR Controlling – Measuring What Matters4.7 Understanding Copyright and Media Law5 The Peculiarities and Intricacies of Startup Communication5.1 Achieving Promotional Targets with Product Communication5.2 Encourage and Engage Through Meaningful Consumer PR5.3 How and Why Investor Communication Is Critical to Your Success5.4 Funding Communication – The Centerpiece to Raise Awareness5.5 Launch Communication – Raise Some Eyebrows, Attract Your Audience 5.6 The Secrets of IPO Communications5.7 What to Talk About and Not Talk About in B2B Communication5.8 Building Trust and Expertise Through CEO Communication5.9 Get Leading Edge! Why Thought Leadership Is Vital To Your Communication Success6 How Do I Get in the Paper? The Art of Media Relations6.1 Lessons from “the Other Side”: Helping Startups Build Relationships, Campaigns, and Wield Their Communications Know-​How6.2 How to Work with Journalists6.3 How to Pitch Best to Journalists6.4 Understanding Business Media6.5 Why Your Headshots and PR Photos Suck, and How to Fix It7 From TikTok to Twitter: Social Media Communication7.1 The Power of Communicating the Brand Through Social Media7.2 How to Be Successful on LinkedIn7.3 How to Be Successful on Twitter7.4 How to Be Successful on Instagram and Facebook7.5 Engaging Consumers, Encouraging Interaction – How to Build a B2B Social Media Strategy7.6 Visuals Matter – Photography and Videography for Social Media8 The Pitfalls and Triumphs of Events8.1 How to Pitch Best to Conferences8.2 Plan … Action … Showcase! Organising External Events8.3 Setting Tone and Stage for Great Internal Events8.4 Moderating Discussions and Talks Professionally9 Public Affairs & Crisis Communication9.1 Building Relations and Maintaining Reputations Through Strong Public Affairs9.2 Preparing for Pressure – Why Crisis Communication is Highly Relevant9.3 Mastering Corporate PR in Critical Situations – What E-​Scooters Can Teach Us10 From the Inside Out – Why Good Corporate Communication Starts with the Employees10.1 Setting Up Internal Communication to Unite and Inform Employees10.2 From Strategy to Channels – Creating Your Internal Communication Recipe10.3 Challenges of Internal Communication in Times of Growth and Internationalisation10.4 Staying Connected – The Influence of Internal Communication on the Company Culture10.5 Internal Change and Crisis Communication10.6 The Critical Role of Clear and Transparent Leadership CommunicationKeywords, Names, Companies

Preface by Robert BueninckBueninck, Robert

For startups, effective communication is the first step toward success. It is the foundation for becoming more well-​known, establishing a reputation, and so persuading financiers and employees.

No two bosses are alike; no two boundary conditions are really identical. This is as true for startups as for any other company. And yet those responsible for communications in startups often face similar challenges and a comparable working environment. Startups change continuously; they are under high pressure to succeed, they often plan in quarters, and when things go well, they grow enormously fast. Due to the short history of the company and a usually very manageable product offering, communications managers can rarely “draw on the full resources” and have to create their own communications events – usually with no or only a very small budget.

Unzer is a merger company from a number of startups that have all gone through similar challenges. Our challenge is bringing these different messages together into one. At the same time, we are still a new company and a new brand with now a complicated product offering. As the well-​known US investor Ben Horowitz points out, “as a company grows, its biggest challenge always becomes communications”. Given this challenge, it is surprising that there is hardly any systematic advice on how startups – or scale-​ups – can retain and win talent and convince customers, investors, and partners through their messaging.

This book provides first-​hand insights. Lydia Prexl has brought together communications professionals from all over Europe and lets external and internal communications staff, journalists, and many other experts from the startup scene have their say.

The emphasis is on practise rather than theory, for which great textbooks exist. In a startup, how is communication organised? What are the thematic focal points? How are communication objectives established, and how is success measured? What are the secrets to effective press relations success, and how can communications managers know if they're doing a good job internally? How do you develop an intranet and strong internal communication channels without a budget, and how do you meet the founders' and management's high expectations?

This book aims to answer these and many other questions directly from the world of startups. Such a book does not exist yet – Lydia and all co-​authors enter new territory. It is a work that looks behind the scenes into the heads of press officers, media representatives and founders.

As a CEO, I know the power of storytelling and communication. I know how important it is to communicate well across the Board, to employees and to all stakeholders. I know from experience that it's not easy. It's hard work. You need to keep a story consistent and clear while continuing to sound genuine. The story needs to be stable, but you should be nimble enough to change it with the change of times and the environment. Not easy, but the rewards are great when you get it right.

I hope that the book will find many enthusiastic readers. It offers authentic learning, instructive tips, and concrete examples; it does not gloss over and shows solutions for many of the communication challenges of startups. In short, it's a win-​win for anyone interested in communication – and by that, I don't just mean people from the startup environment, but all people who want to communicate professionally with stakeholders and convince others.

Robert Bueninck

CEO UnzerUnzer

Preface by Lydia PrexlPrexl, Lydia

When I started as a press officer at a startup in January 2019, it was a leap in the dark. In all my previous jobs, I had a client or a boss who made the decisions, who would stick their neck out if I made a mistake. Suddenly no one knew more about communication than I did – yet I felt completely unprepared and ignorant. The expectations for external communications were high, and at the same time, there was nothing for me to build on. It was more like a field than a green field.

It quickly became apparent that my prior experience in corporate groups, at medium-​sized companies, as a freelancer, and as a lecturer was of little value to me. And that communications managers from these areas couldn't help me. Startups tick differently; they are fast, expectations are high, and budgets and employees are scarce. Generalists are in demand, who communicate highly professionally to the outside world – and often internally as well – and therefore need to acquire solid expert knowledge very quickly. Is the best time for a LinkedIn post on Tuesday morning or Wednesday afternoon? What's the use of the blog? Why does competitor Z end up in the business paper despite having a worse product? What is the point of PR in the first place? Which tools are useful? Why does journalist Y ask such critical questions? And why do we need internal communication?

These and similar questions are likely familiar to most startup communications managers. I also encounter them regularly, and there is not always a simple answer. I started asking other colleagues from startups for advice. The response was overwhelming; even among competitors, there was a willingness to help one another. For me, the most amazing thing was that I wasn't alone with my questions and challenges.

This book was born out of this realisation. It is an attempt to pool the knowledge of much more experienced colleagues from the startup world to help all those jumping in at the deep end like me almost four years ago. Nonetheless, this book has much more meaning to me because it is a collaborative effort that I could never have produced alone. The mere thought became a reality solely because so many wonderful people got carried away and contributed to it – without any ifs and buts.

I am deeply impressed by the willingness of others to help each other, share difficult experiences, and be there for one another. Working in a startup means more than just having an exciting job. It also means being part of a community that can reach out to each other and fight together for a greater cause.

So at this point, I would like to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who gave me advice and to all the co-​authors who are now filling this book with content. My very special thanks to my family for supporting me, having my back, and giving me the freedom to passionately pursue a project like this book. Thomas, Jacob and Raphael, this book is dedicated to you.

Lydia Prexl

List of Abbreviations

AVE | Advertising Value Equivalent

B2B | Business to Business

B2C | Business to Consumer

CAC | Customer Acquisition Cost

CEO | Chief Executive Officer

D&I | Diversity & Inclusion

EB | Employer Branding

ESG | Environmental Social Governance

EVP | Employee Value Proposition

GR | Governmental Relations

H2H | Human to Human

HR | Human Resources

KPI | Key Performance Indicator

IC | Internal Communication

IPO | Initial Public Offering

IR | Investor Relations

NPS | Net Promotor Score

OKR | Objectives and Key Results

PA | Public Affairs

PR | Public Relations

ROI | Return on Investment

SEO | Search Engine Optimization

VC | Venture Capital

USP | Unique Selling Proposition

The Experts at a Glance

Maria AndersenAndersen, Maria | Internal Communications Manager | ex-​SennderSennder | → 10.4

Maria has a well-rounded background in corporate communications and marketing. After earning her Master's degree in corporate communication from Aarhus School of Business, she took on various jobs as a content writer before landing her first job abroad at an international travel tech company. It was at the same company that she got the chance to join a global internal communications team. Since then, she has been working in various roles within the field of employee engagement, culture, community management, as well as consulting with teams and leads on communication various matters.

Oliver AustAust, Oliver | CEO and Founder of Eo Ipso CommunicationsEo Ipso Communications | → 5.8

Oliver is one of Europe's leading communications advisors. He is the CEO of Eo Ipso Communications, hosts the category-​defining “Speak like a CEO” podcast and has written four books on CEO and startup communications. He has frequently been at the frontline of some of the most high-​profile reputational challenges in Europe and can draw on his personal experience of helping scale easyJet to a multi-​billion-​dollar company.

Katia Ballano GöringBallano Göring, Katia | PR & Communications Manager at ID FinanceID Finance | → 4.4

Katia is an experienced multilingual strategic communications consultant and journalist with a strong focus on finance, reputational crisis management, and content marketing. Before joining ID Finance as a PR and communications manager, she worked as a consultant for one of Spain's most renowned communications consultancy firms. As a former journalist, Katia is well versed in researching and addressing complex subjects, writing news features that offer sector-​specific insights and providing relevant analysis.

Chiara BaroniBaroni, Chiara | PR and Communications Manager for Germany, Austria and Swizerland at Revolut | → 5.2

Chiara has worked in the German PR industry for over ten years – mostly in the PR agency business and since the end of 2018 on the corporate side. She currently works for the British FinTech Revolut and is responsible for the company's entire communication in the German-​speaking region – from finance to product and brand PR.

Julia BarthelBarthel, Julia | Director at Brunswick GroupBrunswick Group | → 4.2

Julia Barthel is a Director at Brunswick Group based in Berlin. She advises digital industry clients on navigating their corporate and political communications challenges. Julia has a proven record in various strategic comms areas such as government affairs, crisis comms, PR and positioning with a strong focus on the digital economy. She is passionate about regulatory issues around digitisation, including competition, privacy, media policy and platform regulation.

Hemmo BosscherBosscher, Hemmo | Head of Communications at AdyenAdyen | → 5.6

Hemmo is Adyen's communications chief. Following a degree in English literature, he grew up on the communications industry's corporate side – at an Amsterdam agency. Following a four-​year stint, Hemmo was referred to Adyen by a friend, and he quit his job the same day he was interviewed. At Adyen, Hemmo built the communications and investor relations functions and was responsible for the equity story and investor marketing during our six-​month IPO track.

Dr. Lucas BrostBrost, Lucas | Media Lawyer at Brost ClaßenBrost Claßen | → 4.7

Lucas is a media lawyer at the law firm Brost Claßen, Cologne, in Germany. He advises clients on all media law issues, especially startups and companies on crisis communication and litigation PR.

Callum BurroughsBurroughs, Callum | Senior Tech Reporter at InsiderInsider | → 6.2

Callum is a senior reporter for Insider (formerly Business Insider), covering all things startup and VC related with a focus on fintech. He has been with the company for around 3.5 years.

Marina BurtylevaBurtyleva, Marina | Internal Communications and Employer Branding Lead at Vivid MoneyVivid Money | ex-​N26 | → 2.3

Marina, born in one of the coldest places in the world (Siberia), works as an internal communications and employer branding lead at Vivid Money. Before, she was Senior Employer Branding Partner at N26. She looks back to over ten years of branding experience in various industries, from medicine to luxury weddings in Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

Dr. Katharina ButtenbergButtenberg, Katharina | Senior Vice President Global Brand at HelloFreshHelloFresh | → 2.2

Katharina is Senior Vice President Global Brand at HelloFresh, and, in this role, she is responsible for market research, brand strategy, marketing communications, and the creative, photo and video studio. Before HelloFresh, she built and rebuilt brands at several digital companies and wrote her doctorate on the emergence of brands in startups.

Maïwenn CharpentierCharpentier, Maïwenn | Internal Communications Manager at OmioOmio | → 10.5

Maïwenn was born in France but grew up with her family in Spain, with both languages and cultures. Having lived in four countries and speaking many languages has helped her navigate the world through connections and communication – which is also a great benefit in her professional life as internal communications manager. She studied marketing and communications back in France and moved to Sweden for her first job in internal communications. In 2019, Maïwenn moved to Berlin and now works for Omio.

Jessie ClaarClaar, Jessie | Global Internal Communications Manager | → 10.2

Jessie is currently working as internal communications manager at Kry in Stockholm, Sweden. She is a natural networker and strong communicator with experience in driving impactful and engaging internal communications agendas. Jessie has worked for international businesses and brands and for startups and large global corporations, where she gained both strategic and operational experience.

Henning DorstewitzDorstewitz, Henning | Director PR & Communications at Unstoppable FinanceUnstoppable Finance | → 3.1

Henning is a dual citizen of Germany – his first home – and Australia – his second home. He has built and led several communications teams throughout his career and was responsible for a broad spectrum of topics – from PR to content, social media, sponsorships, community and stakeholder engagement and events. Having started in the travel industry, Henning moved into the tech space and worked at companies such as Google, Twitter and YouTube. His love for films and series brought Henning to Netflix, and his passion for everything web3 led him to where he is today: Director of PR and Communications at Unstoppable Finance.

Sigrid DuboisDubois, Sigrid | Global PR and Communications Director at AnkorstoreAnkorstore | → 2.2

Sigrid is passionate about brand marketing, communication and innovation. She is half German, half Austrian, and has been living in Paris for 17 years. Sigrid is part of the Global Brand and Marketing team at Ankorstore, where she helps to create brand awareness across Europe.

Bianca DumschatDumschat, Bianca | B2B Social Media Manager at DoctolibDoctolib | → 7.5

Bianca has been doing social media marketing for about four years now. In 2021, she joined Doctolib, which allows her to combine her love for tech and social and health. Before she got into social media, she studied business administration majoring in marketing at the University of Cologne.

Lavinia EastwoodEastwood, Lavinia | Global Event Manager at MollieMollie | → 8.2

Lavinia is the global event manager at Mollie, a fintech company based in Amsterdam. She started her career in London, working as an intern on events for Audi and went on to lead brand and event teams at several startups and scale-​up organisations. She has also worked as a freelancer for Shell and various private clients.

Christoph EgelsEgels, Christoph | Public Affairs Lead at FlinkFlink | → 9.1

After studying International Relations and European Politics at the University of Bamberg and at Aston University in Birmingham, Christoph started his career in the Corporate Affairs Team at Amazon in Munich. He then moved to MSL in Berlin to make his first steps in public affairs. After two and a half years, the startup world called and he joined Voi, where he built city and stakeholder relations from scratch and founded Plattform Shared Mobility. Since September 2022, he has led a small public affairs team at Flink.

Sam EvansEvans, Sam | Partner at Eos Venture Partners | → 5.3

Sam is Partner at Eos Venture Partners (Eos) based in London and has been investing in InsurTech since 2016. Eos is a global independent Strategic Venture Capital Fund focused exclusively on InsurTech, investing in early and growth-​stage technology businesses that accelerate innovation and transformation across the insurance industry and value chain.

Emma-​Victoria FarrFarr, Emma-​Victoria | European M&A Correspondent at ReutersReuters | → 6.2

Emma-​Victoria is an experienced journalist with a decade of breaking news at international newswires and national newspapers, with specialist knowledge of business journalism and German-​speaking countries, and a command of several foreign languages. Since 2021, she works as a financial journalist at Thomson Reuters. Previously, Emma-​Victoria worked at trade publication Mergermarket for seven years.

Bettina FriesFries, Bettina | Senior Communications Advisor, Founder of Fries ConsultingFries Consulting | → 5.6

Bettina has been working as a consultant for strategic and financial communications for about 20 years, many of them at well-​known consultancies. But she also knows the corporate side from her time as Head of Communications and Marketing at a renewable energy company, for which she built up these two functions after the IPO. Since 2015, Bettina has built her own business – Fries Consulting – and now works in a broad network with many experienced and young colleagues.

Itziar GarcíaGarcía, Itziar | Communications Director for Spain and Portugal at BlaBlaCarBlaBlaCar | → 3.3

Itziar is the Communications Director for BlaBlaCar in Spain and Portugal. She studied business sciences and specialised in actuarial and financial sciences to work in the insurance industry. However, she later realised this was not her world. She chose to pursue a second career in advertising and public relations. After finishing her second master's degree in communications management, she started to work in agencies, where BlaBlaCar was one of her clients. When Itziar was offered to join the BlaBlaCar team more than four years ago, she didn't hesitate for a second.

Youssef GasmiGasmi, Youssef | Communications Manager at VoodooVoodoo | → 3.2

Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Youssef did a BA in social anthropology followed by an MSc in entrepreneurship, management and innovation at Imperial College London before going back to live and work in Paris, where he had gone to school. During his first year at university, he and two good friends from high school came up with an app destined for tourists called “BeSafe!”, which he successfully sold seven years later. Today, Youssef manages communications for Voodoo.

Jessica HashemiHashemi, Jessica | Senior Social Media Manager at Checkout.comCheckout.com | → 7.5

Jessica is a B2B social media manager with eight years of experience in the tech and startup ecosystem. She bounced around various industries, from edtech to proptech, before settling on fintech. Jessica was social media manager at 11:FS in 2019 and led organic social at Checkout.com for the past two years. She lives in West London and spends most of her time trying new restaurants, travelling or mixing martinis (a skill she picked up in lockdown).

Bettina HausmannHausmann, Bettina | Founder and Director of bhconsultbhconsult | → 10.6

Bettina's job is to help senior professionals to succeed as strategists, communicators, and leaders. She has worked with CEOs, chairs of the board, politicians, and other senior professionals from over 100 countries, helping them develop their signature presence, master their communications, manage their reputation, and build resilience. Her mission is always the same: to help leaders grow when it gets tough. Prior to setting up her own business ten years ago, Bettina worked for many years as a director in a communications agency.

Malena HeedHeed, Malena | Global Communications Director at EinrideEinride | → 4.1

For more than a decade, Malena has been doing PR for leading tech companies and startups such as iZettle and Uber. She's currently the global Communications Director at Einride, a freight tech startup offering electric and autonomous shipping. During her time at Einride, the company grew from 50 to 500 people and expanded into the US and Europe.

Dr. Clara HerdeanuHerdeanu, Clara | Head of Communications at Xayn | → 4.6

As Head of Communications at the AI startup Xayn, Clara is responsible for all (inter)national PR and communications. In the past, she has communicated for high-​growth tech companies such as Mozilla, Alteryx, Open-​Xchange, and StackOverflow at an international PR agency as well as for a traditional German world market leader. With a PhD in linguistics on the relationship between language, media, politics and power, Clara is an avid analyser of how media shapes our world views and decision-​making.

Christian HillemeyerHillemeyer, Christian | Director of Communications at BabbelBabbel | → 5.1

Christian has been in communications for almost 15 years. In his case, rather involuntarily via music, but the topic of PR never let him go. After working for MTV, nugg.ad/ Deutsche Post and Payleven/ Rocket Internet, he has now been responsible for communications at Babbel for eight years.

Svenja HoyaHoya, Svenja | Marketing Communications Lead at Trade RepublicTrade Republic | → 2.1

Svenja has spent the past ten years working in PR and communications in the agency, startup, and corporate world. She knows both early-​stage and hyper-​growth startups and now works for Trade Republic. Svenja was born and raised in Berlin, has a little daughter and is also co-organiser of the "Berliner PR Stammtisch", a Berlin-based network event for everyone working in the communications industry.

Kristen JäggiJäggi, Kristen | Event Planner (various startups) | → 8.2

Kristen is passionate about all things events. She has worked with a variety of startups, including her own failed startup, Venue Scout. Kristen looks back on over 18 years of industry experience managing events from concept to on-​site.

Mats JoostenJoosten, Mats | Senior PR Manager at Back MarketBack Market | → 3.2

Mats is currently working as Senior PR Manager at Back Market, a leading marketplace for refurbished devices. Before joining Back Market, Mats worked for more than four years as a PR & Communications manager for the French mobility and sharing economy startups Drivy (acquired by Getaround) and BlaBlaCar, coordinating and leading the PR efforts for the German market.

Simon KenyonKenyon, Simon | Head of Internal Communications at PayUPayU | → 8.3

Simon started out as a headhunter, where he developed the art of forming new relationships and building trust before a customer hired him in 2003 to partner on human change and communication for internal global IT projects. Since then, he has developed his passion for all things communications. Simon stands for ownership, empathy and openness. His energy source is interacting with different cultures and has even be known to dabble in stand-up comedy.

Dr. Juliane KiesenbauerKiesenbauer, Juliane | Director Marketing & Communications for Germany, Austria and Switzerland at StaffbaseStaffbase | → 4.5

With over 13 years of PR and marketing experience, Juliane is currently the director of marketing and communications for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at Staffbase, headquartered out of Chemnitz, Germany. In her current role, Juliane has built out a regional team of marketers and serves as a strategic leader in the organisation. Blending an analytical, data-​driven approach with creativity, a roll-​up-​your-​sleeves attitude, and a penchant for strategic planning, she has used her PR and marketing acumen to drive the business forward.

Ben KilbeyKilbey, Ben | Chief Communications Officer (CCO) at BritishvoltBritishvolt | → 5.7

Ben is Director of Communications and Media Relations at Britishvolt. He had a successful career in journalism spanning travel writing and financial writing – spending the last 13 years of that journey at S&P Global where he progressed to being more of a relationship manager and biz developer. Ben has always been in communications in some way, shape or form. Now he is a fully-​fledged communications professional and enjoys every second and experience.

Jovana KrcevinacKrcevinac, Jovana | Global Internal Communications Project Manager at Glovo | → 10.1

Jovana is a Barcelona-​based global internal communications project manager at Glovo. She has worked in the startup world for the past few years and is passionate about creating and driving high-​impact communication initiatives that empower the business and engage with global and diverse workforces. Jovana's scope of interests includes strategic communication, crisis and change communication, cross-​cultural communication, organisational culture and employee engagement. In a nutshell, she loves navigating through innovation, creativity, and change!

Valentina KristensenKristensen, Valentina | Director Growth and Communications at OakNorthOakNorth | → 2.1

Valentina is the Director of Growth and Communications at OakNorth. She has been working with OakNorth almost since the beginning of its journey in the Summer of 2015 when it was just 40 people – today, it is c.800 globally. Valentina is half Danish and half Greek with settled status in the UK.

Anna-​Lena KümpelKümpel, Anna-​Lena | Freelance Moderator and Coach | → 8.4

Anna-​Lena is a professional moderator and moderation trainer with a background in startup journalism and startup network building. Since July 2021, she has been working full-​time as a facilitator and facilitation trainer. Anna-​Lena's favourite topics include innovation, digital, entrepreneurship, personal development and new work.

Andrew KyleKyle, Andrew | Senior Employer Branding Manager at GorillasGorillas | → 2.3

Andrew has worked in Human Resources for ten years. The native Canadian has been living in Berlin for four years, where he built up the candidate experience function at N26, among others, and was responsible for the company's employer branding activities. In the summer of 2021, he joined Gorillas as senior talent brand manager and supported the company in its hyper-​growth phase.

Greg LathamLatham, Greg | Freelance Filmmaker and Videographer | → 7.6

Greg is a Berlin-​based filmmaker and has been creating visual content for startups and other clients for almost ten years. He also works as a director and producer for a London-​based production company, helping produce and direct documentary content for clients in the arts sector. Before Greg moved into the world of video production, he worked in communications for a Berlin-​based startup and therefore knows what kind of messaging and content can be especially effective.

Tom LevineLevine, Tom | Director at Brunswick GroupBrunswick Group | → 4.2

Tom is heading and building the Digital Team at Brunswick in Germany as part of the Global Digital Team of almost 40 colleagues spread around the globe. He advises Brunswick's clients and Brunswick's teams on digital strategy and positioning, content and platforms, distribution and search, influencer and stakeholder management, and awareness and measuring. Tom is a highly experienced communication consultant with a strong background in journalism, content marketing, digital and brand communication.

Mikko MäntyläMäntylä, Mikko | President at SlushSlush | → 8.1

Mikko, a 25-year-​old Finn, is President of Slush – the world's leading startup event. In his role, Mikko oversees the core audiences, programme, and entertainment planning and development teams – as well as the new products Soaked by Slush (media), Node by Slush (community), and Slush'D (global events). He is driven by impatience, an endless curiosity for great people and smart ideas, as well as a belief that building tech companies is the most efficient way to solve hard problems in the world.

Elisheva MarcusMarcus, Elisheva | VP Communications at Earlybird Venture CapitalEarlybird Venture Capital | → 5.3

Elisheva calls herself a bicoastal American now living in Berlin, Germany. She has had an international path by way of Israel, Argentina and Canada and maybe because of that circuitous route, she loves storytelling and networking – especially documenting founder and startup journeys. With a Master of Science in biomedical communications, she has worked in graphics departments of museums, newspapers, publishers and advertisers, in a startup, an accelerator, and a company builder. Since 2020, Elisheva has been working for Earlybird, aiming to convey complex processes clearly.

Sarah MaulhardtMaulhardt, Sarah | Lead Internal Communications at GetYourGuideGetYourGuide | ex-​ZalandoZalando | → 10.3

Sarah leads the internal communications team for GetYouGuide. Before that, she worked as internal communications manager within Zalando's corporate affairs team. During her master's degree in communications management, she discovered her passion for strategic – especially internal – corporate communications. Both at GetYourGuide and Zalando, Sarah immerses herself in her favourite daily topics: change communication, employee involvement and participation, social intranet and corporate strategy.

Sara MorićMorić, Sara | Global Comms Lead at LimeWireLimeWire | ex-​Bitpanda | → 5.5

Sara is an experienced PR, Comms and social media strategist, profoundly delving into all things digital. Not knowing much about blockchain and its technology, she never imagined working in the crypto world a few years ago. However, having supported the global communications team for Europe's biggest cryptocurrency exchange Bitpanda and more recently leading communications for the NFT platform LimeWire, Sara has found her niche.

Heather MosesMoses, Heather | Senior Vice President of Marketing at NexthinkNexthink | → 7.1

As Senior Vice President Marketing for Nexthink, Heather is responsible for brand awareness, communications, category creation and field marketing globally. She studied journalism at Northeastern University and was a writer for many years before discovering the world of software marketing. Since then Heather has led international marketing teams at numerous software companies looking to grow and scale globally. Heather is currently driving growth and brand at Nexthink, a global provider of digital employee experience management software.

Max MundhenkeMundhenke, Max | Associate Digital Strategy at Brunswick Group | → 7.3

Max studied sociology and media science in Bielefeld and landed – via some detours – in digital consulting. Since 2020, he has been part of the international digital team at Brunswick Group in Berlin and advises companies that want to communicate in the German social media landscape. His duties range from product advertising to targeted CEO positioning.

Arsenia NikolaevaNikolaeva, Arsenia | Head of PR & Communications at SumUpSumUp | → 3.2

Arsenia was born in Russia and brought up in Ireland. For more than a decade, she has focused on communication and Public Relations for tech companies with a global footprint. Since 2018 she has headed the European PR & Communications team for SumUp. She is passionate about using technology for good and strongly believes that technology can create a level playing field for minorities and disadvantaged groups. As an advocate for female leadership, diversity, and inclusion, those are important topics to Arsenia, especially regarding the technology and financial sectors.

Meike OstermeierOstermeier, Meike | Associate Director at FGS Global | → 1.4

As associate director at FGS Global, Meike supports companies in situations that are critical to their reputation. Often, these are startups or tech companies that bring new ideas to the market, for which they must create acceptance. Meike likes to think from the end, develop solutions, and help companies think beyond the internal perspective.

Martin PerlinPerlin, Martin | Director of Marketing Communications at DriveNetsDriveNets | → 7.2

Martin serves as the Director of Marketing Communications at DriveNets, a leader in cloud-​native networking software and network disaggregation solutions. Bringing his talents as a storyteller, he develops and implements an integrated strategic communications approach that advances brand identity, broadens awareness, and increases visibility across key stakeholder audiences.

Florestan PetersPeters, Florestan | Field Marketing Manager at SoSafeSoSafe | → 5.9

Florestan is a marketing manager at SoSafe, a cybersecurity SaaS scale-​up based in Cologne, Germany. After finishing his master's in political science at the University of Amsterdam in the summer of 2019, he joined SoSafe as their first communications manager in a hyper-​growth phase. In less than one and a half years, the team increased fivefold – with interesting challenges for communications.

Boris RadkeRadke, Boris | VP Corporate Affairs at OmioOmio | → 1.3

Boris runs Corporate Affairs at Omio in Berlin and also advises startups on how to set up their communication functions. He loves building teams for startups with a purpose, and he supports other startups to have meaningful conversations with their customers (internal or external) and build great relationships with partners and stakeholders.

Dr. Andre RetterathRetterath, Andre | Partner at Earlybird Venture CapitalEarlybird Venture Capital – Investor Communications | → 5.3

Andre is Partner at Earlybird Venture Capital based in Munich, looking to partner with the most ambitious tech entrepreneurs. He is a mechatronics engineer with a focus on computer science and spent about five years at ThyssenKrupp before completing his master's degree and PhD on the topic of “Machine Learning and the Value of Data in Venture Capital”. Ever since he joined Earlybird in 2017, he has been focusing on enterprise software with a particular interest in developer, data and productivity tools, alongside AI-​centric products and robotics.

Giulia RicciRicci, Giulia | Global Consumer and Product PR Lead N26 | → 5.2

Giulia is responsible for global consumer and product communication at The Mobile Bank N26 with a focus on creative PR campaign across DACH, Spain, Italy and France. Previously, she was leading consumer PR DACH at Klarna, and worked at the Berlin-​based PR agencies fischerAppelt and Styleheads. What she loves most about her current role is the combination of working strategically and creatively, and that it allows her to collaborate with numerous colleagues from different functions of the business.

Luke RichardsonRichardson, Luke | Senior Director of Brand and Communications at PleoPleo | → 2.2

Luke is Senior Director of Brand & Communications at the Danish-​born fintech unicorn Pleo with a 25-strong team. Before Pleo, Luke took on similar roles at Danish-​born scale-​ups like Airtame and Momondo. He has zero educational experience in brand or marketing, and instead landed where he is today through 1) luck and 2) years of journalism, working as a film critic and broadcaster.

Benjamin RombergRomberg, Benjamin | Head of Communications at SpendeskSpendesk | → 2.3

Benjamin is a native of Munich but has been living in Paris since 2018, where he leads communications at the French FinTech startup Spendesk. Previously, he worked for several years in agencies and as a journalist at the German Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Daniel RottingerRottinger, Daniel | Startup Communicator | → 1.1

Daniel is marketing manager for the Berlin based Handyhase. He studied public relations at the Stuttgart Media University and already worked for a tech startup during his studies. As a freelance PR consultant, he supported start-ups in telling stories about their development and their founders to the media in a targeted way.

Prof. Dr. Swaran SandhuSandhu, Swaran | Professor at Stuttgart Media UniversityStuttgart Media University, Germany | → 1.1

Swaran completed his doctorate in Switzerland on the topic of legitimacy and public relations; since 2012, he has held the professorship for corporate communication with a focus on public relations at the Stuttgart Media University, where his research includes how communication processes can be analysed and modelled using digital tools.

Paul SawersSawers, Paul | Senior Writer at TechCrunchTechCrunch | ex-​VentureBeatVentureBeat | → 6.3

Paul has more than ten years of experience as a technology journalist, initially covering startups, breaking news, and the (then) emerging mobile app economy at The Next Web. In 2014, Paul became the European Correspondent for the U.S.-based tech outlet VentureBeat, where he wrote about everything from startups to Big Tech and beyond. Since summer 2022, he has worked for TechCrunch.

Joanna SchildSchild, Joanna | Senior Manager Global Internal Communications at Delivery HeroDelivery Hero | → 10.1

Following her studies in classical piano and theatre, Joanna spent the first half of her career in her native London, working for leading artist management companies and venues. She then uprooted to Berlin and worked as a freelance artist and PR manager. Due to the challenges of freelancing, Joanna took a part-​time role at Delivery Hero in the evenings and later joined as a full-​time employee. Her role at Delivery Hero is to further the company strategy and employee experience through credible and genuine communication. She leads the internal communications and events team for 50+ brands and more than 50,000 employees worldwide.

Niels SchlesierSchlesier, Niels | Managing Director at FGS Global | → 9.2

Niels has been advising companies on their critical issues with Brunswick for about ten years before joining FGS. Whether in Germany, Beijing, or Hong Kong, advising startups and scale-​ups in moments of crisis has been an important part of his job and one that, while occasionally challenging, he enjoys a lot. While crises are events that people instinctively try to avoid, Niels has also found that the pressure often brings out the best qualities in those dealing with them.

Norval ScottScott, Norval | Global Head of PR and Communications at TractableTractable | → 4.3

Norval is Global Head of PR and Communications for Tractable. He has worked in PR for other UK tech companies and also at Telefonica's startup accelerator, at London & Partners (the Mayor's promotional body on foreign investment) and at the University of Edinburgh. Before that, he was a journalist, reporting on oil and gas for international broadsheets and newswires, including Dow Jones, the Wall Street Journal and the Globe and Mail.

John ShewellShewell, John | Director of Global Communications & Public Affairs at wefoxwefox | → 3.2

John is Director of Global Communications and Public Affairs at wefox. In this role, he looks after reputation management, media relations, issues and crisis management, public affairs and communication across the entire business, including in-country business units.

Caspar SpinnenSpinnen, Caspar | Spokesperson and Pressoffice Lead of Fraktion Bündnis90/Die GrünenBündnis90/Die Grünen | ex-​VoiVoi | → 9.3

Caspar heads the press office for the German parliamentary group Fraktion Bündnis 90/Die Grünen in the Berlin House of Representatives. Before, he worked for Voi Technology, a Swedish sharing and micro-​mobility operator, where he built the German PR team.

Anniina SulkuSulku, Anniina | Communications Lead at AivenAiven | → 5.4

Anniina's passion is to help businesses and people to be more influential communicators. She worked in communication consulting and venture capital before joining Aiven as a communications lead. At Aiven, Anniina focuses on creating brand awareness and thought leadership for the company, for example by scaling external comms and public relations globally in four different continents.

Dan TaylorTaylor, Dan | Writer, Photographer and Broadcaster | → 5.4

Dan is a renowned photographer responsible for capturing almost a decade's worth of tech-​related events, PR shots and portraits of some of the most memorable and important individuals in the sector. He is also the Managing Editor at Tech.eu.

John ThornhillThornhill, John | Innovation editor at Financial TimesFinancial Times, Founder of Sifted | → 6.4

John is the FT's innovation editor and founder of Sifted. He has worked at the FT for more than 30 years in the UK, Russia, Asia and France and ended up as deputy editor from 2012–16. Later that year, John took on a new role as Innovation editor to deepen the FT's coverage of tech, write a weekly column, and do some innovation. In 2018 he launched Sifted, an FT-​backed but standalone media company, to cover Europe's fast-​growing startup universe.

Catherine TreyzTreyz, Catherine | Head of Communications and Platform at Cherry VenturesCherry Ventures | → 6.1

Catherine is Head of Communications and Platform at Cherry Ventures, one of Europe's most active dedicated seed funds known as the first backer behind companies like AUTO1, FlixBus, Flink, Infarm, SellerX, Forto, and many, many more. The DC-area native moved to Berlin for a professional journalism grant sponsored by the Fulbright Association after spending several years as an editor on international news desks at organizations like CNN, covering the White House and Capitol Hill. She now helps companies get their stories in front of the right audiences.

Alejandro ViquezViquez, Alejandro | Communications Manager at Kahoot!Kahoot! | → 4.1

Alejandro started his career in public relations and corporate communications in 2010, shortly after finishing his bachelor's in media science and communication. His first job at JeffeyGroup allowed him to work as a senior communications consultant for consumer technology brands, including Nikon, Nokia, Xerox, Airbnb, Spotify, and Mozilla. Originally from Mexico City, Alejandro has been living in Oslo for seven years, where he now builds media relations with journalists, editors and a vast network of PR agencies across North America, Europe, Asia-​Pacific and Latin America for Kahoot!.

Chris WehbeWehbe, Chris | Chief Executive Officer at LendableLendable | → 1.2

After starting his career at Lehman Brothers, Chris was a founding partner of Arrowgrass Capital Partners, where he served as Global Head of Relative Value overseeing some arbitrage strategies. More recently, Chris has focused on impact finance and is currently Chief Executive Officer of Lendable. He has completed the CFA programme and holds an MPhil Economics from the University of Oxford, and an M.Sc in Quantitative Finance and Risk Management from Bocconi University, Milan.

Hana WilsonWilson, Hana | PR and Communications Manager for Germany at TibberTibber | → 7.4

Hana has a background in psychology and communications. First employed as a full-​time content creator at the age of 18, she then became the first person in the German marketing team of Tibber, an energy company leveraging tech innovation to reduce energy consumption. Today, she works remotely for Tibber from across Europe while following her private interest in local sports management.

David ZahnZahn, David | Head of Communications at Gigs | ex-​KlarnaKlarna | → 5.1

David Zahn is Head of Communications at Gigs. Previously, he worked as Global Product Communications Lead at Klarna, as a consultant for the consulting firm Deloitte Digital and as Head of Media Relations at Rocket Internet, where he was part of the IPO team.

1On the Why and How of Startup Communication

Startups live – more than other companies – from their idea and visionVision. At least at the beginning, they do not yet have a viable business model, no customers, and sometimes not even a presentable product, and yet founders have to sell their idea to raise funds from investors. To do this, founders resort to an age-​old principle: they tell stories. Not fairy tales, but they take investors on a mental journey about how their company will develop and change the world.

Well-​thought-​out communication is, therefore, the be-​all and end-​all for founders, the salt in the soup, and one of their most important assets, especially in an early phase of the company's development. Some startups early recognise the intangible value a good external presentation brings. This is not just about media coverage. An article in a business or daily newspaper is not an end in itself – at least it shouldn't be. Instead, it is about building trust – with potential customers, partners, investors, and employees.

And yet, there are also many other startups. For example, those entrepreneurs who do the communication themselves, according to the motto, “I can write a text, too.” Some are so convinced of themselves that they are disappointed if they don't make the front page of Forbes and Fortune or Wall Street Journal, who don't think much of local newspapers and want to reach the top right away. Some doubters raise their eyebrows critically when public relations (PR) efforts do not immediately translate into euros and cents. The talk then quickly turns into a waste of money or mere vanity. And there are the quiet and modest ones who work diligently on their innovative business model and often wait in vain to be discovered by the media without their intervention.

But what is PR? And what is it not? What mistakes do companies make most often in their communication? Swaran Sandhu from the Stuttgart Media University and startup communicator Daniel Rottinger address these questions (chapter 1.1). That settles the “what” – what remains is the question of “why”. This question will keep us busy. The first answer is given by Chris Wehbe, Chief Executive Officer at Lendable. He explains why startups should invest in PR from his perspective (chapter 1.2). Boris Radke, startup communications evangelist, adds to this view in chapter 1.3. He believes that communication departments have not done a very good job creating a measurable business impact that supports their relevance inside the organisation. He argues that communicators must sit at the management table to get a holistic view of the organisation and build a strong and aligned narrative. Meike Ostermeier, Associate Director at FGS, looks at the strategic relevance of communications from an organisational point of view (chapter 1.4). Change is part of startups, just like salt in the soup. Startups are fast-​moving, constantly reinventing themselves and creating new processes and structures to keep pace with growth. The task of internal communication is to create coherence and make sense in an environment that has to continuously adapt to change. According to Meike, this is when communications becomes a strategic sparring partner for management – if they appear confident and recognise the value of communication in the growth phase.

1.1Public RelationsPublic Relations, scientific perspective from a Scientific Perspective

Prof. Dr. Swaran Sandhu

Professor for Corporate Communication and Public Relations at the Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart, University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Daniel Rottinger

startup communicator with a background in journalism

There are countless views of what public relations actually is. Let's turn the tables first: What is PR not?

Swaran · PR is definitely not parties and travel or drinking champagne and trying to turn bullshit into gold. And very importantly, PRPublic Relations, paid is not paying for media content; advertising does that better. In slightly more modern terms: PRPublic Relations,earned produces “owned content” on various channels, ideally leading to “earned content”, i.e. is picked up by third parties. Of course, modern campaigns are also flanked by “paid content,” but that is then the primary task of advertising.

Daniel · In my definition, PR is not exclusively a metrics-​driven content machine that is only out to catch clicks and sales. That may deliver short-​term results, but it's not sustainable! Finally, the relationship aspect is undervalued. Or, to put it another way: purely quantitative signals are not enough; it's all about emotions and contacts – especially in media relations.

And now, thinking positively: Do you have a favourite definition of PR? Why?

Swaran · There's a classic essay from 1976 by Rex Harlow, who tried to develop a meta for PR back then. A lot has changed since then, of course. The lowest common denominator is: “Public relations is a strategic management task for shaping an organisation's public relations to minimise communicative risks while maximising opportunities, thus ensuring the organisation's long-​term legitimacy.”

There's a lot in there. First, PR should always be a strategic task. If you only use PR as a tool in crises, trying to smooth things over, you've already lost. Secondly, PR needs access to the decision makers in management and must therefore also speak the language of management, i.e. understand important key figures and business models. Third, PR looks outward to the company's environment (what is happening right now, and what are the consequences for us?) and inward. You could also call PR a fine seismograph: provided this is done on a data basis and not on gut feeling. Fourthly, it's not just about image or reputation – which are, of course, still important parameters whose operationalisation can be argued about – but about the ability to recognise communicative risks and exploit communicative opportunities. And as a final point: PR is always designed for the long term and has a strong societal dimension.

You deal with corporate communications, with a focus on PR. To what extent do corporate communications go beyond PR?

Swaran · Corporate communicationsCorporate Communication is a collective term that encompasses all the organisation's targeted and planned communications activities. This means that communication disciplines that are often thought of separately, such as advertising, marketing, branding, social media, PR, CEO communications, influencers, sponsoring, sales, lobbying, sustainability communications etc. must be considered in a holistic way.

The classic example of silo thinking is that advertising comes up with a great ad or campaign that really ignites creativitiy but might be provocative as well; however, the whole thing leads to a wave of outrage on social media, which is then picked up by platforms that still have a wide reach. Then PR has to get back at it, “explain” the process and apologise for the mismanagement of others.

Daniel · PR and media relations are often used synonymously. If you have developed a common idea of corporate communications, you are talking about the same thing. This helps to 1) avoid typical misunderstandings (keyword: “we'll just drop some PR at it”) and 2) seriously clarify the type and scope of communication when you get started.

You also advise companies on organisational issues in corporate communications. Are there things that you think companies often do wrong?

Swaran · Hectic activism out of the fear of missing something, according to the motto: “But XY is also doing this, we also have to be on platform Z”. Therefore: think first, set strategic goals, then act and check whether the goals are achieved. But also: allocate too few human and financial resources to communication if the attitude prevails that communication can be done on the side.

Daniel · Underestimate the power of internal stakeholders! Communicators should build reputation with the team by providing tangible explanations and persuasion for their communication plans. Why? For one thing, PR is not common knowledge that is directly understood. Furthermore, especially in the case of owned media communication, they will regularly fall back on the competence of colleagues. If this support is lacking, it must first be painstakingly worked out again.

What qualities and skills you should bring to PR?

Swaran · A good general education, curiosity, no fear of numbers and business models, a very good understanding of modern media systems, including social media, platform logic and algorithms, a good dose of strategic thinking, and, of course, superior copywriting skills.

What would good corporate communications look like for a startup with 300 people?

Swaran · 300 people and yet a startup? At the very least, organisational rules and process definitions are required for companies of this size, even in holocratic organisational models. What seems important to me here is to be particularly clear about the core business and not to have many messages in parallel, but to consistently maintain a positioning. This is not only about external communication, but especially internal communication; you have to ensure that all employees share a common understanding of values and an identity. Especially in expansive growth phases, you must not forget the organisation's core: “Why do we exist and what can we contribute?”

And what about 50 employees? Or, to put it another way: at what point does corporate communications become necessary at all? Isn't that very “corporate”?

Swaran · There are different interpretations of “corporate”. One is aimed at rather bureaucratic, slow structures from which startups want to distinguish themselves. But even startups can have toxic work cultures and self-​exploitation. That's why writing down hours is not a form of harassment but also a form of self-​protection. The second and much more exciting reading understands it as the holistic “physicality” of an organisation. And corporate communication should also be understood in this light: as a holistic view of organisational communication processes.

Daniel · It helps internally and externally. I can communicate messages accurately only if I have created a clear internal communication structure. You can detect critical issues only if you communicate from the outside to the inside and vice versa. External stakeholders often ask questions that the C-​level has already discussed and more or less adequately answered it for themselves. All too often, attitudes toward supposedly daily topics only become transparent to employees through media coverage (“oh, so that's our position on this”). Speaking with one voice is also incredibly motivating.

Your three tips for founders who want to establish corporate communications?

Swaran ·

Don't forget traditional and local media: relationships with journalists are worth a lot. Nevertheless, think holistically and avoid silos – and don't decouple PR from the decision makers in the organisation.

Every (new) platform costs time and resources: focus on what makes the most sense for you. This includes not doing things.

Hire professionals: You don't want to have accounting done by someone who just read “Accounting for Dummies”, do you? It's just that people always assume that anyone can communicate – but that's not the case. That's why you pick the best ones for your field.

Daniel ·

Force yourself to regularly integrate the “PR topic” into the stressful daily startup routine. Continuity is important and builds trust – with internal and external stakeholders.

Learn from tiny trials: Optimize your story and material by presenting yourself to smaller media during interviews – and implement the learnings during the big “media buzz”.

Understand what makes the industry tick: Stock up on numbers, facts, figures, and short insights. Follow thought leaders in your field – become an insider who can be asked about the topic anytime.

Will marketing automation and AI not make communication basics obsolete in the future?

Daniel · As long as startups communicate with humans, the rules of communication science also apply. Tools can make things easier. However, oversimplification conceals the fact that technical expertise and experience cannot be replaced with one to two clicks.

1.2Why Startup Founders Should Invest in PRPublic relations, budget – Answers from a Founder

Chris Wehbe

Chief Executive Officer at Lendable

Why should startups invest in public relations?

Chris · In the early stages of a business, funding is usually limited, and strategic focus is of paramount importance. PR can therefore appear unnecessary and even a distraction. However, in my experience, it can be an extremely useful tool. First, it forces the leadership of a young firm to clearly define objectives and direction so that it can be communicated to external parties. This helps create discipline and clarity. Second, generating market awareness is key in overcoming the “chicken and egg” problem of winning customers and building a track record.

How do you measure the success of good PR work?

Chris ·