The European Startup Show

My guest today is Henrik Kjellberg who is Group CEO of Awaze, Europe's leading managed vacation rental and holiday parks brand. Prior to joining Awaze, Henrik spent 12 years at Expedia as part of the global leadership team, where he led a variety of business lines in London, Beijing, Hong Kong, and San Francisco.

Henrik’s specialty is in growing global businesses and building high-performing teams and in this episode, I dig into how he identifies and develops talent. I also get his views on trends he sees in the travel industry and opportunities for startups in this space.

Show Notes

  • [01:40] Why did you decide to focus on the travel industry?
  • [04:10] What are some of the big trends you see in the travel industry? What do you think has changed permanently and what do you think will go back?
  • [5:27] What are some of the opportunities you see for travel startups
  • [8:16] Your leadership style 
  • [11:17] How do you hire? What questions do you ask in interviews?
  • [19:33] How do you keep employees motivated when business is not doing well?
  • [21:03] How did you determine your 30-60-90 day plan for Awaze, a PE-driven company? 
  • [24:44] How did you lead through Covid?

LINKS
Awaze
The Better Angels of our Nature by Steven Pinker
Gosta Berlings Saga by Selma Lagerlof


What is The European Startup Show?

To inspire technology entrepreneurs in Europe with stories and practical strategies from other successful entrepreneurs.

If you are a CEO, founder, or work in sales or marketing, and your company is based in Europe or is looking to expand into Europe, then this podcast is for you.