Once upon a Student

Once upon a student
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This is a place where highly accomplished individuals show their "how". One aspect the guests have in common - their commitment to lifelong learning, extending well beyond their university years.

  1. Why Studying Is Not Safe (And No One Cares Until You Win) | Daniel Keinrath OUAS ep.14

    4D AGO

    Why Studying Is Not Safe (And No One Cares Until You Win) | Daniel Keinrath OUAS ep.14

    What does it really take to build a high-growth AI startup in Europe?In this episode of Once Upon a Student, we sit down with Daniel Keinrath, founder of Fonio, a fast-growing AI phone assistant startup generating over €300,000 in monthly revenue and growing 30% month over month. At 18, Daniel was organizing nightclub events and got screwed over by the Mafia on his first major event. Years later, he sold his first company and went on to build one of Europe’s most ambitious voice AI startups.This conversation goes far beyond business tactics. We talk about why studying can feel safe but often keeps you small, how to sell a product before you build it, why most founders focus on the wrong things, and what it actually means to take ownership.If you are a student, aspiring entrepreneur, or young founder trying to figure out your path, this episode will challenge the way you think about safety, comfort, and ambition. 🎙 Topics we cover: • Building an AI startup in Europe • Selling before building • Bootstrapping vs. raising investors • Startup culture and hiring for ownership • Why “no one cares unless you deliver value” • The biggest lie students tell themselves • Why comfort kills growth

    57 min
  2. Nothing to Lose: How Victor Vécsei Built the #1 TikTok Agency in DACH | Ep. 13

    12/11/2025

    Nothing to Lose: How Victor Vécsei Built the #1 TikTok Agency in DACH | Ep. 13

    Want to grow on TikTok, get more views and maybe even land brand deals or clients? Then you should probably listen to the person who built a 40+ person TikTok agency out of “having nothing to lose.”In this episode of Once Upon a Student, I sit down with Victor Vécsei, founder & CEO of marswalk – one of the leading TikTok / Gen Z agencies in the DACH region. Victor started as a student creator making horror clips on TikTok while everyone around him was laughing at the platform. Today, his agency works across six markets and helps brands like Coca-Cola, Givenchy, Drei & Co. win on TikTok and beyond.We talk about: Hunger & origin – where Victor’s drive really comes from, long before the agency existedGoing all in – why having “no other options” pushed him to commit to marswalk after universityBridging generations – standing between Boomers and Zoomers and translating one world to the otherLeadership & pressure – what he’s learned about trust, risk and making decisions for a whole teamWork–life balance in your 20s – his very honest (and slightly controversial) take on ambition vs. comfortIf you’re searching for:“how to grow on TikTok”,“TikTok tips for beginners”,“TikTok marketing strategy” or“how to get clients with TikTok” – this episode will give you both the mindset and the practical examples you’re looking for.

    55 min
  3. Culture Eats Strategy: How Busuu Scaled Globally | Bernhard Niesner

    11/06/2025

    Culture Eats Strategy: How Busuu Scaled Globally | Bernhard Niesner

    "If I ever get to roll the dice again, I’ll do it differently"Busuu co-founder Bernhard Niesner made that vow after a "mass walkout" left him with just 10 employees. Having already survived launching in the 2008 financial crisis, this was the moment that changed everything. In this conversation, we trace the 15-year arc from near-bankruptcy to a €385M exit , exploring the "TEACH" Values (Trust, Effectiveness, Ambition, Curiosity, Happiness) that scaled the company—a journey that shows just "how the line between success and failure... is so thin" Why this matters - How a simple student idea turned into a global success story - The near-collapse that almost ended it all — and what saved it - Why culture beats strategy every single time- The mindset behind resilience, leadership, and letting go after success Subscribe for more inspiring conversations! 00:00 – Intro 02:00 – From student idea to Busuu’s first users 07:00 – Early mistakes and the pain of rebuilding 13:00 – Surviving crisis and running out of cash 21:00 – Losing 80% of the team — and the turning point 25:00 – How culture became the core of Busuu 34:00 – The €385M exit and what came next 40:00 – The truth about work-life balance 47:00 – Austrian entrepreneurship & taking risks 50:00 – The three Ps: Passion, Positivity, Perseverance 54:00 – How Bernhard wants to be remembered

    55 min
  4. The Next Industrial Revolution: A Playbook for Winning the AI Decade | Dr. Isabell Claus

    10/09/2025

    The Next Industrial Revolution: A Playbook for Winning the AI Decade | Dr. Isabell Claus

    This is the playbook for winning the AI decade. We're in the next Industrial Revolution, and the old rules for success no longer apply. This conversation is a practical and emotional guide to the new strategies that actually work.Your guide is Dr. Isabell Claus. After co-founding and successfully exiting one of Europe's fastest-growing cybersecurity companies, she started again from zero. She shares the actionable strategies she's using right now to build her new AI venture, Thinkers.AI, and compete on a global scale with a small, brilliant team.Inside the Playbook, You Will Discover:🚀 The 'Tiny Team' Thesis: How small, talented teams can now outperform giant corporations by building great products that scale with little capital.📈 From Data to Decisions: A look inside how Thinkers.AI uses public information and AI to create prediction tools for businesses in a dynamic world.🇪🇺 Europe's AI Opportunity: Dr. Claus's urgent call for a new mentality in European leadership and education to compete in the AI decade.🔥 Resilient Leadership: Why turning negative feedback into your greatest strength is a key secret to success.💼 Your Career in the AI Era: Why learning to "co-work with AI" is now essential for everyone, not just coders.GUEST: Dr. Isabell ClausLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-isabell-claus-5540a331/Company: https://thinkers.ai/CONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/once.uponastudent/Podcast Website: https://www.wu.ac.at/en/starting-up/tools-resources/podcast-once-upon-a-student-the-raw-stories-behind-successHost (Maciej Pajak): https://www.linkedin.com/in/maciej-ryszard-pajak/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0at30mSSN8h6HyFMOpYshi?si=b4d3ec225d8749bb🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Once Upon a Student for more raw conversations with the leaders and innovators shaping our future.🎥 Video & IT by WUtvChapters:00:00:00 - Intro00:02:01 - Who is Dr. Isabell Claus?00:04:06 - The Hard Work Behind the Awards00:07:17 - An Entrepreneur from Childhood00:09:28 - The Detour into Academia00:11:27 - The Ignition for Starting Her First Company00:15:07 - How AI is Changing Entrepreneurship00:17:56 - Building & Exiting Radar Cybersecurity00:20:19 - Why Start All Over Again?00:22:17 - The Problem Thinkers.AI is Solving00:24:11 - Competing in the Global AI Race00:28:19 - How AI Will Change the Job Market00:33:37 - Why Europe is Lagging Behind in AI00:37:43 - The Best & Worst Case Scenarios for AI00:39:21 - The Most Important Skill for Success00:42:30 - Advice to Her Younger Self00:44:08 - The Legacy She Wants to Leave00:44:54 - A Call to Action for European Leadership00:48:04 - OutroCreditsGuest: Dr. Isabell Claus (Thinkers AI) • Host: Maciej Pajak (Once Upon a Student). Full transcript highlights in description are adapted from our interview.

    48 min
  5. Athlete, Star, Then Entrepreneur — The Art of Starting Over (Vesela Dimova)

    09/04/2025

    Athlete, Star, Then Entrepreneur — The Art of Starting Over (Vesela Dimova)

    “Discipline outlasts talent. Reinvention isn’t weakness—it’s courage.” Vesela Dimova began dancing at six. By her teens she was a national champion; later, a TV star on Dancing Stars in Vietnam. Then the lights dimmed—and a new chapter began in a small dorm room at WU Vienna. No headlines. No stage. Just the quiet work of starting over. In our 10th episode of Once Upon a Student, we trace the arc from spotlight to student to entrepreneur, and why Vesela now builds on a simple operating system: mind • body • spirit. If you’re a student, athlete, or founder standing at the edge of a new beginning, this conversation is for you. Why this matters• How a national title didn’t prevent an identity crash—and what rebuilt her confidence at WU• Why discipline > talent (and how to train it when no one’s watching)• Turning injuries, doubt, and comparison into a strategy you can live with• Slowing down to go faster: gratitude, alignment, and better decisions for founders & students Chapters00:00:00 Official intro & premise00:02:20 Competitions, Discipline & early responsibility00:14:02 Leap abroad at 18 (Vietnam)00:24:06 Intuition, gratitude & Austria00:39:27 Communication through dance (reading energy)00:44:02 Injury → corporate detour (bank)00:47:03 Career pivot: Dancing Stars & new direction00:50:59 Principles & resilience (mind–body–spirit)01:03:31 Responsibility, education & entrepreneurship01:10:03 Legacy

    1h 18m
  6. He is Fixing Europe's Energy Problem (You’ll Never Guess Where It Starts) | Elias Aruna Ep. 8

    08/08/2025

    He is Fixing Europe's Energy Problem (You’ll Never Guess Where It Starts) | Elias Aruna Ep. 8

    Betting on yourself means stepping into uncertainty and building something anyway.In Episode 9 of Once Upon a Student, we sit down with Elias Aruna, WU-Alumnus and Co-Founder of Scale Energy, a bold startup that’s tackling one of Europe’s most urgent and overlooked challenges: our outdated, overloaded energy grid.From his early days as a student full of questions, to launching one of Europe’s most promising climate tech companies, Elias shares the truth behind entrepreneurship: the fear, the learning curve, and the purpose that makes it all worth it.You’ll hear the real story. Not just of batteries and infrastructure, but of someone who turned conviction into commitment, and built something that just might shape the future of Europe’s energy.----💡 Key Takeaways:- What most people misunderstand about Europe’s energy crisis- How Scale Energy is rethinking grid flexibility with no upfront cost- The emotional reality of going “all in” on your idea- Why clarity of purpose matters more than a perfect plan---00:00 - Intro: The Moment There Was No Turning Back 01:57 - Who is Elias Aruna? From WU Student to Energy Entrepreneur 05:20 - Farm Inspiration & First Steps 09:57 - Importance of decentralized Energy16:05 - SCALE ENERGY25:00 - The Start of the Journey & Business Case Challenge 29:50 - Committing Fully: The Day the Startup Became Real33:00 - Move to Berlin36:30 - What Austria has to learn from Germany41:15 - Elias Major Advice on Priorities48:37 - Pivoting, Learning, and Trusting the Process 50:37 - Final Reflections & Advice for Young Entrepreneurs---🎧 Tune in to Episode 9 of Once Upon a Student for a powerful conversation about vision, resilience, and building real-world impact from the ground up.---Elias Aruna🔗 LinkedIn: https: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elias-aruna/🌐 Scale Energy: https://www.scale-energy.comFollow Us:Once upon a Student: https://www.instagram.com/once.uponastudent/ WU Entrepreneurship Center: https://www.wu.ac.at/gruendenMaciej Pajak (Host): https://www.instagram.com/paccmac/🎧 Listen to the episode on Spotify: 📺 Watch more on YouTube: Subscribe for more inspiring conversations!🎥 Video & IT by WUtv

    1h 1m
  7. Dropshipping Success: You’re Building E-Commerce Backwards! Nino Pérez-Salado | Ep. 8

    07/16/2025

    Dropshipping Success: You’re Building E-Commerce Backwards! Nino Pérez-Salado | Ep. 8

    You don’t need investors, inventory, or hype to build a real brand. You need resourcefulness, trust, and relentless learning.In Episode 6 of Once Upon a Student, we sit down with Nino Pérez-Salado, a student entrepreneur who turned a small budget and a laptop into Plusgear Sports, one of Austria’s fastest-growing sportswear brands.Nino shares his raw journey from testing dropshipping ideas during university to building a trusted, customer-first business featured on Austria’s Dragons’ Den. Learn how experimentation, failure, and direct conversations with customers shaped his strategy and why he believes slow growth often leads to stronger businesses.Whether you’re a student founder, creative thinker, or someone dreaming of launching something real, this episode offers rare, honest insights from someone who's been in the trenches.Key Takeaways:- Why building a brand without product or inventory actually worked- How customer complaints became a growth strategy- Why storytelling is a powerful startup skill- The truth about scaling physical products as a student- What every founder gets wrong about feedbackTimestamp00:01:51 – Intro00:01:02 – The Student Side-Hustle: Making Money While Sleeping00:06:58 – Juggling University & Business: The Power of Practical Application00:11:18 – The Truth About Dropshipping: Beyond the Hype00:14:52 – Embracing Failure: The 5 Tries to Success00:17:44 – De-Risking the Dream: How to Test a Product Before It Exists00:21:43 – When Disaster Strikes: Leadership Through Crisis00:28:16 – The 97% You're Missing: Learning from Those Who Don't Buy00:30:51 – The Art of Customer Support: Turning Haters into Fans00:37:06 – From Online Ads to National TV: Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone00:44:12 – The Founder's Trap: Separating Your Self-Worth from Your Business00:47:14 – The €500 Startup: How to Start Building a Brand Next Week00:50:30 – The Storytelling Engine: Your Most Powerful Skill00:52:16 – AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch01:01:08 – The Inventor's "Why": Finding Fulfillment in Solving Problems01:08:21 – The Reality of Success: Preparation, Timing, and LuckNino Pérez-SaladoLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nino-pérez-salado-974a17158/Plusgear: https://plusgear.atIG: https://www.instagram.com/plusgear/?hl=enFollow Us:Once upon a Student: https://www.instagram.com/once.uponastudent/ WU Entrepreneurship Center: https://www.wu.ac.at/gruendenMaciej Pajak (Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/maciej-ryszard-pajak/📺 Watch more on YouTube: Subscribe for more inspiring conversations!🎥 Video & IT by WUtv

    1h 10m
  8. She Left Investment Banking to Build a Sustainable Future for Europe | Marlene Johler | Ep.7

    03/27/2025

    She Left Investment Banking to Build a Sustainable Future for Europe | Marlene Johler | Ep.7

    Success isn’t always what it seems—and sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is walk away from it.In Episode 7 of Once Upon a Student, we sit down with Marlene Johler, a former investment banker who left behind a “dream career” to pursue something far more meaningful: building a sustainable future for Europe.In this deeply honest and inspiring conversation, Marlene shares her journey of letting go—of prestige, of certainty, of who she thought she was “supposed to be.” What followed was a powerful transformation toward purpose, systems change, and circular economy.- From high finance to high impact- From shame and doubt to self-trust and clarity- From chasing success to redefining itWhether you’re a student questioning your career path, an early-stage founder battling burnout, or someone searching for alignment in a chaotic world—this episode will speak to you.Because growth doesn’t always come from climbing higher. Sometimes, it comes from climbing a different ladder entirely.

    1h 10m
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About

This is a place where highly accomplished individuals show their "how". One aspect the guests have in common - their commitment to lifelong learning, extending well beyond their university years.

Information

  • Creator
    Once upon a student
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Once upon a student
  • Show Website
    Once upon a Student