EXPresso

Henrik Holth
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Biweekly

EXPresso is a podcast with founders, leaders, investors, athletes and creators about how they think, what they’ve learned and what it really takes to build, compete and grow. Hosted by Henrik Holth in New York, the conversations cover business, ambition, leadership, investing, sport and the decisions that shape careers and lives. With guests from Scandinavia, the US and beyond, EXPresso is built around honest conversations, real experience and ideas worth taking with you.

  1. Oct 5

    #139 Stian Reinhartsen: Fra Oppmerksomhet til Eierskap - Reisen fra Byrå til Investor

    Stian Reinhartsen er gründer, investor og programleder for Impressions. I episode #139 snakker vi om reisen fra å være tidlig ute med sosiale medier til å bygge Reinhartsen Media sammen med broren Nicolay, og hvordan Stians tankesett gradvis har beveget seg fra tjenestebusiness til mer eierskap, equity, eiendom og investeringer. En viktig del av reisen gikk gjennom Matoma. Det startet med at Stian tok kontakt og tilbød seg å hjelpe med sosiale medier, og utviklet seg etter hvert til flere år som en del av teamet og rollen som turnémanager. Det ble over 700 konserter på litt over tre år, Coachella og samarbeid i et internasjonalt musikkmiljø med noen av verdens største artister. Vi snakker om hva han lærte av å være så tett på en ekstrem vekstreise, og hvordan digitale plattformer som SoundCloud gjorde det mulig for norske artister å bygge globale karrierer på en helt ny måte. Et viktig vendepunkt kom etter Covid. Reinhartsen Media mistet nesten alle kundene over natten, og senere fikk selskapet interesse fra en svensk kjøper. Verdsettelsen ble en realitetsorientering etter flere år med hardt arbeid og fikk Stian og Nicolay til å tenke annerledes rundt hva slags verdier de ønsket å bygge. Vi snakker om hvorfor de begynte å søke mer eksponering mot oppsiden de selv var med på å skape, hvordan kompetanse på distribusjon og personlige merkevarer kan brukes til å bygge selskaper, og hvordan dette blant annet har ført dem videre inn i eiendom og investeringer. Stian deler også hva han har lært etter 300+ samtaler på Impressions, hvilke egenskaper han ser hos de beste founderne, hvorfor han mener Norge trenger flere synlige rollemodeller, forskjellene mellom norsk og amerikansk ambisjonsnivå, hvorfor founders bør ta personlig merkevare mer på alvor, og hvordan AI endrer verdien av distribusjon. Til slutt snakker vi om 10-årsambisjonen hans: å bygge Impressions videre samtidig som Reinhartsen utvikles mot et større finansielt og investeringsmessig miljø.

    #139 Stian Reinhartsen: Fra Oppmerksomhet til Eierskap - Reisen fra Byrå til Investor

  2. Sep 19

    #138 Magnus Grimeland: Why Europe Sells Too Early, the AI Platform Shift, and What Great Founders Have in Common

    Magnus Grimeland grew up in Holm outside Sande, Norway, in a community he remembers as having around 50 to 70 people. At 16, he left Norway for UWC Atlantic College in Wales. He later studied at Harvard, served in the Norwegian Special Forces, worked at McKinsey, helped build Zalora and Global Fashion Group in Asia, and eventually founded Antler. Today, Antler receives around 160,000 founder applications a year and backs hundreds of new companies globally. In this conversation, we talk about why Magnus believes AI is the biggest platform shift he has experienced, why technology itself is becoming less of a moat, and why distribution increasingly matters. We also go into what Antler looks for in founders before the numbers exist, the importance of spike, drive and grit, why European founders often sell too early, Norway’s tax debate, Singapore, mental resilience, Janteloven, success and purpose. Music licensed through Soundstripe.Codes: ACRUT3HZ9EFCI399, 5OQTOAM7HCOAXEPU, TJ1X8CVRHVSNVNUS

  3. Sep 14

    #137 Sondre Kasin: From Washing Dishes in Norway to Director of Bars in New York

    Sondre Kasin started working in restaurants at around 15 years old, washing dishes at a local restaurant in Kongsberg, Norway. He later studied political science while continuing to work in hospitality on the side. Eventually, what had started as a part-time job became the career. In 2017, Sondre moved to New York. During the interview process for one of his first major opportunities, he was challenged to create a cocktail menu using Korean ingredients he barely knew. Without a bar to work from, he bought ingredients, picked up basic equipment and started experimenting from his apartment. Today, Sondre is Director of Bars at Gracious Hospitality Management, working across an organization with concepts in New York, Miami, Singapore and Las Vegas. We talk about why Sondre left Norway, adapting to New York, taking ownership before anyone asks you to, the difference between confidence and being loud, direct feedback, surrounding yourself with people who compensate for your weaknesses, changing drinking habits and why some people seem to accumulate more trust and opportunity over time. Sondre also explains why patience matters more than most people think, why being present can become a competitive advantage, and why the people around you may matter as much as talent itself. A conversation about hospitality, but even more about craft, responsibility, patience and building a career one step at a time. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: ORBXUF2HYVEPRYDF

    #137 Sondre Kasin: From Washing Dishes in Norway to Director of Bars in New York

  4. Aug 17

    #136 Andy Hamer: Investing or Gambling? Risk, Incentives, and Why Some Countries Keep Winning

    Andy Hamer first came to the United States as a teenager, spending a year on Long Island and taking the train into New York whenever he could. Years later, he returned and built his life here around investing, capital allocation and working with founders. Today, Andy is the Founder and Managing Partner of Beira Mar Capital. This conversation ended up going well beyond investing. We talk about the difference Andy sees between the American and European attitudes toward risk and failure; why Germany has struggled to translate its industrial and engineering heritage into the next generation of globally dominant companies; and what countries such as Singapore and Israel can teach larger economies about focus, incentives and building around what they can become world-class at. We also bring the conversation back to the individual investor. Andy explains why a long time horizon can itself become an advantage, why people should focus on areas they genuinely understand, how everyday experiences can lead to interesting investment ideas, and why finding a great company is not enough if you pay the wrong price. And as investing, prediction markets, sports betting and speculation increasingly live on the same phone, we get into an important distinction: when are you actually investing - and when are you simply gambling? We also talk about New York, entrepreneurship, Tesla, building an investment edge and why incentives matter whether you are allocating capital inside a company, a portfolio or an entire country. You can find Andy on https://www.andy-hamer.com/ Music licensed through Soundstripe.Codes: 3JFD4IURJYUEG37Y, 4W9RIKJU8TSYV5S9

  5. Jul 21

    #135 Kristin Harila: Everest Without Oxygen, 14 Peaks in 92 Days & Life After 8,000m

    Kristin Harila is one of the world’s most accomplished high-altitude mountaineers. In May, she reached the summit of Mount Everest for the fourth time - this time without supplemental oxygen. She has now completed 31 summits above 8,000 metres, and in 2023, together with Tenjen Lama Sherpa, climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in just 92 days. In this episode, we talk about: What it actually takes to climb Everest without supplemental oxygenWhy reaching the summit is only half the challengeThe preparation, logistics and mindset behind climbing 14 peaks in 92 daysBreaking overwhelming goals down into one mountain, one camp and one step at a timeWhy Kristin returned and started the entire record attempt again after completing 12 of the 14 peaks in 2022Her friendship and partnership with Tenjen Lama SherpaLosing Lama and the impact it has had on her lifeRisk, fear and how she remains calm in life-or-death situationsCommercial expeditions, overcrowding and the future of Mount EverestThe responsibility climbers and expedition companies have toward the Sherpa communityBeing a woman in a male-dominated industry and the challenges of securing sponsorshipGrowing up on a farm in northern Norway and learning independence from an early ageWhy she has decided that her long 8,000-metre expeditions are now overWhat comes next after reaching some of the highest places on EarthThis is a conversation about much more than mountains. It is about self-belief, preparation, grief, responsibility and the price of pursuing something most people believe is impossible.

  6. Jul 10

    #134 Karl Liapunov: Starting Cold, Nordic Ambition and the Bridge to America

    Karl Liapunov joins EXPresso for a conversation about growing up between the US and Norway, taking a one-way ticket to Oslo, working with Nordic founders through StartupLab, and launching Starting Cold - a new video series focused on Nordic founders, operators, athletes and outliers building at an international level. Karl Liapunov grew up in the US with a strong Norwegian connection, Norwegian spoken at home, and summers spent in Norway. After starting his career in investment banking in Houston, he decided to leave the safe path behind, buy a one-way ticket to Oslo, and build a new chapter in Norway. That decision eventually led him to StartupLab, where he spent several years working closely with Norwegian and Nordic founders, particularly around energy, climate tech, internationalization and the bridge between the Nordics and global markets. Now Karl is based in New York and has launched Starting Cold — a new video series and platform built around Nordic founders, operators, athletes and outliers who are building at an international level. In this episode, we talk about what it means to grow up between two cultures, the difference between Norway and the US, why Norway is an incredible place to come from but sometimes a difficult place to stand out, and why Nordic companies often become very good at building but not always as good at telling the world what they have built. We also get into cold outreach, taking risk, moving countries without a perfect plan, StartupLab, energy and climate tech, media, venture, and why storytelling may become one of the most important tools for the next generation of Nordic founders. Topics we cover: ​Growing up between the US and Norway​Norwegian identity, language and culture from the outside​The difference between American and Norwegian ambition​Leaving investment banking and moving to Oslo without a clear plan​Building a network from scratch in a new country​StartupLab and the Norwegian startup ecosystem​Energy, climate tech and Norway’s international advantage​Why Nordic founders need stronger global storytelling​The role of media in venture, fundraising and ecosystem-building​Starting Cold and Karl’s mission to highlight Nordic outliers​Why cold outreach can change the direction of your life​What Norway can learn from the US — and what it should not copy Song credit via riverside.fm X64NDHCVOUSLFDEQ

  7. Jun 25

    #133 Javad Mushtaq: Norway Needs to Think Bigger - AI, Capital and Ambition

    Javad Mushtaq is back on EXPresso for the third time. In our earlier conversations, we spoke about investments, impact, diversity, entrepreneurship and emerging markets. Since then, Javad has continued his journey internationally through MIT, Harvard, AI, technology, investments and work at the intersection of capital, society and impact. In this episode, we meet in New York for an honest conversation about Norway, the US, ambition and what it takes to build bigger from a small country. We talk about: Why Norway has the talent, but often lacks the ambition and risk toleranceThe difference between Norway and the US when it comes to capital, networks, scale and beliefJanteloven, storytelling and why Norwegians need to become better at talking about their winsWhy Norwegian founders should think globally from day oneAI as a fundamental technological shift, not just a hype cycleWhat responsible AI means when technology has the potential to impact billions of peopleOutsider energy, imposter syndrome and social mobilityHow Javad went from almost dropping out of high school to MIT and HarvardWhy failure, learning and resilience need to become a bigger part of Norwegian founder cultureNorway’s role in the world, Norwegian identity in the US and the excitement around Norway being back in the World Cup for the first time in 28 yearsThis is a conversation about technology, capital, identity, impact and why Norway needs to think bigger. You can find Javad on LinkedIn below: LinkedIn

  8. Jun 21

    #132 George W. Peters: The Most Selfish Networking Tool Ever Created

    In this episode, I’m joined by George W. Peters, host of Industry Game. This became a conversation about much more than podcasting. George and I are both building podcasts while also working full-time careers, and we talk about why a podcast can become one of the most powerful tools for curiosity, learning, relationships, and personal growth. Why starting before you feel ready is often the most important step.Why the first episodes are always the hardest.How consistency compounds over time.Why the best conversations happen when you stop trying to “interview” and allow a real conversation to unfold.How a podcast can become what George calls “the most selfish networking tool” - because it gives you a real reason to sit down with interesting people, ask better questions, and build relationships you otherwise never would have had.The power of reps, including what Joe Rogan’s thousands of episodes can teach us about mastery.Why motivation is overrated, and why identity matters more.Why successful people often aren’t as different as we think - they just keep showing up.Why this episode also marks a new step for EXPresso, as the podcast opens up to more English-speaking and international conversations going forward.A fun, honest and reflective conversation about curiosity, consistency, relationships, podcasting, and what it means to actually get in the game. Episode #132 George W. Peters -The Most Selfish Networking Tool Ever Created

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About

EXPresso is a podcast with founders, leaders, investors, athletes and creators about how they think, what they’ve learned and what it really takes to build, compete and grow. Hosted by Henrik Holth in New York, the conversations cover business, ambition, leadership, investing, sport and the decisions that shape careers and lives. With guests from Scandinavia, the US and beyond, EXPresso is built around honest conversations, real experience and ideas worth taking with you.

Information

  • Creator
    Henrik Holth
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    136
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Henrik Holth
  • Show Website
    EXPresso

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