ICONS
ICONS
Podcast Description
ICONS is a podcast about Europe’s most iconic consumer brands — how they won, built legendary identities, and the bold moves behind their rise. Real stories, real strategy, no fluff.
Brought to you by The Global Talent Co.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
ICONS delves into topics such as brand identity creation, innovative marketing strategies, and the journey of consumer products, with episodes like the exploration of SoundCloud's viral growth through product-first methodologies and Wild's transformation into a sustainable brand valued at £230M, addressing challenges like supply chain complexities and community engagement.
Join serial entrepreneur & host Roman Kirsch as he uncovers real founder stories, and growth secrets behind Europe’s fastest-growing serious businesses.
No fluff, just actionable insights for entrepreneurs, marketers, and brand builders.
The ICONS Show is the podcast diving deep into Europe’s most iconic consumer businesses and entrepreneurs— revealing how they won markets, built legendary brand identities, and made bold strategic moves to rise above the competition.
Subscribe for high quality episodes featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders, founders, and innovators shaping the future of European business.
Hosted by Roman Kirsch.
Christian Miele grew up carrying one of Germany’s most recognizable names, without ever being a shareholder in the family company. That tension shaped everything that came next: building his own startup, becoming a VC, and backing the highest valued private company in Europe.
In this episode, Christian explains how a random WhatsApp from a friend working in the French government led him to Mistral, now valued at $21B, and why he believes the smartest career advice for young people right now is to become an electrician, given Germany’s 250,000-person shortage. He also breaks down why he thinks “the math ain’t mathing” on Germany’s budget, and makes the case for Europe’s shot at staying relevant through robotics, AI, and energy.
Guest: Christian Miele
Host: Roman Kirsch
Timestamps:
0:00 – Cold Open
1:08 – Growing Up With the Miele Name
8:36 – The Chip on His Shoulder
9:42 – The Builders Network Origin Story
23:48 – The Mistral Deal — From WhatsApp to $21B
26:38 – Europe’s AI Sovereignty Thesis
34:54 – Going On Shark Tank Germany
40:15 – “Germans Are Terrible Entertainers”
1:02:23 – What We’re Underestimating: Become an Electrician
1:04:34 – Germany’s Budget: “The Math Ain’t Mathing”
1:07:13 – The Optimistic Case: Anthropic, Nvidia & Europe’s Shot
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