Adam Holmgren, CEO of Fibbler, used to think leadership was the only realistic way to keep progressing and making more money. Instead, he became a founder.

In the first episode of Marketers Beyond the Ladder, Adam and I talk about what that choice actually looks like beyond the usual founder success story: why management drained him, how he discovered that great operators can make great money, and why he built Fibbler alongside his full-time job for almost two years before finally going all in.

We also get into the less glamorous parts: financial risk, burnout, work-life balance, the pressure of always feeling behind, and why Adam says becoming a founder is probably the wrong move if money is your only motivation.

We talk about:
• Why senior marketers often feel pushed toward management
• Whether companies need to pay senior ICs more
• Building a company without quitting your job first
• What finally made Adam leave the security of employment
• Founder income vs. a senior marketing salary
• Why working more doesn't automatically get you product-market fit
• Building a company as an introvert who hates pitching
• Why experience might be an underrated advantage for aspiring founders

And, because this is the first-ever episode of Marketers Beyond the Ladder, we start with a big question: what if becoming a VP or CMO isn't the only way forward?

Follow Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-holmgren/

Follow Yulia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/italeffa/

Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör Yulia Olennikova. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Yulia Olennikova och inte av, eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.