In this episode, we catch up with Rob van den Heuvel, Co-founder and CEO of Sendcloud a shipping software provider that automates and optimises shipping processes for e-commerce businesses.
Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Eindhoven, Sendcloud has access to 100+ carriers, 7,000+ shipping methods, and 400,000+ parcel points across Europe. Sendcloud enables online merchants of any size to manage their shipping from checkout to returns. With a growing ecosystem of 60+ webshop integrations and 750+ partners, they make it easy for online shops to scale cross-border shipping and expand to new markets. Backed by Softbank and trusted by 25,000 companies and counting, Sendcloud has raised over €186 million in funding and is building the number one platform to solve shipping globally.
Rob shares his journey of building Sendcloud, including the challenges of the early days, raising funding, and scaling internationally. He emphasises the importance of execution, hiring the right people, and maintaining a no-bullshit culture. He also reflects on his biggest operational failures and the lessons learned from them. Rob shares his vision for the future of Sendcloud, including acquisitions and innovations in smart shipping, and much more.
Video version of episode 79:
Audio version of episode 79:
Key takeaways
- Execution and delivering on promises are key to building a successful business.
- Hiring leaders is harder than hiring people who just do the job; it’s important to onboard and guide them effectively.
- Going international is like starting a new business from scratch, and personal involvement is crucial for success.
- Maintaining a no-bullshit culture requires direct communication, confronting issues, and hiring leaders who align with the culture.
- Mistakes and failures are inevitable, but you learn the most from them.
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