Munich Startup: What motivated you to start the company?
Catherine Leser, Co-founder and Managing Director Penzilla: I've always dreamed of starting my own business one day. My family is mostly made up of doctors, who are also entrepreneurs in some capacity. That certainly influenced me.
On the one hand, I find it fascinating and motivating to build something from scratch myself. You have so much freedom in shaping the product, the corporate culture, and the general approach, but above all, of course, there's also enormous pressure. But I like being under pressure.
On the other hand, it has always been important to me to work for a good cause. That is, to actually make a difference and change something in society through my own work.
The topic of occupational pension provision is something that concerns us all and will continue to do so even more intensively in the future. Occupational pension provision (bAV) is a compelling component of occupational pension provision that should not be neglected. In most setups, it's a win-win situation for employers and employees. The employer saves money, and the employee receives a gift for their pension. Who would say no to that? Of course, this is a very simplified version, but it's usually exactly how it is. The reason why bAV isn't used more widely is, on the one hand, the way in which bAV is communicated and, on the other hand, that its introduction can create an enormous amount of work for employers. This is precisely where we come in with Penzilla.
Trust your intuition
Munich Startup: What would you have liked to have known before starting your first business?
Catherine Leser: How important it is to focus and say no. We get so many great ideas, opportunities, and much more from outside. But to get something done and really make progress, you can't work on many projects at once. Sometimes you have to pass up an opportunity. It hurts sometimes, but it has to be done.
There have been numerous moments so far when I've realized that my intuition has led me down the right path. You definitely have to learn to trust your own abilities and judgment.
Munich Startup: How has your company been financed so far?
Catherine Leser: We completed our pre-seed financing round in the second half of 2023. This enabled us to add incredibly strong and experienced individuals to the expanded team, who will support us with advice, support, and, of course, their network.
Munich Startup: When and where do you get the best ideas?
Catherine Leser: Brainstorming with my husband in the evening on the couch or at the playground with my children.
Munich Startup: What are your 3 favorite work tools?
Catherine Leser:
- My notebook: Old-school but classy
- Slack: Fast and transparent communication is particularly important to us at Penzilla, especially due to our hybrid working model
- Miro: Great collaboration and brainstorming tool
Catherine Leser: “Keep the message short”
Munich Startup: Your top tips on pitching?
Catherine Leser: Think about the message you want to convey to your audience beforehand. Keep it short and simple, no more than three points. You can then structure your presentation accordingly.
And: Know your customer, investor, etc. Conduct research and ensure your pitch comes across as personalized as possible.
Munich Startup: Does this seem like a good time to start a business? Why?
Catherine Leser: Yes, always. Of course, there have been rosier times, but if the idea is good and sustainable and you're passionate about the topic, I'm sure you can achieve anything.
Munich Startup: Which technology or industry would you focus on for your next startup?
Catherine LeserWe plan to continue Penzilla for a long time to come and make it really big. Therefore, a next launch is not foreseeable for the time being. Generally speaking, however, I'm a big fan of making seemingly dry and seemingly "boring" topics approachable and appealing. Especially with such topics, creativity knows no bounds, and even small changes can have a big impact. Impact.
Even more startup events, also for female founders
Munich Startup: In your opinion, what could be improved at the Munich startup location?
Catherine Leser: We feel very comfortable in Munich! But more startup events would be great. Also, female founder events that are also accessible to mothers.
Munich Startup: Which founder would you like to meet in person? And what would you ask them?
Catherine Leser: Hanno Renner. Because: similar target group, same sales challenges, also founded in Munich. I think our setup is very similar.
Anna Alex. I had the pleasure of meeting her over ten years ago because we worked for the same company. That was before she founded her first company. Since then, she's experienced incredible growth and is also a mother. People like her can only inspire courage and strength for your own path.
