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In this SaaS Camp session, Kasper Hulthin (co-founder of Podio and Peakon, now investor at Future5 and CostCapital) walks us through the messy, human journey of building and evolving high-performing leadership teams. He shares raw and practical insights from growing two startups to major acquisitions (Podio to Citrix and Peakon to Workday) and the learnings that shaped each phase.
Key takeaways
1. Hire leaders that raise the bar, including replacing yourself.
Kasper’s first bold move as a founder was hiring a more experienced CEO to replace himself at Podio. That decision unlocked new growth and set the tone: every leadership hire should elevate the company’s ambition.
2. Aim high, even early.
Despite being a small Danish startup, Podio hired a top-tier CTO and built a magnetic culture that attracted world-class talent. Vision, ambition, and personal chemistry mattered more than budget or location.
3. Culture doesn’t copy-paste.
The magic of Podio’s culture didn’t automatically transfer to Peakon — they had to build it again, intentionally. Culture shifts as the team grows. What worked at 10 people won’t work at 100.
4. Start with the founding team but evolve ruthlessly.
Peakon began with a full founder leadership team across product, commercial, and tech. But as the company scaled, roles shifted. Co-founders stepped aside or moved continents to open new markets, always prioritizing what was best for the company.
5. Don’t hire C-levels too early.
Hiring a CFO when you’re 8 people often leads to regret. Instead, hire strong operators at VP or director level and promote when they (and the business) are ready. Titles matter — especially later in fundraising.
6. “Company-first” people win.
When hiring leaders, look for those who care more about company-wide success than their own department. Collaboration across functions was crucial in making the Podio and Peakon teams work — especially between product and sales.
7. Operating rhythms matter.
At Peakon, offsites, board meetings, all-hands, and strategic planning were designed to reinforce the same narrative and goals — not siloed slide decks. Investing time and energy into operating cadence reduced chaos and boosted clarity.
8. Talent > experience, but context matters.
Kasper avoided overly polished corporate hires. Instead, he looked for raw talent with strong values, high learning velocity, and previous exposure to fast-growing environments.
9. AI won’t kill leadership, but it changes the game.
Kasper doesn’t see AI replacing leadership teams, but it may reduce the size of mid-level layers. He argues that while AI can accelerate execution, the challenge shifts to standing out in a world where everyone uses the same tools. Creativity and strategic abstraction matter more than ever.
10. Attracting top talent is a sales job.
Convincing experienced leaders to join your startup isn’t about ticking boxes — it’s about storytelling, belief, and creating the sense that they’ll do the most meaningful work of their lives.
