🎙️ From Farm to FinTech: Building the Future of Accounting with Founder Thomas Helms

Episode Overview

In this episode, we sit down with Thomas Helms, serial entrepreneur and founder of Crispa, a modern accounting platform rethinking how startups manage their finances.

Thomas shares his journey from growing up on a Danish farm — where hard work, ownership, and problem-solving were daily realities — to management consulting, and ultimately into entrepreneurship. Along the way, he reflects on the mindset shifts required to move from strategy decks to building real products, teams, and companies.

We dive deep into the inefficiencies of traditional accounting, the role of automation and AI in modern finance, and what it really takes to build and scale a FinTech company across borders. This conversation blends personal story with highly practical insights for founders navigating fundraising, team building, and fast-moving markets.

💡 Key Takeaways

1. Entrepreneurship demands relentless effort, resilience, and curiosity
2. Deep understanding of financial operations is a superpower for founders
3. Automation and AI are essential to scaling modern startups efficiently
4. Small, empowered teams can outperform much larger organisations
5. Fundraising works best when treated as a structured, intentional process
6. Flexibility in technology and workflows enables long-term scalability
7. Authentic leadership builds trust with both teams and investors
8. Experimentation and iteration are critical to sustained innovation

🗣️ Sound Bites

1. “You need to be so much on top of those things.”
2. “Every no brings me closer to a yes.”
3. “Do things that don’t scale.”

🧭 Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Thomas Helms and Crispa

01:48 – Childhood Influences on Entrepreneurship

05:41 – Transitioning from Corporate Life to Startups

09:33 – Lessons from Consulting and Startup Execution

13:17 – Building a Small, High-Impact Team

16:59 – Why Traditional Accounting Systems Are Broken

21:02 – The Reality of Being a Solo Founder

24:45 – Hiring, Empowerment, and Trust

28:38 – Vision, Values, and Company Culture

32:20 – Vulnerability and Risk in FinTech

36:03 – Fundraising Lessons and Strategy

39:37 – Valuation, Timing, and Investor Alignment

42:21 – Strategic Pivot: Platform vs. Firm Model

45:39 – International Expansion & Regulatory Complexity

49:22 – Cold Calling and Learning Sales

54:50 – Choosing the Right Technology Stack

59:56 – Early-Stage Startup Challenges

01:02:10 – Maximising Long-Term Value and Cash Flow

🧠 Why You’ll Love This Episode

If you’re a founder who wants to actually understand your numbers, not just outsource them, this episode is for you. Thomas offers a rare mix of strategic clarity and operational honesty — from fundraising realities to building tech that truly scales. It’s a grounded, no-fluff look at what it takes to build a FinTech company from scratch, and why financial literacy is one of the most underrated founder skills.

🏷️ Keywords

Entrepreneurship, FinTech, Accounting, Crispa, Fundraising, Automation, AI, Leadership, Team Building, Startup Scaling

🏢 Companies Mentioned

1. Crispa

Founders Meeting | Benjamin / Every: Reviving Shared Mealtimes Through Plant-Based Innovation

What if frozen food wasn’t a compromise — but the future of healthy, sustainable eating?

In this Founders Meeting episode, we sit down with Benjamin, co-founder of Every, a Berlin-based company redefining convenient food with chef-crafted, plant-based frozen meals. Every isn’t just building a food brand — they’re rebuilding trust in the frozen aisle.

Benjamin shares the journey of starting Every with his lifelong friend Casimir, the challenges of sourcing high-quality ingredients, and how shock-freezing technology preserves nutrients, flavour, and integrity. We explore how transparency, sustainability, and shared mealtimes sit at the heart of their mission — and why frozen food deserves a rebrand.

This conversation goes beyond product. It’s about culture, connection, and building a food company rooted in values.

🔑 In this episode, we talk about:

Why Every exists — and the problem with modern convenience food

The cultural importance of shared mealtimes

Building a plant-based brand for everyone, not just vegans

The sourcing challenges within the food industry

How shock freezing preserves nutrients and reduces waste

Transparency in packaging and building consumer trust

Launching a company with a lifelong friend

Financing and early-stage decisions

Community-driven growth and customer feedback

Reframing frozen food as premium, sustainable, and delicious

🧠 Key Takeaways:

Healthy eating should be effortless and enjoyable.

Shared mealtimes foster connection in a fast-paced world.

Shock freezing locks in nutrients and quality.

Transparency builds trust in a sceptical food market.

Plant-based food can appeal to a broad, mainstream audience.

Building a business with a friend requires clarity and shared values.

Sustainability and quality sourcing are long-term competitive advantages.

Community engagement strengthens both brand and product.

💬 Sound Bites:

“The future of frozen food is sustainability.”

“Shared mealtimes foster connections.”

“Trust in the food industry is essential.”

“Healthy eating should never feel like a compromise.”

📍 Chapter Highlights:

00:00 – Introduction to Every and Its Mission

02:21 – Healthy Eating & Convenience

05:23 – Childhood Influences and Food Heritage

08:04 – Starting Every

11:10 – Sourcing & Sustainability

14:17 – Packaging & Direct-to-Consumer Strategy

17:02 – Shock Freezing Explained

20:18 – Challenges in Frozen Goods

23:01 – The Future of Frozen Food

26:06 – Plant-Based Market Perceptions

29:14 – Building a Company with a Friend

48:52 – Early Challenges & Decisions

50:41 – Financing the Journey

51:44 – Strategic Partnerships

55:04 – Shared Values

55:54 – Branding Evolution

01:07:36 – Core Market Focus

01:09:39 – Customer Education

01:20:07 – Shared Mealtimes

01:24:16 – Community Engagement

🔗 Links & Resources:

🥦 Every → https://every-foods.com/

📍 Berlin, Germany

🧡 Why You’ll Love This Episode:

If you’re building a mission-driven brand — especially in a competitive, trust-sensitive industry — this episode is packed with insights. Benjamin shares what it really takes to challenge category assumptions, build with integrity, and create a product that aligns convenience with quality. It’s a powerful reminder that food isn’t just fuel — it’s culture, connection, and community.

📣 Connect with Us:

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