From Burnout to Unstoppable Entrepreneurship: Lessons in Leadership and forging your own path with Robert Lenzhofer

In this episode of iGaming Leader, Leo sits down with Robert Lenzhofer, Co-Founder & CEO of Hölle Games, to discuss his 20-year journey in the gaming industry, from his early days at Bwin to leading his own tech-driven company. Robert opens up about the lessons he learned from burnout, the power of asynchronous work, and the importance of creating agile, efficient teams.

This conversation is packed with insights for leaders seeking to improve organizational flow, reduce workflow waste, and build sustainable businesses while maintaining personal well-being.

Guest Bio

Robert has been involved in free-to-play and real-money gaming for 20 years. Starting with Bwin in Vienna in 2001, Robert was instrumental in the early stages of product development of the sports betting and casino products, specifically being responsible for the launch of Bwin Casino and Bwin Poker.

Robert moved to Berlin in 2010 and headed the Product Development of Crowdpark, an Earlybird and Target-Partners funded venture in the area of social betting. Later, Robert co-founded Crowdbet, taking prediction market technology into the real-money sports betting market.

In 2015, Robert co-founded Glück Games, a real-money lottery game supplier for private and state lottery companies. In 2018, Glück Games merged with Gamevy, a London-based supplier of Instant Win games. Today, the company is called g.games and has multi-year contracts with the state lotteries of Italy, Norway, Turkey, Latvia, Denmark, Morocco, etc.

Today, Robert is the Co-Founder & CEO Hölle Games, an ISO 27001 certified 'Made in Germany' video slots company that also has a Remote Gaming Server (RGS) business-vertical called hinterzimmer.io.

Key Topics Discussed

00:00 – Robert transition into the gaming industry.
04:20 – Questions about the industry's impact.
07:00 – The Tanker vs. Speedboat Metaphor
10:00 – The Impact of Burnout
15:38 – Lessons from Large Organizations
19:45 – Applying Lean Thinking in iGaming
24:00 – The Power of Asynchronous Work
29:30 – Advice for Aspiring Leaders

Memorable Quotes

1. “The organization should be like a brain, retaining knowledge and learning from its experiences.”
2. “Burnout isn’t about working too many hours—it’s about feeling out of control.”
3. “You learn the most when you lose. Winning hardly teaches you anything.”

Important Links
Connect with Robert Lenzhofer:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertlenzhofer/
• https://www.xn--hlle-5qa.games/
• https://www.hinterzimmer.io/

Follow Leo Judkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/

Subscribe to the iGaming Leader newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/signup

Join the iGaming Leader Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/

In this inspiring episode of iGaming Leader, Leo sits down with Roger Redfearn-Tyrzyk, VP at IDnow, to discuss his remarkable journey from his strenuous beginnings to becoming a prominent leader in the iGaming industry.

Roger shares his unique insights about overcoming personal and professional challenges, developing accountability, and maintaining a growth mindset to achieve great success.

We delve deep into the lessons Roger has learned about leadership, the importance of team spirit, and the transformative power of taking ownership for your own actions. You will gain valuable advice on balancing ambition with personal well-being, celebrating team success, and embracing the journey of self-improvement.

Guest Bio

Roger Redfearn-Tyrzyk is a 32-year-old visionary leader and the Vice President Gaming at IDnow, now 8 years in the iGaming industry.. With a career that began in sales, Roger has rapidly ascended to leadership roles and became the youngest VP in the company at 29.

A huge sports fan with football, American football, basketball, Formula 1 and baseball being by far his favourites.

In his own words: making mistakes is the only way to get better, owning and being accountable for your own actions is the only way to become and stay successful.

Key Topics Discussed

00:00 – Roger’s Journey to VP at IDnow
07:49 – Lessons from Humble Beginnings
13:00 – Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
12:00 – Celebrating Team Success
17:18 – The Weight-Loss Journey
24:00 – Tremendous Benefits Beyond the Scale
27:48 – Learning From Mistakes
31:10 – The Power of Accountability
36:20 – Advice for Aspiring Leaders

Memorable Quotes

1. “Success as a team is worth ten times more than individual success. It’s about celebrating together.”
2. “Mistakes are there to teach us. Own them, learn from them, and move forward.”
3. “Happiness is found in the journey, not the destination. The process is where growth happens.”
   
   

Important Links

• Connect with Roger Redfearn-Tyrzyk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerredfearntyrzyk
• Follow Leo Judkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/
• Subscribe to the iGaming Leader newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/signup
• Join the iGaming Leader Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/

From Police Raids to Transforming iGaming Events: Pierre Lindh’s Remarkable iGaming Leadership Story

In this episode of the iGaming Leader podcast, Leo speaks with Pierre Lindh, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Next.io. Pierre shares his entrepreneurial journey, from founding a poker club in his teens to leading Next.io through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation explores the evolution of Pierre’s leadership style, the importance of building genuine connections, and his mission to foster a global iGaming community.

The discussion highlights lessons in resilience, adaptability, and authenticity, offering inspiration and practical advice for leaders and entrepreneurs navigating a rapidly evolving industry.

Guest Bio

Today we're joined by Pierre, a pioneering force in the online gambling and gaming industry. His remarkable journey began during the early days of online poker, where his passion for the industry first took root. In 2006, Pierre took on an influential role with the Swedish Poker Federation, championing the cause for poker legalisation in Sweden. His expertise then led him to leadership positions at major online gambling platforms like Betsafe and Betsson Group, where he mastered the art of high-end hospitality events.

Drawing on his rich industry experience, Pierre co-founded Ambassadör Events in 2013, which has since orchestrated over 600 successful events and created some of Europe's most celebrated festival brands. But he didn't stop there. In 2019, Pierre embarked on his most ambitious venture yet, co-founding NEXT.io, which has quickly become the beating heart of the iGaming community. Under his guidance, NEXT.io has evolved into a powerhouse, hosting major conferences across Europe and North America, while running the industry's leading trade media news portal and podcast covering online gambling and sports betting.

Key Topics Discussed

00:00 – Welcome and Introduction: Pierre shares his roots in poker and his entry into the iGaming industry.

02:00 – The story of founding a poker club at 17 and the lessons learned from navigating challenges with law enforcement and media attention.

07:00 – How Pierre’s intense focus has shaped his ventures, from poker to building Next.io.

13:00 – The Birth of Next.io: The journey from organizing events for others to founding a platform focused on creating meaningful iGaming experiences.

15:00 – Adapting During COVID-19: How Next.io reinvented itself during the pandemic by offering free thought leadership content, reshaping the way iGaming professionals connect.

19:00 – Insights into navigating financial challenges during the pandemic and fostering loyalty and trust within the team.

24:00 – Public Speaking and Overcoming Fears: Pierre’s personal journey to overcome his fear of public speaking, culminating in hosting Next.io’s inaugural event.

35:00 – Building Genuine Connections: Why relationships are at the heart of success in iGaming and the importance of creating authentic communities.

42:00 – Vision for the Future: Pierre’s mission to build the world’s most connected iGaming community and foster collaboration across the industry.

Important Links

Connect with Pierre Lindh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierrelindh/

Learn more about Next.io: https://next.io/

Follow Leo Judkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/

Subscribe to the iGaming Leader newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/signup

Join the iGaming Leader Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/