Why this top salesperson is switching from LinkedIn to a start-up

Exclusive: Phong Lam moves from LinkedIn to Capmo. What draws him to Munich, why his working day is usually only ten hours long and why he is convinced that he earns no less at a start-up than at a global corporation.

It is already dark outside when Phong Lam (33) smiles happily into the camera. His hair is as black as the shirt he is wearing, the sleeves of which he has rolled up, and his forearms are heavily tattooed on both sides. A tripod lamp provides light in the background while Lam talks. Phong Lam was Head of Sales for the German market at LinkedIn for a long time. In mid-February, he will move to Munich to join Capmo, a start-up that develops software for the construction industry. Here he explains his reasons.

Mr. Lam, you left LinkedIn for a start-up in Munich. How bad was it in Dublin?

It wasn't bad at all (laughs). On the contrary: it was a unique professional experience with many benefits that you can probably only dream of in many other companies. There are meals from top chefs, an in-house gym on campus and even an in-house massage service. Of course, this is a real magnet for young talents, but for me it was rather secondary. What I really appreciated was the open culture and the exchange and transfer of knowledge with inspiring personalities, some of whom have been working internationally in the tech and IT sector for 20 years or more.

Sounds like paradise. So why did you move to Munich?

The main reason for my move is my family situation. I've been a father for some time and now that the children are of kindergarten age and my wife also wants to return to her job as a secondary school teacher soon, the conditions in Germany are more attractive. In addition, the grandparents are nearby and can help with childcare.

You also opted for a start-up instead of a large tech company or a medium-sized enterprise. Why did you do that?

I even considered staying with my current employer. Things have been going extremely well for me at LinkedIn recently and that could have continued for two or three years. Now I'm very happy with my decision to leave on a high and take on a new challenge. I've had lots of conversations, including with well-known tech companies in Munich. Of course, these would have been jobs that would have kept me very much in my comfort zone. So the question was: do you go into a more or less established nest with a given infrastructure or do you take on the challenge, apply the knowledge you've acquired over the last seven years in a young company and try out a start-up environment? The answer was Capmo.

Do you have to sacrifice salary if you move to a smaller company in the start-up phase?

Not in my experience. Especially in the sales sector, where I work, there is always a fixed and a variable component. The variable component is the most attractive for every sales employee, regardless of rank and position, because you are responsible for getting the most out of your performance. That was the case at Groupon, that was the case at LinkedIn and that will also be the case at Capmo.

How important is growth for Capmo in the coming years?

I am a fan of healthy growth and not of simply expanding at any cost. At Capmo, we want to triple our turnover year on year, which is possible in the long term. In the early phase of my career, I witnessed how the workforce was massively expanded globally, the entire company overstretched itself and ultimately had to consolidate because the market did not offer sufficient potential for growth in terms of personnel. That cannot be allowed to happen.

Why did you choose the construction industry of all things? It could have been a start-up in the communications sector.

I don't want to be in charge of the thousandth start-up that improves communication or processes in the workplace. I wanted one that stands out and does something completely unique, preferably in a market that is not yet fully developed. That is the case with Capmo. Digitizing the construction industry has tremendous potential. Surprisingly, it is almost the laggard of all industries when it comes to digitalization. There is a lot of catching up to do. Capmo has the right approach and the necessary team to achieve this and become a key player in the European construction industry. This, coupled with the experience of the investors (Capnamics, UVC Partners and HW Capital), convinced me personally to apply my acquired knowledge and build something from scratch.

A start-up is actually not the best choice for a healthy work-life balance. What does your family say?

Over the years, and especially as a father, I've learned that the job isn't everything. I now work eight to ten hours very efficiently and the rest of the time belongs to my family. It is important that this is clearly communicated and proactively encouraged as a contemporary company. It is crucial to communicate in start-ups that this is a completely normal and possible decision. As managers, we also have the task of being a good role model.

So did you work more in the past?

Of course, in the early days of my career, I used to drive to the office at seven, work there all day and until just before midnight, then take the last train and fall asleep at three o'clock with my laptop on my stomach. Who doesn't know that from the industry? That was quite normal. And it works for a while, but not in the long term - above all, it's not smart or exemplary.

Finally, hand on heart: what do you think is the worst thing about the start-up scene?

What I have observed in the scene during my time in Berlin, for example, is that many young founders or so-called managers in start-ups often overestimate themselves. With very little or no relevant professional experience apart from internships or entry-level positions at consulting firms, this generation often behaves very arrogantly and takes itself far too seriously. Sometimes it works, but most of the time the founders fail. My feedback to the industry: be humble.

Is that any different at Capmo?

The way I got to know Capmo during the interview process, the growth mindset is very strongly practiced in this company. It's perfectly okay not to know everything and to bring experienced new employees with relevant and sound knowledge into a management team that can help Capmo achieve and exceed its ambitious goals together as a team.

Thank you very much for the interview.