Who this is
Jan Dzulko founded his first startup in 2003, straight out of university: software that calculated insurance rates for insurance brokers. After five years, with 25 people and 4 to 5 million in revenue, Check24 acquired the technology, and Jan says Check24 is where his real education in leadership and execution began. The idea for Everphone came to him in 2015, when his phone screen broke and the insurance repair took 21 days. Today Everphone rents smartphones, tablets and laptops to companies as device-as-a-service, all the way up to DAX corporations. According to the YouTube description, Jan has raised more than 270 million euros in funding for it. He also invests as a business angel and has been a member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization for around eleven years.
Episodes
Numbers from the episode
FAQ
What does Everphone do?
Everphone rents smartphones, tablets and laptops to companies as device-as-a-service. It handles the whole device lifecycle: procurement, rollout, returns, deletion certificates and reuse. According to Feliks, Everphone makes more than 100 million in revenue, and its customers include corporations such as EY and a DAX company. To the episode →
How did Jan Dzulko come up with the idea for Everphone?
In 2015 Jan dropped his phone and broke the screen. The insurer wanted the device sent in and quoted seven to 14 days; in the end it took 21. Jan bought a new phone in the meantime and asked himself why nobody simply sent him a replacement right away. That became Everphone. To the episode →
Why did Everphone switch from B2C to B2B?
With the consumer product Everphone had around 500 customers paying about 10 euros a month, but acquisition was too expensive because many people didn't see the difference from a cheap phone insurance. Then a customer asked whether he could equip 200 field sales phones through Everphone. While shadowing that company's IT administrator, Jan saw how much value the model creates for businesses. To the episode →
What does Jan Dzulko mean by "benevolent dictator"?
Before big decisions Jan gathers opinions, but then decides alone and without further debate, so that everyone pulls in one direction with full energy. Benevolent, to him, means every decision serves the company rather than himself or any single stakeholder. At the same time he never tears into anyone for making a mistake. To the episode →
How does Jan Dzulko pick his angel investments?
Jan has a hard stop: he only invests in founders he has worked with himself or who come recommended by an entrepreneur he respects. What matters to him is whether someone keeps pushing through strong headwinds, and that can't be tested in a pitch. Thematically he is interested in mental health, coaching and anything-as-a-service. To the episode →
Quotes
„Wir haben alle Pfeile in unserem Köcher verschossen. Das wird einfach nichts mehr.““We've fired every arrow in our quiver. It's just not going to work.”
„Wenn der Widerstand steigt, dann ist es wert, da mal reinzuschauen.““When the resistance grows, that's when it's worth taking a look.”
„Die 2,7 Millionen raise ich, weil ich denke, ich bin ein geiler Typ.““I raise the 2.7 million because I think I'm a great guy.”
„… immer wenn ich dem Burnout am nächsten kam in meinem Leben, war das eigentlich immer nach dem Raisen …““Whenever I came closest to burnout in my life, it was always after raising.”
„Also ich denke, Diktatur bringt Klarheit.““So I think dictatorship brings clarity.”