Once upon a Student

Learning Expert Warns: Stop Studying Hard Before It's Too Late | Lennard Klein OUAS ep.17

Every student wants better grades. Almost none of them are taught how to actually get them. Lennard Klein went from struggling student to perfect GPA using a system built entirely on neuroscience and peer-reviewed research. Not motivation, not grinding, not luck. In this episode of Once Upon a Student, he shares the exact framework he now teaches to students across Europe through his company Brain Boost. What you'll learn in this episode: ·   How to study for exams without burning out ·   Why passive studying (re-reading, highlighting, summaries) has zero scientific backing ·   The ideal study session length for maximum concentration and retention ·   How to go from bad grades to top of your class ·   Lennard's student did it in one semester ·   The mindset shift that separates students who improve from those who stay stuck This episode is for students who are tired of working hard with nothing to show for it, parents looking for proven learning strategies for their kids, and anyone who wants to understand how the brain actually processes and retains information. The science exists. It's been there for 200 years. Now you know where to find it. 🎙️ Once Upon a Student | Guest: Lennard Klein, Founder of Brain Boost

Why Equal Opportunity Is a Lie (And It Starts Before School) | Rosa Bergmann OUAS ep.16

In this episode of Once Upon a Student, we sit down with Rosa Bergmann — social entrepreneur, former teacher, founder of Hobby Lobby, Teach For Austria alumna, and nominee for Austrian of the Year. Rosa has seen inequality where most people stop looking. Not just inside classrooms, but long before and long after them. She argues that the biggest educational gaps are often inherited, shaped by family background, language, money, attention, environment, and everything that happens once the school bell rings. What started as frustration in a Viennese middle school turned into a mission. After meeting children who dreaded weekends and holidays because school was the only stable place in their lives, Rosa realized how much opportunity depends on what families can afford outside the classroom. That insight became the foundation for Hobby Lobby — an organization that now reaches thousands of children and gives them access to experiences, creativity, mentorship, and support they otherwise might never get. But this conversation also breaks another illusion: that NGOs are somehow less serious than “real businesses.” Rosa explains why social impact cannot be built on good intentions alone. If you want to change lives at scale, you need to build with the same discipline, structure, and professionalism as any high-performing company. Today, she leads a growing organization with a multi-million-euro budget, a large team, and a model designed for long-term impact. This conversation goes far beyond education policy. We talk about inherited inequality, the hidden power of after-school life, the impossible pressure placed on teachers, why schools still look like they belong in 1950, what it means to build a serious impact organization, and why the world’s biggest problems are too often treated like side projects. If you are a student, founder, future leader, or someone who wants to build something that truly matters, this episode will challenge the way you think about fairness, responsibility, and what real impact actually requires. Timestamps 00:00 Preview 01:52 Introduction 02:26 Where inequality really begins 05:17 Why school alone cannot fix it 09:41 Privilege, family, and the hidden head start 15:36 The moment that changed everything 21:28 What inequality does to a child’s self-worth 27:31 How Hobby Lobby was built 35:53 From social project to scalable organization 38:26 Pressure, therapy, and leadership 42:11 Why NGOs should be treated like real companies 45:53 What building this organization actually cost 53:16 What society keeps getting wrong 58:27 Rapid Fire 59:36 Rosa turns the question around 01:02:19 Closing

You’re Ignoring the Opportunities: How Cornelia Daniel Built Austria’s PV Future | OUAS ep.15

What if the biggest opportunities are already right in front of you? In this episode of Once Upon a Student, we sit down with Cornelia Daniel, founder of Dachgold and one of Austria’s leading voices in renewable energy. While many of her classmates were preparing for traditional careers in consulting and banking, Cornelia followed a different path. What started as curiosity during her master’s thesis turned into a mission: bringing photovoltaic systems to rooftops across Austria. But building a company in an industry that barely existed wasn’t easy. When Cornelia started, the solar market in Austria was still developing, regulations were uncertain, and most companies didn’t yet see the opportunity. Today, she has helped equip hundreds of rooftops with solar energy, shaped the renewable energy conversation in Austria, and was named Austrian of the Year. This conversation goes far beyond solar energy. We talk about curiosity, entrepreneurship, perseverance, and why some of the best opportunities appear long before the world is ready for them. If you’re a student, aspiring entrepreneur, or someone trying to figure out your path, this episode will challenge the way you think about opportunity, timing, and following your curiosity.00:00 – Intro "You will never again have so much time"01:11 – From Safe Career Plans to an Entrepreneurial Path04:36 – The Moment She Discovered Her Big Opportunity07:38 – The Decision to Start a Company12:25 – Why Founders Often Ignore Simple Ideas19:03 – Thinking Big: A Mission Beyond Just a Company26:07 – The Emotional Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship31:09 – Navigating Uncertainty, Politics & Market Changes44:51 – How AI Is Changing Entrepreneurship49:45 – Austrian of the Year & Advice for Future Founders

Why Studying Is Not Safe (And No One Cares Until You Win) | Daniel Keinrath OUAS ep.14

What does it really take to build a high-growth AI startup in Europe?In this episode of Once Upon a Student, we sit down with Daniel Keinrath, founder of Fonio, a fast-growing AI phone assistant startup generating over €300,000 in monthly revenue and growing 30% month over month. At 18, Daniel was organizing nightclub events and got screwed over by the Mafia on his first major event. Years later, he sold his first company and went on to build one of Europe’s most ambitious voice AI startups.This conversation goes far beyond business tactics. We talk about why studying can feel safe but often keeps you small, how to sell a product before you build it, why most founders focus on the wrong things, and what it actually means to take ownership.If you are a student, aspiring entrepreneur, or young founder trying to figure out your path, this episode will challenge the way you think about safety, comfort, and ambition. 🎙 Topics we cover: • Building an AI startup in Europe • Selling before building • Bootstrapping vs. raising investors • Startup culture and hiring for ownership • Why “no one cares unless you deliver value” • The biggest lie students tell themselves • Why comfort kills growth

Nothing to Lose: How Victor Vécsei Built the #1 TikTok Agency in DACH | Ep. 13

Want to grow on TikTok, get more views and maybe even land brand deals or clients? Then you should probably listen to the person who built a 40+ person TikTok agency out of “having nothing to lose.”In this episode of Once Upon a Student, I sit down with Victor Vécsei [https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorvecsei/], founder & CEO of marswalk [https://www.marswalk.media/] – one of the leading TikTok / Gen Z agencies in the DACH region. Victor started as a student creator making horror clips on TikTok while everyone around him was laughing at the platform. Today, his agency works across six markets and helps brands like Coca-Cola, Givenchy, Drei & Co. win on TikTok and beyond.We talk about: * Hunger & origin – where Victor’s drive really comes from, long before the agency existed * Going all in – why having “no other options” pushed him to commit to marswalk after university * Bridging generations – standing between Boomers and Zoomers and translating one world to the other * Leadership & pressure – what he’s learned about trust, risk and making decisions for a whole team * Work–life balance in your 20s – his very honest (and slightly controversial) take on ambition vs. comfort If you’re searching for:“how to grow on TikTok”,“TikTok tips for beginners”,“TikTok marketing strategy” or“how to get clients with TikTok” – this episode will give you both the mindset and the practical examples you’re looking for.