SLEED THE WAY #47 | NIKOS VARVADOUKAS: HOW DO YOU CONVINCE A CEO TO PAY TODAY FOR SOMETHING THAT WILL PAY OFF OVER TIME

In the 46th episode of the #SleedTheWay Podcast, Stelios Iliakis, CEO of Sleed, welcomes Nikos Varvadoukas, C-Level Operating Partner. Nikos has many years of experience as an executive in companies such as Germanos, Diageo, Public Group, Apivita, Cosmos Sport, Novibet, as well as as an advisor/investor in well-known scale-ups.

What you will hear in this episode

In this episode, Nikos takes us through his 20-year journey in marketing and omnichannel retail in Greece. He explains why the “brand vs performance” dilemma remains one of the toughest for every marketer. The discussion touches both on strategy and on the reality of day-to-day management.

Brand vs Performance: why it is the most persistent and difficult dilemma.
Long-term investment: how you convince a CEO to pay today for something that will pay off over time.
Above the line: what it really means today and why television is simply “just another screen”.
Growth mindset: what it means in practice and how it is applied in teams and organizations.
AI & leadership: how leadership is changing without the need for panic.
Succession planning: why it is a major challenge for Greek family businesses.

Key takeaway: “Brand vs performance” is not a theoretical discussion, but an ongoing dilemma that affects budget, decisions, and growth.

About the podcast series

This podcast series hosts members of our team, partners, clients, and experts from the market. Our goal is to highlight the people who are at the core of our culture, present our solutions and services, and discuss the modern challenges of the industry. The content includes open, spontaneous conversations with the aim of contributing to the market’s evolution with Tips and Tricks around Marketing and beyond.