Meet Kelly Max | Founder & CEO, Solvv Inc.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly Max and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk Taking, how do you think about risk? What role has taking risks played in your life / career?

Risk taking is the muse and fuel of my life. No matter what big decision I approached and pivotal milestones in my life around the societal constructs like going to college, building a career, not starting a business without having enough money in the bank for 12 months, planning an emigration properly, not starting a business on your own, I always went the other way than the masses. It is inherently risky to move in a direction the societal “support” systems are not built for and it is quite lonely but absolutely rewarding and inspiring.

Let me share a few short stories about some key moments in my career progression.

Young Risk.

When I lived in Germany, after graduating from high school,  I was asked constantly about what universities and studies I will apply for. Even though, well aware, or at least now being fully aware of my privilege then, it didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t find the desire in myself to move from one theoretical chamber to the next. I wanted to venture out into the  world and start building. Against all odds, I joined a company at 20 years old as employee number 6, charming my way in, dressed up like a business christmas tree in an attempt to look professional. 7 years later,  I l had worked my way up toCEO and left  a $200MIL business and 250 employees behind . The lesson of taking risks, following my gut and instincts was a foundational lesson in my life which can simply be summarized as – ‘Yes I can’.

Risky Dreams.

It was the same company that inspiredt my move to the United States. My formerboss and founder of the business sat me down one day and said, I’d like you to move to Los Angeles and build up operations there. I asked “When?”, he replied “In 2 weeks”. At that time I had 250 employees under my leadership, 5 countries to manage, an apartment with a year long lease, and most importantly all my friends and family around me. But the dream and desire to shake up the world was so strong, that I agreed then and there to take the risk, pack my life in three suitcases, and move to L.A. – not knowing a single soul and all within weeks. Here is a shoutout to my 5 sisters, who teamed up to manage my lease and belongings to allow me to move quickly. Taking risk requires trust. Trust in oneself, one’s surroundings, and faith that all will turn out ok. The US became my home with all its wonders and challenges.

Risky Decisions.

After having moved into a hotel, my life packed up in three suitcases,my former boss traveled to the US two weeks later. We got into a heated exchange about how to run the business Among other things, I was made promises that weren’t kept  and I had a risky decision to make, just two weeks after having moved. Needless to say, I had very little money in the bank , didn’t know anybody, and was confronted with a decision to either leave the business or stay in a toxic environment. Looking back at this decision, it was probably one of the toughest ones I’ve ever made, full of fear and anxieties. Theevening of the heated exchange I went back to my hotel, didn’t sleep a minute, and focused on finding strength and clarity within myself. The next day, I looked in the mirror, slammed my fists on the hotel bathroom counter, and said out loud “Let’s do this”. I went to the office and told him thatI was out. Wow, that felt good. It was the first time in my life I took ownership and felt free. Here I was in LA, free to explore, without money, but a backpack full of excitement, ideas, and drive  The following 1.5 years plagued by distractions, partying, trying to find money in my pockets to eat, multiple start-up attempts, and most importantly new relationships, who I still cherish to this day. I wouldn’t ever want to miss this experience. The most important learning has been that people take care of you if you take care of them beyond country borders, nationalities and cultural differences. And, that everything happens for a reason, if only I allow myself to see it. Educated Risk.

Fast forward 10 years, I find myself again in a situation, where my desires, d dreams and the vision of the company I partnered with for a second stretch of 7 years drifted apart. This time, being a bit wiser, I better prepared my exit financially. In contrast though, I had a big  vision – creating a unicorn company that serves people to live a better and easier life.  Everybody knows it’s a risky decision to start a company, but it is a highly risky decision to start a social network / media company as a non-tech founder, never having had to raise money before, many biases towards the setup, and a highly competitive market. Nonetheless I knew in my heart this time, that if I put myself out there, apply myself with determination, smarts, and my reflective strengths, I will succeed – one way or the other.One of my favorite sayings is: A knowing man/woman knows, a wise man/woman does what (s)he knows.

So ultimately what does risk taking mean to me? It is a wonderful teacher, a door to new worlds, my immediate access to growth, and a compass to find opportunity.

If everyone goes one way, look the other way and you’ll find riches for life, business, and soul.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
SOLVV is on its journey to becoming the go-to social network and creator platform for bite-sized audio insights through participation equality. Community members share passions, curiosities, expertise, knowledge, provoking thoughts and fun perspectives through social micro-podcasts on single questions or a specific topic. SOLVV then allows creators to elevate their content through sharable marketing assets to platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and many more with a click of a button. SOLVV significantly reduces the barriers-to-entry to be a creator and brand builder and opens a new world for many, who are not actively participating in today’s online conversation.

To help people “progress in life” sites at the core of SOLVV and is the Northstar for all decisions made around business strategy and community.

Creators on SOLVV utilize the platform to create the perfect social companion to their shows, accounts, businesses to drive more traffic to their brand representations in return and invite fans to become super-fans by getting the chance to enter into the conversations with the creators and leaders themselves.

Different to any other Social Audio/Podcasting platform, Solvvs are always 15 minutes and can be created in a guided format that assures equal speaking time for all panel participants. It is an excellent home for Podcasters, Pioneers, Thought Leaders, Growth Seekers, Influencers, Solo- and Entrepreneurs, and Creators of all kind to create together.

What originally started as a team decision-making app for teams quickly moved towards what we know as SOLVV – Social Podcasting today. Through rigorous lean start-up principles, iterative cycles of build, test, measure, learn, and by inviting an early community to use and test the platform through prototypes to beta phases, the Solvv team was able to move 3X faster to get a comprehensive product to market compared to the competitive average.

Additionally SOLVV applied and applies the BEAT FAILURE approach (aka Pre-Mortem) to identify possible obstacles across business disciplines and drive rapid innovation. Three strong examples of powerful results are;

MODERNIST NFT – The first interactive multi-disciplinary NFT collection that is already being talked about in inner circles as the next BAYC and CryptoPunks follower. In contrast to those, MODERNIST was designed to allow community members to invest in SOLVV early, drive meaningful IRL (In Real Life) connections, and reward NFT holders through a remarkable rewards bank.

A2C & CORA – Two novel creator engagement models based on web3 smart contracts, that elevate creators through participation and content monetization, and marketing autonomy that is platform agnostic.

Equity-Based Ally Agreement – A new type of employment/engagement agreement that is specifically created to allow team members a stake in the business, which results in ~10x higher engagement, commitment, and individual returns.

Doing all of this at a rapid pace without overwhelming the team only works because SOLVV puts people at the center of everything. No matter the team on the inside or the community, it is the people who make it all work. The dedicated focus on active listening, speaking up, challenging one another for the best outcome, and respecting each other, combined with a culture of transparency, diversity and innovation makes SOLVV an unstoppable force for good.

Partnerships and individuals giving up their own companies and agencies to join the SOLVV MISSION is a remarkable example and sign of SOLVV’s success as an employer, ally, and game-changer.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As I consider myself a global citizen, constantly on the road, let me highlight one spot in each of my favorite cities currently being part of my journey:

Vancouver, WA – Definitely on the river on the boat with friends floating down on summer days with Mount Hood majestically putting us in our place of time.

New York, NY – Anything Brooklyn, especially Williamsburg, is where I live and love. Escaping Manhatten and having the opportunity to move in and out of it is sheer luxury while enjoying rooftop meetings and cultural experiences.

San Francisco, CA – Hands down The Battery. A beautiful membership club that I can call home whenever I am in town.

Los Angeles – That’s a tough one. There are so many fun places with great memories. My favorite spot right now on Sunset strip. A beautiful location, with amazing views and pretty much the same distance to anything.

Heidelberg, Germany – NEO Restaurant and JIL Fusion Kitchen, ran by two of my best friends, and offering the most exciting culinary experiences.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My life partner and son, who always support me even when the risk is enormous.
My entire Family, I love you dearly, my risk insurance.
My friends all over the world, you are my rock and rave.
My co-founder and entire team at Solvv, my believers.
My early friends and family investors, my believers.
My business partners, the majority of which have become close friends.
My business mentors over the years, my flow patrol.

Website: www.solvv.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solvv__/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-max-4a21792/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9n7Z2tGBq6YjIbo-VKzMKA

Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@solvv__