Deep Growth

Director

Research and Growth

The earth is not flat. And neither should your acquisition ads' performance be.

Having worked in-house for years, I take an in-house view to Growth. We audit, sometimes do research and come up with a roadmap to growth for our clients. Whether through acquisition campaigns (usually Google or Meta Ads) or via work on customer journeys. Our audits usually uncover a nugget or two that can unlock growth.

Testimonials at https://startupmarketer.co/about/ otherwise all other info is on https://researchandgrowth.com

Growth Director

Lintbells | Home of YuMOVE

Meta Ads Consultant

The Electric Car Scheme

Paid Search Acquisition

arena.online

Paid Search Consultant

Perceptycs

I'm no jack of all trades, so in some cases I partner with individuals and teams who pack a punch.

Growth Advisor

LIMINAL

Paid Acquisition Consultant (Meta + Google)

Sweaty Betty

Onto

Did you hear that? Neither did I. Electric cars are quiet beasts. 

As Europe's largest electric car subscription services, Onto helped thousands of B2C and B2B customers drive electric cars for the first time. Having raised more than £340 million in funding, my job was to sensibly spend a big portion of that money.

Working with a team of talented individuals we drove digital and offline campaigns (e.g. Linear TV) and as well as improved the customer journey on web and app. As a monthly subscription business, no sentence was complete without a mention of our LTV:CAC ratio.

Head of Growth

Most companies with £1,000+ customer LTVs experience poor performance on paid acquisition because they're using the wrong playbook.

They're using DTC and ecommerce strategies - optimising for quick conversions, pumping out generic creative which lead to high CACs and low quality leads.

Long conversion cycles require a fundamentally different approach.
At Deep Growth, we work with B2B companies and high-LTV B2C businesses to align your acquisition strategy with how your customers actually buy.
Over the past 10 years, I've worked with companies on profitable growth when sales cycles stretch beyond 30 days:

→ Ben (Employee Benefits Platform)
Led a transformation project to move upmarket into enterprise, reworking their Google Ads strategy and prospect experience while optimising HubSpot dashboards for longer, complex sales cycles. This proof of concept changed how they approach enterprise acquisition.

→ The Electric Car Scheme (Electric cars as employee benefits)
Scaled their Paid Search beyond previous limits by building custom offline conversion automations between Pipedrive and ad platforms. Restructured accounts to focus on what actually drives pipeline, not just leads. Result: Record YoY growth.

→ Onto (Car Subscription)
Faced the challenge of introducing an entirely new concept to the UK market. Built a rapid creative iteration machine that produced contextual ads helping drivers understand car subscription without the hard sell. Became Europe's largest car subscription company by seeding the benefits of car subscription  across Meta, Google, and Reddit.

Our Deep Growth methodology is built specifically for long conversion cycles.
We focus on three core pillars:

✓ Platform Architecture - Setting up Google and/or Meta to track what matters: pipeline influence, not just last-click conversions. Attribution that actually reflects your sales cycle.
✓ Journey Optimisation - Mapping the real conversion journey and optimising touchpoint for progression.
✓ Contextual Creative - Developing ads that plant seeds early, nurture consideration, and accelerate decision-making when prospects enter their buying window.

The uncomfortable truth about high-LTV advertising:
The best prospects aren't ready to buy today. They might not even know they have a problem yet. But when they are ready - in 3, 6, or 12 months - you need to be the obvious choice.
This requires patient capital, better tracking, and creative that educates without preaching.
Unlike other agencies we optimise for more than just MQLs.

Ready to fix your paid acquisition?
DM me with your challenges.

Chris Winterhoff

Hertz

Providing leadership to Hertz' German organisation.

The Hertz Corporation, a subsidiary of Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. operates the Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rental brands throughout North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The Hertz Corporation is one of the largest worldwide vehicle rental companies, and the Hertz brand is one of the most recognized globally. Additionally, The Hertz Corporation operates the Firefly vehicle rental brand and Hertz 24/7 car sharing business in international markets and sells vehicles through Hertz Car sales.

Managing Director Germany

Association of International Car Rentals e. V. (VIA)

The Association of International Car Rentals e. V. (VIA) was formally founded in 2021. It is an interest group for internationally operating car rental companies in Germany and represents the member companies. The VIA represents the economic and political interests of its member companies to decision-makers from politics, business and society and promotes evidence-based exchange on the situation of the car rental industry as well as its contribution to shared mobility in Germany.

Board Member

Europcar Mobility Group

As a senior member in the countries leadership team I led the operational team across the country. Set up the foundation for a successful transformation of the operations and gave impulses for future initiatives.

Director, Operations

Onto - we are hiring  🚀 🚀

Succeeded in setting up Onto's operation in Germany including the hiring of 20 talented individuals, acquiring fleet assets and supporting the financial setup of the company.

Onto is a super flexible inclusive electric car subscription service with no deposit and no long-term commitment. Having the largest fleet of Electric Vehicles in the UK, we are expanding into Germany and beyond to accelerate EV adoption by bringing a flexible, sustainable and affordable solution to as many people as possible.

Volkswagen Financial Services

New Mobility@ Volkswagen Financial Services

The mobility future will be autonomous - and I had the pleasure of getting a glimpse into this future by supporting and accompanying the internal Volkswagen AG team responsible for future business model development in regards to MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Service), TaaS (Transport-as-a-Service) and AD (autonomous driving) vehicles.
Supported them in setting up MVP and pilot scenarios with partners, and scratched my head more than once on how this all will look like in the future.

Strategic Advisor New Mobility@ Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

ProShare anticipates the future of smart mobility and transport. ProShare, a brand new venture powered by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, revolutionising the concept of ownership in the utility vehicle space. ProShare strives to provide the most flexible, economically and ecologically efficient mobility solution for customer​ transportation needs.

Responsible for a team of 20 staff in a corporate start up that focuses on the future of smart mobility and transport. ProShare, a brand-new venture powered by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, revolutionising the concept of ownership in the commercial utility vehicle space. ProShare strives to provide the most flexible, economically, and ecologically efficient mobility solution for commercial customer transportation needs. 
Create and provide a culture that achieved a maximum of creative freedom for its staff to be at their best anytime, while managing expectations of all corporate stakeholders.

Executive Director@ ProShare (a Volkswagen venture)

Volkswagen Financial Services AG is the largest automobile financial services provider in Europe. Euromobil Autovermietung GmbH is a subsidiary of Volkswagen Financial Services AG.

Provide leadership to a senior management team of 8 in a fast-growing organisation comprised of 300+ corporate staff, 2,400 locations and €380 million in brand revenue. Maintain a competitive advantage in a highly competitive service industry. Create and advocate a culture that embraces change, identifies new talent, builds exciting brands, grows the existing network, and supports innovation of new products and processes. Selection of key internal and external talent to create robust and optimal team.

CEO / Managing Director@ Euromobil Autovermietung GmbH

Hertz Rent a Car, Germany

Executive Management Team member and Director managing special project development initiatives with outsourcing, negotiations with worker councils to manage wage costs, operational productivity, fleet maintenance cost reductions, rationalization of products offered, increse in fleet efficiencies by improving utilization, and increased counter ancillary sales that focus on improving financial performance of Germany operations, inclusive of cultural change and a strong focus on providing necessary corporate restructuring leadership to senior management to attain positive results.

The Hertz Corporation, a subsidiary of Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HTZ), is the world's largest airport general use car rental brand, operating from approximately 8,800 corporate and licensee locations in approximately 150 countries. Hertz is the number one airport car rental brand in the U.S. and at 111 major airports in Europe. Dollar and Thrifty have approximately 1,580 corporate and franchisee locations in approximately 80 countries.

Director, Transformation Germany (CRO)

Led as a member of the Executive Management Team for Australia tasked with driving cultural change and establishing operational excellence with reshaping of the organization, identifying talent to manange the new structure, creating a winning spirit mindset, implementing outsourcing, intense oversight to drive KP’s, wage and logistic cost to revenue, customer satisfaction and employee morale initiatives, merge western and eastern operational functions, inclusive of managing operational service and fleet logistics, and maintenance services for 18k cars with 1k+ staff, 65 locations, and US$330M in annual revenues. Led initiatives that improved pre-tax profit and revenue growth, while reducing operating expenses from 2009-2013. Developed and cascaded employee morale and work-life integration strategy and campaign that improved Pulse Survey scores from 3.2 to 3.7. Revised and implemented quality assurance protocols that improved customer satisfaction by 6.7+ points after assuming leadership role in 2009. Restructured and built high performing operational team through ongoing development and execution of innovative strategies that won international Best Location and Best Country awards.

Director, Operations & Maintenance Australia (COO)

Led western operations with management of car services in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Northern Territories with US$130M+ in annual revenues, 300+ staff, and 28 locations, inclusive of providing support services to licensee and agency partners, introduction of process improvement, Lean Sigma initiatives, with a strong focus on cost awareness and sense of urgency for turnaround efforts. Led efforts to implement streamlined and standardized processes and procedures to increase efficiencies, enhance productivity, and reduce costs. Created field service operations team to support licensee and agency partners with administrative or management issues to improve customer satisfaction that drives long term sustainable revenues. Introduced and implemented Lean Sigma principles and management into operations with process improvement manager to meet quality assurance objectives. Selected key internal and external talent to create robust and optimal operations team.

General Manager, Western Operations Australia

Managed strategic and operational development of German network with execution of strategic projects, administrative processes, quality assurance, franchise support, and oversight of the HO department of operations services, inclusive of it’s Help Desk,  Operational Quality (NPS), and field operations support. Led efforts to implement strategic initiatives to close 40+ unprofitable business locations to reduce costs and inrease long-term revenue. Developed new agency contract model to mitigate risk and reduce corporate litigation exposure. Evaluated existing partnerships and prospective partnerships with strategic alliance initiatives to ensure long term business objectives were met. Implemented new uniform and streamlined processes to improve internal efficiencies, enhance productivity, and reduce costs. Oversaw and managed 14+ regional managers with frequent communications and reviews to ensure all strategic plans were on target and met goals.

Manager Network Development & Operations Support, Germany

Managed regional operations with oversight of 120+ staff and 6 locations, financial management of US$30M+in annual revenues, general administrative directives, and operational functions. Provided leadership to drive long-term sustainable revenue growth at largest German airports with cross-funcitonal management competitive analysis collaboration to optimize internal efficiencies, capitalize on market trends, and provide cost effective vehicles that drive high customer service and satisfaction. Led frequent analysis of revenues, pre-tax profit projections, and unit profit/loss statements to ensure strategic plans achieved financial targets and business objectives.

Charged with lead manager directives for the introduction of the Lean Management System in Germany and implementation of ideas to all business locations, inclusive of employee training initiatives through external consultants and coordination of HIP team. Led and implemented HIP approach at the 25 largest airport and downtown locations to ensure adherence to quality assurance goals and objectives, and drive high value customer service. Supported HIP quality assurance training initiatives resulting in 60% of team members being skilled with the Lean Sigma approach.

Business Unit Manager Airports Central / Manager Hertz Improvement Process (HIP) Germany

Managed and led multiple aspects of franchise development for Hertz.

Franchise Manager, Germany

travelArt Chile

Led and managed 8+ team with reservations and call management.

Manager Reservations & Traffic

Atlantis Rent a Car, Chile

Managed the organization and development of a start up car rental operations in Santiago de Chile.

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Avis Rent a Car, Germany

Led and managed a 40+ team at the largest downtown location with Avis.

Station Manager 24h location

Supervisor

Charged with acting as liaison for European and United States Operations with Avis.

Sales Representative

Managed oversight of car rental operations.

Rental Sales Agent, Car Service Assistant

I am a change leader with extensive international start up, management and transformation experience within the (new) mobility space. I am providing focused team leadership in challenging situations and strategic operations management based on world class customer service in to the future.

* I love to execute great ideas that have been developed by the team. Because on paper they are useless.
* Taking risks and making decisions drives me. Because waiting for something to happen sucks.
* Working with(in) a fun team on challenging tasks energizes me. Because winning alone can't be the objective.

I've been in a lot of roles: large corporates and small start ups, I've run them and was part of individual teams, I've failed and I've been sucessful. 

Try me, if you’re looking for a leader that can provide sustainable change and transformation, business development, management of ventures or growth for your organization.

taplio

The Battle

Chris Winterhoff

Joerg Feldheim

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