12 | Start with the WHY! Because winning starts with purpose

In this episode of IN CONTROL – the Leadership Podcast, Torsten Philipp and Peter Drage speak with Bas Tietema, former professional road cyclist and Co-Founder of the Unibet Rose Rockets. Bas shares his journey from life in the peloton to building one of the most talked-about projects in professional cycling. We talk about careers that are carefully planned versus those that evolve organically, and how enthusiasm can be preserved without losing professionalism as an organization grows. The conversation dives deep into what makes the Unibet Rose Rockets unique—from culture and vision to leadership and team spirit. Bas explains the challenges of scaling a fast-growing team, why “happy racers” matter, and how leadership works in an environment where performance, pressure, and visibility are constant companions. An honest discussion about leadership style, personal responsibility, mistakes, and defining moments of success—inside and outside of sport. 💡 Topics in this episode: - From professional athlete to entrepreneur - Enthusiasm and professionalism in high-performance teams - What makes the Unibet Rose Rockets different - Leadership challenges in fast-growing organizations - Culture, motivation and team spirit - Leadership style, biggest fail & biggest success - 🎧 Listen now: IN CONTROL – the Leadership Podcast Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podigee, etc. Follow the journey of Bas and the Rockets: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bas-tietema-18315179/ https://www.youtube.com/@rocketscycling Mehr zu den Hosts: Peter Drage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-drage-unternehmens-transformer/ Torsten Philipp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torsten-philipp-0a2336137/ Bei Interesse an Leadership-Coaching, besuche gerne die Creators Lodge: https://www.creators-lodge.com Peters zweites Business – die MD Strategy GmbH: Strategie, Business Development, M&A advisory: https://www.md-strategy-group.com DANKE and alle Supporter: Logo & Graphics: Jean-Paul Frijns https://linktr.ee/jeanpaulfrijns Schnitt: Charly Glawischnig https://www.charlyglawischnig.com/home Jingle: Samuel Reissen https://www.instagram.com/sam_rszn/