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/