In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Malte Häusler, Founder and CEO of Timeless Investments. Initially backed by Porsche for a blockchain-based car documentation platform, Timeless pivoted to become an alternative investment marketplace that has raised over €30 million. Their platform enables fractional ownership of high-value collectibles starting at just €50, making previously inaccessible asset classes like rare watches, classic cars, iconic sneakers, and vintage whiskeys available to retail investors. Throughout the conversation, Malte breaks down their journey from initial product-market misalignment to creating a marketplace that consistently delivers 30% annualized returns while utilizing blockchain as backend infrastructure rather than consumer-facing technology.

Topics Discussed:

• The Knight Frank Collectible Luxury Index showing 136% 10-year returns vs. MSCI World’s 93%
• Whiskey’s exceptional performance at 260% profit over a decade as the top-performing collectible asset
• Evolution from a Porsche-backed blockchain car documentation platform to investment marketplace
• Supply-demand balancing strategies during different growth phases
• The costly failure of mass-market influencer campaigns vs. niche influencer success (40% investor conversion)
• Secondary marketplace development to connect private collectors with retail investors
• WhatsApp-based community engagement strategies and €5,000 minimum Collectors Club model
• The monetization stack: sourcing arbitrage, tokenization fees, asset management fees, and trading commissions
• Category-specific investment criteria for sneakers (vintage, deceased athletes) vs. whiskey (closed distilleries)
• Blockchain implementation as infrastructure efficiency tool rather than consumer value proposition

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Target Domain-Specific Influencers for 40% Conversion Rates

Timeless initially “put the pedal to the metal too early” with costly mass-market influencers and linear TV campaigns that generated brand awareness but minimal ROI. Their breakthrough came from partnering with finance-focused and category-specific creators (watch experts, whiskey enthusiasts) who converted 40% of their audience into paying investors. This validated that in alternative investments, audience relevance dramatically outperforms reach metrics, particularly when the product requires specialized knowledge and trust.

Education as Primary Acquisition Strategy, Not Just Support

“This educational part is 90% of the whole work,” says Häusler about Timeless’s marketing approach. Rather than treating education as a conversion support layer, they built it as their primary acquisition channel. Their content focuses on specific selection criteria that drive asset appreciation (e.g., for sneakers: “signed by Kobe Bryant, because he’s dead and his stocks are not growing in terms of supply”), helping customers understand value drivers like the Knight Frank Index’s 136% 10-year returns versus the MSCI World’s 93%. This education-first approach transforms the knowledge gap from a barrier into a proprietary acquisition advantage in markets where retail investors lack category expertise.

Leverage Contrarian Positioning for Rapid Audience Filtering

“The most controversial [messages] are working best,” Häusler reveals, citing specific high-performing hooks like “Roman, forget about crypto. Invest in alternatives like real-world assets.” This approach doesn’t just generate engagement—it efficiently filters for audiences already skeptical of mainstream options, creating immediate resonance with those who were already looking for alternatives. This contrarian messaging strategy allows Timeless to rapidly identify and convert “already-convinced” segments without wasting resources on the unconvincible, particularly effective during their 2021 launch when they could position as the anti-crypto option during peak crypto hype.

Implement Blockchain as Infrastructure Layer, Not Value Proposition

“All of our collectible items are created on the blockchain as NFTs,” explains Häusler, but Timeless deliberately keeps this technical implementation invisible in their marketing. Despite originating as a blockchain-focused startup backed by Porsche, they repositioned the technology as purely infrastructural: “We are utilizing the technology… because it makes scaling and cost management more efficient and cheaper.” This approach—using blockchain’s administrative efficiency for fractionalizing physical assets while keeping messaging focused on the tangible investments—helped them avoid the crypto winter fallout while capturing the operational benefits. Häusler acknowledges, “You could also do this whole business model without it. But it’s much leaner, much more efficient” when utilizing blockchain as infrastructure.

Operationalize Trust Through Multi-Layer Credibility Architecture

To overcome the inherent skepticism of digital ownership of physical assets, Timeless implemented what Häusler calls “transparency measures” across multiple dimensions: they regularly showcase inventory at physical exhibitions (“we do pop-ups… to make this brand more tangible”), leverage their German-based incorporation for regulatory credibility (“not another scam from an island far away”), provide granular sourcing documentation, and strategically emphasize their backing by Porsche to create institutional legitimacy. This comprehensive trust architecture addresses the core challenge of alternative investment platforms—proving that digital ownership corresponds to properly maintained physical assets—without requiring customers to take physical possession themselves.

Create Exclusivity Engines for High-LTV Customer Retention

Timeless operates a €5,000 minimum investment Collectors Club that serves multiple strategic functions beyond basic community. Members receive “early access to the most relevant new drops” before general availability, creating artificial scarcity that drives FOMO. They foster investor-to-investor connection through private WhatsApp groups with “high engagement” according to Häusler, and organize exclusive physical experiences like wine tastings at Porsche Nürburgring. While acknowledging these activities aren’t “marketing efficiency par excellence,” Häusler says they’re crucial for retention of their highest-LTV customers, who provide both capital stability and social proof to newer investors. This two-tier approach creates aspirational targets for entry-level customers while securing the platform’s most valuable participants.

Weaponize Investment Volatility as Engagement Infrastructure

Rather than minimizing price movement concerns, Timeless leverages natural market volatility as a retention mechanism. Their wallet view provides monthly-updated market value assessments based on “diligent research,” giving investors a compelling reason to regularly check their holdings—similar to how stock investors frequently check portfolios. Häusler explains they provide “a bit more of transparency than maybe you have to do your own research all the time,” creating both convenience and addiction loops. By clearly labeling these as “indicative” rather than guaranteed values, they manage expectations while still giving users the dopamine hit of potential appreciation, turning market movement anxiety into platform engagement.

Structure Multi-Phase Monetization to Balance Growth and Unit Economics

Timeless built a sophisticated fee stack that evolves with customer lifecycle and platform maturity. Initially, they create gross margin through “bundle deals with suppliers” to buy assets “cheaper than the current market price indication,” enabling them to offer below-market entry points while maintaining margin. They layer on a “tokenization fee for platform usage and an asset management fee” (5% or €2.50 per share) to cover physical asset maintenance costs. For exits, they currently waive commissions to “give all the profits directly to end consumers,” but Häusler notes they “could [add fees] if the prices are affording it,” suggesting a dynamic approach tied to return levels. Finally, in their nascent secondary market, they charge 4% only to buyers, reducing friction for sellers and encouraging supply liquidity. This graduated approach balances immediate unit economics with the customer acquisition benefits of demonstrated returns.