His name is Christoph Gukelberger, he studied at ESB Business School and now runs his own startup, BringLiesel, together with his friend Nico Jäschen. They built an online platform, through which they deliver body care products to retirement homes. They operate all over Germany, with a core team of eight people and another three people who help out with customer acquisition.
We had the honor of interviewing him last week to learn more about his company and experience as a young entrepreneur.
Q&A
What did you study at the ESB, and when did you graduate?
C.G: I studied International Business, and I did what is now called the Fast-track. I graduated in 2009 from California State University.
Looking back, what was the most valuable thing you learned at ESB?
C.G: Apart from the business knowledge, I learned how to be organized. The IB programme forces you to plan ahead. It also taught me how to work with different cultures and adapt to new people and new surroundings. This was very inspiring.
What did you do before becoming an entrepreneur?
C.G: I worked as a consultant in the pharmaceutical industry for two years, after which I joined a e-commerce startup in Berlin. I stayed there for seven months and then I went on to work for another e-commerce startup in Hamburg for one and a half years where I helped the company to expand their business internationally.
How did you come up with the idea for BringLiesel?
C.G: When I was working in Berlin I received a call from a retirement home in Leipzig who were wondering about an invoice issue. During the call, I figured out, there might be more than just an invoice issue. I decided to drive over there and spent the afternoon talking with the staff. It became clear to me that the people in the retirement home were having trouble getting everyday products such as shampoo and toothpaste. I realized, that the demographical change in Germany will significantly affect and even compound this situation in retirement homes. After I found out there was no concept on the market solving this, I started to work on a solution for it.
What does a normal day look like for you?
C.G: There really is no such thing. I’m responsible for marketing, PR and sales, so the tasks are quite varied. I meet with clients, make cold calls, work on PR and so on. I also still spend quite a lot of time on the road, usually 1-3 days a week.
What do you find most difficult about being an entrepreneur?
C.G: Being organized and staying focused. Entrepreneurship is all about execution, and you really have to get things done. You’re also pretty much on your own, so every morning you have to get up and be able to motivate yourself. Depending on the situation, this can be extremely challenging.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an entrepreneur?
C.G: Before starting your company, talk to as many people as possible and get feedback on your idea. You need to have a lot of self-confidence and believe in your idea. Other people can help you as they “grind” your idea which helps you to stay focused. Through this, you might also meet people joining your path in the future and contributing significantly to your success - don’t underestimate this. And... you mustn’t give up!
What advice would you give to the IB students?
C.G: Stay open-minded, there are so many opportunities out there! Don’t limit your career options in the beginning. Keep your eyes open and try to get as diverse experiences as possible. Learn to listen.
If you want to know more about BringLiesel and its services, we welcome you to visit their website: http://www.bringliesel.de
Stay updated for more of our Alumni Q&A series!
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