Kitchen-Table Apprenticeship Before the Office

“Although I did not want to join the company myself back then, I experienced decisive influences for business life in my childhood and youth. Because ultimately, all aspects of the company's activities were discussed in the parental home. Whether at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, business was often at the table, because my father and mother were constantly dealing with topics and expectations from the company on weekdays. The residential building and production facilities formed, so to speak, a unity. My brother and I listened to the conversations, followed decisions, and tried to understand business strategies. Surely, we did not yet comprehend many topics in their full scope. But operational procedures and entrepreneurial questions were already familiar to me at a fairly young age. I found some topics much more interesting than my school homework.”

“He always had the big goals and some visions in mind. He preferred to devote his time to new challenges rather than the rather lengthy implementation of his ideas in the company. My mother's special strengths, on the other hand, were her consistency and persistence. She paid attention to details in the business process and took a lot of time for the employees and their questions, worries and needs. In her, my father had found an ideal partner.”