MY VIDEO PORTRAIT
Exclusively on Amazon Prime Video:
I was joined by the makers of the SELFMADE series to look into the beginnings of my entrepreneurial career.
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I got to talk about my motivation for becoming self-employed, how my personal surroundings reacted to it, and which decisions turned out to be crucial for my companies' growth.


I was eager to participate in this project for one reason in particular: I want to show potential founders that it can be absolutely worth it to take the plunge.
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Go for it!
THE RIGHT MINDSET
That is precisely what matters most: Getting started. Many people have good ideas, but only a few ultimately take the initiative. Why is that?
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In Germany in particular, we have a lot of work ahead of us when it comes to the societal standing of entrepreneurship. If you express a desire to start your own business, feedback from friends and family can be less than enthusiastic... especially if certain things don't work out right away. You have to be above all of that – don't let it discourage you!
This is often caused by a backward error culture. Then again, if you want to initiate a change in regard to that, the best place to start is with yourself. It can help to visualize different scenarios for the future. In most cases, you will realize that, rationally speaking, it's unnecessary to put too much pressure on yourself. "It has to work out, otherwise..." – Well, what is it that actually happens?
Few exceptions aside, nothing will hold you back from returning to permanent employment. I am an employer myself; I don't see it as a negative aspect if an applicant has been the founder of a company. To me, it displays initiative and a certain degree of confidence in themselves.
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Of course, you have certain responsibilities, especially as you get older and have a family to support. In return, you will have valuable skills and work experience that make it easier to generate revenue. On the other hand, while you're still young, you have the freedom to simply give it a try without limiting your options later down the line.
Keep in mind that new opportunities will naturally arise once you've kicked things off. You don't need to have all the answers straight away – you are far more likely to figure out how forge your own path when you're already in the middle of it. What counts is taking that one first step.



I'M HERE TO HELP
Now, I hope that I was able to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to follow in my footsteps?! Come on, let's go!
That being said, I know that sometimes it takes a little more than a pep talk. So here's my offer: If you have a business idea that might potentially be of interest to me – get in touch.
I'd be happy to provide you with feedback and share my thoughts on how you can get the ball rolling on this. I might also be interested in getting involved in a financial capacity, as a business angel and early-stage investor.
Just send over a few documents and I'll see what I can do. Either way, I'll be rooting for you!
As a managing director of firstcolo, I have been dealing with IT services, especially data centers, for more than 15 years.
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