Interviews

A mompreneur is someone who is both a mother and a self-employed entrepreneur. That can present quite a challenge. Anabel Ternès von Hattburg manages both easily. She is CEO and Cofounder of several start-ups as well as Managing Director of the International Institute for Sustainability Management. European Business spoke with Anabel Ternès von Hattburg about the strengths of a mompreneur, stereotypes mothers have to face and why gender roles are a thing of the past.

For centuries, the small German town of Glashütte, which is nestled in the mountains south of Dresden, has been producing some of the world’s most sought-after timepieces. Employing the same techniques of mechanical watchmaking that have been passed down through generations, Nomos Glashütte has reinvigorated the town’s beloved tradition. European Business sat down with the company’s CBO, Judith Borowski, to learn more about how Nomos applies local know-how to create its world-renowned watches.

foodloose was founded by Katharina Staudacher and Verena Ballhaus-Riegler in 2010. Since then, they have revolutionized the snack market with their organic snacks. Following rebranding, a new nut bar came on the market, along with fruit hearts and a spread. European Business spoke with Ms. Staudacher about the rebranding and the features of the new products.

With the trend for more work and fewer and shorter holidays, every second of our precious vacation counts. Discerning individuals choose to spend their time at hotels in beautiful locations, with discrete yet luxurious service. Guests of the Hotel Paradies in the stunning Swiss Alps are members of an exclusive holiday club, and experience all this surrounded by like-minded people with whom they can share common interests and engaging conversation – a true ‘home from home’ environment. Director Meike Bambach explains her unique concept to European Business.

It is the strong desire to build houses differently – more environmentally-friendly, more sustainably and more in tune with nature. Bau-Fritz GmbH & Co KG in Erkheim, Bavaria has been designing and building pre-fabricated timber frame houses that have won prizes for their stylish design and their use of natural, environmentally-friendly and reusable materials. Bau-Fritz’s Managing Director Dagmar Fritz-Kramer represents the fourth generation of the Fritz family.

If you have a successful brand, as the wisdom goes, you should make the most of it. For many in the fashion industry or celebrity world, that means cashing in with their own perfume. However, creating a marketable fragrance takes a lot more than having a successful brand image, although, according to the experts, that is certainly a good place to start. As hundreds of different scents and fragrances battle it out for a share of what is now a 25 billion USD market, European Business spoke to Philippe Santi, Executive Vice President of Interparfums SA in France, which holds a respectable 2% of this lucrative market, about what it takes to come out of this business smelling of roses.

The French start-up Mainbot has developed a robot that teaches children the principles of coding and robotics in a fun way. Winky not only looks cute, but is designed to be both a teacher and a classmate for the next generations. European Business talked to Mainbot CEO and Founder Boris Kesler about a little robot that is meant to become a friend.

A decade ago, a group of American entrepreneurs decided to start a craft-beer brewery in northern Iceland, not many kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. The fact that most of the ingredients had to be imported and export routes would be no easier to manage didn’t stop them. They felt certain that the crisp and clean water of the island would be worth it. European Business spoke with Einstök Beer’s managing director Gudjon Gudmundsson about the logistical challenges his company faces, the founders’ and managers’ passion for their entrepreneurial mission, and the best beer style to kick off the new year with.

Hardly any other Icelandic firm seems to reconcile tradition and innovation as effectively as Sláturfélag Suðurlands: The company started out as a farmers’ co-operative at the turn of the 20th century and was named one of Iceland’s strongest brands in 2018. Since its founding days, it has played a leading role in Iceland’s meat-processing market and has gone on to become Iceland’s importer for world-famous brands from Barilla to Mars. European Business spoke with Sláturfélag Suðurlands’ CEO Steinþór Skúlason about his unique home market, his favorite product and how a century-old company can continue to be an innovative leader in its field.

The idea that carpeting is not suitable for people with allergies is a myth. Carpets are much more than boring flooring. Vorwerk & Co. Teppichwerke wants to clean up the preconceptions of the past and has created a completely new brand environment to do so. During an interview with European Business, Vice President Marketing and Product Development Florian Bausch explained the important role that digitalization plays in the process.