Interviews

Only six players in the team, one coach and no need to beat the time but scoring 50 points first – that is what 3-on-3 basketball is about. Founded in 2017 by hip hop musician Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, the BIG3 basketball league attracts millions of basketball fans in the USA and beyond. We talked to former basketballer Clyde Drexler and now BIG3 Commissioner about what makes 3-on-3 basketball so special, why fans are fascinated and how it is to work with founder Ice Cube.

Sponsorship fast tracks careers. In her new book "The Sponsor Effect" economist and author Sylvia Ann Hewlett quantifies the benefits that accrue to both the sponsor and the protege in this powerful relationship. It is not a "one way street." European Business talked to her about the differences between sponsorship and mentorship, the tactics that allow senior executives to maximize their investment in junior talent and the tactics that allow junior talent to win sponsorship. Threaded through this book are remarkable portraits of sponsor/protege pairs - vivid examples of how this relationship works when it crosses the lines of gender, race and generation.

How to turn the clock back – without going under the knife: That is what many people dream of. And there is no end of new products that promise just that. But can they really keep what they promise? We talked to Natalie Franz, founder and Managing Director of Magicstripes. She has developed adhesive strips that rejuvenate the eyes and also work to combat droopy eyelids. In an interview with European Business, Natalie Franz explains exactly how they work and why customers choose them.

Think of watches and you automatically think of Switzerland. The country is home to many of the world’s most prestigious watch brands; many are distinct in their style, all are sophisticated and well made. Few, however, can generally be described as fun. RJ Watches SA offers its customers something unique; a high-end, exclusive brand with highly creative, limited edition timepieces made from materials that, in some cases, have made history. RJ Watches’ CEO, Marco Tedeschi, explained to European Business just what makes RJ Watches different and what the firm is doing to develop its business while retaining its niche.

Endel has recently made headlines, when the app’s founders signed a deal with Warner Music to release more than a dozen albums this year, even though they wouldn’t call their service music. Instead, they prefer the term “functional sound”, which, when played in the background, helps its users relax, sleep or focus. European Business spoke with the company’s founders Oleg Stavitsky and Vlad Pinskij about the thin line between science and art, their ambition to use big data to improve their users’ lives and not sell them ads, and why their service has garnered much greater traction abroad than in the company’s native Germany.

Waste is everywhere and unfortunately, we cannot avoid producing even more. But it is time for a change, we are facing a worldwide waste crisis. US-company Loop has a solution: a global shopping platform to eliminate waste by transforming the packaging of everyday products into multi-use designs. We talked to founder Tom Szaky about the new service and hygienic standards coming along with it as well as his vision of a waste-free future.

Imagine how it would be if you were able to not just watch your favourite football team play on television but see all of the relevant player statistics at the same time. When Bayern Munich take to the pitch, you can read all about goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s vital statistics and use that information to score points with family and friends. With Augmented Reality (AR), the Munich-based start-up eyecandylab transforms two-dimensional information into interactive content. European Business spoke to Managing Director and co-founder Robin Sho Moser about how you can bring AR into your own living room, how it can improve the viewing experience and what the future of AR in Germany holds.

People need feedback. People care which company they work for. Work-life balance matters most. Would you agree with these statements? Author Marcus Buckingham does not. In his latest book “Nine lies about work” he reveals the truths behind stories and myths about work. In our interview he explains that company culture cannot be measured, that you should ask as many questions as possible during job interviews to find a job you like and why we all need to get more attention from our team leaders.

A wristwatch with just one hand on which you can only tell the time to the nearest minute? That is not a functional limitation, asserts Corvin Lask, Co-Founder and CEO of Blackboard GmbH, but an invitation to forget about time for a few minutes in our stressful lives. Behind this is an entire philosophy of “Slow living”. In an interview with European Business Mr. Lask explains how “slow” should not be confused with inefficient and talks about how his watch appeals to us to savour the quiet moments in a hectic business day.

Does an exclusive watch have to be expensive? No, says Claudio D’Amore, CEO and founder of the Swiss company CODE41. With CODE41, he wants to realize his own highly personal vision of high-quality watchmaking. In an interview with European Business, he cites transparency in production and the passion of the community as key success factors.