My path into sales wasn't straightforward – and that's precisely what shaped me. It was a continuous learning process – each stage taught me something I still use today. As a painter and decorator, I learned to think spatially and understand materials. In the television and photo equipment trade, I learned how differently customers react and how important it is to take responsibility for your own success. 

At Peli, the suitcase manufacturer, I understood what trust means as a manufacturer – and how it opens doors that would otherwise remain closed. At Schwiering, I ultimately built an entire product range for suitcases and customized packaging solutions practically from scratch – over 16 years, during which a small niche became a business whose size I now know precisely because I witnessed its growth firsthand.

What I've learned over the years is this: For me, sales means being the go-to person for all problems – new ones, old ones, simple ones, and complex ones. A customer doesn't call out of boredom, but because they have a goal or a problem. My job is to find out exactly that – why they're asking, what they're struggling with, what's really on their mind. Good sales doesn't start with the offer and doesn't end with the price. For me, sales means taking responsibility – for the customer, for the project, and for the solution.