Some people say that being self-employed means having to do everything yourself. Others say the opposite: that self-employed means being free – or at least freer. Somehow, both views probably have some truth to them. We’re taking the 20-year anniversary of our agency as an opportunity to share some thoughts about what it means to be self-employed and an entrepreneur.

We’d like to start by making it clear that neither of us had the stated aim of becoming entrepreneurs. We kind of slipped into it. When she was small, Melanie wanted to be a dragon tamer, and Kilian wanted to be a sports commentator. Later on came other “dream” jobs: Kilian aspired to becoming a cheesemaker, while Melanie set her sights on being carpenter. As things turned out, after our education our professional paths first led us to the communications departments of large companies, before we took the plunge into agency life and entrepreneurship. It’s something we’ve never regretted.

The team as motivation
For both of us being an entrepreneur above all means taking responsibility – for yourself, but also for the wellbeing of a lot of other people. We’ve deliberately chosen the word “wellbeing” because it’s not economic success that motivates us. Of course economic success helps, and ultimately gives a feeling of security that’s important to both us and the members of our team. But what motivates us most is the satisfaction of employees who enjoy their work and appreciate the respectful environment, and seeing the way that working together as a team enables us to create new and better things. We’re also driven by the satisfaction of our clients. Even after all these years, positive feedback on a project gives us a great sense of inner joy and pride in what we’ve achieved together.

But naturally it’s not all sunshine and roses. Leading a business also involves a lot of work and, as a leadership coach once put it, “the ability to cope and put up with things.” What they meant was also being able to handle the many needs and expectations that come at you from all sides, and adopt a positive basic attitude to seek the best solution.  This way we can convert responsibility into positive energy.

Courage, responsibility and living by your values
In the end, though, being an entrepreneur and running a business is primarily about people. Values such as mutual respect, trust and openness are at the forefront. If these values are put into practice on an everyday basis and shape the way we work together as a team, with our clients and with other partners, economic success will also come. It’s the same for work as it is for relationships: quality always wins out in the end. Relationships aren’t static; they evolve and have to be nurtured.

Ultimately they also include the ability to see and evaluate opportunities and then have the courage to seize them.   If all these things come together, it’s really a lot of fun being an entrepreneur and taking responsibility. However – and this is something we’re acutely aware of – it also requires a lot of luck and good fortune.

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