Matthias Aumann, the entrepreneur who boldly struck out, despite having no prior experience in business

Matthias Aumann

In the last decade or so, the startup ecosystem around the world has budded entrepreneurs who have succeeded and inspired the next generation to plunge into the entrepreneurial world. Among others, a passionate entrepreneur like Matthias Aumann of Aumann: Grün AG dared to start a startup with almost no experience – and minimal financial backup to fund his efforts.

He is one of the youngest and most successful entrepreneurs of all time. However, fame and accumulated wealth didn't come from a business-charged background or formal education. Rather than relying on a pool of experience to influence his choices, he became proficient while flying with trial and error. This approach of doing things differently, without hesitation, was central in creating his first establishment, Aumann: Grün AG, at just the age of 23. In less than four years after commencement, Aumann was able to scale his venture into a multiple figure business, which now boasts of over 70 talented permanent employees spread across different regions.

He added, "When starting, all I knew was I had to go all out in the market to make a name for myself, and that's what I did. I knew nothing about gardening and landscaping, or for that matter, business support services, but as I took the leap, I'd become convinced that there certainly is a better way. Again, with less to almost no knowledge of the industry but great ideas about how consumer experience could be improved, my two ventures came to life and proved its critics wrong. Both my companies succeeded because I didn't focus on creating just another "me too" brand, but instead took a customer-focused, creative approach that would help us sustain in the long run!"

After spending a few years in the business world, Aumann, in 2017, saw the potential of launching another company. Not only that, in the year following this, the young entrepreneur set up Mittelstand Mission – a platform for small and mid-sized companies to grow, develop, and expand.

His journey serves as proof that it's possible to sail through without prior experience. He offers inspiration that anybody can do this. While it is essential to prepare before delving into entrepreneurship, there are those like Matthias who hit the ground running and become massively successful. In the end, each entrepreneur must forge his own path rather than surrendering to conventions.

This article was first published on October 27, 2020
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