On my departure from Experteer

Sometimes life has very unexpected turns. It has been more than one year since I left Experteer, the online job board, which acquired in summer 2011 the company I created together with my CDTM classmates and Jens Weber. However, I have never told the story behind this. This moment has arrived.

I am delighted to announce that last month, I could claim German citizenship, thanks to Experteer. Bavaria, where Experteer is based, is stringent, and I would not have been successful there.

I never considered the idea, and I was aware of the impossibility of pursuing this in Munich. However, in January 2012, I started to have constant problems with the management team at Experteer.

We had radical views on product vision, development, timelines, and talent management. They were so radical that these conflicts became unbearable.

I made public my dissatisfaction, and I was immediately approached by Rocket Internet. It took me a long time to decide to become part of the Rocket team as I had a sentimental bond to Emplido.

After I made up my mind in February 2012 to leave Experteer, I did not know how to communicate my scheduled departure. I am very fond of Christian Göttsch, Experteer’s CEO. He was my first career mentor. Moreover, Experteer had acquired Emplido but not paid for it (we sold it in June 2011 and saw the money until April 2013!). I did not want to leave, but the situation did not allow for something else.

During my last weeks, I was very demotivated and frustrated. Early March I was in Singapore, and I simply sent an email saying that I was not coming back. With this, I crossed the Rubicon, and my departure at Experteer was sealed. This allowed me to apply for German citizenship in Asia immediately. More than a year later, it was granted.

Back then, it was a tough decision, and it affected me. It was like losing a child. I do not have one, but the attachment to Emplido was very strong. However, I am thrilled I did it. Not only I learned a lot from this, but also I am incredibly happy to have joined Rocket Internet.

Things might not have turned out as planned. Nonetheless, the outcome was very positive. Emplido was a magnet for incredible talent and brought fresh air to Experteer. Many, whom I then recruited, enrich today Experteer’s team, such as Valentin, Xaver, Natalia. Finally, with Jens, Experteer gained the strongest techie I met in my life.

In the end, every breakdown is an opportunity for a breakthrough.