In my environment, I have often been asked about organizational topics, start-ups and company management in recent years, which is why I have decided to give all back office and executive topics a platform.
Since this is a significant part of a business and seems to be the biggest hurdle for most people when they are thinking about starting their own business and starting a business.
Since I find these topics incredibly exciting myself and am constantly educating myself in these areas, I would like to share my experience and knowledge with you here and hope my website is a source of inspiration and motivation for you. And above all, a collection of valuable information on corporate management, financial topics, real estate and personal development.

My first company

At the age of 18, I took the plunge into self-employment for the first time. At that time I founded a sole proprietorship and worked for many years as an event manager and in all areas of event catering. Over a period of 17 years, I worked in various clubs and venues, at festivals, as well as for several tour managements. And this both at home (in Germany) and in other European countries.
From philharmonic concerts, to techno clubs, to rock festivals, I’ve been everywhere. It was an exciting time and I was able to get to know fascinating people.

Unfortunately, this life also had its downsides. An 80-hour working week and regular, all-night work leave their mark. At some point, I also asked myself where this path would actually lead me. I saw friends and colleagues opening their own clubs, touring with their bands, and producing their music, but none of it appealed to me to do the same. This wasn’t the industry I wanted to stay in forever, not even the one I’d ever wanted to get into. I had somehow stumbled into it, out of my pastime as a teenager and because I just didn’t have an alternative plan. Or rather, my plan, or rather my desire to work as a designer, was ridiculed by my environment at every opportunity and dismissed as “unrealistic”. Which is why, in the end, I wouldn’t dare to fulfill this dream until 20 years later.

My educational path

Originally, I trained as an electrical system fitter. But it was already clear to me during my training that this would not become my profession. Not because I didn’t like it, quite the opposite. I’ve always liked handicrafts, which is certainly where my love for DIY’s came from. But out of the fact that, as a woman, I always had to do much more and prove myself than my male colleagues. 20 years ago, a woman in this profession was neither valued nor respected. This also made it clear to me at that time that I wanted to be self-employed.

When, over the years in the event industry, my health began to suffer at some point and several diagnoses caused me permanent difficulties, my quality of life suffered noticeably. At some point, out of necessity, I began to deal with the topics of nutrition and medicine. For a few years I read pretty much every book I could find.
Eventually, I started studying biomedicine and nutritional science at a university. I was mainly interested in ageing research and autoimmune diseases. And during my studies, I worked for two years in an institute for aging research in a genetic research laboratory.
I found it insanely interesting. But the work and studies were extremely demanding and I still had a combined 60-80 hour week.

The problem

My intention to have less stress and to take care of my body, which was already suffering from burnout and chronic autoimmune diseases, with what I thought was a more substantial career, did not work out at all. On the contrary.
I didn’t get “Bafög”(german state student funding), as I had hoped. At least not in the first year of study. It took many months and several contradictions and disputes with the Bafög office until they finally gave in. Unfortunately, during this time, in addition to this extremely demanding full-time study, I had to work three jobs to make ends meet financially. As a result, my studies suffered noticeably, and so did I.
My health problems were getting worse and worse. I suffered from depression and developed a serious anxiety disorder.
Since I had always been an introvert from the ground up and had already been diagnosed with ADD as a child, the full lecture halls with over 300 people in a confined space were already an ordeal for me, even under normal circumstances. With the immense stress and the burnout I had already suffered, I was no longer able to cope with my studies at some point. In the 5th semester, I gave up.

At the beginning, I was ashamed. For the fact that I didn’t make it and, above all, why. I thought I was the only student who was too “sensitive”, maybe too “disorganized”. It gnawed away at my self-esteem, which was already rather low at the time. Today I know that I was far from the only one who had difficulties. But very few of those affected speak openly about their problems and our society continues to punish people who do not “function” as intended. For example, there were. at the university there is a medical service that postpones antidepressants to the student! But there was basically no help or real solutions to problems. Instead, students were systematically harassed by professors, lecturers, and university staff. All in the name of university education, which, in their eyes, would probably not work without exaggerated authoritarianism.

The turning point

It was then that I realized that I had to use every little method to increase my efficiency and productivity in order to be able to do everything without completely breaking myself. To this day, I still deal with these topics on a regular basis. Also because I really depend on the systems and routines that I have implemented over the years to work as permanently as possible. And I realized that it was not only my external circumstances that were to blame for my suffering health, but myself.
I had the wrong mindset.

I myself had consciously and unconsciously exposed myself to situations that did not fit my personality or the way my brain works (ADD/ADHD problem). Because I didn’t accept myself as I was, because my environment didn’t feel like it did either. Which was a mistake.
There are things that you should not ignore permanently, otherwise you will eventually pay the price for them – with your health. Physically as well as mentally. And this price is too high, just for the confirmation from the outside or the never-ending struggle to somehow still “function” normally or better.

After graduating from Debacle, I worked again for a few years, in different areas. Became a mother and finally completed another apprenticeship as a real estate agent. In the meantime, I have been studying economics at a distance learning university for a few years on the side. I run my new company, Linen & Quince, which I founded in 2021 and for which I work as a designer and am on a very good path in terms of health. Basically, I’ve never felt better.
… although I still often work up to 80 hours a week and I like to do that.

I wish I had known 10 or better 20 years ago what I know today. But back then, a lot of helpful information just wasn’t available, or at least not as easily accessible as it is today. How are you supposed to find something you don’t even know you need? I’ve really struggled all these years and I want to help other people realize themselves and learn helpful tools that will make their journey and work easier. And finally, help them achieve their goals without losing themselves in the process.

I hope you find the help and inspiration you might be looking for on my site. Feel free to leave me a comment if you want information or my opinion on a specific topic.

All the best,

Christina