Fränze Raschke-Eckerle | Team Lead B2B Administration

Moin! (How we say hello here in the very north of Germany). I'm Fränze, and I'm leading my small but great team in B2B Administration since April 2022. I'd like to tell you more about my personal story: how I ended up at hepster, what our everyday life in a start-up looks like and what I've learned so far from all this. All this is part of my story.

You'd rather watch my story as a video? This is the way to see my hepster story

My hepster story

This is how it all started:

It's a familiar situation for almost everyone: After graduating from high school, you're faced with the big question, "And now what?". And I felt that way too. Like many others, I wasn't sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. In the end, I decided on "something to do with business, hotels and tourism". Thanks to public television and the German soap "Sturm der Liebe" ("Storm of Love") for the very embellished image of the hotel industry.

So, I studied hotel and tourism management to start my career in the hotel industry. After graduating, I didn't end up working directly in a hotel but in a large company in the cruise industry. I was part of it for 10 years. When I look back on it today, I see many positive things, such as the team spirit and the extensive knowledge I acquired over the years. However, there was one crucial point: Unfortunately, in such a large company, you are often not seen as an individual but rather as a personnel number among many, and I experienced that too. And I didn't want to be just a number anymore.

And then I met hepster.

When I started at hepster, I quickly noticed the big difference between a start-up and a large company. If I had to describe hepster in a few words, I would say: A colourful mix, consisting of numerous talents from various industries, all living the same vision - and I mean that entirely positively.

Keyword: teamwork. That best describes my everyday routine. Every outcome can only be achieved if we work together. If someone is missing from our team, you can feel it immediately. That shows me that each individual is a valued part of the team. And not just a number.

Our daily business is lively: There are hardly any closed doors in our office. That means short distances and personal, direct contacts. Long e-mails and decision-making processes are annoying and therefore do not take place. And the best: Our office dogs provide an extra portion of motivation and help to reduce stress during short breaks.

By the way: as someone who came originally from Rostock, I'm happy to be part of a company, based and founded in my hometown. #localpride

Learnings? I have them every day.

These three points are particularly important to me:

• My wish to leave my comfort zone to grow beyond myself has come true. There are new challenges every day. #believeinyourstrength
• Days cannot always be planned! There are new challenges every day. #agilework
• Without my team? Without me! Personal growth is possible up to a certain point, but without the right team in my corner, many things couldn't be accomplished. #teamworkmakesthedreamwork

Last but not least

Looking back, I can say: It's worth zooming out more often and thinking outside the box! I could have done that a little earlier, too. But change always means getting out of your comfort zone and your usual professional working environment, and that is not always that easy.

So, my tip to all those who feel unhappy and stuck in their own job: Be brave, because even after several years on the job, it's worth diving into completely different areas or companies.