the classic of The industry falls in the first half hour. "There's no social business without business," says a woman in a back row, half-serious, half funny. In the meeting room in the Hamburger Neustadt, about 30 people sitting in front of a screen. That it happens here a bit different than other companies, is shown in detail. Instead of cups, each has a water bottle in the process. On the screen, slide for slide, to see division for division of two - to three-digit growth rates, however, the employees nod of knowing, instead of in the euphoria of breaking out.

That this is not a normal Start-but it's actually up, it shows especially the fact that the woman has thrown the set in one of the back rows sitting for two hours, and especially listening. Here, Mimi Sewalski (40) has hired most of the people in this room. You have one of the longest in the company, and one of the reasons that the avocado gates makes today, nearly 34 million euros in sales. Ten years ago, there were under 100'000 euros.

Who seeks the filters

This development was hardly foreseen, as the platform was founded with the intent to be the "green Amazon". At the time, sustainability and environmental awareness, niche topics in the consumer, today, the company sounds like a slogan translated as: "eco-fashion and green Lifestyle", almost by default. The difference compared to other online retailers: if you're looking for a product from sneakers to garden teepee tent, can filter, whether the goods are "recycled, vegan, and recyclable" or "CO2 saving" is supposed to be. Thousands of people shop here every day, 900 dealers are represented.

This has a lot to do with Mimi Sewalski to. While you Plan to be CEO of anything was never, she studied sociology and criminology. At a trade fair got to Sewalski Philipp Gloeckler know, founded the avocado gates. You a rose as "the acquisition of the Girl". "And as it is in the Start-up, makes you fast, not just a Job, but four or five. So I'm not grown as fast." It was a hard time for Sewalski as the company. Hardly anyone knew of the site, the Budget was small and traders how to customers had to be convinced.

you sent yourself to Coaching

That they had recruited 250 suppliers in four months, was probably the first step from the "acquisition of the Girl" in the direction of company management. After almost a year, she was asked whether she wanted to be Boss – and the task dared at the time, hardly. Especially the Figures made her worry. She has a good understanding of numbers, but your poor grades in mathematics, she says, were a little Trauma.

Sewalski prescribed a Coaching, paid for it myself – "typical woman, the more I would do," she says today, and ventured on the task. Over the years, she has had several Co-heads; the present, Till Junkermann, is the first one you chose – among other things, because he asked, as the only candidate, according to your plans, instead of telling just what he would change.

Still, the company is miles far from the Figures from Amazon, but it is growing. Sewalski can still remember how you had to people at the beginning to explain what veganism is. Today she gets daily E-Mails in which people tell her that they want to work with her because you want to lead your life in a sustainable way. At the same time, the awareness for the topic is increasing among buyers.

Younger customers thanks to Greta effect

the typical customer used to be between 41 and 50 years old, since two years, a kind of Greta-effect: Young people are willing to pay money for products whose conditions of production are more transparent. "The target audience is between 18 and 30 years, found us has always been cool, but often too expensive," says Sewalski. This effect is due to changes in the industry. The rising demand is lower prices. At the same time Eco invest and Fairtrade brands more in Design, advertising, their self-representation.

at the same time the avocado gates is not in front of problems, immune, caused, if you want to earn on ethical consumption. "Sustainability is always complicated," she says. It gives her own example: she flies only in exceptional cases, pays compensation, and doesn't eat meat, but not generally to animal products, sometimes sweets weak, although individually packaged, and has an electric scooter.

Inspire instead of lecture

the manufacturer, the consumer, everybody defines sustainability differently. For some industries, there are about seal – in fashion. At the same time it must not be complicated, especially for buyers. "I give myself very lot of effort to not have to be stressful," says Sewalski. She is convinced: "the index finger of the finger comes quickly." Therefore, she tries less to teach customers as to inspire rather, as she calls it,"". It was a Trick that she wore to Events, chic dresses and on demand, said, these are sustainable clothing, to show "the Eco".

The much larger issue behind it, however, remains open: of Course a dress from the flea market would be even more sustainable than the fairest organic cotton piece. The eco-friendly would be to buy a dress. In other words: Can consumerism save the planet? Sewalski find: Better, people will buy it with us. From the boss inner-view is understandable. From the point of view of the activist, the publication of a book about sustainable living? About how much growth must be, to think, they much, she says. "It is always a discourse."

Created: 12.03.2020, 09:48 PM