I was born in the rural Mitterdorf i. Mürztal, Styria, Austria, basically growing up in the living room of my grandfather’s and parent’s house. I guess I was not planned since there was no single child’s room in the whole house.
With ten years from one day to the other, I had to share “my” room with my lovely and only brother Markus (also kind of a weirdo). I was nice to have someone, but not always easy as you can imagine with 10 years difference, and living in the same room. The interests are just a bit different. My mum was taking care of us, and dad was working in the hospital as a plasterer. We did not have a lot, but also not missing anything.
I always liked to read and absorb knowledge (not so much what was taught in school) and out of nowhere developed some kind of entrepreneurial spirit in my teenage years.
The first real dream profession that I remembered was the director of a bank (not entrepreneurial but still ambitious for my “social environment”). I liked to count money (that’s how I imagined his job), and our local director went to jail. It was just the perfect moment to take over his position; the only problem was that I was just 12 years old.
Following this dream, doing internships at the local bank and starting some “ventures” like selling brand-name clothes, being a bookie filled the years till matriculation. I was not very good at school, even if I loved to learn.
I just wanted to be independent, and the logical step to get there was getting a job. It did not take long, and I found one in Vienna. Vienna for a Styrian is not really on the map, but I took my chance and ended up in this big city. I started my first real job, and I started studying Computer Science at the Vienna University of Technology. I never thought of going to university, but a friend that I met along the way inspired me, and I am happy and grateful for it. Finally, I found something that I liked.
2003 was a big year, I was still in the first part of my studies, my lovely daughter was born, and since this was not enough, I started my first “company.” I started freelancing as a Java developer and working at the university as a Tutor. Sometimes a bit overwhelming times, but it turned out it like to challenge myself, to hustle and stretch the borders of my comfort zone. Many big life-changing moments were happening in this year. My entrepreneurial path started, and now 17 years old daughter was born. The most significant responsibility, but also the most life-enriching, wonderful “experience” that was hitting me. I am deeply grateful for that and proud of how everything turned out.
2004 I joined a Spin-Off (Startup) from the University of Technology as a Software Engineer. I worked a lot, got paid a little, and loved it. After 2,5 years, finishing my thesis and experiencing the bankruptcy of the company, I was on the job market again. After some freelancing jobs, I joined Frequentis (2007) for my first corporate job. This romance lasted around 2,5 years, a pleasant experience with a great team. I just felt this is not for me, and I want to have more impact and create something myself.
After I left Frequentis, it went fast, I met with a friend of a friend, and we decided to start a startup. After building a prototype out of our homes and having our first potential customer, we got our early investors to finance your venture. We founded our company, and Gaminside was born. Our mission was to bring loyalty programs to the Gaming industry, and we build a Gamification Engine to bring elements of a game to real life. The first year six figures revenue and another investment round. Second-year expansion to 14 people and again six figures revenue, everything developed well and in the right direction. Some bad hiring decisions, other mistakes, and growing gaps between my Co-Founder and me, I decided to leave 'my baby' 2013. It was a tough decision to leave this family, after being all in and putting a lot of blood, sweat and love into this company. A time of fast-paced time was over.
I needed a couple of months in 2013 to digest this experience, collecting and evaluating ideas to find the one thing where I want to dedicate my full energy. In October 2013, I started working on TaskTillDone. This time, I tried to bootstrap and build a business that is bringing more freedom and flexibility to freelancers, service providers, and small businesses and help to co-create the future of work. 2015 I also started my short time renting company (on Airbnb) as a side hustle, mainly to reduce the fix costs.
Since then, I am supporting, teaching, mentoring, and coaching other entrepreneurs (from just starting to experienced), businesses on their way, built a couple of other fun and serious companies/projects in different areas.
2017 my private and professional changed a lot for good. I met my Maja, and everything seems to come more naturally now (not from the beginning on). Two Weirdos started a journey together. From then on, every day (even the cloudy and hard ones) turns out to be good in the end, just because we are on this trip together, supporting and understanding each other. I feel freer as days go by in many areas of my life and still have the feeling it is just the start.
I would not be where I am and especially who I am without failing as many times as I did, making bad decisions, mistakes, and struggling every day. Setbacks are normal, and alright as long you stand up again, learn your lesson and move on.
Now it's Weirdo.Rocks time. I want to support and empower people who want to make a change for themselves and others, be free, and build their future and come further, faster.
