About half a year before my final decision, I thought about selling the business for the first time. I wasn’t feeling my best health-wise at the time. On top of that, I then suffered a personal tragedy. I guess that was the point when I knew: I am selling now!

I realized I couldn’t manage my job and be an integral part of my family at the same time. I simply wasn’t going to be able to do both well. So I started looking for someone to take my place and continue as I would, so I could rest easy when I dedicated more time to myself and my loved ones.

At first, I approached the whole process quite naively. It’s not every day that you sell a company.

It was especially important for me that our adviser, sonntag, handled the entire process as discreetly as possible. Some terms close to my heart I directed at the potential buyers: I wanted the business to remain owner-managed and I also wanted my staff to walk out of the process with good future perspectives.

During the sales process, I learned that I need to be patient. A sale isn’t done in two weeks or even two months. Actually it took me two years!

A lot of people are saying how I have changed – how they don’t really recognize me anymore. I am laughing, even beaming with joy. Now, after the sale, the best thing for me is the feeling that I am free and do not need to take on responsibility for an entire company anymore. At the time, I could hardly find the energy to meet up with friends after a day’s work. I simply invested every minute into my business.

Things have changed! I approach each day with an open mind and enjoy every moment. My family definitely has top priority now. I have a lot of catching up to do on that front. Also, I had to learn to use my new-found freedom.

Currently I am independent and I want to make full use of that. Especially now that I am fulfilling one of my biggest dreams. I found myself at the Porsche dealer before but my head had said “no” and I left without buying. But now, that I and my lifestyle have changed, I leave the decision-making to my heart instead.

It makes me happy to get in my car every morning, step on the gas, and start enjoying. It makes me smile the whole day.