What can I tell you about myself to convey my drive and passion for the KRUNK mission?
Basically, I’ve always been very interested in technology since I was a child and have always enjoyed creating things. Whether it was building the most complex and crazy Lego works, crafting with wood in my father’s carpentry shop or building spacious tree huts in the forest.
This led me to completing the HTL for mechanical engineering and then working in automotive development in Germany and Austria (Magna Steyr in Graz) for 10 years, where I was able to build and expand my CAD and project management skills.
In 2006 I returned to my home town of Zell am See, where I worked for a few years at SAG Alutech in aluminum fuel tank development.
Also in 2006, two friends and I bought the kitesurf brand KRUNK on Fuerteventura (-> you can read more about it here).
In addition to selling equipment, repairing and building custom surfboards online or directly in our shop in Corralejo, Fuerteventura, I then had an innovative idea for assembling surfboards on surfboards, how I could do this without tools using a click-in system .
In order to turn this idea into reality, I started my own business parallel to my work, applied for a funded development project, which I got released, and then took part in the ISPO Brandnew Award in 2009.
And I actually made it into the TOP3, which gave me a booth at Germany’s largest sporting goods trade fair, ISPO.
The trade fair was a success as I was able to make very valuable contacts and even get to know the windsurfing legend Björn Dunkerbeck during an interview at my trade fair stand.
Afterwards I was able to meet the Waterman & living legend Robby Naish personally in Salzburg at the Seidl surf shop and even could show him the fin system I had developed live.
He was so stoked that he offered to send him prototypes to Hawaii, Maui, where he would test them for me.
The feedback was incredibly motivating with constructive criticism, which gave me the motivation to completely revise my concept again in order to finally have a concept that is really ready for series production.
Well, me as an engineer haven’t been really good on sales, so in the end the world market leader FCS brought a quite similar, well-functioning system onto the market parallel to me, which led to the end of my project because I couldn’t afford the competition against Goliat as a freshly self-employed.
But no matter, the experiences and acquaintances I gained were definitely worth the trip.
After SAG Alutech, I worked as a project manager and engineering manager for DesignStorz in Zell am See for a year, which I really enjoyed because I love combining design with technology and innovation.
Through DesignStorz I then worked at Hagleitner Hygiene, where we brought several innovations in the field of commercial hygiene to the market over 8 years with a company owner who is epic in spreading enthusiasm and together with great teams.
The journey of KRUNK then went in different directions among us three friends over the years, which led to our shop in Fuerte being closed in 2016 and each of us making our own, good path.
However, I always remained loyal to the KRUNK brand and believed in the potential that I saw in the name combined with my passions.
That’s why I produced new T-shirts, hoodies and caps every now and then and never let die down the spirit of KRUNK in the region around Zell am See.
As inspiring and exciting as the years in product development were, life has also shaken my mental health several times over the last few years.
Thank God, this ultimately led me to decide to end this career for the time being and devote myself fully to the renovation of our family building.
And to the renovation I just say one thing: What would a product development project compared to its own construction site!? :)
Here, too, there was a lot to learn and after moments of existential fear and many, many hours on the construction site, on the drawing board and on the phone, I was able to open the doors again together with my sister and mother in spring 2021 and create a real oasis of well-being.
Yes, and then at the end of the construction site the unique and great opportunity arose to have a great position at the Palfinger company in Salzburg for setting up and rolling out the project management process worldwide, which I couldn’t and didn’t want to resist and a corresponding salary after something like that construction site was also very helpful :)
And the most brilliant thing about the story: My boss was a former HTL school colleague of mine, Stefan, with whom I had a deep connection from the start. During the course of my work, a true friendship developed and Stefan enabled me to receive personal training that could not be valued with money. Even though the further training ultimately led to me quitting my job at Palfinger after another burnout at the beginning of 2023, I am deeply and sincerely grateful to Stefan for everything he did and made possible for me.
I have never had a more human boss with this incredible ability to assess people, recognize their potential and lead them there. Even if this may sound absurd now, since I had to stop burning out again, Stefan even gave me a smile, motivated me to continue on my journey, no matter if it wasn’t with Palfinger, and that he was firmly convinced that I will find my way.
After a few months of time off and rehab, I finally found access to my innermost needs and fears and was able to accept and really work on them thanks to the training I had received.
Long story short: LIFE HAS BEEN SHOWING ME FOR YEARS THAT I SHOULD FINALLY BECOME 100% SELF-EMPLOYED.
