Karolin Junker de Neui is an e-commerce expert and passionate entrepreneur. She was selected by Capital business magazine as one of the "Top 40 under 40" - an award that the magazine has been giving to the young elite every year since 2017. Karo knew early on what she didn't want, but also what she particularly enjoyed and what challenged her. She studied Business Administration at HSBA with Beiersdorf as a partner company, then set up her own business in 2012 with Reverse Retail GmbH to revolutionize the second-hand market for luxury brands and fashion with Vite EnVogue. Today, she is Managing Director at Etribes and advises companies on digital business. We spoke to her about what really drives her, how she got to where she is today and what advice she would give our students.
Karo Junker de Neui: Creating, not Just Managing
Dear Karo, since 2021 you have been Managing Director at Etribes, a renowned digital consultancy in Hamburg, and in 2022 you were named one of the "Top 40 under 40" by business magazine Capital, making you one of our country's young elite. Really impressive - did you expect this award?
The award was totally unexpected for me. Of course, a title like this looks nice on a CV or LinkedIn profile, but it doesn't play a role in my day-to-day work. Ultimately, as Managing Director at Etribes, I want the positive added value of our consulting work to be seen by our clients - and that's not a one-woman show. However, access to the Top 40 under 40 community is a significant advantage.
After your studies at HSBA, you worked at your partner company Beiersdorf for a few years before setting up your own re-commerce company. Now you are Managing Director at Etribes and on the advisory board of the private cosmetics retailer Schuback. How did you get to where you are today? What drives you?
I want to work on things that make a difference. I enjoy creating and doing things, not just managing them. After my first job at Beiersdorf, that's what drove me to found my own company. When I founded Vite EnVogue, I learned an incredible amount about e-commerce and entrepreneurship and when my learning curve slowed down after a few years, I wanted to do something new. That's when I came across Etribes and realized that you can create and move a lot even in an employment relationship if it's the right company and the values and environment are right.
Is there anything you would like to pass on to our students?
Experiment and get to know lots of different companies. That way you can find out what you enjoy. If you deal with topics that you really enjoy, you will soon become good at them. And if you do take the wrong path, there is always the opportunity to redirect yourself and benefit from an important learning experience.
In our anniversary year 2024, we present stories of people and companies that are closely associated with HSBA. Further information on all events and activities in our anniversary year can be found at 20 years of HSBA.