Franchise Expert
Matthias Herrmann
My offer to you
The path to self-employment deserves careful thought and, above all, thorough planning — and for many founders it comes with a great deal of uncertainty. As your sparring partner and career mentor, I can show you the full range of possibilities that self-employment has to offer, and work with you through an individual advisory process to identify the option that suits you best and sets you up for success.
I support you in analysing your competencies, talents and professional background, and advise and guide you — based on your personal priorities and goals — towards the most promising form of self-employment.
Why IoE?
For over 25 years, I have continually engaged with the topics of franchising, business acquisition and succession, and consultancy — and have also worked in this field as a shareholder and managing director. At IoE, everything has now come full circle for me. Our offering as a dedicated point of contact for anyone considering self-employment is truly unique in this form.
Having faced the same situation myself on multiple occasions during my time in senior management, I am well placed today to understand the perspective of our prospects and candidates, offer them meaningful recommendations, and guide them with tailored advice.
Working independently as a Senior Consultant at IoE gives me a great degree of autonomy and flexibility. The exchange with our other highly experienced partners is enriching and inspiring. It gives me tremendous pleasure and is deeply motivating to show our prospective clients the self-employment options available to them — opening the door to a more self-determined and fulfilling professional future — and to support them all the way through to a successful launch.
Who should get in touch with me?
At its core, this is for all experienced professionals and executives/managers who are no longer fully satisfied with their current professional situation or position, or who find themselves at a crossroads in their career (professional/personal) and are looking to do something new.
The reasons for this vary widely and may stem directly from the professional environment – such as changes in management, the board, or shareholders; shifts in company strategy or direction; or a lack of involvement in key decisions. Alternatively, they may be more personal in nature, such as the desire for entrepreneurial freedom, self-determination, and greater flexibility; the ability to make one's own decisions; a better work-life balance; independence from supervisory boards, advisory boards, or shareholders; or simply the ambition to build something of one's own that grows in value.
I'd be happy to explain in an initial conversation how, with my support, you can find the self-employment path that's right for you.
Professional Experience
After completing my business administration degree, I spent 23 years in senior management at international corporations, holding country-level responsibility as Director and Managing Director in the consumer goods market. My core expertise lies in Sales, Marketing, and business management across the wholesale (B2B), retail (B2C), and digital/e-commerce (B2C) channels.
This is complemented by extensive experience in leading and developing cross-functional and international teams, developing and implementing corporate, go-to-market and omni-channel strategies (wholesale/retail/e-commerce), and developing and implementing marketing strategies (sell-in/sell-out).
Like many of our prospective clients, I once faced the same decision myself: whether to continue a corporate career as an employed manager, or to take the leap into self-employment as a consultant. I have now been working independently as a management and business consultant and interim manager for over 13 years, five of which I also spent as a franchisee and franchise master. I can relate very well to each of our prospective clients and know precisely what questions, concerns, and uncertainties are on your mind.
Find a shortcut to successful self-employment with significantly reduced risk — through me and our team. Whether you are pursuing a franchise venture or a business acquisition and succession, I will support you every step of the way towards your future as a successful entrepreneur.