My journey so far has been shaped by curiosity, setbacks, and the belief that with hard work, you can change any situation. Growing up in Salzburg, Austria, I was overweight, struggled in school, and was often seen as disruptive. Everything changed when I went to a British boarding school for three years at age 13. Discipline, respect, and rugby taught me that consistent effort pays off over time. I truly believe you can overcome anything if you keep moving forward.
After school, I chose to study engineering in Austria without much of a plan. Early on, I failed most exams and almost gave up. Luckily, an IQ test showed me that I had enough brain power, so it wasn’t about ability – it was about mindset. I decided to put studying first, and within a year, I went from failing grades to the top 10% of my class. That experience taught me the power of personal responsibility. Going from the victim mindset to full ownership changed my life. As American psychologist Albert Ellis says, “The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own.”
This new perspective made me realize how fortunate I am in my life – suddenly, I also started to care about giving back. While at university, I founded the first branch of Sindbad, a mentoring program that has since supported over 500 young people from challenging backgrounds. I also sit on the board of the Junge Industrie Salzburg, promoting entrepreneurship and STEM education.
After finishing my engineering studies, I started my career in sales before pivoting into consulting. Most recently, I was responsible for new acquisitions in our family office. After looking at more than 120 businesses without closing a deal, I felt the timing for an MBA was right – bringing together my different experiences, filling the gaps in my skills repertoire, and challenging my idea of the “dream job.” Fortunately, since the start of the year, I have finally managed to acquire three companies while studying full time. It might sound tiring to others, and it’s definitely not for everyone, but entrepreneurship and hands-on investing are what drive me, and I really enjoy working on these projects.
I chose IMD because of the small cohort, the intense program, and the personal community – I didn’t want to be just a number in a bigger school. My father went to INSEAD almost four decades ago, and while I respect his journey, I felt it was important to write my own story. The focus on real challenges, leadership development, and close connections here is exactly what I was looking for. The bold program changes to fully leverage AI, instead of ignoring it, convinced me to move to Lausanne.
Halfway through, I’ve already learned a lot – from the obvious hard skills that an engineer is lacking, like accounting, finance, or economics, to the more difficult soft skills, such as showing vulnerability to be able to connect with people or understanding different cultures and alternative approaches. Above all, the personal development experience has been the most powerful. Meeting with my personal development coach every Sunday as part of the PDE (Personal Development Elective) has helped me understand myself better – I will definitely keep using the benefits of this regular mental hygiene for life. Challenging myself by starting a podcast called Careers & Character, together with my classmate John Nicholas, will hopefully help me grow further as a communicator.
Sports still play a big role in my life. As captain of the Austrian Rugby Sevens Team and an endurance athlete, I’ve learned to handle pressure, setbacks, and long-term goals. Completing a 100-kilometer mountain run showed me that anything is possible with the right preparation. At IMD, we have a strong group of people who work out every morning – this gives me a lot of confidence and sets a great rhythm. Furthermore, cycling around Lake Geneva and competing at the MBA tournament in Paris demonstrated once again how well sports connect people.
I love Austria, and even though the Swiss mountains behind Lake Geneva are beautiful, they’re never quite as close as you’d think – and there isn’t always time to escape every weekend for a trail run or a hike. Spending more time outdoors is something I miss most during the MBA – hopefully I can summit some great peaks in the summer (fingers crossed!).
Looking ahead, I want to keep growing and enjoy the process. In the summer, I am excited about my eight-week internship at Waldegg Equity Partners in Munich, where I hope to deepen my knowledge of entrepreneurship and private equity, and prepare to lead companies with care and purpose. To me, life is one exciting adventure, and it all comes down to mindset. As Theodore Roosevelt said, “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.”
