How did you come up with the idea to start your start-up? Where did the inspiration come from?
gArtenreich: We’ve both wanted to be self-employed since we were teenagers. Through our experiences and work during college, we came up with the idea that we could have a positive impact on both nature and society by offering professional landscaping services as independent contractors.
What was the transition from college to starting your own business like?
gArtenreich: It was very exciting! With much less free time and more responsibility, we moved from theory to the hard realities of practice. I was even writing my master’s thesis at the same time during the founding phase, so in that sense, it was a kind of seamless transition.
What formative experiences did you gain from founding your company?
gArtenreich: Anything is possible; what matters is passion, hard work, and ambition. Taking this step together was the best decision ever. When you can bring a project like this to life with a very good friend as a business partner, it’s twice as much fun and half the work.
Biodiversity plays a major role for you. How did you come to focus on this?
gArtenreich: Biodiversity—or rather, the ongoing loss of it—is one of the main reasons we founded this start-up. That’s also where the name (g)Artenreich comes from. We want to bring biodiversity back to urban green spaces, whether in private gardens or public green areas. Through my master’s degree in Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, I learned how important it is to preserve biodiversity and how diverse the opportunities are for promoting it even in cities. In addition to designing gardens with species-rich plantings, we also offer our customers detailed advice on nature conservation and ways to promote biodiversity in their own gardens.
How did the University of Bonn and the Transfer Center enaCom support you?
gArtenreich: The most important support we received from the University of Bonn was the opportunity to pursue our studies, which provided us with ideas, knowledge, and networking opportunities. Additionally, through the Transfer Center enaCom, we received start-up consulting and support in the form of a grant, which was a huge help to us personally, especially during our first year of operation.
What advice would you give to others interested in starting a business?
gArtenreich: If you’re fully committed to your idea and firmly believe in its success, see it through! Take advantage of support services and funding opportunities, and research them in advance. And if you have the chance, don’t do it alone. It’s more fun and less work with two people (though “less” is still a lot!).
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