Even if his IT studies didn’t work out in the end, Sebastian Stein has retained his connection to numbers. He still keeps an eye on them – literally together with his wife Sandra on the PC monitor in the store manager’s office, but also in conversation at any time. If you ask him about the key figures of his REWE store, they come out of the gun. No wonder: figures, data and facts have accompanied the 40-year-old his entire professional life to date. Together with business acumen and a keen sense of customer needs, his understanding of numbers forms the solid foundation for his entry into self-employment.
Sebastian Stein: From nahkauf sales manager to REWE retailer
Sebastian Stein knows the key figures of his store inside out and combines them with commercial skills, a feel for customers and knowledge of human nature. His career has taken him from cashier to store manager to sales manager at nahkauf. Today he is an independent REWE retailer in Nieheim.
Reading time: 5 min.
Why return to the market?
Quite frankly: the travel times and the working hours,
reports Stein. As sales manager at nahkauf he had 40 to 50 overnight stays per year, many meetings, long days. 12 to 14 hours on the road – at some point that was just too much for me. I have a four-year-old son who I also want to put to bed sometimes.
The right time: family and new build
The step into self-employment was the right one, no question about it. I can balance family and career much better – that was the main reason. The other was the location with the great prospects of the new building directly opposite,
says Stein. We can finally offer our customers a full service.
The old store had been in operation for over 30 years and was last renovated when he was still a trainee. When Nieheim became vacant, everything happened quickly: assessment center, location commission, and nine weeks later I knew that I could take over the store on 1 January.
Support and network
His wife Sandra works alongside him and supports him in the office. If she hadn’t stood behind me, I wouldn’t have done it. The price would have been too high for me.
His network from his time in the field has also helped him: At nahkauf, I learned how to deal with local authorities, property developers and many stakeholders. An appointment with the mayor is now routine – you go into such meetings more open and better prepared. Knowledge of human nature and diplomacy also help to achieve common goals.
What role does REWE play as a cooperative? Without REWE, I wouldn’t have been able to start my own business so easily,
he says confidently. Many things were excellently prepared and every step was clearly laid out. All I can say about my field sales team is that it works extremely well. Mario Voigt, Area Manager Goods, helped me extremely well with setting up the counter and training the team. He also visits us at least once a week to support the new counter team.
Cohesion and togetherness
Stein associates the cooperative with “community, cohesion and networking”. He particularly appreciates the co-determination: I’ve been to many cooperative conferences as a sales manager and business consultant. Retailers bring in topics and help shape them as e
xperts – you don’t get that at other companies. When my store has been online for two years, I would like to become active as a retailer or IT expert.
His advice: just go for it
According to his observations, many people think about self-employment, do the assessment center – and then never actually apply. His urgent advice: Once you’ve done it, it’s worth being your own boss. It’s really fun. Of course, you have responsibilities – for your family, your employees and your customers. But if you like people and retail, it’s the right step.
