Christian Kern

“Accepting risk and being passionate about it”

Host Dominik Schindler (l.) welcomed the numerous start-up entrepreneurs and Christian Kern.

(Bild: sos)

At a meeting with young entrepreneurs in Lauterach on Monday, former Chancellor Christian Kern talked about his life as an entrepreneur. He talked about the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur and why the profession of politician should not actually be on his tombstone. 

An event organized by the Federation of Austrian Industries with former Federal Chancellor Christian Kern was cancelled last week due to a lack of registrations. However, the former SPÖ leader was not deterred from visiting the federal state and made the trip. On Monday morning, a visit to Alpla CEO Philipp Lehner was on the agenda, followed by a visit to MH Direct in Lauterach, a mail order company founded by Monika and Hanns Schindler in 1996 and expanded into a fulfillment company. Their two sons, Philipp and Dominik, now run the company and took the opportunity to bring the former chancellor and some start-up entrepreneurs together.

Kern quickly had the audience on his side. He talked about his professional beginnings "as the seventh dwarf from the left" at Verbund. He talked about his move to the ÖBB board level ("My friends asked me if I was stupid") and about a highly paid job abroad, which he turned down because he wanted to go into politics ("My wife at the time asked me if I was a candidate").

"My gravestone will say politician, but I see myself as an entrepreneur, because I spent most of my life working as one," says Kern. He has never regretted his brief foray into politics - "but I believe that politics would benefit from less ideology and more economic knowledge," summarizes the former chancellor. Kern patiently answered the young entrepreneurs' questions and motivated the audience: "Taking risks and fighting for your idea with passion and enthusiasm - that is what characterizes start-ups and is immensely important for our economy."

Christian Kern impressed with his wit and charm.

(Bild: sos)

In the end, host Dominik Schindler was also impressed by the former chancellor's appearance: "Many points were raised that are of concern to entrepreneurs in the country. It would be nice if these issues were reflected more in current politics."