As my » Biognosis Toolbox still takes time to take off, I am looking for a new “work home”. Therefore, I’d like to describe my educational and occupational portfolio.
Here’s to the third and latest part, the “10+” years.
Back to Research (2012-2013)
My business took not off I way I wanted it to, and I did not want to take on unnecessary risks, because of my daughter. Luckily, one of my customer companies had a job to offer – so back into research & the lab it was.
Competence gained: Formulation development, shelf life test design, patent analysis, IT-supported knowledge management (how to build an internal wiki), international project team work.
Main reminisce: One of my last test series provided a valuable clue on how to resolve a stability obstacle in producing a new formulation. Needed to be confirmed, but that was … ah, to be honest, it was awesome.
UAS Lecturer
Additionally, I was a part-time lecturer at my Alma Mater, teaching systematic innovation and mentoring BAC theses.
Back to Consulting (2013-2016)
My daughter came of age. Which meant that when a new opportunity came along, I took it – working as an innovation expert for the Austrian Economic Chambers in Tyrol. My main tasks were member support in all things innovation, putting together the annual magazine “Ideenkammer”, organising the Tyrolean Innovation Award, supporting the creative industries network, and working in the nationwide innovation and technology network.
Competence gained: Further honing my “interface” abilities when it comes to connect the interests of different stakeholders like organisations, politics and companies.
Main reminisce: The diversity in consulting, from tourism to medicine tech and from creatives to cooperations. That was quite something. I guess there is no other employer who can give you that kind of variety.
Electromobility Innovation (2016-2017)
I was always fascinated by cars and motorbikes. No wonder I took the chance to work for an innovative high-tech company when they asked me to!
Competence gained: In-depth strategy development, writing funding proposals with different project partners, deeper understanding of electromobility and its technologies (e. g. autonomous drive).
Main reminisce: Besides being able to drive the Ziesel you mean? Well, to simultaneously translate an event from German into English, using headsets. Heavens. People who do that for a living – my deepest respect.
Software Introduction (2017-2018)
Homesickness struck. I wanted to go back to Styria. And it was an economic decision, too – living is more affordable in Styria, and as the new job opportunity included staff responsibility, my salary became significantly higher. The main tasks were leading a technical documentation team and designing an adequate work flow for the optimum use of a new, high-end editorial software tool. Naturally, I did some instruction designing myself, too – which I really liked.
Competence gained: In-depth knowledge of how to create standard-compliant documents (EU and US), team lead and fair apportionment of work (using a Kanban board), and making the most of a most sophisticated software tool in terms of efficiency, cost reduction and usability (of handling and of documents produced).
Main reminisce: How well a Kanban board works if you want to let your team work independently and still interconnected. Loved it.
Product Development (2018-2020)
I’ve never stopped being into biomimicry, and never stopped thinking about a product concept I developed somewhen around 2008. And I thought – 10 years later – the time’d be right and the market ready. Therefore, to be able to focus completely on my Biognosis Toolbox, I became self-employed again. Well. I’ve learned a lot, and there is a market – but I haven’t been successful in marketing the product just yet. Still needs a little … push.
Competence gained: Crowdfund campaigning, product diversification based on customer feedback, Instagram usage for business, different tools for video creation (including subtitles).
Main reminisce: Loved the interaction with interested people during my crowdfunding campaign, explaining how the toolbox works (which seems to work best 1o1) – and doing my first stop-motion video. Woah, I *loved* that!
New Home, New Job (2021)
Since I’ve been on the bench in 2020, I needed to relocate. So I moved back home, onto the farm where I had grown up. Luckily enough, there’s an interesting company nearby – and they gave me a job, my main task being idea management (simply perfect). Therefore, after one very precarious pandemic year, I am now living in a house, with a dog and two cats, commuting 15 minutes to a job I enjoy.
Quintessence
I am no expert in a special field. But I am an expert in connecting the dots. Detecting the relevant dots included – in technology, business and design.