20+ years of inspiration-filled story of triumphs, pitfalls, wins, struggles, and family.
“Sometimes, it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about the destination.”
Anon.
If you’re going to look at Contentserv today, you’ll see this well-established company with a great portfolio of clients and partners. You would never guess that it resulted from a struggling student’s journey to finance her study and a father’s love and discipline that propelled her to forge her own path. Sounds melodramatic, right? But I think most start-up companies can relate to this story. And my path to building Contentserv couldn’t be any more different.
Let me take you back to how it all began.
When I was young, my father told me many times that as soon as I turned 18, I would no longer receive any financial support from him. So, after I graduated from high school, I financed myself by planning and hosting large-scale parties until I completed my primary studies in Regensburg. There was a scarcity of part-time jobs in competitive companies at that time. And so, I decided to learn website programming. It wasn’t too difficult to understand with the support of my long-time friend and physicist Alexander Wörl. In a matter of days, I had my first customers. This “hustle” helped finance my studies.
From side hustle to something big (1998 – 2002)
What’s meant to be a way to finance my studies became a small company with excellent growth potential. From a one-man company called Internet-Haus Kastner, it became a web agency with 6 employees. In 2000, we won the contract to design the entire website of the Bavarian State Parliament and make its online presence known to everyone. Today, it’s known as a digitization project, but it was simply called a website launch back then.
The website launch, although successful, was challenging, and the technology constraints of that time were so huge and highly limiting. For example, their used CMS system had many technical gaps that we jumped through hoops to make it work. Inspired by this experience, Alexander Wörl and I came up with the idea of finding a better process, a superior solution.
And so Contentserv was born.
The first version of Contentserv was created during a vacation in Thailand. Fueled by the experience with the Bavarian State Parliament contract and driven by our vision and strategy, Alexander Wörl began the initial developments of the Contentserv solution. It aims to be a Content Management System to edit and change easily content for websites.
In that time I hired my first two Contentserv employees: Elmar Rzany and Philip Juchert. Both are still with Contentserv after 22 years, as is Alexander Wörl – that’s what I call loyalty to the company!
While winning game-changing contracts and developing forward-thinking solutions, I finished my main studies at the LMU Munich. Incidentally, I forgot to get my certificate and only picked it up after more than 15 years. Now I don’t even remember where I placed it.
Development of a groundbreaking solution (2003 – 2005)
The development of Contentserv may have been a bit too late for the state parliament, but it was just the right time for many other companies in the Bavarian region.
In the first few years, Contentserv was implemented to different companies such as the MVHS, a Munich Adult Education Center and the Bavarian Employers’ Association – all with no start-up funding. I was completely on my own and had to expand using our own cash flow.
In 2003, Alexander Wörl became part of the company full-time, and quickly we had more than 15 employees. With him helping at the helm, the company’s developments went upwards very quickly. We kept growing and with it our product portfolio because we put everything into the product without compromise and were very strategic and economical.
It paid off. Like many business owners who developed a product, or a service based on a need or a demand of our customers, we developed our solution based on what’s lacking in the market then. In our case, we were the wild youngsters who shook up the content management market and worked our way into the product information management market bit by bit.
Game-changing milestones: unlocked (2006 – 2010)
2006 was a pivotal year when Contentserv signed a significant company and its international subsidiaries that opted for Contentserv’s software. Miele well-known company with amazing products and 5000 employees became our customer. Miele’s requirements were the driving force behind the massive and quick changes we implemented to adapt our company processes and keep up with this critical developmental stage.
Soon, we found ourselves operating an office with 100 employees and establishing our first sales office in Bielefeld. At that time, Klaus Hofmann supported the company as a business angel through a potential mutual customer. With his C-level background at companies such as Deutsche Börse, Bertelsmann Verlag and R&V, Contentserv gained more structure and foresight.
That same year, we acquired The English Book Club, which brought our company to be international. From 2007 onwards, we focused on growing our partner portfolio to be more strategic. I believe a functioning partner network that could independently implement projects based on the Contentserv software is a bold move that would further expand our fast-growing company. Suffice it to say, I was right, especially when we won our first significant implementation partner, SDZeCOM and Franz Schwarz. That was the starting point of a great partnership that brought both sides forward, one that is still alive today.
Partnerships and an operational partner ecosystem have always been important to Contentserv and anchored in the company’s DNA since day one. We also had numerous interfaces with adjacent systems and managed marketing and sales with technology partners like Adobe and InBetween.
Overcoming roadblocks and seizing creative opportunities (2011 – 2015)
A common issue for fast-growing companies would be the shortage of skilled workers that fit the company’s culture. Thinking of ways to keep our workforce strong, we had to be creative. We worked hard to find long and short-term solutions to fill the shortage. We rented a flat for developers from all over Germany (and secretly hoped they would stay when they would get into relationships with and marry some Bavarian women) and hired near-shore developers.
It was also at this point when Armin Dressler, MD at technology partner InBetween at the time, introduced us to his Indian development team.
In 2011, Armin approached me with the idea of bringing our software bundled with his software product InBetween to the USA. The USA has always been a strategic target market for Contentserv. This initiative accelerated the progression of the Contentserv management team as the expansion required more roles and capacities.
Others would say it was by chance or luck, but we would say it was through sheer force of will and hard work that many opportunities came knocking at our door, and for Armin too. Soon his involvement proved beneficial for Contentserv, he took over the scaling of Contentserv’s operations. Large well-known customers filled our portfolio, and the partner network grew strongly. It was a very exhausting yet wonderful time.
With combined resources, Contentserv grew at 30% per year. A large development team was set up in India, which greatly contributed to the improvement of many processes. Branches and joint ventures in the Netherlands, Belgium and France grew like mushrooms. At that time, we turned the branches into individual companies to fully exploit the start-up potential in other countries. After the initial start-up phase, the need for synergy and efficiency quickly arose. CS Inspire GmbH was founded in 2014 as a subsidiary and accelerator for all branches. The corporate structure became more solid when Swiss Contentserv became the holding company for all the branches in other regions in 2013.
The financing of the company was a challenge. My ambitious growth goals for Contentserv have so far been financed through my hobby, building. I remodeled vacant homes and used them as a collateral with the bank. Thanks to the construction hobby, it became possible to finance Contentserv mostly with its over 350 employees and European branches without venture capital. At that time, we had built up a customer base in Singapore and the US without external investors.
“My advice for start-up companies would be to create a consistent customer strategy, focus on bold marketing initiatives, and maybe have a construction hobby on the side.”
Patricia
Going international…with 4 kids (2016 – 2018)
In 2016, Michael Kugler joined the German Contentserv GmbH as the managing director, allowing me to step down in 2017 to focus on international expansion. At the same time, Contentserv raised small funding for the US expansion. We quickly realized that the money raised should have been financed through the traditional channels since the reporting efforts and the investor’s limited foresight were more of a hindrance than a help to the Contentserv business. My intentions to open a branch in Japan were initially questioned, but after a few months and some great customers, the investor recognized the opportunities. Japan is now Contentserv’s third most important market and thus an essential building block in Contentserv’s success story.
But back to 2017 and the US: 60% of the global software market is in the US, and therefore developing this market is strategic for any software company. Enough start-up capital, good positioning, and a chance with leading analysts are some of the most important aspects of entering the US market. Soon enough, Contentserv was named a Strong Performer by Forrester in the PIM market in 2017. By 2018, we took over the wave as a Leader. The inclusion of Contentserv in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant MDM in 2019 was also an accolade that only very few German-speaking software companies can boast.
In spring 2018, I packed up our bags and moved to Silicon Valley with my 4 daughters to promote the expansion of Contentserv in the US. It was an inspiring time to push Contentserv into a global software player. We first contacted real investors who were surprised to learn that a global company with 400 employees managed to stay afloat without venture capital. By the way, I never told them my hobby.
But in hindsight, I see four factors that made Contentserv grow so big without VC.
4 pillars for strategic growth
1 – Relentless employees and the corporate culture
One strategy that I believe in is allowing employees to be innovative as they develop ideas that identify strongly with the company. It can be as simple as creating a culture deck that would make an avalanche of improvements. I believe that the right company culture is one of the most critical factors. With the help of Contentserv’s Management Team, our culture deck was further developed in many iterations in 2019. Our Culture Deck’s Relentless Pioneer theme became a cult at Contentserv, and there was a Relentless Pioneer Club, which gave many employees courage and vision in stressful times.
2 – Marketing Saved Us Millions
Marketing has always been Contentserv’s driving force and has saved us many millions in funding. As early as 2018, there was almost a complete switch to digital marketing. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, there was practically no strategic change since the entire company had long been digital.
Marketing also brought the right customers to Contentserv. Content marketing was more important than spending a lot of money on Google SEA. From 2018, I deliberately set up our marketing from the US perspective as it made it easier for us to adapt to the European market than the other way around. Manila in the Philippines, our marketing service location, solved the lack of skilled workers. We solved everything in-house and had tremendous clout that is still unparalleled.
3 – Sales is a constant challenge and good is not good enough
A sales-driven approach is essential to the success of a software company. Of particular importance is the scale and efficiency of this expensive area. Here, we paid great attention to an optimal mix of marketing leads, reference customer marketing, and network. I am particularly proud of our above-average quota of women in sales compared to all other software companies. Sales must adapt to the constant changes just as quickly as marketing and the product area.
4 – Global Scope of Employees – The Best of the World
“The best from all over the world.” Many central services came from Manila, Portugal, and India at an unbeatable price-performance ratio.
We have developers in India and Portugal. In 2019, our army of developers and quality managers was over 200. Marketing was also global, and the 20-person team in Manila supported Contentserv’s marketing needs 24-7.
With this mix of different skills, the scaling of Contentserv to 400 employees was efficient and manageable and was also possible with our financial resources.
2018 and beyond
I look back with pride on the 22 years of Contentserv. As the co-founder beside Alexander Wörl, I know I was only part of the success. Without the Contentserv team, this dream would never have been possible.
There will come a time however, when you will realize that you have achieved all your goals for yourself and your company. Like many other founders, presidents, and CEOs, I know when to hang up my mantle and think where I want to go next.
In 2018, I decided to step back and take on a majority investor to bring Contentserv to the next level. At that time, the investor market was 100% male dominated (unfortunately that hasn’t really changed to this day) and since men are better with men, we decided that Armin will become CEO of Contentserv and I will move into the role of President. In the summer of 2019, InvestCorp came on board as an investor, ushering in the next era of Contentserv.
I now work on the Contentserv shareholder board and support the Contentserv management team around Michael Kugler and Michael Mack in strategic matters. Since autumn 2021, I have had time again to take care of other things than Contentserv and I can’t wait to share with you my next exciting ventures.
What’s next for me?
Anyone who knows me knows that I can’t sit still and love to realize dreams that others think are impossible. I’ve always loved building things, but I think it’s time to also build up new dreams again.
I am now pursuing and supporting fearless start-up companies. My company Stevie, with its great management team, especially Florian Paul, supports ambitious companies with advice and action so that they too, like Contentserv, can build and fulfil their dreams. You will find me there with a lot of enthusiasm and joy!
But I want to make one thing clear: Contentserv is and will always be my great love!
It’s true what they say: It’s not the destination, but the journey that matters. My journey over the years taught me a lot of things and it was made bearable and enjoyable by a lot of people.
Special thanks for the realization of this great dream “Contentserv” goes to:
Alexander Wörl: The one and only. Without you, there would be no Contentserv. Thank you for giving your all to bring the product forward and make customers happy with the same commitment from day 1. You are definitely the great creator.
Philip Juchert: Thank you for not choosing cars and for remaining loyal to us – with your patience and persistence, development and support continued to progress.
Elmar Rzany: How nice to be able to experience 22 years with you! Your patience and understanding helped us move forward. Stay with us and maybe we’ll retire together 😉
Armin Dressler: Thank you for fighting with us for 8 years and giving up so much for it – without your strategy and vision, Contentserv wouldn’t be where it is now!
Michael Kugler: Thank you for spearheading Contentserv as the new CEO and for covering my back with a lot of commitment. We have really experienced a lot together and will probably go through a lot more together. Thank you for the well-prepared shareholder meetings!
Michael Mack: I’m so glad to have finally found you, a pragmatic CFO who also has his heart in the right place. A few years ago, you were on the customer side, now you are among us – how nice!
Arnim Roth: Oh, how I miss the discussions with you! I’ve never had such amazing, annoying, wonderful, and fruitful dialogue but with you. Thank you for being who you are and for loving Contentserv as much as I do. I still think it’s a pity that you only sit on the observation post.
Holger Schneider: Oh, another great customer who came to us. I can’t imagine Contentserv without you. What you have contributed to Contentserv over the years is second to none. Thank you for your everyday jokes that make every meeting special!
Ivo Gonçalves: With you, I had one of the most interesting get-togethers until we founded the subsidiary in Faro together. This will forever be in my mind. Thanks for joining our team and supporting our way with fearless passion. 😉
Franziska Huditz: Without you I would not have been able to manage all of this from 2017 to 2019. I will NEVER find such a good assistant as you are again. I stick to my goodbye sentence: It is easier to lose the man than you because you have helped me structure my daily life like no other. With you, I was at least twice as strong. That’s why I can say with a clear conscience: behind every strong CEO there is a strong Franziska!
Sandra Skultety: How nice was the time with you. We have always believed that in marketing, nothing is impossible. Your courage and commitment were contagious, and it affected everyone around you. Leaving your husband and dog behind to set up the Manila branch and live there until everything is up and running is something I will always remember. Da Capo!
Petra Kiermeier: Your depth in marketing, but also your everyday jokes, is legendary – thank you for your commitment in pushing Contentserv’s marketing the right way.
Leslie Fernandez: You supported me so much with all your help over years out of Manila – even on weekends and on holidays you were always helping – thanks for your amazing support!
Jennifer Krizanek: Thanks for the time together with you. It was great and I had so much fun.
Anu Wörl: You showed me how strong Indian Women are and that everything is possible. Thanks for your strong support on all levels! Love you!
Ancy Sreenivasan: Dearest Ancy, you were the most incredible HR person that I will ever meet in my whole life. You were always supporting me in an unbelievable way! Hope to stay always in contact with you and please share your energy with other female CEOs.
Maja Fortuné: You brought HR to an extraordinary level, and everyone remembers the times with you as HR lead. How beautifully you have structured us and provided us with ever new moderation cards. Everything just grows under you: employees, joy, and company buildings. Wow!
Michael Henrichs: You were our first successful man in our women’s team. I could still kiss the day we sealed the deal. You demonstrated your special mindset to the DACH sales team every day. So nice that you exist!
Nobu Watanabe: Amazing Japanese Success Story. When I first met you, I knew: This is our man for Japan. You promised and you delivered, always. So good to have you in our team. Missing our Tokyo Events. 😉
Laurence Caron: Let’s have a wine in Paris soon! I miss you! We had so many meetings in the last years together and so many customer cases. I will never forget them. It was such a great time together!
Tülin Özcigdem: For me, you stand for pure women’s power. You showed all compatriots that the headscarf belongs far away, and women can live their own dreams. All they need is courage and energy, which you have enough for three women! It’s so great how you’ve developed in the last 17 years. Keep it up!
Koen van den Bossche: Belgian chocolate was not the reason to visit you in Lier. What an amazing time. Thank you for your commitment in build up the Benelux with so much power.
Johan Hohm: How nice to have you with us. Your patience and your calm, well-balanced manner was a balm not only for the customers, but also for me. Thank you for always taking care of the support with such dedication!
Inge Klughammer: Thank you for always bringing the accounting system forward with a lot of patience and wit and for keeping the chaos under control for so many years.
Anke Höcherl: A big thank you for the great support over so many years in so many topics with so much vigor and structure!
Lisa Widmann: How nice that you switched from the customer front to our product management and have been pushing it hard ever since. It’s always so nice to hear what’s new at Contentserv. Your Bavarian swing and your energy are so contagious!
Conny Nitsche: Those were the days. Thank you for getting us on our way with so much patience and help!
Nicole Bachfischer: How you supported me on all levels! Thank you for the support and the wonderful time!!!
