Guest feature Martina Merz | It’s never too late to be a pioneer

I’m a pioneer now. Before, I was a production planner, a self-starter, a supporter, an executive, a director. But not a pioneer.

So on the day I joined CODE_n SPACES, I became a recognized pioneer. I have a little office with pink-check walls in the “Hub for digital pioneers”. Sometimes, I find my new eco-system a little skewed, sometimes it’s a little challenging – but I always find it energy-charged and stimulating.

The commitment to development through change – and yes – I’ve developed as a person. The people and the topics in the SPACES have made me “better”, I believe.

What is “better”? What is success?

“Moving mountains” together, effectiveness, creating new things from curiosity and drive, creative freedom, economic independence … the most important elements of becoming “better” – on the road to what I call success.

Technology, modern forms of working and diversity have a disruptive effect, big companies need to develop their skills, each individual employee, and their organizations incrementally and at a fast pace. At the same time, new products and services need to supersede old ones. And to do this, they need partners. And more than ever, innovation partners: pioneers. Pioneers like CODE_n.

I’m not an investor, nor am I a consultant. I simply work in the office next door. I like every encounter and conversation at the coffee machine. And my team didn’t let me come last at the recent game of mini-golf … 🙂

I’ve moved out of my comfort zone and made myself independent. My service is supervision, stimulus and most importantly establishing connections that facilitate new things.

With each day, I therefore believe that these different models are essential for innovative strength: in companies, in hived-off hubs, with startups in such hubs like CODE_n.

Especially in relation to innovations around products and services, new business models. The next Bosch, Daimler, Amazon, etc. We’re working on it.

Pioneers and “doers”: Making new things and creating new things for a good life.

Mark Twain as a teacher

Mark Twain: “We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it and stop there lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again and that is well but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.”