At the beginning of 2025, Kristin Naumann took the plunge into self-employment. Even though she was practically born into this path, it took her courage and two attempts. With a loyal team, a useful network and plenty of advice and support from REWE, she is now well on course.
In her early 40s, Kristin Naumann said to herself: "Now it's my turn" - both privately and professionally. The children were out of the woods. She herself ran her former husband Christian Naumann's supermarket and drinks store in the central Hessian municipality of Ebsdorfergrund. At the beginning of 2025, she set up her own business with this very store. "REWE Naumann" became "Kristins REWE".
For the now 44-year-old, self-employment was not a leap in the dark. She was familiar with the store, the team and the structures - and yet something important changed for her: "Now I'm responsible for everything. I make all the decisions myself as a saleswoman." Support for her and all the other young salespeople comes from the head office. "I have a permanent contact person at my side who visits the store about once a month. We look at figures, problems and potential together. And we clarify all the questions that I didn't have before as store manager. Of course, I can also call at any time in between. In short, I feel that I'm in good hands and not alone."
„Our store managers are passionate about what they do and deal with all challenges on a daily basis.“ Kristin Naumann
Looking back, this experience was a surprise for her. "I hadn't expected REWE to support us young salespeople so closely beforehand." According to Naumann, the WhatsApp group with those who took the leap into self-employment at the same time as her is also important. "The dialogue here is extremely valuable. We all face similar challenges."
Her path to self-employment does not come as a surprise when you look at her biography: the Thuringian is literally a child of the much-cited "REWE family" and literally grew into the cooperative. Her mother Gudrun Glock founded her first REWE-Marktplatz in Suhl at the time of reunification, and her sister Katja Fiedler continues the family business with two shops today. During her training as a retail saleswoman, Naumann familiarised herself with various REWE stores - in Thuringia and Franconia - and later gained store management experience.
„The step into self-employment is rewarded. With your own market, you reward yourself. You reap what you sow: you work for yourself and see success.“ Kristin Naumann
in 2006, she moved to the Central Hesse region. There, she initially supported her then husband Christian Naumann, whose family runs several stores in rural areas. She, whose youth was characterised by women who "managed" children and full-time jobs, encountered a different understanding of her role here. This was one of the reasons why she decided to postpone the step into self-employment. "As long as the children were small, it made sense to wait." The two sons were getting older and the timing seemed right. Naumann took a close look at the cooperative model, took part in the assessment centre (see box) and applied for a specific market with a concept based on the pillars of regionality, employees, customers and the cooperative. The first attempt was not successful. Naumann was not discouraged and was convincing at the second attempt. "I think many women lack courage beforehand. And sometimes also the tailwind."
Today, networking is therefore one of the central keys for her to successfully establishing her market in the region in the long term. Among other things, she makes use of the IHK's programmes for female entrepreneurs and values the exchange of ideas in the local trade association, for which she has been a member of the Management Board since starting her own business. "It was important to me to be recognised as a businesswoman. And to show who the person behind it is."
The person and the businesswoman are revealed one step before you encounter freshness and regionality in the store: "Kristins REWE" is emblazoned in large letters on the entrance sign. Eight letters for a new beginning on a firm foundation: Because the entire team that Naumann previously led as store manager has stayed on. "I'm very pleased about that." Around 60 employees work at the store today, around 70 per cent of whom are women, and all management positions are held by women. "We coordinate closely and work as equals." She offers supplementary health insurance as a benefit, which is well received. The first trainee will start in the summer, having acquired a taste for the company through his temporary job.
Kristin Naumann showed stamina and impressed at the second attempt. Photo: ©Achim Bachhausen
For her team, her store and for herself, she hopes "that we continue to be successful and are recognised even more for our friendliness, hospitality and customer focus". Now, around two years after taking her first steps towards self-employment, she can clearly formulate what she would like to pass on to other women: "Have the courage to take this step. You won't regret it." Because unlike employed store managers, self-employed shop assistants reap what they sow. "You work for yourself and see the success."
The fact that she seems more relaxed today than in her first year - despite the demanding job as a shop assistant - is hardly surprising. "I quickly realised: I can do this."
... is part of a multi-stage selection process. It has been held centrally in Cologne since 2023 and 431 candidates have taken part since then; interest in self-employment with REWE remains high. The supra-regional observation team focuses on entrepreneurial thinking, Business Administration market management and employee management.
The aim of the Retailers Assessment Centre (AC) is to gain an objective view of the candidates, to assess whether they are ready for self-employment at the time of the AC and, last but not least, to prepare them for self-employment. The candidates also receive
detailed feedback on the assessment centre, from which they derive development measures together with the sales managers and AC moderators. The AC can be repeated after two years if someone does not receive a recommendation in the first round.
The central retailers assessment centre is preceded by information about the regional contact persons, an information event and an interview in which initial development recommendations are made.
