Even if he didn't end up studying IT, Sebastian Stein has retained his love of numbers. He still keeps an eye on them - literally together with his wife Sandra on the PC monitor in the store manager's office, but also in conversation at any time. If you ask him about the key figures of his REWE store, they come out of the gun. No wonder: figures, data and facts have accompanied the 40-year-old his entire professional life to date. Together with commercial skills and a keen instinct for what customers want, his understanding of figures forms the solid foundation for his entry into self-employment.

"Quite frankly: the travelling times and the working hours," reports Stein. As sales manager at nahkauf, he had 40 to 50 overnight stays per year, many meetings and long days. "Twelve to 14 hours on the road - at some point that was simply too much for me. I have a four-year-old son who I also want to put to bed sometimes."

"The step into self-employment was the right one, no question about it. I can reconcile family and career much better - that was the main reason. The other was the location with the great prospects of the new building directly opposite," says Stein. "We can finally offer our customers the full service."

Always approachable: Sebastian Stein talking to employees. Photo: ©Achim Bachhausen The old store had been in operation for over 30 years and was last remodelled when he was still a trainee. When Nieheim became vacant, everything happened quickly: assessment centre, location commission, "and nine weeks later I knew that I could take over the store on 1 January."

His wife Sandra works alongside him and supports him in the office. "If she hadn't been behind me, I wouldn't have done it. The price would have been too high for me." His network from his time in the field has also helped him: "At nahkauf, I learnt how to deal with local authorities, property developers and many stakeholders. An appointment with the mayor is now routine - you go into such meetings more open and better prepared. Knowledge of human nature and diplomacy also help to achieve common goals."

What role does REWE play as a cooperative? "Without REWE, I wouldn't have been able to start my own business so easily," he says confidently. Many things were excellently prepared and every step was clearly mapped out. "All I can say about my field sales team is that it works brilliantly. Mario Voigt, Area Manager Goods, helped me extremely well with setting up the counter and training the team. He also visits us at least once a week to support the new counter team."

Key figures have always been important, both in the sales department and in the market: Sebastian and Sandra Stein in the office of the old market. | Photo: ©Achim Bachhausen Stein associates the cooperative with "togetherness, cohesion and networking". He particularly appreciates the co-determination: "As a sales manager and operations consultant, I have been to many cooperative conferences. Retailers bring in topics and help shape them as experts - that doesn't happen at other companies. When my store has been online for two years, I would like to become active as a merchandise or IT expert."

Sebastian Stein's goal is clear: "In five years, we will be so well established that nobody will be able to get past us." The new market, the strength in service and the regional roots should characterise the location in the long term.

According to his observations, many people consider self-employment, do the assessment centre - and then never actually apply. His urgent advice: "Once you've done it, it's worth being your own boss. It's really fun. Of course, you have responsibilities - for your family, your employees and your customers. But if you like people and retail, it's the right step."