A kiosk in a underground station in the centre of Cologne. Newly refurbished, neatly tidied up and well-stocked. The owner, Berta Arapoglu, took over the business from her parents, who originally came to the Rhineland from Armenia and successfully built up several kiosks here whilst raising four children.

Visiting are Andreas Scharrenbroch, area sales manager at Lekkerland, and his line manager, Marika Schaible. Scharrenbroch has been with the company for 33 years; he has known many of his customers since the Tobaccoland days. The Arapoglu family gives him a warm welcome. They know each other and hold each other in high regard.

Marika Schaible moves effortlessly between personal conversation and business matters. For her, the two go hand in hand: joking together whilst at the same time addressing difficult topics openly and respectfully.

Marika is the only woman amongst the Heads of Sales Force Independent at Lekkerland. Her own team consists of eight staff members, seven of whom are men, most of whom work in the field and act independently.

Marika’s career path took her from the discount sector, via various roles, to Lekkerland, where she started as Head of Sales Force Independent in 2018. Her first step took her out into the field. She realised that if you know the people, you also understand the challenges they face. That is why she accompanied her field staff to visit customers in kiosks, specialist tobacconists and convenience stores. “People do business. We don’t manage customer numbers; we deal with customers,” she says, describing her understanding of the sales department. That is why she made it her mission to get to know as many customers as possible personally – along with their expectations and needs – many of whom have been working with Lekkerland for years or even decades. Such business relationships do not develop on their own; they require care, loyalty and reliability.

“We often know our customers beyond the business relationship,” says Marika Schaible, “with some, we know their children, even their grandchildren.” Personal connections play a particularly important role in the kiosk business. “Many recommend Lekkerland to others.”   

This motivates her team, whom Marika describes as ambitious and committed. “I rarely have to follow up. If anything, I sometimes have to rein them in.” With a team of field staff who work independently, Marika relies on trust and clear expectations. “Everyone is different, which is why there isn’t one management style that suits everyone equally.” For her, good leadership therefore means responding to each individual’s strengths, delegating responsibility and, at the same time, being there when support is needed. “When it really matters, I become a lioness mum for my team.” 

Transparency is also important to her as a senior manager. “I operate with an open hand. Anyone can make mistakes. But nobody should be afraid to admit them.” She describes herself as direct and clear – and still learning. Whereas she used to be “rigorously clear”, she now takes a “diplomatically clear” approach. Her many years in Cologne, where “live and let live” is the order of the day, have taught the Berlin-born executive that a truth does not lose its impact when it is phrased respectfully. “My messages are the same today, but packaged more intelligently.”  

Her team had been in place long before she took over in 2018. It became particularly clear to her after her first few holidays that her leadership style – providing guidance, delegating responsibility and offering support where it was needed – was the right one: When she returned, she found good results and a team that had taken responsibility in her absence. “My team wanted to show me that I could rely on them.”

“A good network doesn’t just happen by itself. You have to actively nurture your contacts,” says Marika Schaible, pictured here with kiosk owner Berta Arapoglu. Photo: @Achim Bachhausen As well as her sales responsibilities, she is regularly involved in cross-departmental projects and works alongside colleagues from various departments. Marika is passionate about building contacts. In her more than 20 years as a senior manager, she has learnt just how important good communication is: “But a good network doesn’t just happen on its own. You have to reach out to people, show interest and actively nurture contacts.” 

These are skills that women excel at. Nevertheless, the former Women’s Drive mentor has observed time and again: “Women often second-guess themselves more and then wait too long for what they think is the right moment to take the next step.” Her advice is therefore: “Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Opportunities rarely come exactly when you feel ready. Just go for it and grow from the experience.”

As she takes her leave, Marika hugs kiosk owner Berta and her mother, gives her father a firm handshake and has a brief chat with her colleague Andreas before setting off for her next appointment.