DI (FH) Christoph Baum
From business plans to network development – there are plenty of things to consider before becoming a self-employed business consultant. Christoph Baum explains his approach.
Keydata
Job description: Self-employed business consultant
Company: Abimi Aviation Consulting
I work: wherever I'm needed
I've worked here since: 2009
My contact
Website
What I do
- Project development
- Interim management
- Business consulting
Why I love my job
- The wide range of tasks and activities
- Always new challenges
Important skills in my job:
- Interdisciplinary thinking
- Flexibility
- Willingness to travel
My biggest accomplishment so far:
The highlight was the development of a tourist property. I was able to implement something which many others had spent 20 years trying to achieve.
How I found my current job:
I left my old job in the sale and marketing of high-performance motor-gliders at STEMME AG and registered with the Economic Chamber. So much for the theory: I practically devised a concept and business plan and built up a network of potential customers before I left my old job.
What I learned for this job during my studies:
- technical know-how
- interdisciplinary thinking (business and engineering)
- profound practical business knowledge
Job prospects in my field:
Anyone with appropriate training and proof of practical experience can register as a self-employed business consultant in Austria. The prospects of success are good for anyone willing to work hard, be flexible and tackle things head on.
I am
- flexible
- creative in business
- goal-driven
About my job:
It has always been my goal to be self-employed and although this was not a life goal as such, it has always been something I wanted to do in life. I have now reached this status and am very pleased to have been my own ‘boss’ since 2009. And there is no end in sight. It is exciting to work in different professional fields and keep on tackling new challenges. Whether in the aviation sector (where I helped to develop a new company in the utility air systems field as Interim Manager last year), the real estate sector (where I manage and develop a tourist property) or the health sector (where I support a company which produces high quality micronutrients for therapeutic purposes). The flexibility my work offers enables me to take on voluntary projects (for example, missionary projects in Brazil). As a self-employed person, it is important to be satisfied with oneself and one’s achievements and to keep looking out for and grasping new opportunities.
I also completed …
After graduating from the Master's degree programme in Aviation I also completed an MBA course in business management at the Steinbeis University Berlin, which is a subsidiary of the Steinbeis Foundation for Economic Promotion of Baden-Württemberg.
I continued my studies because
Only life-long learning guarantees success in my sector. The MBA has significantly expanded my business expertise, and I have definitely not reached my limits. I am always developing myself further.
How I make studying compatible with my job
It boils down to two things:
- Optimal time management
- An understanding wife