Successful founder: Jana Lewe successfully manages Fass-Schmiede GmbH & Co. KG in Iserlohn. (Photo: © private / Jana Lewe)
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Women in Crafts - Special Features
July 2023
Jana Lewe founded the company as a side business in August 2012. At the time, she had no idea or plan that she would one day run a company for furniture and decorations made from used wine barrels with 14 employees.
Her niche product and keen intuition meant that Jana Lewe was soon faced with ever-increasing demand. In 2013, she finally traded her full-time job for self-employment . The trained automotive mechatronics master craftswoman studied business administration after earning her master's certificate and consistently pursued her dream of becoming her own boss. That dream came true, and today the entrepreneur successfully manages Fass-Schmiede GmbH & Co. KG in Iserlohn.
The wine barrels are imported in large quantities from Spain and France and transformed into furniture and decorative items . Customers can choose whether they find a ready-made piece appealing or prefer a custom-made item . Jana Lewe offers over 60 products in her online shop. The range includes garden furniture , wine cabinets , coffee tables , ice bath barrels , and even dog beds.
The coronavirus pandemic led to private households, in particular, beautifying their homes and gardens. This boom continues to this day and has resulted in the team growing significantly, with Jana Lewe now offering both commercial and skilled trades training.
Ultimately, the company's growth also led to the decision to seek new warehouse and production facilities . The loan for the new building was secured by a guarantee bank with an 80% guarantee. A solar power system was also installed on the roof of the new production facility to source some of the energy required for manufacturing from renewable sources.
Operations management
Panorama
Operations management
Jana Lewe recognized the importance of social media for her online shop and invests a great deal of time and effort in online marketing. With success: She keeps her over 6.500 Instagram followers up-to-date and offers glimpses behind the scenes. The regular blog posts on her website provide a wealth of additional information on the use, preparation, maintenance, and recycling of old barrels.
"The exchange with our community is very important to us. It allows us to learn directly how our products are being received and used. Faster feedback is hard to achieve through other channels. And it reduces our return rate because we actively address frequently asked questions directly on our blog or social media channels."
Quote: "We think that's fantastic! In addition to her professional expertise and an outstanding business model, Ms. Lewe particularly impressed us with her commitment." Nicole Meurer , Corporate Client Advisor at the NRW Guarantee Bank
Jana Lewe shares her experiences with others and particularly encourages women to do the same. Having received an award from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as a role model entrepreneur in 2020 as part of the " WOMEN entrepreneurs " initiative, Jana Lewe gives lectures, for example at universities , and presents possible paths to self-employment . Furthermore, in 2022 she co-founded the women entrepreneurs' network " PAULA " with Judith Budde-Renfordt and advises women in her region who want to become self-employed.
In addition, she is involved in the "Klischeefrei" (Stereotype-Free) initiative and " Wir stärken Mädchen " (We Strengthen Girls) – a project of the German Children and Youth Foundation – as a mentor , promoting career and study choices free from gender stereotypes . She can share her own experiences with the girls, as she began her career as a trained automotive mechatronics technician in what was then a rather male-dominated field. fassschmiede.de
How a guarantee works - Applicants should know this
✓ Any founder, entrepreneur, or freelancer can apply for a default guarantee. It must be a small or medium-sized business.
✓ You need appropriate personal, commercial and professional qualifications for your field of activity.
✓ A business plan with an economic forecast is required, which proves that the business operations can generate capital service and a reasonable living.
✓ The applications are usually processed through the house bank, but guarantees can also be applied for directly at the guarantee bank (BoB = guarantee without bank). Applications can be made at www.nrw.ermoeglicher.de or via the new financing portal ermoeglicher.de
✓ The maximum guarantee amount is 2 million euros.
✓ Costs: Upon approval, a one-time processing fee (usually 1,5% of the guaranteed loan amount, with a minimum of €400) and an annual guarantee commission are charged. Furthermore, involving the guarantee bank usually results in better loan terms.
✓ Guarantees are available for almost any project and venture, provided the prospects are right. Excluded are restructuring measures, debt restructuring, and measures that are not "eligible" under EU competition rules.
If additional equity capital is required, the guarantee bank recommends the involvement of KBG NRW ( www.kbg-nrw.de ).
Further information on the products of the guarantee bank can be found at: nrw.ermoeglicher.de
Starting as a part-time job: Every year, 40 percent of all new businesses nationwide start up as part-time jobs.
Business plan: A business plan is required for solid financing.
Application: The first point of contact for applying for a guarantee is your bank.
Your enablers: Financing portal for non-binding inquiries at ermoeglicher.de
Social media: Social media is becoming increasingly popular as a way to stay in touch with customers.
Online trade: There are ready-made solutions for setting up an online business that make it easy to get started.
DHB is now also available digitally! Simply click here and register for the digital DHB!
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