Tarek Müller, About You: From Shisha Dealer to Hamburg's First Unicorn

About this episode

Tarek Müller's story reads like a textbook on entrepreneurial determination. As co-founder of About You, he not only created Hamburg's first unicorn but also proved that the most important step toward success is often the most difficult: jumping over your own shadow and daring to trust yourself.

Starting Early, Deciding Boldly

Müller's journey began unusually early. At 13, he became an entrepreneur through a roundabout path, registering his first business license at 15. The boldest step followed at 18: he informed his parents via email about his decision to drop out of school to become a full-time entrepreneur.

This decision was anything but risk-free. At 19, Müller narrowly escaped bankruptcy, only to rise like a phoenix from the ashes just six months later. This experience fundamentally shaped his attitude toward entrepreneurship.

20 Failures, 10 Successes

"Entrepreneurship consists of 20 failures and 10 successes," Müller summarizes his experience. This sober perspective shows that ultimately, will and perseverance are what count. Success isn't linear but a process of ups and downs from which one must learn.

The setbacks were just as important as the successes. They taught him which factors are truly decisive for sustainable growth in e-commerce.

The Success Formula for E-Commerce

From his experiences, Müller distills clear success factors for online businesses:

• –Personalization: Customers want individual experiences
• –Good Content: Content that truly adds value
• –Distinctive Brand: Creating recognition and trust
• –Optimized Online Shop: User experience determines conversion
• –Efficient Process Chain: Operational excellence as foundation
• –A Large Portion of Luck: Don't underestimate the factor of chance

His credo: "Retail is detail!" Success in retail comes from attention to the small but decisive details.

Staying Current

Particularly important for Müller is staying up-to-date with online marketing. The digital world changes rapidly, and those who don't keep up quickly fall behind. Platforms like eBay and Amazon provide examples of online niches that entrepreneurs can leverage.

For continuous learning, he recommends blogs like Kassenzone and Exciting Commerce – resources that help understand and anticipate developments in e-commerce.

The Courage to Ask

One of the most valuable lessons from Müller's story: dare to ask! Often, potential collaborations or opportunities don't fail because of the matter itself, but because no one takes the first step. Those who want to reach the right people must be willing to step out of their comfort zone.

Routines and Focus

Despite all his experimental spirit, Müller relies on clear routines and conscious priority setting. Structure in daily life creates space for truly important strategic decisions.

His story shows: successful entrepreneurs aren't born, they're shaped by experiences. About You's path to unicorn status was paved with setbacks from which the crucial learnings emerged. Those willing to start early, take risks, and learn from mistakes can achieve seemingly impossible goals.