Andra Riemhofer

My name is Andra, and I help international companies conquer the German market. I am a freelance business development consultant and mainly assist technology-driven companies in selling their products and services in Germany (B2B).

My very hands-on approach might be quite exceptional. At the same time, I am somewhat average in terms of who you most likely (statistically) would be dealing with when trying to develop your business in Germany:

I was born in the 1970s. After completing school at the age of 18 years, I first opted for a Duale Berufsausbildung (Dual Vocational Education and Training), and became a Management Assistant in Publishing. A few years later, I studied business administration. This is when I, for the first time, went abroad and had the opportunity to realize that what people in Germany (or at least members of the mainstream society) consider as “normal” does not apply everywhere else – or at least not in India.

I did survive the culture shock, and my interest in digging deeper into the topic of (inter-)cultural differences eventually led me to enrol in a master’s program in Intercultural Communications and Cooperation a few years later.

This is how I came to assist foreign (i.e., non-German) companies in developing their business in Germany. I help them avoid or overcome the pitfalls one typically could or would fall into when dealing with Germans for the very first time. I especially enjoy working with smaller companies. Topics that interest me are electronics, CleanTech, GreenTech, IIoT, AI, and new technologies in general.

I am eager to learn and explore new opportunities. Besides my work, I love reading and writing books, watching movies, going to the Biergarten and drawing cartoons.

My Services in a Nutshell

Here you can check out some References and on my Homepage How to Make it in Germany I am listing some good arguments why getting support might make sense for you.

My latest Book

Germany is the strongest economy in Europe, and one of the largest worldwide. The business climate is good, people are highly skilled, and consumers have plenty of spending money in their pockets; for companies that are doing business internationally, Germany is a market that simply cannot be overlooked. However, many business relationships with Germans come to an end even before they begin; intercultural differences very often result in misunderstandings, frustration, and an unnecessary loss of time and money. Especially with Germans, even small things can be crucial when you are speaking to a (potential) business contact.

This book (available on. e.g., amazon) aims at helping students and professionals avoid the common pitfalls that international business people typically step into when dealing with Germans for the very first time. Unlike with the other business- or text-books focusing on culture, this book will do more than just arm you with some simple “Dos and Don’ts;” it will provide interesting and easy-to-understand descriptions and anecdotes that highlight the cultural standards and dimensions that are (typically) theoretically discussed in scientific texts. Essentially, while talking about what makes “the average” German tick, readers will be equipped with the relevant background knowledge. The focus of the book is to help readers understand how certain concepts and values influence the way Germans like to do business and to be more successful in their business development in Germany. It will guide them on how to successfully interact with Germans to develop business relationships, whether at trade shows, during virtual and face-to-face meetings, or when they are negotiating their first contract.

Cartoons about German Culture

What is the latest thing? In January 2020 I invented Dr. Müller & Kollegen. Never heard about Dr. Müller & Kollegen? “We are the brainchild of a German business consultant helping international companies do business with Germans. Having said that, we are meant to be a somewhat typical German company seeking to entertain and illustrate the German way of doing things.”

Some more or less up-to-date News and Highlights of my Work