Proven marketing ideas for your business: Lisa Wynn, current owner of Artisancup.com, shares...

The Wollenhaupt Tea Company located in Reinbek, Germany has overcome hurdles for over 100 years with long standing company growth and vision. There have been many difficulties since the company was founded in 1881, but each time they found a way to overcome

Business Credit Solutions

• Get a Credit Report
• Get a D&B D-U-N-S Number
• Monitor My Business Credit - FREE TRIAL!

Business Credit Advice

• Business Credit Basics
• Build My Business Credit
• Extend Credit to Customers
• Use My Credit to Get Loans

The year 1920 marked a global economic crisis, slowing the sales of tea. Wollenhaupt quickly decided to add two new profit centers. The trend of the now popular spices vanilla and nutmeg seemed just the ticket. But in 1937, World War II took a toll on all trading, stopping tea and spice sales cold. The company did manage to eventually survive the bombings and raids in the area, and it was soon business as usual, until the untimely death of the owner, Paul Wollenhaupt. His son Ulrich became his successor, pushing on while bringing new and modern machines to the forefront. All this while expanding the company towards new growth yet again. Years later, with Ulrich's death in 1989, sons Dirk and Jorg added yet again young, fresh ideas, making Wollenhaupt one of the largest and most successful tea companies worldwide.

For this European company, who now boasts over 45 million C annually, the secret seems to lie in its expansion and partnership. With foreign business expanding in the mid 1960's, overseas western clients were clearly needed in addition to a strong sales team that could handle a new area and communicate well in the U.S. This also meant leaving the old headquarters due to the new growth. "This was scar> as it meant moving further away from the city and focus of the tea center. We took a risk and stayed true to our vision and it worked in our favor," said Jorg and Dirk Wollenhaupt. To date, this brings yet another goal for Wollenhaupt, which includes in depth researching of flavor trends among young people.

King Pin

Business people like to be in charge, and they are usually pretty good at it, or so they think. But there is a fine line between leadership that can make all the difference in your success, and employee morale. Burnout can ensue, and they need to delegate specific jobs to staff as it arises. Next, is trying to do so, without becoming the loathed, "Micro Manager." Nothing is worse than having your work over checked and being followed. There has to be a level of trust in order to let go and be a leader, not just a manager.