A portrait of a company successor: Julius Gräler

From educator to managing director

Julius Gräler from Münster recently took over as managing director of the company Kootstra Rad- und Schiffsreisen. This decision was not a matter of course for him, because the 30-year-old had originally taken a completely different career path. In the joint project Gründergeist #Youngstarts Münsterland, Julius got the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with like-minded people.

In the interview, the Münsterländer gives an insight into his career as an entrepreneur.

Julius Gräler with his father and predecessor
© Detlef Muckel
Julius Gräler loves cycling in the Münsterland region.
© Detlef Muckel
Julius Gräler is in the middle of the takeover process of his father's company.
© Detlef Muckel

When did business succession come into question for you?

I first trained as an educator and worked in the field for several years. At Christmas 2017, my father offered me to join his company. Kootstra Rad- und Schiffsreisen was founded by him in 1985 and is not a typical travel agency. We specialise in cycling holidays in Germany and the Netherlands. My father first gave me the opportunity to try out the family business for a few years. I consciously took my time to decide on the succession of the company. The process took two years. I used the time to get to know the company and work processes and, above all, the people behind the company. And then came the point when I could say: I have the confidence to do this, I can do this and I am valued.

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To what extent did the Youngstarts project help you with the succession?

Julius Gräler in exchange with like-minded people
© Detlef Muckel

After deciding to take over the company, I wanted to spice up my succession skills and became aware of the Gründergeist #Youngstarts Münsterland project. The most important support offer for me was networking with like-minded people. Through the network, I made important contacts and shared my experiences with other successors. I believe that the key to success continues to be good networks. As a successor and managing director of a company, you should constantly maintain and expand them.

What tasks did you have as your successor?

During the transition phase, I shared the tasks with my father. I took over the area of bicycle and hotel tours and was thus able to implement my own ideas in the company from the beginning. Little by little, I took on more managerial tasks. And when the time came: Then you sit there and have all the responsibility, but that felt good and right to me.

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What are your future goals for the company?

I have many ideas that I would like to implement. What is particularly important to me: I want to involve the employees in my plans. For example, I would like to have a clearer division of tasks in my company and do more in the area of sustainability. Basically, there are a lot of exciting developments in the cycling and shipping industry and I am looking forward to implementing them together with the team.

Listen in! Julius Gräler in the Business Succession Podcast

Back in 2020, Julius Gräler was also a guest on the Gründergeist #Youngstarts Münsterland podcast. There, the then 29-year-old told of his imminent takeover of the family business. This decision was not a matter of course for him or his father. Originally, the Münster native had taken a completely different career path and worked for many years as an educator. Julius Gräler tells us in the podcast interview why he changed his career again and what thoughts, plans and sometimes fears he has in the run-up to the takeover.

Founding Spirit #Youngstarts Münsterland

Behind the production of the video is the joint project Gründergeist #Youngstarts Münsterland. The project strengthens the start-up intensity in the Münsterland region and opens up new start-up potential and target groups with its offers. The area of business succession focuses on potential successors for taking over a business, who are to be supported in their possible decision for succession. For this purpose, offers such as workshops, networking events and a podcast are available to those interested. It is funded by the European Union and the NRW Ministry of Economics as part of the ERDF call "Regio.NRW".

To the podcast