Making it happen for over 20 years: We say farewell to Kornelia Schirmer

Hi Konny, looking back: Could you please tell us three memorable moments that you especially remember during your time at Scout24? 

Konny: After more than 20 years at Scout24, there are of course a lot of moments that were very formative for me and which I remember with pleasure today. On the one hand, I am very proud to have co-written a small chapter in the success story of our company. I remember the company's beginnings as a young startup in 1998/1999, our survival during the worldwide dot.com crash in 2001, and our rise to the ranks of the MDAX companies in 2018. 

I will also always remember with a smile, my (suffering) companions in the fitness room, who celebrated the "Downward Dog" (in yoga) with me, sweating and cursing.  

What made working at Scout24 special for you? 

Konny: In all these years, I've always had leaders who encouraged and supported me, had great trust in me, and allowed me to do what I wanted. What was also special for me, was the fantastic and favourable times that I was able to enjoy with the teams that were once entrusted to me – whether it with the first, small yet excellent Customer Service team, or the special sales teams MaklerManager and MarktNavigator, and finally, with the Sales Management Team. The team worked extremely well together and, above all, was quite a bit of fun.

How have your last few weeks and months been at Scout24, especially while also dealing with the coronavirus situation? 

Konny: I have been particularly grateful to have Scout24 as an employer most recently. The company has, so far, coped very well with the Corona-related challenges for itself, its employees, and its customers, and has created a successful framework and conditions to bring together home office, home schooling and more all under the same roof. 

How will you say goodbye to your colleagues? Is a get-together planned, despite Corona, or will there be a Zoom farewell party? 

Konny: My originally planned, dazzling farewell party was unfortunately cancelled due to Corona. Therefore, I have hugged my dear colleagues virtually. And who knows, maybe we can make-up the farewell party sometime in the future at the new office building, located at the main station (Berlin Hauptbahnhof). I will definitely visit the Scouts there then! 

As you say farewell, what would you like to share to the Scouts and to someone just starting a new role here today? 

Konny: I would like to give them some typical Konny sayings:  

• Be attentive, respectful, appreciative and loyal and always treat others the way you want to be treated - no matter what level of hierarchy you are in!  
• Be focused and result-oriented but keep a healthy amount of composure ("We're not in an emergency room here"), and  
• Spice it up with a pinch of humor - that always helps!  

Thanks very much to Konny for her time and insights, especially in her final week at Scout24. We wish her all the very best in retirement!

If you would like to learn more about Konny’s 20^th anniversary in 2019, you can read it here.