Sabine Walter in conversation with ...
Horst Biallowons, Managing Director of biallo.de
Mr Biallowons, what do you love about your job?
The question has two aspects. I am a journalist and an entrepreneur.
As a journalist, I love that I can indulge curiosity.And I came to this profession rather by chance. I studied business administration and education. I enjoyed economics, but after my studies I didn't really know what I should do. Then I came across an advertisement in the daily newspaper "Die Welt". They were looking for volunteers and offered training as a business journalist. I applied and was accepted. That was a stroke of luck. Since then I can combine my soft spot for economics with my curiosity. I like being a journalist and hopefully will be for a long time.
I also got into entrepreneurship by chance. I always had a lot of good ideas. And at some point, it was no longer possible to implement them alone. So I looked for comrades-in-arms. The comrades-in-arms have become employees.
As an entrepreneur, I value building something, shaping something and passing something on. In the company, we deal with consumer issues. Our aim is to help consumers who are not so well informed. This is about Honesty and truthfulness.This is important to me and it leads me to only ever get involved in things that I understand.For example, I know a lot about real estate, investments and financing, but not much about shares and the stock market.
What parallels are there to what we do, personality development?
To develop someone, you have to be a role model first and foremost. My son, who also works in the company in the meantime, is supposed to take over and continue the company later on. I was and am a role model for him. I have set an example for him of what is important to me as a journalist and entrepreneur. He has learned a lot from me and has become a key person in our company.
But what I also observe: Being a role model is not enough. There are people who have a lot of talent and role models from whom they can learn something. But they lack the will or the stamina.to really make something out of this talent. That is a pity.
When do you get the best ideas?
When I'm walking the dog, because he doesn't talk and doesn't distract me. I can also develop good ideas while cycling or driving.
What will your profession look like in 2050?
I see more black for journalism.There are several developments that I don't like. For one thing, the work will be even more internet- and database-based. Personal research on the ground, talking to people, will decline even more. On the other hand curiosity and passion among journalists has waned. As a result, the quality of the research suffers and with it the quality of the articles.. But this is already difficult to implement today. For one thing, it is not paid for, or not paid enough. On the other hand, copyrights are not respected, but shamelessly stolen and copied.
There will certainly be niches, interesting websites and good papers in journalism in the future, but these will - I fear - become fewer.
In contrast to journalism, I am convinced that the middle class or entrepreneurship will develop very well. There are many start-ups with very different products and services. This shows us that many people have good ideas and are also willing to take risks and develop them entrepreneurially.
Horst Biallowons is a journalist and entrepreneur with a passion. Together with his 40-strong team, he runs the internet platform from Schondorf am Ammersee. biallo.de. The company provides consumers with comprehensive information on the topics of investment, financing and old-age provision.
