Süleyman Acar, Dipl.-Soz. Wiss.
Current job:
Entrepreneur, Business Angel/
Studies in Mannheim:
Social Sciences
Highest degree:
Diplom
Career
While I was at university, I already focused on entrepreneurship and founded a student company in the field of market and social research (blickwinkel Marktforschung). We worked with small and medium-sized companies, as well as with institutes in Mannheim and the School of Social Sciences, where I studied. As I was close to finishing my degree, I interned at Porsche Consulting GmbH, which provided me with the opportunity to begin my career in the field of lean management. In 2010, I founded a Facebook marketing agency, AppLieferant.de GmbH. In 2014, I became a shareholder and CEO of FaceAdNet GmbH, which was later acquired by Ströer Social Publishing GmbH. I gave up my dual role as shareholder and CEO. From 2019 until the end of June in 2020, I built a management team for the Ströer Social Publishing GmbH, which took over the management and operative business in July 2020. This completed the integration of my start-up in the group. Since 2020, I work as entrepreneur and am a business angel. I invest mainly in technology-focused start-ups in the early stage to bring in my experience and my network.
Tips for starting your career
Students should define their profile early on and work as an intern or student assistant to gain experience. This is the only way to find out what they are able to do and what they want to do, also when it comes to deciding if they want to be employed or be self-employed.
My start into self-employment was not easy. At the beginning, I had very few financial means. I worked long hours, and some of my work directly went to the trash, because things did not work out or the market was reluctant to accept my ideas. It is important to have goals and to fight for your goals. I recommend companies to the future to look for investors or business angels. This also helps in sorting ideas and avoid rookie mistakes.
Relevance of the studied program
The program has trained me in analytical as well as methodological thinking. I created a network from which I still benefit today. As a student of the University of Mannheim, it was easier to join Porsche Consulting, since they focus more on students of the University of Mannheim due to the excellent education they receive. In addition, the university supported my first steps on the road to self-employment. The institutes and schools have supported me and allowed me to use rooms, such as the lab for surveys.
Last updated: February 2023
Credit: Ben Van Skyhawk