The Entrepreneur Behind the Sovereign CEO Method

My career began in 1974 in the world of global luxury and fashion brands. As European Product Marketing Manager at Avon, I learned how to position products across diverse markets. As Marketing Director for France and Belgium at Franklin Mint, I built an$8M operation in Belgium in the first year while simultaneously driving cost reductions in the established French organization. As Sales Director for Europe and North America at Courrèges Hommes, I oversaw the brand's expansion across two continents — including a network of exclusive boutiques in the US and Canada, all privately owned under license.

In 1979, I took on the challenge of launching YSL Diffusion Hommes in the German market as Area Manager — innovating a new production model with locally adapted sizing to optimize market success.

These experiences across luxury, fashion, cosmetics, and international trade taught me something most business books never cover:how to build something significant without losing yourself in the process — and what happens when you don't.

In 1982, I made the leap to full entrepreneurship. I launched GF Import & Marketing Services, representing premium French food, wine, and champagne producers in the German market. I built the business over 10 years and successfully sold it in 1992.

In 1996, I founded the GFI Group — two complementary businesses running in parallel:GFI Gesellschaft für intelligente Finanzkonzepte mbH, an international financial advisory, andGFI International Strategic Consulting, a strategic business consultancy. Together, they served SMEs, expatriates, and growth-focused entrepreneurs across Germany and internationally. Over the years, I've worn every hat an entrepreneur wears: founder, strategist, problem-solver, firefighter, and yes — sometimes the person carrying the weight alone, wondering if I was making the right decisions. I led the GFI Group for 24 years before successfully selling both businesses in 2020.

Along the way, I earned multiple professional certifications—Certified Investment Advisor, Specialist for Company Pension Plans, Portfolio Advisor—not because I needed credentials, but because I wanted to serve my clients with the highest level of expertise. I spent 8 years on the Executive Board of the French-German Business Club, bringing together entrepreneurs across borders and cultures, facilitating exchanges that created real business value.

Today, I work with the European Commission as a registered Business Innovation Coach while dedicating my primary focus to the Sovereign CEO Method — channeling 40+ years of building, scaling, and selling businesses into a framework that helps growth-focused entrepreneurs scale with clarity, confidence, and without compromise.

But here's what I've learned: Success without peace is just exhaustion with better numbers.I've seen too many entrepreneurs—myself included—sacrifice relationships, health, and values in pursuit of growth. That's why my approach isn't just about strategy and systems. It's about helping you build a business that serves your life, not the other way around.