The best decision in my business life
At 60, WERA Capital founder Stefan Neuss names his best business decision, building a personal brand, and his worst: not starting earlier. Three lessons for owners.
On 12 September 2026, Stefan Neuss, founder of WERA Capital Partners, turned 60. He took the day off to look back on decades in business, and he came to a clear conclusion about his best and his worst business decision.
The best decision
His best decision, he says, came at Christmas 2023. He decided to go "all in": to show his face online, tell his story and build a personal brand.
The worst decision
His worst decision was not starting earlier. His digital journey began back in 2016, when he helped digitalise a real estate company in Frankfurt. He did not build a personal brand at that time. "Imagine what could have been created in ten years," he says, though he prefers to focus on the future.
Today his channels include two TikTok accounts with around 5,000 followers each, an Instagram account with around 7,000 followers, YouTube Shorts and, recently, a long-form YouTube channel. The numbers are not huge, he admits, but the audience is very relevant to his business.
Lesson one: just start
Make the decision and begin. "If I, a 60-year-old businessman, can build a personal brand, who are you to doubt that you can do the same?" Neuss asks. Time works in your favour once you start.
Lesson two: be yourself
Nobody else is exactly like you, and that is a strength. Neuss describes a simple rule of thirds: one third of viewers will admire you, one third will be unsure, and one third will criticise you. Critics are part of the process. Showing who you are also makes clear what you stand for.
Lesson three: authenticity is never a mistake
People want personality, and personality only grows through contact with others. Neuss admits his start was difficult. At first he had to read every word from a screen. But practice made the difference, and the network of high-quality contacts he has built online has been, in his words, "incredible".
He respects other online entrepreneurs, but stresses that each person must find their own way. His conclusion is simple: start now. WERA Capital Partners supports business owners in building their personal brand as part of its digital strategy consulting.