VALUE-ORIENTED CONSCIOUS BUSINESS LEOGANT BRINGS SUSTAINABLE WATER FILTERS INTO COMPANIES
VALUE-ORIENTED CONSCIOUS BUSINESS LEOGANT BRINGS SUSTAINABLE WATER FILTERS INTO COMPANIES
Published in Wallstreet-Online on 27/05/2021, Guest author: Seyit Binbir
At the age of 28, self-made entrepreneur Thomas Hartwig founded Leogant, now a company worth millions, from his one-room flat.
Today, the Berliner, who is in his early 40s, is one of the established companies in the field of water treatment. His customers range from well-known companies in the hotel and restaurant industry to brands such as the BRLO brewery and Adidas. He has remained true to his values since day one and proves with his success that ethical entrepreneurship and economic success can go hand in hand. We asked him about his success story.
You led a very different life before founding Leogant. How did the turning point show?
After 10 years of night catering, a collaboration that I had worked hard for ended unexpectedly. That was a big disappointment. As a result, I withdrew for a year to devote myself entirely to my passion, the Chinese martial art Kung Fu. I also used this time to reflect, especially on a real meaning in my life. It became increasingly important to me to make a contribution to social development. The combination of economic success and sustainable commitment interested me. In my opinion, we urgently needed and still need more value-oriented companies. We can no longer live at the expense of others and the environment. Among other things, I was inspired by the Patagonia story. I wanted to start a company based on ethical behaviour and sustainable values with a new work ethic.
What exactly inspired you to dedicate yourself to near-natural water refinement?
During my time out, I trained an average of 20 hours a week. With so much sport, you drink a lot. As a native of Munich, I was used to drinking tap water. On a recommendation, I switched to spring water in glass bottles from the organic market and noticed a significant difference in my performance, body feeling and regeneration. A new world opened up. What was special about spring water? How does it differ physically from tap water? Water is water, after all? Through my interest in modern physics and health, I began to delve into the subject of water and found my new passion. As a restaurateur, I asked myself whether it would not be possible to turn tap water back into premium bottled water. This would not only be cheaper, but also more sustainable. Considering that the entire food and beverage sector is an enormous source of packaging waste and transport, I became increasingly enthusiastic about this idea. In Germany alone, about 17 billion plastic bottles are consumed every year.
When I searched the water market, I unfortunately found nothing that came close in quality to my experience with the spring water from the organic market. The deeper I dived into the matter, the more I understood that there were already good individual components. However, as with a good dish, it is not just the ingredients, but the right combination and a deft touch that makes the difference. This is how the first Leogant water concept was created in my one-room flat from what I considered to be the best components on the market. This is what I finally specialised in. You can see us as a kind of car tuning workshop - but for water filters. We use components from the market, produce our own individual series, pimp and refine; always with a focus on the water and its natural quality - just like fresh spring water. This results in customised solutions that are particularly attractive for the on-trade. Produce your own premium water at negligible cost and at the same time drastically reduce waste and CO2 consumption. With a fair price for the guest, a win-win situation for all.
What would you describe as your recipe for success?
I always listen to my gut feeling and only do what feels right. I always aim for real win-win-win situations between my customer, the environment and my company. Basically, I am still a host and our customers feel that too. I don't care how much a customer spends with us, as long as they get exactly the product that suits them best. My ingredients are: Sincerity, precision and aesthetics. I am only satisfied when my customer is. Money has never been the main motivation for me. Money is a consequence for me. Today's turnover of millions without any acquisition, with exclusively organic growth, confirms to me that I have chosen the right path.
You have built a large, personal network and created a hospitable atmosphere with the showroom. Was this development planned from the beginning?
Bruce Lee's famous saying "Be Water My Friend" is my motto and a slogan of my company. So it's about letting things just flow. Leogant grew out of itself. It started with the vision to change the status of water in society and at the same time to run a company where I don't have to lie to myself or anyone else. With the profit of the first filter systems, a shelf was bought, then a small office was rented, and later the first employee was hired. With the planning of the showroom seven years ago, I asked myself the question "Where do I want to go?" for the first time. Until then, I just let it flow. One customer led to the next and so on. The reason is not a destination, but the thing itself. I love my work and as long as I stay true to my feeling, opportunities will come my way. Some are good, some are bad. LEOGANT is the sum of the decisions I have made along the way, the majority of which have been the right ones.
Compliance with the Drinking Water Ordinance guarantees clean water from the tap in German offices. How pure is our water really and should we question the quality standard more?
I always give the same answer to this question. Our tap water is good and I am grateful to live in a country where drinkable water comes out of the tap. However, it is not a premium product. Similarly, we have supermarkets with shelves full of food that is approved under food regulations. Yet I only buy organic food. Why? Because I set a higher standard for myself. The Drinking Water Ordinance or Food Ordinance are not there to classify which foods are high quality. They are there to protect us from getting sick immediately. I mainly want to put things into my body that make it healthy. Anyone who has this aspiration for themselves should question the quality standards. Since the human being consists almost predominantly of water, this is exactly where I start to set my standard: Natural water in spring water quality. It tastes good and does you good. Even flowers last a week longer in this water. That's what I want to drink.
What other projects can we look forward to in the future?
Water never stands still and the ideas never run out. A new showroom is being planned in which the fascination of water can be experienced more through the medium of art. We are working with selected manufacturers on our own product series and great new partnerships are being discussed. Post Leogant, I have a vision of a non-profit that will be a kind of water collective of different players in the market with a common, ethical mission.