Courage Over Caution: Why Germany Needs More Entrepreneurship

The Tailor of Ulm: A Lesson in German Entrepreneurial Spirit

There are stories over 200 years old that still sound disturbingly relevant today. The tale of Albrecht Berblinger, the famous Tailor of Ulm, is one of them. It tells not just of a failed flight attempt in 1811, but of something far more fundamental: our culture of doubt, caution, and secret schadenfreude when someone fails.

The Historic Moment: When a Tailor Wanted to Fly

Picture this: A simple tailor from Ulm stands by the Danube River in 1811. He has constructed a flying apparatus, a technical sensation for his time. Down by the riverbank, a crowd gathers. The authorities are there, the citizens, the neighbors. But instead of support and encouragement, a different mood prevails: people want certainty. Many secretly hope the experiment will fail.

When Berblinger actually crashes into the Danube due to unfavorable wind conditions, the laughter is loud. The tailor becomes the laughingstock of the city. His career is ruined.

The truly tragic part of this story: Modern analyses show that his flying device was fundamentally airworthy. The conditions that day, the location, the moment – everything was unfavorable. Under different circumstances, his attempt could have succeeded.

The Mentality on the Riverbank: Germany's Culture of Naysayers

Why We'd Rather Be Right Than Fly

Berblinger's story is more than a historical anecdote. It describes a cultural pattern that remains effective in Germany to this day. When someone leaves the safety of the shore, when someone trades titles, status, and security for their own vision, a reflex kicks in:

• We instinctively search for reasons why something cannot work
• We warn about risks instead of recognizing opportunities
• When difficulties arise, we quickly say: "I told you so"

This mentality is deeply rooted in our culture. It shows up among friends, in families, in media reports about failed startups. The crowd on the riverbank stands safe and comfortable. But innovation doesn't happen on the riverbank.

The Price of Safety

Security is highly valued in Germany. That's not fundamentally bad. But when safety thinking becomes the dominant paradigm, we pay a high price:

Lost Innovation: How many good ideas were never implemented because the concerns were too loud?

Stifled Talent: How many bright minds gave up their visions because their environment was too skeptical?

Economic Stagnation: How many companies were never founded because the risk seemed too great?

The statistics tell a clear story: Germany significantly lags behind in business formation compared to international standards. Not because of a lack of ideas or talent, but because of a missing culture of courage.

You Only Learn to Fly by Trying: A Plea for More Risk-Taking

What We Can Learn from Founders

Anyone who gives up a secure position in a large organization, who takes the step into self-employment, who founds a startup, makes a fundamental discovery: The leap into uncertainty is more educational than years of staying safe on the shore.

This isn't about recklessness or blind risk. It's about:

• Calculated Risk-Taking: Knowing that failure is possible, but not the end
• Learning Orientation: Every mistake is a lesson, not a failure
• Visionary Power: Holding onto an idea even when others are skeptical
• Resilience: The ability to get back up after setbacks

The New Generation of Founders

Encouragingly, a new generation of entrepreneurs in Germany is showing that things can be different. They don't let naysayers slow them down. They use digital possibilities, international networks, and modern financing methods.

These founders understand: Innovation doesn't emerge through hedging, but through courage to take risks.

Practical Recommendations: From Shore to Water

For Aspiring Entrepreneurs

If you're standing at the edge, considering taking the leap:

1. Don't Wait for Applause: You'll never get complete approval from the crowd on the riverbank. Go anyway.
2. Surround Yourself with Fellow Flyers: Seek out people who have jumped themselves, not those standing safely on shore.
3. Redefine Success: Success isn't never failing. Success is having tried.
4. Prepare, But Not Forever: Perfection is the enemy of good. At some point, the leap must be taken.
5. Learn to Swim: If you fall into the water like Berblinger, have a Plan B and the ability to stay afloat.

For Organizations and Leaders

Established companies can also benefit from this mentality:

• Establish Error Culture: Make failure a learning opportunity, not a stigma
• Intrapreneur Programs: Enable employees to think and act entrepreneurially
• Model Courage: Leaders must take risks themselves and talk about them
• Identify Naysayers: Not every critical voice is valuable. Distinguish between constructive criticism and destructive blocking

For Society

We can all contribute to a culture of courage:

• Celebrate the attempt, not just the success
• Support founders in your circle
• Question your own concerns: Are they constructive or just expressions of envy or fear?
• Tell stories of courageous people, not just of their failures

The Digital Transformation Context

This mindset shift is particularly crucial in today's landscape of digital transformation. Companies face unprecedented challenges: cybersecurity threats, compliance requirements, rapid technological change. The temptation is to retreat into caution, to slow down, to analyze endlessly.

But here's the paradox: In the digital age, playing it safe is the riskiest strategy of all. Companies that don't innovate, that don't take calculated risks, that don't embrace transformation – these are the companies that fail.

The same entrepreneurial courage needed for founding a startup is needed within organizations undertaking digital transformation:

• IT Security Innovation: Don't just defend. Proactively seek new security approaches
• Compliance as Enabler: View regulations not as barriers but as frameworks for innovation
• Technology Adoption: Be willing to pilot new technologies even without guaranteed success
• Cultural Change: Foster an environment where experimentation is encouraged

Conclusion: Better Wet Than Never Jumped

The story of the Tailor of Ulm teaches us an important lesson: It's better to get wet than to spend your entire life standing on the riverbank watching others fly.

Germany doesn't need more naysayers. We already have enough of those. What we need are more people willing to jump, even when the odds might be against them. Because that's how innovation, progress, and real change happen.

The crowd on the riverbank will always be there. They'll whisper, doubt, warn. But that crowd will never fly. They'll never experience the freedom, the thrill, and the fulfillment that comes from pursuing your own vision.

If you're standing at the edge right now, hesitating: Take the step. The future doesn't belong to those standing safely on shore, but to those who have the courage to take off.

Your Experience

What "well-meaning" advice has held you back most in your career? How did you deal with it? Share your story and encourage others to also take the leap. Because every shared experience makes it a little easier for the next person to push off from shore.

The question isn't whether you'll get wet. The question is whether you'll look back with pride at having tried, or with regret at having stayed safe. Choose courage. Choose flight. Choose to be Berblinger, not the crowd.