Jessie Ilsen's path to becoming managing director of the family business
Jessie Ilsen today is 32 years old and a successful Managing Director at the family business Trusetal Verbandstoffwerk GmbH. Her academic journey began in 2011 with her studies at Paderborn University, which she completed in 2017 with a Master's degree in International Business Studies.
Jessie already enjoyed languages at school and chose French as an advanced course and Spanish as an oral A-level subject. This passion for languages made her decision to study International Business Studies an easy one. When choosing where to study, Jessie's proximity to home and her connection to the region played a major role. The green, winding campus of Paderborn University offered her the ideal environment to feel at home and put down roots.
A year abroad in France: culture and language up close
During her studies, she gained valuable experience abroad. "I wanted to spend a year abroad in France right from the start. That's why I was so happy when I was accepted." Jessie spent two semesters in Le Mans, which significantly improved her language skills and gave her a deeper cultural insight. "Prof Krimphove recommended that we go abroad for two semesters rather than just one. I did that and it was exactly the right decision! You simply need this amount of time in order to fully arrive there linguistically and culturally."
Practical relevance right from the start
After her year abroad, Jessie gained practical experience as a student assistant to Prof Dr Nancy Wünderlich. From the fifth semester until the end of her Master's degree, she worked - with one interruption - at the chair and appreciated the opportunity to deal intensively with various research topics and gain insights into the work at a chair. Jessie also spent a year as a working student in Strategic Purchasing at Weidmüller GmbH & Co KG in Detmold, where she was able to familiarise herself with working life in a corporate group. At her father's company, where she is now Managing Director, she spent periods of practical training throughout her studies, working in various departments.
The Faculty of Business Administrations and Economics offered Jessie an inspiring environment. First and foremost, she was impressed by the courses taught by Prof Dr Nancy Wünderlich, whose field of service management particularly captivated her. One highlight was the practical project ‘Service Brand Management’ with the Jolmes Group, in which they re-evaluated brand logos in small teams and presented them to managing directors. This practical experience proved to be extremely valuable and gave Jessie a deep insight into the corporate world. "Nancy Wünderlich was definitely my favourite professor. I took almost every course you could take with her." She also wrote her Bachelor's and Master's thesis with her - "there really wasn't much more I could do." Jessie also began a doctorate with her favourite professor. At the same time, she worked full-time in the family business to find out what she liked better: business or research. "Surprisingly, it wasn't research that won me over. But it allowed me to tick the doctorate box and at least give it a try," says Jessie, explaining her path into the family business.
Reminiscing about her time at university
Despite saying goodbye to research and the university, Jessie still remembers the many hours spent in the café, where she enjoyed countless cups of coffee, and the time spent on the lawn under the trees by the Audimax. The Freshers' Week in particular, characterised by new impressions and acquaintances, remains unforgettable. She says with a smile: "After graduating from school, you felt like a hero during Freshers’ Week, having mastered all the challenges. The disillusionment came quickly when I realised that a whole new phase of my life was about to begin." Alongside her studies, Jessie was active in university sports and even took part in the campus run. Although she only came last with her colleagues, this made the event a funny anecdote.
The start into family business
The transition to working life was an exciting challenge for Jessie. Having been familiar with her father's company since childhood, she gradually took on more responsibility. At the end of 2020, she finally took over the management of the company alongside her father, together with a long-time colleague. A good two years later, her father retired. "Joining the family business has advantages and disadvantages. Many people in the company have known me since I was a child. That's why I always kept in mind that I would have to prove myself differently than someone who had come from outside."
As Managing Director of Trusetal Verbandstoffwerk GmbH, Jessie Ilsen is responsible for all of the company's activities and deals in particular with personnel, quality management, administration and process optimisation. She is also active in international sales and at trade fairs. Her company, which specialises in diagnostic and therapeutic medical supplies and medical consumables, offers products for ophthalmology, eye surgery and wound care in particular. The company is successfully represented worldwide.
Jessie emphasises that her language skills, which reached a very high level thanks in particular to the language courses with Rachel Lindner, as well as the self-organisation and practical projects during her studies have prepared her perfectly for her professional challenges. She advises other students to gain experience abroad and to choose modules according to their interests, even if they mean more work. For Jessie, medium-sized companies in particular offer an excellent opportunity to get involved and develop, which is why she also recommends this career path.
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