Sven Neu
- Sven Neu spent almost 10 years in the German army before deciding to retrain and build a career in tech.
- Neu now leads a team of 30 using the mission-type tactics he learned from in the military.
- Neu told BI his methods have impressed workplace leadership experts and set him apart from the rest of the company.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sven Neu, a veteran of the German army who now heads merchOne, an e-commerce B2B print site. It has been edited for length and clarity.
In 2004, I dropped out of high school and joined the German military. After training, I signed up for the mechanized infantry and then became a sergeant, leading a platoon of 30.