My journey
Three years that changed everything.
Not a perfectly mapped-out founder journey, but a series of small steps, a point where it nearly ended, and eventually the decision to turn a side project into my profession.
2023Original photo · 2023The first steps
It started in my childhood bedroom.
I had just turned 18 when I registered my business only one month later. I started with small quantities of sneakers, working directly from my childhood bedroom. The volumes and margins were modest, but every sale felt like a huge achievement.
From sourcing and listing products to packing and shipping orders, I genuinely enjoyed every step. Sneakers had already been a passion of mine for years, and for the first time I realised that trading could become much more than a small side project.
2025Original photo · 2025The turning point
Almost gave up. Then thought bigger.
Between 2024 and 2025, I came close to giving it all up. I could no longer see much potential in trading sneakers alone. Instead of stopping, I broadened my focus: new product categories, eBay and additional sourcing channels followed.
Alongside my apprenticeship, I traded increasingly larger quantities of goods – until, at one point, 200 air fryers were stored at home and in the garage. That was when it became clear: this was no longer a small side project. Volumes were growing, space was disappearing, and an idea was gradually becoming a real business.
2026Original photo · 2026The next step
Full-time. Own warehouse. New opportunities.
More deals, more experience and more available capital made the next leap possible. I completed my apprenticeship in June and moved into full-time self-employment. Since July, I have been working from my own warehouse in Saarwellingen together with my two best friends, who are also business partners.
Today, I serve customers beyond Germany and continue to develop NorthLane Commerce with a clear long-term focus. The warehouse is not the destination; it is the new foundation for larger trading volumes, lasting B2B partnerships and the next step towards the NorthLane Group.
View the planned NorthLane structure ↗