nilsjeners consulting

You know that moment when everything just clicks? When you realize you're exactly where you're meant to be? That's where I am right now as a self-employed consultant.

It's not about the glamorous "laptop lifestyle" that floods your social media feeds. It's about something far more valuable: alignment.

Here's what that looks like for me:

- Collaborating with clients who inspire me and challenge my thinking
- Experiencing a constant stream of learning through different industries, company cultures, and business challenges
- Building meaningful relationships across various organizations and sectors
- Having the flexibility to be there for my family and kids

Every new project is like opening a different book, each with its own story, characters, and lessons. The beauty? I get to write my own chapter in each one.

The best part? This isn't a destination - it's an evolving journey. Each new company, each new challenge, each new culture adds another layer to my professional DNA.

Innovation Management and Agile Business Design

TH Köln

I teach several courses at the Technical University of Cologne:
- Business Design in the Master's program Media Informatics
- Cooperation Systems in the Master’s program Web Science

Adjunct Professor

Technical University of Munich

A coincidence of my consulting position was teaching in the Executive MBA program at Technical University of Munich (TUM). 

My students? Up to C-level executives and senior managers who challenge every concept, question every assumption. They force me to evolve my teaching with each batch. Their real-world experience adds layers to theoretical frameworks that no textbook could provide.

The best moments? When a student's perspective completely shifts my own understanding of a concept I've taught for years. That's the magic of executive education - everyone in the room is both teacher and student.

It reminds me: True expertise isn't about having all the answers. It's about staying curious enough to recognize that every interaction is a learning opportunity.

Uniper

Ever notice how learning curves flatten over time? That moment when your daily "aha!" moments become monthly, then yearly? That's not stagnation - that's your growth compass pointing to change.

My entrepreneurial heart was beating louder again, but this time, I was determined to make a smarter exit. No dramatic leaps - just strategic steps.

A one-year interim management contract, three days a week. Simple math: that left two days to build my freelance practice. Who said transitions had to be cliff jumps?

But here's the plot twist: Those years in an 11,000-employee corporate giant? Pure gold. They taught me three invaluable lessons:

The View from Inside: Transforming from "outside consultant" to "internal manager" completely rewired my understanding of corporate dynamics. I earned corporate DNA: Understanding how large organizations actually work (not how consultants think they work) became my secret weapon. Network Architecture: Learning to build and leverage vast corporate networks - a skill that pays dividends daily in my freelance life.

Sometimes, the best way to embrace your entrepreneurial spirit is to first master the system you're leaving.

Innovation Consultant (external)

Orange Hills GmbH

When my startup hit a dead end, so did I. Rock bottom makes every path look equally appealing - or terrifying. One wrong turn could have sent me spiraling into a completely different career trajectory.

But here's what made all the difference: I didn't just accept the first lifeline thrown my way. Before joining a boutique consulting firm, I met EVERY. SINGLE. EMPLOYEE. Yes, you read that right. Because when you're rebuilding, the foundation matters more than the facade.

What I discovered was more than a job - it was a masterclass in everything I wish I'd known during my startup days:

- A methodical framework that addressed precisely where my startup had stumbled
- A team where every single person had something unique to teach
- The ability to dive deep into multiple industries, each with its own lessons

The irony? Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom to build something stronger. Those startup "failures" became valuable war stories in consulting. That entrepreneurial spirit? It transformed into innovative solutions for clients.

Years later, I realize that not knowing what comes next isn't a weakness - it's an opportunity to adapt and grow. Every industry, every project, every challenge adds another tool to your toolkit.

Senior Innovation Consultant

Qwingo – Sports & Performance Analysis

My $0 MBA: What building (and failing) a startup taught me

I am enthusiastic about creating things and didn't want to make innovation solely. That burning desire led me from the structured halls of academia into the wild west of startup life. Little did I know I was enrolling in what I now call my "Private MBA" - except this one came with real stakes and real consequences.

The highs? Landing that dream client everyone in the industry knows. The lows? Watching my company hit a dead end. But here's the thing about startup life - every moment, even failure, is a masterclass in business.

Three expensive lessons I'll never forget:

1. Diversity isn't a buzzword - it's survival. We were three IT nerds with similar mindsets. Great for tech talk, terrible for challenging assumptions. Today, I know: diverse perspectives aren't just nice to have - they're essential for innovation.
2. Tight budgets are secret weapons. When resources are scarce, you learn to execute fast, think lean, and never lose sight of your goals. No theoretical framework can teach you what a dwindling bank account can.
3. Product development isn't just about the product. Building from scratch taught me that great products aren't built in isolation - they're born from understanding markets, users, and business models simultaneously.

Years later, these lessons still shape every business decision I make. Sometimes the most valuable education comes without a diploma.

Founder & CEO

RWTH Aachen University

What seemed like a formal transition to RWTH Aachen turned into one of the most transformative chapters of my professional journey.

As a research assistant, I discovered three passions that would shape my career forever:

First, the joy of teaching returned to my life. There's something magical about standing in front of eager minds, sharing knowledge, and watching that 'aha moment' light up in students' eyes.

Then came the challenge of managing complex projects independently. No safety nets, no hand-holding - just pure responsibility and the thrill of steering projects from concept to completion.

But the most unexpected turn? This role planted the seed for my PhD journey. What started as a position soon evolved into a calling.

They say the best career moves often don't feel like massive leaps when you make them. Sometimes, it's those "simple switches" that lead to the most profound transformations.

Research Assistant

Fraunhofer FIT

You know: Choose your boss, not your job!

It couldn't have been more true for my first real job. The opportunity to work with Professor Prinz wasn't just a job offer – it was an invitation to join an inspiring journey to learn and grow.

What made this so special?

First, there was the incredible diversity. Imagine working alongside people with vastly different experiences and backgrounds, each bringing their unique perspective to every challenge. It wasn't just about what we knew but how differently we thought.

Then there was the environment itself. Not just an office but more a creative lab. The open mindset paired with the resources fostered innovation and collaboration.

But what really made the difference? Working on industry projects that went beyond theoretical concepts. Every day, we were creating solutions that made real impact in the real world.

Looking back, my first job already led to my enthusiasm for innovation.

I support corporates in all activities focusing on INNOVATION: 
Creating new ideas and transforming them into businesses, products, or services.

IDEATION
With my help, you and your employees will come up with new ideas to move your business forward.

INNOVATION SPRINTS
I support your team in the concrete implementation of ideas from project planning all the way to the market.

INNOVATION STRATEGY
Together we develop an innovation strategy to lead your company into the future.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
I assist in building an innovation culture and an innovation ecosystem, which fosters creative work and implementation of innovation in your company.

INNOVATION TRAINING
I train your employees to enable them to perform better innovation activities.


My background: 

I am a digital native with over ten years of experience in the field of innovation. I support companies in implementing innovation strategies and new business models. I catalyze ideas from corporate leaders in the areas of strategy and innovation and provide advisory from the initial thought to market entry.

I have studied computer science and business administration with a focus on human-computer interaction and management accounting at RWTH Aachen University. I continued as a scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT. I hold a Ph.D. (Dr. rer. nat.) in computer science and founded a start-up for algorithmic sports performance analysis based on big data.

Furthermore, I hold several teaching positions at the TU Munich, TH Cologne, and TU Dortmund. 

Dr. Nils Jeners

Thomas Gläser 🚀

MatchApply

We support recruiters in making better hiring decisions and help talents gain more confidence in finding the right job with our unique talent/job profile matchmaking engine.

Together with my technical co-founder, my role spans across everything related to Product Management, Design, Marketing, and New Business.

Co-Founder & CPO

Thomas Gläser

Hi. I'm Thomas Gläser, a Product Leader with 14 years of experience, I turn ambitious product ideas into reality. I combine empathy, sharp thinking, and intuition to empower teams and deliver long-term business wins.  

Across design, business, and tech, I've helped companies like BMW, Mozilla, Arduino and local startups achieve product-market fit to fuel growth. I'll guide your product team to build better products while helping your leadership create the right support system.

Fractional / Interim Product Leader

NEW WORK SE

- Architect of onlyfy 2025 vision, defining and showcasing the future of seamless recruiting experience for the whole organisation as the north star.
- Initiated and led AI experimentation to improve productivity for HR managers on their end-to-end journey with the support of GPT and other models.
- Initiated foundational Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) research in the mid-market sector, informing product strategy and user experience enhancements.
- Managed an 18-person UX team, harmonizing cross-functional efforts across four locations to align with strategic product initiatives and market innovation.

Director of Product Experience

- Led XING Events' strategic response to COVID-19, gaining board approval for a new live video line and maintaining revenue through focusing on event marketing.
- Steered a 12-member team in enhancing the Event Marketplace, using AI tools for content integrity and personalized event recommendations to drive engagement.
- In sync with the Leadership team, crafted a vision prioritizing events to boost activity, owning the roadmap for marketplace, groups, and event manager.
- Fostered a transparent team culture, instilling values and strategic frameworks that heightened platform engagement and improved user profile quality.

Director of Product Management

Brainbirds

Moderating workshops for cross-functional teams to develop and test an app from idea to concept in two days using design thinking and lean startup methods (eg user research, insight synthesis, jobs-to-be-done, user story mapping and rapid prototyping). Got scored with an average satisfaction rating of 9 (out of 10) from my participants.

Trainer for Lean UX & Product Discovery

Octopus Energy

Conducted a broad costumer studies to identify key customer segments and main jobs, coming up with a final board presentation. Success: The key learnings and recommendations shaped the future business model and product strategy. Former company 4hundred was aquired by Octopus Energy a couple of months after my project.

Director Product Strategy

Ryte

- Navigated RYTE's product strategy, ensuring short-term wins were aligned with a long-term outlook, and balanced tech debt reduction with continuous innovation.
- Overseeing the AI-driven initiative for SEO Anomaly Detection, significantly reducing manual analysis time and enhancing digital marketing efficiency.
- Managed and mentored a team of six product managers and designers, refining processes for increased user engagement and revenue, while preparing a successor to uphold and advance these initiatives.

Head of Product (Interim)

Arduino

- Championed customer-centricity within Arduino's Education unit, refining products and pioneering new concepts through established discovery rituals.
- Unearthed a lucrative customer segment with a spending potential 10x greater, simultaneously bolstering team assurance in product delivery.
- Led a 10-person team, working closely with the Managing Director and Co-founder, employing strategic tools like the Value Proposition Canvas and User Story Mapping to guide development.

SMP - Intelligent Scents (acquired by Symrise)

- Championed the Scent AI project, enhancing an AI algorithm for personalized scent diffusion, resulting in reduced returns and improved user satisfaction.
- Collaborated with SMP founders to steer product strategy, leveraging data-driven insights to refine fragrance technology and secure startup funding.
- Guided research and development efforts, establishing test setups critical for algorithmic advancements and the startup's successful exit.

Startup Advisor

innogy SE

- Coached C-level executives and POs to catalyze innovation and define USPs in the Smart Home unit. Guided cross-disciplinary teams in adopting collaborative approaches, enhancing the Smart Home unit's growth and market positioning.
- Tripled sales via an optimized Amazon seller account and reduced social media CPO by 4x. Instrumental in the formation of a new smart home department, focusing on cross-functional synergy to continue to amplify success.

Mozilla

- Led the product vision and UX concept for the 'DinoPark' project, aimed at enhancing volunteer and employee collaboration within a truely remote team.
- Played a pivotal role in enterprise collaboration and IT security, facilitating the integration of Open Authorization standards for the open-source community.
- Conducted comprehensive user and market research, setting the stage for a successful product launch one year later.

Product & UX Lead

People call me wonder weapon, JTBD enthusiast and coach for Product Discovery

HI I'M THOMAS, A MOONSHOT ORCHESTRATOR.
(Director of Product Management / Head of Product / VP of Product Management)

1. WHAT DOES MOONSHOT ORCHESTRATOR MEAN?

Moonshot reflects my ambition to think big and pursue unconventional strategies to create unique outcomes. As an Orchestrator, I use bold visions to inspire my product teams, provide clear product strategies to accelerate progress, and transform visions into real products for sustainable business success.

2. THE VALUE I BRING

- Balancing Strategy and Operations: I combine big-picture thinking with detailed execution, ensuring targets are met with operational excellence. I balance empathy, intuition, and analytical judgment to achieve this.

- Empowering Product Teams: I build product organizations where contributors own the journey to solutions. By offering mentoring support and clear frameworks, I enhance team performance for high-performing outcomes.

- Achieving Product-Market Fit: I encourage data-driven decisions by deeply understanding our customers, the market, and our product. I oversee the strategic roadmap to reduce risk and foster innovation to outpace rivals.

3. WHERE I EXCEL

I thrive in high-stakes environments marked by uncertainty, volatility, and risk. I communicate with urgency and clarity about threats, uniting product teams around a clear mission to focus on opportunities. I take calculated risks to navigate the product jungle, remaining conservative when it comes to our core product strengths and stability.

4. WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF

My expertise includes building B2B SaaS platforms and marketplaces for XING E-Recruiting, Ryte, and CoSpaces. I excel in B2C, driving user engagement for Skoobe eBook, XING Event Marketplace, and Self-Coaching Apps. Skilled in shipping new features, reducing tech debt, and migrating products to new platforms.

- Achieving hockey stick growth by pivoting from 50 to 25,000 new users per month in EdTech through structured customer development and a fast go-to-market.

- Transforming an old single solution into a seamless HR Tech platform, releasing to new customers while migrating tens of thousands under a compelling vision.

- Ensuring multi-million euro profit and growth for an event product portfolio during the COVID-19 lockdown by rethinking strategic focus.

5. MY CREDO

“Einfach machen” – Simply get started and keep it simple. This philosophy underpins everything I do, ensuring that complex problems are met with clear, actionable solutions

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Dr. Nils Jeners

Thomas Gläser 🚀

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