More than a taco shop

Let me tell you my story of Saint Pablo's.

It was around 2019. I was working for Cellular (today called Jakala) in the harbor of Hamburg. Really close to the office was a little spot where every Thursday a bunch of food trucks gathered.

There was the usual German Imbiss (a snack stand with sausages, fries and all the classics). There was a fish stand, because this is Hamburg after all. And there was a little tuk-tuk that just did tacos and burritos.

It didn't stand out because of the tacos. It stood out because of the person making them. He was thrilled to take your order. His good mood was contagious. He was dancing while he prepared your food, electronic music blasting through his speakers, simply having a good time.

Back then was the first time I ate a burrito from Saint Pablo's.

More than a taco shop

Saint Pablo's grew. It became a taco shop at the Sternbrücke, right in the heart of Hamburg's, let's say, hipster quarter. A business with employees, a lot of beer and a lot of people around.

What did not change: the people there were having a good time serving you.

And here's my accusation. Saint Pablo's was more than a taco shop. It was more than good food. They threw parties out front. They (unfortunately) completely clogged up the sidewalk, because the queue was so long, the party so good and the drinks so nice. They were actively building community and bringing people together. Food was the vehicle, community was the outcome.

It's no understatement to say it makes me sad that Saint Pablo's is no more. But one of the main reasons is because Deutsche Bahn (Germany's national railway) decided to tear down everything around the Sternbrücke to commit the biggest atrocity in urban planning Hamburg has ever seen.

So why am I telling you all this? I'm sure there was a profit margin. I'm sure they were getting by. But they created so much more than business value in money. They became an essential part of people's memories. For that time, it was the place.

I told everyone: if you visit Hamburg, you have to go to Saint Pablo's. It's the best food combined with the best vibe you will ever have.

I think we forgot how important it is to bring people together.

If you run a business or work with people, there's an element you can't control: how people interact with each other. You can't force it. You can only create good conditions, and be a good example of friendly and kind behavior. Your setting is an enabling constraint that allows other peoples behaviour to change. I had so many conversations with strangers in front of that taco shop I'd probably not have on the bench 500m down the street.

Capitalism survives, fascism doesn't

When I decided to call myself a business consultant, I also wanted to make sure I always communicate where I'm coming from. So with this story, I want to make it absolutely undeniable and obvious:

I stand against fascism in all of its iterations.

That's an easy thing to say as a German. Less than 100 years ago, we had its most prominent iteration. But as you might guess, I'm not talking about Germany's past. I'm talking about the current iteration of fascism.

The other day, a friend and I got stuck on the question: what comes first, fascism or capitalism? My personal view is that fascism is just a symptom of capitalism. Capitalism survives fascism. Fascism never survives. After a while, it implodes.

That's why it was such a heartwarming moment to hear Kyle Soo talk about the B Corp movement (companies certified for balancing profit with their impact on people and planet). In a meeting full of people, Kyle openly said it: we know capitalism is exploitative, and we know capitalism is linear. And there are many people and many companies that don't want to follow that lead. They want to put something into the world that works and yeah: makes money, but doesn't destroy things in the process. It eventually even repairs them.

Same category, opposite direction

And here I am. Technically in the same category as McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group and Roland Berger, but wanting to be the exact opposite.

I want to be pragmatic. I want to be effective. I want to be valuable where I'm needed. I want to help organizations that hold on to the basic fundamentals of human rights, ethics and morality. I want to help companies that do important work for community building.

I want to be a company that's not only known for its burritos, but for everything around them as well.

I want to be a business consultancy for the next level of a social focused economy. Away from exploitation. Away from destruction. Away from ignoring the workers' needs.

Let's talk

This is just my story and my take. That doesn't mean everything I say is sacred. If you see it differently, or if you have your own Saint Pablo's (a place that was so much more than its business), let me know. I'd love to hear about it.

And if you run an organization that wants to repair rather than destroy: let's talk.