Nikolaj De Lousanoff - Co-Founder and CEO

Q: Where is Nikolaj based?

Nikolaj is based in Rosengarten, Germany and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Nikolaj speak?

Nikolaj speaks the following languages: German (Native), Spanish (Native), English (Advanced), French (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Nikolaj have?

Nikolaj has at least 16 years of experience. During this time, Nikolaj has worked in at least 8 different roles and for 10 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 7 months . Note that Nikolaj may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Nikolaj's latest experience?

Nikolaj's most recent position is Co-Founder and CEO at Yay Way UG .

Q: What companies has Nikolaj worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Nikolaj has worked for Yay Way UG , CLATU Group / F&B Experts / Food and Wine Culture Consulting , Retail Capital Partners AG , You Candy GmbH , and NdL Ventures UG .

Q: Which industries is Nikolaj most experienced in?

Nikolaj is most experienced in industries like Food and Beverage , Retail , and Professional Services . Nikolaj also has some experience in Automotive , Information Technology , and Fashion .

Q: Which business areas is Nikolaj most experienced in?

Nikolaj is most experienced in business areas like Sales , Strategy , and Product Development . Nikolaj also has some experience in Research and Development , Marketing , and Finance .

Q: Which industries has Nikolaj worked in recently?

Nikolaj has recently worked in industries like Professional Services , Food and Beverage , and Retail .

Q: Which business areas has Nikolaj worked in recently?

Nikolaj has recently worked in business areas like Sales , Strategy , and Product Development .

Recommended expert

Rosengarten, Germany

Experience

Jul 2022 - Sep 2023

1 year 3 months

Co-Founder and CEO

Yay Way UG

Set up a digital reusable packaging system (take-away) for food and beverages
Secured €1.4 million in investor funding for market launch and app development
Acquired multinational corporations for pilot implementation in Austria, Benelux, and the UK

Sep 2021 - Present

4 years 7 months

Frankfurt, Germany

CLATU Group / F&B Experts / Food and Wine Culture Consulting

Drafted strategic recommendations for product assortment and brand development for a convenience retail chain
Defined the product roadmap, pricing, and launch strategy for a plant-based alternatives provider
Analyzed the Swiss wine market and developed a market entry study for a food retail chain

May 2021 - Oct 2021

6 months

Zürich, Switzerland

Consultant

Retail Capital Partners AG

Led the national brand relaunch, including marketing campaigns and kick-off events for a leading retail and department store chain
Developed a strategic roadmap for digital transformation and new customer acquisition
Supported the CMO in all communications with the board and external stakeholders

Feb 2021 - Oct 2022

1 year 9 months

Hamburg, Germany

Consultant

You Candy GmbH

Established POS listings with leading retail chains in D-A-CH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
Built the e-commerce channel via own webshop (Shopify), Amazon, and other e-tailers
Advised on legal issues and shareholder conflicts
Served as mentor and lead negotiator between founders and investment partners during funding round

Jan 2021 - Present

5 years 3 months

Self-employed Senior Consultant, Sales Expert & Interim Manager

NdL Ventures UG

Jan 2018 - Jan 2021

3 years 1 month

Hamburg, Germany

Managing Director & National Sales Director

Mama Stove GmbH

Built the e-commerce channel and opened new B2B business fields for a frozen ready-meal manufacturer in the hospitality, fitness, and wholesale sectors
Key account management and led the sales team (6 employees)
Increased sales by more than 300% through strategic partnerships in the D-A-CH region
Introduced an innovative, sustainable plastic-free packaging solution BIOPAP®

Jun 2016 - Jan 2017

8 months

Hamburg, Germany

Chief of Staff to the CEO

Montblanc International GmbH

Led product development of the first Smartwatch "Summit", including marketing and sales strategy
Coordinated the CEO office and prepared the CEO's agenda
Accompanied the CEO on international market visits

Jan 2013 - May 2016

3 years 5 months

Hamburg, Germany

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Balmy Systemgastronomie GmbH

Founded a gourmet food truck and a street-food catering company
Achieved regional market leadership with 4 mobile units and 24 employees
Secured €0.25M in venture capital and reached break-even after 14 months with €1.2M in revenue in 2015

Jan 2012 - Jul 2012

7 months

Berlin, Germany

Head of Business Development – Zalando Lounge

Zalando SE

Managed the international expansion of the online shop and built country teams within the organization
Successfully recruited and led 14 employees to build the individual teams
Negotiated exclusivity agreements with new brands and B2B partners to expand product categories

Sep 2008 - Dec 2011

3 years 4 months

Frankfurt, Germany

Strategy Consultant, Executive Assistant to the Global Head of Automotive Banking

IBM Global Business Services Deutschland GmbH

Developed mobility concepts including business plan creation and go-to-market strategy for a leading automotive manufacturer
Conducted business development in the USA, UK, Japan, South Korea, and China

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Food and Beverage, Retail, Professional Services, Automotive, Information Technology, and Fashion.

Food and Beverage

Retail

Professional Services

Automotive

Information Technology

Fashion

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Sales, Strategy, Product Development, Research and Development, Marketing, and Finance.

Sales

Strategy

Product Development

Research and Development

Marketing

Finance

Summary

Senior sales and business development professional with over 15 years of experience across various industries and international projects
Expert in B2B sales, e-commerce, venture building, corporate planning & development
Strong communication skills and team player with a hands-on mentality
Entrepreneurial spirit with empathy and a strong intercultural understanding for a customer-focused work style

Skills

Software

Ms Office: Outlook, Excel, Word, Powerpoint
Project Management: Slack, Trello, Asana, Miro
Crm: Salesforce, Sap, Zoho, Pipedrive
E-commerce Shop Systems: Shopify, Shopware, Amazon Fba & Amazon Seller Central

Languages

German

Native

Spanish

Native

English

Advanced

French

Advanced

Education

Aug 2007 - Dec 2007

Universidad del Pacífico

International Business Management · Lima, Peru

Aug 2007 - Dec 2007

Ruprecht-Karls University

Intermediate Diploma · Economics (VWL) · Heidelberg, Germany

Sep 2006 - Jul 2008

HHL – Leipzig Graduate School of Management

Diploma in Business Administration · Business Administration (BWL) · Leipzig, Germany

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 10

Experience in Food and Beverage 11.5 y

Avg length 2 y 4 m

Longest experience 5 y 2 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 2 (Germany, Switzerland)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Co-Founder and CEO, Consultant, Self-employed Senior Consultant, Sales Expert & Interim Manager

Main industries Food and Beverage, Retail, Professional Services

Main business areas Sales, Strategy, Product Development

Profile

Created

January 2022

Last Update

May 2025

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Nikolaj based?

Nikolaj is based in Rosengarten, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Nikolaj speak?

Nikolaj speaks the following languages: German (Native), Spanish (Native), English (Advanced), French (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Nikolaj have?

Nikolaj has at least 16 years of experience. During this time, Nikolaj has worked in at least 8 different roles and for 10 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 7 months. Note that Nikolaj may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Nikolaj be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Nikolaj would be well-suited for roles such as: Co-Founder and CEO, Consultant, Self-employed Senior Consultant, Sales Expert & Interim Manager.

What is Nikolaj's latest experience?

Nikolaj's most recent position is Co-Founder and CEO at Yay Way UG.

What companies has Nikolaj worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Nikolaj has worked for Yay Way UG, CLATU Group / F&B Experts / Food and Wine Culture Consulting, Retail Capital Partners AG, You Candy GmbH, and NdL Ventures UG.

Which industries is Nikolaj most experienced in?

Nikolaj is most experienced in industries like Food and Beverage, Retail, and Professional Services. Nikolaj also has some experience in Automotive, Information Technology, and Fashion.

Which business areas is Nikolaj most experienced in?

Nikolaj is most experienced in business areas like Sales, Strategy, and Product Development. Nikolaj also has some experience in Research and Development, Marketing, and Finance.

Which industries has Nikolaj worked in recently?

Nikolaj has recently worked in industries like Professional Services, Food and Beverage, and Retail.

Which business areas has Nikolaj worked in recently?

Nikolaj has recently worked in business areas like Sales, Strategy, and Product Development.

What is Nikolaj's education?

Nikolaj attended Universidad del Pacífico for International Business Management.

What is the availability of Nikolaj?

Nikolaj is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Nikolaj?

Nikolaj's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.