Biography of an Unknown Entrepreneur
The Photographing Pigeon Lover
The Entrepreneur which I have chosen is Eberhard Gramatzki. Eberhard was born on the 27th February 1942, and grew up in Kellenhusen (Germany) with his six siblings. After marrying a woman called Janet from the Netherlands (1967), they moved to Vermont to continue their life there, while having three children. He became interested in becoming an entrepreneur when he was a working engineer for over 24 years at IBM (International Business Machines), a leading US computer manufacturer. In 1992 there was a downturn in US economy, and word was spreading throughout the company that it was considered to discharge employees.
Motivated by the fear for his family, and the wish not to leave the area and home he was currently living in to look for a job, he started searching for other means of income, while still working at IBM (International Business Machines) full time.
While visiting his brother on a trip to Chicago, he met a retired professor a dedicated pigeon racer. Gramatzki himself was a devoted pigeon racer too (he would occasionally let his pigeon race at a club in Vermont), so the two men had a deep conversation about their beloved pigeons in the office of the professor.
Hanging on the walls of the office were several clearly well-made photographs of the famous winning pigeons of the professor. Intrigued by these beautiful pigeon photographs, Eberhard asked about the man who produced these. With a rather grim expression the professor answered that he had to hire a photographer all the way from the Netherlands, while paying between $2000 and $3000 due to the photographer’s airfare and work. At that time there was no one in the USA who could create professional pigeon photographs. However, there are many pigeon racer in all states of the USA, who all want a good quality portrait of their winning pigeon.
With these thoughts in the back of his mind, Eberhard started researching more into the topic and found the need for three
The Entrepreneur which I have chosen is Eberhard Gramatzki. Eberhard was born on the 27th February 1942, and grew up in Kellenhusen (Germany) with his six siblings. After marrying a woman called Janet from the Netherlands (1967), they moved to Vermont to continue their life there, while having three children. He became interested in becoming an entrepreneur when he was a working engineer for over 24 years at IBM (International Business Machines), a leading US computer manufacturer. In 1992 there was a downturn in US economy, and word was spreading throughout the company that it was considered to discharge employees.
Motivated by the fear for his family, and the wish not to leave the area and home he was currently living in to look for a job, he started searching for other means of income, while still working at IBM (International Business Machines) full time.
While visiting his brother on a trip to Chicago, he met a retired professor a dedicated pigeon racer. Gramatzki himself was a devoted pigeon racer too (he would occasionally let his pigeon race at a club in Vermont), so the two men had a deep conversation about their beloved pigeons in the office of the professor.
Hanging on the walls of the office were several clearly well-made photographs of the famous winning pigeons of the professor. Intrigued by these beautiful pigeon photographs, Eberhard asked about the man who produced these. With a rather grim expression the professor answered that he had to hire a photographer all the way from the Netherlands, while paying between $2000 and $3000 due to the photographer’s airfare and work. At that time there was no one in the USA who could create professional pigeon photographs. However, there are many pigeon racer in all states of the USA, who all want a good quality portrait of their winning pigeon.
With these thoughts in the back of his mind, Eberhard started researching more into the topic and found the need for three