Who this is
Romann Rademacher is from Bocholt in western Germany. In 1994 he was a goalkeeper at MSV Duisburg, where he met his future co-founder Robert Cirjak, a striker from Vancouver. He became an entrepreneur at 23: importing a single water trampoline from the US grew into Wibit Sports, which builds floating, modular water parks for lakes, the sea and swimming pools and, according to Romann, has sold into 101 countries. In 2018 the founders brought in the private equity investor Argos Wityu. At the end of 2024 Romann stepped back from day-to-day operations; according to Wibit, both founders now serve as global brand ambassadors and on the advisory board.
Episodes
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FAQ
What is Wibit Sports?
Wibit Sports, based in Bocholt, Germany, builds floating inflatable water parks from modules that dock together like Lego: slides, climbing towers, bridges, seesaws and trampolines for lakes, the open sea and swimming pools. It was founded by Romann Rademacher and Robert Cirjak, who met in 1994 at the football club MSV Duisburg. According to Romann, Wibit has now sold into 101 countries. To the episode →
Quotes
„… wir haben unser gesamtes Erspartes hier in diese diese Nummer reingelegt und wir sind pleite jetzt sozusagen, bevor wir angefangen sind.““We had put all our savings into this, and we were basically broke before we'd even started.”
„Muss dir vorstellen, wie ein Lego-Baukastenprinzip. So war die Idee.““Picture it like a Lego set. That was the idea.”
„Und im Endeffekt sind es die Menschen, die das Büro machen und nicht das Büro.““In the end it's the people who make the office, not the office.”
„Aber einfach mal große Ziele setzen, große Sachen, sich voranzunehmen, hat noch keinen geschadet.““Setting big goals and taking on big things has never hurt anyone.”
„Also dann hast du natürlich auch mal Obstacles, die dich vielleicht mal drei Kilometer wieder zurückwerfen, aber dann schwimmst du halt wieder vier Kilometer immer wieder nach vorne.““Sure, you'll hit obstacles that throw you back three kilometres, but then you just swim four kilometres forward again.”