Professional Builder Profile Interview: Luca Schmidt and Janis Vogt of Schanzenwerk in Germany
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Trail Builder Mag is talking to and interacting with trail builders from all over the world. Many of you are passionate volunteers who spend countless hours each year digging and working on leadership boards of non-profit trail organizations. Then there are those of you, many of whom started off as volunteers, who at some point venture out to make this not just your full-time job … but your career. Your vocation. Your calling.
For this series on interviewing professional trail builders, I’m intentionally moving the conversation around from country to country and continent to continent. So far, we’ve visited the United States, Canada, Australia, and now Germany. I love that there are mountain bikers and trail builders literally everywhere. From deserts to farmlands to rainforests and everything in between.
Our most recent interview is with Janis Vogt and Luca Schmidt, co-founders of Schanzenwerk in Germany. I love and resonate with their mission … “it is our mission to provide people with easy access to cycling and action sports in a sustainable way.” Let’s jump into this!
Sean: What are you currently doing?
Luca and Janis: We are currently working to optimize processes that improve our workflow. We want to build internal structures that make administrative work easier for both of us and benefit our projects. Simply put, everything that comes with starting a business. In addition to building these structures, we are already fully engaged in planning various projects within Germany and nearby countries. For example, this year we will be implementing a very interesting project in Cologne. This project involves the conversion of a former football pitch into three parts: a freeride area, a table area with a pump track and a dirt-jump trail area. This project could become a model project for many others in which unused sports fields could become a new home for enthusiastic mountain bikers of all ages.
Sean: What prompted you to take the plunge in launching out and starting your own trail building company?
Luca and Janis: We have been firmly rooted in the dirt-jump/slopestyle scene for 10 years and have helped build one of Germany's best-known dirt park during this time. Over the years, we have gradually learned to love building jumps and trails. This means that by the end we built more than we rode and so the idea of becoming a professional trail builder gradually emerged. Early last year we got the chance to plan and build our first official project for another municipality from start to finish. After we stumbled into that project and completed it successfully, we received more and more requests for further projects. Janis and I successfully completed our studies (event management and teaching) at the beginning of this year. The formation of our company came just in time, which we have always dreamed of.
Sean: What's been the craziest story or a-ha moment so far?
Luca and Janis: The biggest a-ha moment so far was that we quickly realized how extremely connected the mountain bike scene is. After we got the job in Cologne and completed the first construction phase, Luca had a conversation for another project on the other end of Germany. The client there immediately knew that we were implementing the project in Cologne and asked us about it. So it is important to stick to our motto: Deliver good work, then the rest will come as well!
Sean: What was the biggest obstacle you faced when starting?
Luca and Janis: The biggest obstacle so far was probably our limited time. We are currently two and cannot divide ourselves enough with work. As a self-employed entrepreneur, we immediately realized how much time it takes to build a company. You quickly underestimate how much paperwork is involved. That’s why we are already looking forward to the first project being back on the doorstep. So we feel like we are back in the machines or at the tool and can "work" again after seemingly endless planning.
Sean: What is one thing you wish you knew when you started?
Luca and Janis: We have not really missed anything so far, as everything we are currently facing, we expected in one form or another. Of course, you always learn something new every day, but nothing really comes to mind that we would have liked to know beforehand.
Sean: What advice would you give to someone thinking of venturing out to start their own trail building company?
Luca and Janis: Similarly to us, it is not necessarily important to have the right education or degree. We believe that it is essential to have passion and most importantly, to believe in what you do. Although we have learned something different, we are now pursuing the path that we unconsciously cleared through our love for mountain biking over the last decade. Chase your dreams, because if you do something you love, you will do it well!
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That concludes our interview. If you have a story to tell, click the button below and drop me an email.
Interview by: Sean Benesh Photos: Supplied by Schanzenwerk
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
