Interview with marketing alumna Ellen Keller

Ellen Kellerstudied marketing and graduated from Pforzheim University in 2020. After completing her studies, she founded “Plantaddiction,” an online shop for houseplants. Because of her fascination with online marketing, she already knew during her studies what her dream job would look like. A position in online marketing, preferably at a young e-commerce company, with fast opportunities for advancement and, most importantly, far away from her own family business. However, when the era of COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns began, an opportunity suddenly arose to build a completely independent online brand within her own family business—and Plantaddiction was born.

A typical workday in my current job…
...is unpredictable! No two days are alike here, and that’s exactly what makes it so special. The key is to always keep a cool head and stay motivated, even when things go wrong.

My favorite meal in the cafeteria back then was…
....schnitzel every Wednesday (preferably with croquettes). My fellow student and I would even wait outside the cafeteria door for 10 minutes before it opened just for that.

I start my day by…
...getting right to work, since that’s when I’m most productive. Especially if you start a little earlier than everyone else...

My tip for students:
Never let anything get you down. Grades are important, of course, but the right attitude is even more important. Take your internships seriously and show what you’re capable of right from the start. That’s a great way to make connections.