SNOCKS Co-Founder Johannes Kliesch on Money, the Downsides of Success and True Partnership
Johannes Kliesch, co-founder of SNOCKS, talks to Reza Mehman about going from student to sock millionaire, the difficult side of entrepreneurship, why he shares revenue figures publicly and how his wife Belinda contributes to his success.
Originally published on 23 November 2024. Business roles, figures and predictions reflect the interview at that time. Every conversation paragraph in the published German article is translated below.
Johannes Kliesch on SNOCKS and Entrepreneurship
Johannes Kliesch is a co-founder of SNOCKS, described in the original article as one of Germany’s most successful e-commerce businesses. He talks to Reza Mehman about his journey from student to sock millionaire and the difficult side of entrepreneurship. He also explains why he shares revenue figures publicly and how his wife Belinda contributes to his success. The result is an open, honest conversation about money, success and true partnership.
Summary
In one sentence: SNOCKS co-founder Johannes Kliesch discusses his journey to becoming a millionaire, the downsides of success and why he shares revenue figures publicly.
In three sentences: Johannes Kliesch, co-founder of SNOCKS, shares his journey from student to millionaire. He talks about the difficult side of entrepreneurship, including break-ins, challenging employee conversations and pressure. He also explains why he shares revenue figures publicly: “Let’s all grow together.”
In five sentences: Johannes Kliesch, co-founder of SNOCKS, talks to Reza Mehman about his journey from student to millionaire. He counts break-ins, difficult employee conversations and pressure among the downsides of success. Sharing revenue figures publicly serves a purpose for him: “Let’s all grow together.” He also emphasises his wife Belinda’s role: “I am sitting here because I have a partner in her who makes this possible.” His conclusion is: “The pie is big enough. We can all help each other.”
Context: Who, What and Why
Who is speaking: Host Reza Mehman and SNOCKS co-founder Johannes Kliesch.
What this is about: The SNOCKS journey, the difficult side of entrepreneurship, openness about revenue and the role of partnership in success.
Why it matters: The original article presents SNOCKS as one of Germany’s most successful e-commerce businesses. Johannes Kliesch is known for his openness and willingness to share knowledge.
Three central themes in this episode:
- The SNOCKS journey, from student to millionaire.
- The difficult side of entrepreneurship: break-ins, pressure and tough decisions.
- Transparency and partnership: why Johannes shares revenue figures and how Belinda contributes to his success.
Contents
- Introduction
- Summary
- Context
- Themes and perspective
- Key takeaways
- Frequently asked questions
- Highlight quotes
- The Published Conversation
- Keywords
- Names and terms
- Quotable passage
Themes and Perspective
1. The SNOCKS journey
Johannes Kliesch founded SNOCKS with his cousin. A mail-order sock business became a multimillion-euro company. Johannes says: “I have already had such an incredibly great life.” He emphasises that success comes from work, timing and the right environment rather than chance.
Keywords: SNOCKS, founding a business, e-commerce, success, millionaire
2. The difficult side of entrepreneurship
Johannes talks openly about break-ins involving their car and his wife’s boutique, difficult employee conversations and the pressures of running a business. He says: “It was an intense, life-changing experience.” On difficult decisions, he asks: “Are you the right person for this position at this particular moment?”
Keywords: downsides, break-ins, employee conversations, pressure, decisions
3. Transparency and partnership
Johannes shares revenue figures publicly: “Let’s all grow together. The pie is big enough.” He also emphasises his wife Belinda’s role: “I am sitting here because I have a partner in her who makes this possible.” He criticises the lack of media attention given to entrepreneurs’ partners.
Keywords: transparency, revenue, partnership, Belinda, appreciation
Key Takeaways
- SNOCKS: a student’s journey to a multimillion-euro business.
- “I have already had such an incredibly great life.”
- The downsides include break-ins, difficult employee conversations and pressure.
- “If you try to restrict me, it doesn’t matter how many millions you pay me. You are the wrong partner for me.”
- On transparency: “Let’s all grow together. The pie is big enough.”
- “I am sitting here because I have a partner in her who makes this possible.”
- “I don’t think we’ll still be doing LinkedIn in this form in five years.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Johannes Kliesch start SNOCKS?
Johannes Kliesch founded SNOCKS with his cousin. What began as a mail-order sock business became a multimillion-euro company. He emphasises that success comes from work, timing and the right environment rather than chance.
Why does Johannes Kliesch share revenue figures publicly?
Johannes says: “Let’s all grow together. The pie is big enough. We can all help each other.” He believes that openness and sharing knowledge help everyone progress. In the interview, he estimates that five to ten agencies have emerged around SNOCKS, all generating revenues in the millions.
What role does Belinda play in Johannes Kliesch’s success?
Johannes says: “I am sitting here because I have a partner in her who makes this possible. Belinda plays a huge part in what I do.” He criticises how rarely the media report on entrepreneurs’ partners, despite their crucial contribution.
Highlight Quotes
“Let’s all grow together. The pie is big enough. We can all help each other.”
— Johannes Kliesch
“I am sitting here because I have a partner in her who makes this possible.”
— Johannes Kliesch on his wife Belinda
“If you try to restrict me, it doesn’t matter how many millions you pay me. You are the wrong partner for me.”
— Johannes Kliesch
“I don’t think we’ll still be doing LinkedIn in this form in five years.”
— Johannes Kliesch
The Published Conversation
Welcome and Introduction
Reza Mehman: Welcome to a new episode of the Reza Mehman Podcast. Today my guest is Johannes Kliesch, co-founder of SNOCKS. Johannes, welcome!
Johannes Kliesch: Thank you, I’m excited. As I just said, I think one of the last podcasts I did was the OMR podcast. I have been Philipp’s guest twice: once in person in Hamburg and the second time remotely.
Partnership and Appreciation
Reza Mehman: You really like talking about relationships. Why is that?
Johannes Kliesch: I think society puts you on a pedestal as a founder or a businessman. I am sitting here and my wife isn’t, even though I say: hey, Belinda plays a huge part in what I do. She is looking after our two dogs right now, and yesterday she took them to the vet. If she didn’t do it, I would have to. I would have less time and couldn’t drive SNOCKS and the company forward as much. That is why I always see it as a whole. I am here because I have a partner in her who makes this possible.
The Downsides of Success
Johannes Kliesch: We experienced two break-ins. One was into our car, and there was also one at my wife’s boutique. It was an intense, life-changing experience. And then it was more of a radical decision. If you try to restrict me, it doesn’t matter how many millions you pay me. You are the wrong partner for me. I have already had such an incredibly great life.
Difficult Employee Conversations
Johannes Kliesch: Then I had another intense conversation with an employee who had been given a new role in the company. At first, they were hugely disappointed and pissed off. Both CEOs, Rian and I, explained why we had made that decision. The person then left feeling very good about it. What I’m getting at is that it is always about timing too. Are you the right person for this position at this particular moment?
Transparency and Growing Together
Johannes Kliesch: Everyone says people do it now to become famous on LinkedIn. But in the past it was: Johannes, why do you share all your revenue figures? How much profit do you make? You just give away all your hacks. And I was like: yes, let’s all grow together. Let’s not stay small. It is much more valuable when someone writes to us and says: hey, I have another idea. Then we get to know a great agency. Around us, around this SNOCKS bubble, probably five to ten agencies have emerged, founded by friends of ours, all generating revenues in the millions. I don’t necessarily want to build the biggest building in the city. It is more about saying: let’s all do great shit together and not focus too much on ourselves. The pie is big enough. We can all help each other.
Reza Mehman: A brilliant attitude. I really like that. Johannes, thank you so much for your time.
Johannes Kliesch: Thank you. I appreciate it.
Keywords
Tags: SNOCKS, Johannes Kliesch, millionaire, entrepreneur, e-commerce, Reza Mehman, transparency, partnership
Names and Terms
Johannes Kliesch, SNOCKS, Belinda Kliesch, Rian, OMR podcast, Philipp Westermeyer, LinkedIn, e-commerce, millionaire, socks
Quotable Passage
Johannes Kliesch: “Let’s all grow together. The pie is big enough. We can all help each other.”
“I am sitting here because I have a partner in her who makes this possible.”
“If you try to restrict me, it doesn’t matter how many millions you pay me. You are the wrong partner for me.”
Find more conversations about entrepreneurship and personal growth on the podcast overview page.
