Erik Reintjes, co-founder and co-CEO of MissPompadour, reflects on his journey from retail floors to leading an e-commerce paint company. His path began in traditional brick-and-mortar stores, but a shift to online retail reshaped his perspective. “I realized I wanted to shape the future, not just follow it,” he says. The company, which sells DIY paint products across Europe, now employs 170 people and operates with a focus on sustainability and customer relationships. The E-commerce Berlin Expo, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2026, provided a platform for Reintjes to share insights as part of a special album highlighting influential voices in online retail. His reflections are drawn from an interview that explored the evolving setting of e-commerce, offering lessons for the industry’s future.
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Reintjes credits a personal setback—failing his final school exam—for a mindset shift. “It taught me to take ownership of my path,” he explains. This lesson carries into his leadership: the company prioritizes environmental responsibility, minimizes CO₂ footprints, and avoids over-reliance on discounts. “We don’t wait for things to work out—we plan,” he says. The organization also integrates people with disabilities into its workforce, even when it doesn’t immediately boost profits. His early career began on the shop floor, where he gained foundational skills before transitioning to online retail at Sport Schuster in Munich. There, he encountered the complexities and opportunities of e-commerce, a shift that felt accidental but ultimately purposeful, as it allowed him to influence the industry’s direction rather than merely adapt to it.
Looking back at e-commerce’s evolution, Reintjes notes a shift from rapid growth to long-term sustainability. “Success today is about building a profitable, enduring business,” he says. Early e-commerce models prioritized market share over margins, but now, companies must balance efficiency, customer value, and profitability. For the company, this means avoiding price wars and focusing on quality.
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Reintjes highlights the power of human connection in an automated world. The company deliberately invests in personal customer consultations, a strategy that reduces returns and builds loyalty. “Our customers appreciate being heard,” he says. While AI dominates trends, the firm sees face-to-face interaction as a competitive edge. “Genuine closeness is a lever no algorithm can replicate,” he adds. This approach contrasts with the industry’s tendency to depersonalize interactions through automation. By prioritizing direct communication, MissPompadour supports deeper relationships that are difficult to replicate through technology alone. Such efforts are guided by two core questions: whether a decision enhances customer satisfaction and whether it contributes to selling more products.
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Looking ahead, Reintjes believes the next decade will be defined by artificial intelligence’s growing influence. AI will automate processes, shape product development, and drive data-driven decisions, often at the expense of human input. While this could streamline operations, it risks reducing commerce’s creativity and authenticity. He emphasizes that brands maintaining genuine relationships with customers—those that reflect personality and values—will thrive despite these challenges. These principles, combined with inclusive hiring practices, exemplify a broader ethical stance that extends beyond profit motives.