THE TOP IS FILLED. NOW THE TEAM GROWS.
Why the second tier sets the pace after takeovers and restarts.
A company with two e-bike brands in different phases is currently taking shape. One is starting again after a fresh start. The other is being built from scratch.
The managing director is in place. The team now grows step by step. Sales, marketing and product are built up gradually.
This is the normal route. First the top, then the build-up. The only question is how well that build-up is planned. It takes time. And that time runs against the season.
THE SECOND TIER SETS THE PACE
A new CEO sets strategy, funding and direction. For that to become revenue, you need people in the market. Dealers need a contact. Suppliers need a buyer who knows the terms. A brand needs someone who leads it outwards.
The next pre-order is coming. By then, the first dealer relationships should be in place. Whoever plans the second tier early gains months.
AND IT IS GETTING MORE COMMON
Three developments reinforce this pattern.
Takeovers. Accell Group has been insolvent since August. Since the end of October, part of the group has a buyer. For other parts, the future is still open. A buyer takes over brands, stock and know-how. Often only part of the workforce.
New competitors. At Eurobike 2026, Chinese drive manufacturers showed integrated systems with continuously variable shifting. One of them has built its own e-bike brand and shown it can deliver the complete bike. Anyone entering Europe with their own brand needs people who know the dealers and the rules. There are not many of them.
Hesitant manufacturers. In 2025, revenue in the German cycling industry fell by about seven percent to 25.2 billion euros, and employment by around three percent. Almost 69 percent of industry representatives name price pressure and margin erosion as their biggest challenge. Development is postponed. Roles stay open. At the same time, Asian competitors attack on price and technology. Without a clear positioning, the margin goes first. And without the people to carry that positioning, there is nothing to defend.
Not every vacancy has to be filled now. The key positions of the second tier do.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HIRING
The second tier cannot be assembled from CVs. A head of sales must know the dealers. A head of marketing must be able to lead a brand in exactly this phase. A new build and a restructuring need different people.
We test this in the Substanz Interview. From direct operational experience. With one question: which phase is your company in?
Building a team takes time. The planning can be in place from day one.
Where does your team build-up stand right now? Is the second tier in place, or still being built?
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