This week’s “Leadership Unplugged” features Dr. Andreas Laabs, CEO of LR Health & Beauty. He joined the company in 2014, and became its Chief Executive Officer in 2022. LR Health & Beauty was founded in 1985 in Germany.
Could you tell us about your education?
After graduating from high school, I studied Economic Sciences at Hamburg University and later went on with my PhD.
What was your childhood dream?
Like most young boys, I would have loved to become a professional soccer player. But, even though I didn’t manage to realize this dream, I am still passionate about sports. Being sporty plays a huge role in my life.
What were your past experiences before your current role?
I have always been fortunate enough that I have always been able to do things I enjoy. On the management board at Bertelsmann, I helped to establish the largest media sales service provider in Europe. That was a fantastic experience. As Managing Director at Thalia, I have played my part in a success story that is unique in book retailing worldwide. Having ample scope to shape and advance things is important to me.
What do you consider the main factor behind your career success?
As I see it, there are two factors: enthusiasm and focus. I think it is vital to really believe in the things you do. For all my enthusiasm, it is important for me to keep an eye on the bigger picture. I take care not to get lost in details and to stay focused. Therefore, I always think very carefully about which topics I want to tackle, and then I pursue them consistently.
What has been your most inspiring moment?
Seeing how people develop and grow is always inspiring.
At LR Health & Beauty, we support our sales partners in their professional development right from the start. The various success stories of how our sales partners have taken their first steps in their self-employment, build up their own teams and repeatedly reach crucial career stages inspire me. There is often a very special story behind an LR career, and of course we have got many, many of them.
It’s difficult to single out just one story or one moment. I am fascinated by the positive energy that our sales partners draw from our marketing events. It creates a very special momentum that inspires me enormously.
Your hobbies?
I love sports and nature. That’s why I like to combine the two in my leisure time. If the weather is right, you usually find me outside – running, playing tennis or football, skiing or hiking. Sport is an integral part of my life and the perfect balance to my job. I also like to do things in my free time that can easily be neglected in my day-to-day work: family and friends are at the top of my list.
How would you describe being a direct selling executive to an outsider?
Direct selling is all about creating the right conditions for people to develop successfully. To achieve this, we work very closely with our partnership. Furthermore, we have been actively involving them in the product development process for several years now. This allows us to create products that are perfectly tailored to the needs of our partnerships. Good communication with one another is therefore the key to success.
In Germany, we have a saying that translates as “Only those who speak can be helped.” This allows us to offer a high-quality range of dietary supplements and cosmetics, which are, for the most part manufactured at our headquarters in Germany. At the same time, we offer many an attractive business model, thus the opportunity to build a self-determined life, generate additional income or gain a foothold in self-employment with LR Health & Beauty.
What is your biggest achievement in your current position?
At a time when many companies had to struggle, LR is 
growing. I am incredibly proud of that.
We have achieved this by launching product solutions on the market that precisely meet the needs of our sales partners: our companion for smart nutrition, the LR BODY MISSION, our metabolism treatment, LR HEALTH MISSION and our ZEITGARD Pro, which brings the beauty parlor to home, were the most successful launches in our history.
And your biggest challenge in a direct selling company executive role?
The direct selling industry is changing. We now generate over 90 % of our sales digitally and via subscriptions, enabling us to reach a younger generation in particular – the sales partners of tomorrow. This target group is highly digitally savvy and therefore has high expectations of a company’s digital expertise. We fulfill this requirement by providing new digital impetus wherever it makes sense, with the aim of continuously improving the partner journey.
What would be your best advice to those who are thinking of joining a direct sales company in a corporate position?
If you enjoy developing people and want to get involved in a dynamic working environment, direct selling is right place for you. Now it’s been ten years since I entered the direct sales industry, and I don’t regret it. I still love direct selling!
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Thank you for featuring Dr. Andreas Laabs in this article. He is such a great example of leadership in a direct selling company. I can see why LR has excelled during a trying time in history for many companies.