Learning Journey to Texas

From March 10 to 15, 2026, we will be traveling to Texas with a group: 2 days of preliminary activities in Houston (including a visit to NASA) and 3.5 days at South by Southwest in Austin.

In Houston, we will meet with exciting personalities, visit universities, companies, and the Space Center. Then we will travel together to Austin for the world's largest digital festival, South by Southwest.

We will report live here on our findings and share our impressions from Texas.

The final day in Austin brought the week's technological developments back down to a human level. Here are the three final takeaways from our journey:

1. Understanding AI Anxiety: Value Meets Uncertainty

Why is AI currently causing so much unease? Research shows that anxiety arises whenever something is personally important to us (e.g., our professional identity) and there is uncertainty about the future at the same time.

Strategic approach: Instead of ignoring fear, brands and leaders must seek dialogue. What fascinates us, what unsettles us? Only through this active engagement can acceptance for transformation emerge.

2. The Renaissance of the Live Experience

Despite digital dominance, the physical experience remains irreplaceable. The reason: serendipity—the valuable coincidence of an unplanned encounter.

The lesson for event brands: Chance must not be an excuse for poor planning. The art lies in designing spaces in such a way that these "special moments" can arise. Genuine meaning is created through the deliberate staging of the unpredictable.

3. AI Is Not a Bubble, but a Foundation

In a conversation with expert Rana el Kaliouby, it became clear: While individual company valuations may fluctuate, the overall potential of AI is generally underestimated.

Human-centered technology: Technological development is rapid, but the human touch remains the balancing factor. Skills like empathy are not being replaced; rather, AI makes them even more valuable as key human distinguishing features.

We leave Texas with notebooks full of notes. From NASA to Buc-ee's to SXSW, one thing is clear: the future belongs to those who boldly embrace technology without losing sight of human relevance and cultural identity.

Another intense day at SXSW in Austin has shown that the rules of the game for marketing and leadership are currently being rewritten. Here are the three most important takeaways:

1. The Evolution of AI: The Rise of the Strategic Partner

We are currently witnessing a massive shift in roles: "From doer to decision-maker."

Insight: AI is no longer just a tool for routine tasks but is evolving into a strategic sparring partner.

Consequence: In the future, success will be defined less by the "craft" of execution and more by the ability to critically analyze and contextualize results and make bold strategic decisions.

2. Burnout as a Structural Challenge

A bold thesis of the day: "Burnout is the new normal."

Strategic Perspective: When exhaustion becomes systemic, individual time management is no longer enough. Organizations must embed resilience as an integral part of their brand and culture to remain high-performing and attractive as an employer brand in the long term.

3. Marketing: Courage in the Face of the Attention Crisis

In a world full of ad blockers and skip buttons, attention is the hardest currency.

The takeaway: Old marketing mechanisms no longer work. Brands must become more radical: take a clear stand, consciously break established patterns, and generate relevance through genuine added value rather than mere frequency.

The first official day at South by Southwest (SXSW) was marked by unexpected insights and the question: What makes us, as humans, irreplaceable in a tech-driven work environment?

1. Managing the Unspoken: Grief in the Workplace

A "serendipity moment" led us to a session on death and grief in the workplace.

Insight: While companies have long had programs for burnout or stress, dealing with loss often remains a taboo.

Learning: Strong organizational cultures are defined by how they handle exceptional human situations. Strategies for empathy are needed to keep teams stable in times of crisis.

2. AI vs. Humans: Attitude beats analysis

Artificial intelligence is unbeatable at consolidating data and identifying correlations. Yet it tends toward "affirmation."

The key distinction: Humans remain indispensable when it comes to classification, attitude, and genuine strategic decisions. AI provides the foundation, but a brand's identity is shaped by human judgment.

3. Authenticity Is Not a Buzzword

In closing, Rohit Bhargava cautioned against misusing terms like authenticity and vulnerability as marketing clichés.

Strategic Core: These values only unleash their power when they are truly lived out within an organization. Genuine connection is not created by perfect facades, but by the courage to be honest.

Today we drove from Houston to Austin — with a stop at Buc-ee's, a rest stop with several world records and unique features.

1. Buc-ee's: Branding Through Problem-Solving

The stop at Buc-ee's was a real highlight. With up to 100 gas pumps and massive supermarkets, the brand occupies a niche through radical specialization:

• Focus on "road trip pain points": Extremely clean restrooms ("World's Cleanest Restrooms") and freshly prepared, healthy food upon request as differentiating features.
• Embracing the gaps: No trucks, no seating. The brand sets clear boundaries to consistently deliver on its promise to families and travelers ("Stop & Go").

2. Austin & SXSW: Agility as a City Concept

Upon arriving in Austin, South by Southwest (SXSW) reveals a new side. Since the convention center is under construction, the city has to improvise—and does so with impressive flexibility:

• Adaptive strategy: The festival is moving more into public spaces; roadblocks create new gathering areas.
• Ecosystem thinking: Here, an entire city is pulling together to bring its most important brand to life despite a major construction site.

The second day of our learning journey took us from the stars straight to the streets. The common thread: how a strong internal culture enables peak performance.

1. NASA: The power of language

During our visit to NASA, it became clear that a mission such as manned spaceflight can only work if there is a shared identity.

Insight: Language shapes thinking. How an organization talks about its goals and has a specific name for many points of contact determines the meaning that employees attach to their work.

Conclusion: Technology is the tool, but a shared vision is the fuel for passion and teamwork.

2. SelecTransportation: Appreciation as standard

The contrast to the afternoon at SelecTransportation (Freightliner & Western Star Trucks) could hardly have been greater visually, but the parallels in brand management were striking:

Here, quality is not evident in complex algorithms, but in a deep appreciation for employees, clean workshops, and a genuine customer focus.

Culture is brought to life through spaces for quality and human decisions.

3. The learning: People at the center

Whether it's high-tech aerospace or truck trading, outstanding results come from places where values and people are at the center. If you're pursuing a big mission, you first have to invest in the culture that supports that mission.

The start of our learning journey in Houston was marked by contrasts: we had the opportunity to discuss with business lawyers and promoters, the Consul General of Germany, and experts in international relations. We visited the Ion District – "Houston's innovation community" – developed by Rice University. In the evening, we went to an NBA game featuring the Houston Rockets. There were also culinary contrasts: an exquisite lunch (Afromex cuisine, including a presentation on excellence) and fast food at the basketball game.

We took away three key insights:

1. Identity creates stability

Texas has a radically clear positioning: business friendliness through minimal regulation. In uncertain times, this reliability becomes a decisive locational advantage. Stability here stems from a consistent identity.

2. The challenger mindset

"We take nothing for granted." In Houston, success is not seen as the status quo, but as a daily task. This combination of "moonshot thinking" (inspired by JFK's speech at Rice University) and strategic diversification in the Ion District shows how a traditional energy location is reinventing itself.

3. Entertainment instead of fan culture

The visit to the Houston Rockets (NBA) highlighted the difference to the European sports world: less traditional atmosphere, but maximum experience marketing. From a brand perspective, it was a lesson in radical customer focus and monetizing every touchpoint.

Conclusion

A day between radical vision and pragmatic implementation. Houston proves that if you want to shape the future, you can never take yesterday's success for granted.