FABER CASTELL: MISSION POSSIBLE, FROM THE THRONE TO THE TRENCHES

Juan Carlos Erdozain Rivera, MBA
7 days ago
3 min read

Is your company a "Castle" or a Business?

Did you know that the majestic Stein Castle in Nuremberg is not only a historical monument, but the heart of one of the oldest companies in the world?

Years ago, I had the honor of speaking with Count Anton von Faber-Castell . He told me how his family achieved something almost impossible: transitioning from aristocratic lineage to the "aristocracy of manufacturing." It wasn't their surname that saved their legacy, but a clear business mission adapted to the economic realities.

In 2002, my journey led me to cross the gates of Stein Castle in Nuremberg, a place where time seems to stand still, but strategy never rests.

🔵 There, I had the privilege of meeting and chatting with Count Anton von Faber-Castell , a man who not only held a title of nobility, but also the responsibility of leading a dynasty of more than two centuries.

🟡 Our talk in that castle wasn't about heraldry, but about survival .

🔴 The Count told me how his family achieved what few European lineages have managed: transforming a mission of aristocratic lineage into a mission of manufacturing excellence.

THE METAMORPHOSIS OF A CASTLE INTO A FACTORY

🔵 Stein Castle wasn't always the heart of the production.

It was at the end of the 19th century that Lothar von Faber 's vision and the bold marriage of his granddaughter Ottilie to Count Alexander zu Castell-Rüdenhausen changed the fate of the house.

🟡 Alexander , a military man accustomed to command, understood that the Castle had to stop being just a luxury residence and become the headquarters of an industrial mission.

Lineage wasn't going to pay the bills; the precision of writing instruments was.

How did they do it?

🔺Replacing the complacency of the title with the discipline of the workshop.

🔺They understood that the market is a judge that does not accept crowns: if your product does not have an economic explanation of value , your castle will turn into ruins.

FROM CUSTOMER TO ADVISOR: THE CRAYOLA CONNECTION

🔴 My relationship with Faber-Castell's operations in Brazil began long before my consulting work.

🔵 As Vice President of Crayola Latin America , I visited the Brazilian and Costa Rican plants three times with a critical objective: to monitor the production of colored pencils.

🟡 In case you didn't know, the pencils that Crayola sold in Latin America were manufactured (assembled) by Faber-Castell Brazil.

🔴Years later, already in my role as CEO of my firm "JCER Business Wisdom" , destiny and the trust of Count Anton brought us together again.

At the Count's own request, the General Director of Faber-Castell Brazil invited me to design the business plan to improve the firm's brand positioning in Mexico.

But before moving a single piece in the Mexican market, we had to perform major surgery: reviewing the Faber-Castell Brazil Mission and then the Mexico Mission.

THE "INGENIUS EFFECT" AND THE ROYAL MISSION

Why start with the Mission? Because a business plan without an articulated mission is a ship without a rudder.

By applying the tools of my inGenius methodology and the battery of questions from my e-Book "Mission Possible" , we achieved a diagnosis of "brutal honesty":

Critical Difference: As a Strategic Consultant , I resolved the "what" (processes and positioning). As a Senior Management Advisor , I sat down with leadership to define the "why" and ensure that the mission was not a romantic aspiration, but a driver of profitability.

inGenius Diagnostics

We questioned whether we were selling wood and graphite or tools for human expression, analyzing the competition and the cost structure that justified our continued presence in the market.

A CHALLENGE TO YOUR OWN BUSINESS WISDOM

If an aristocratic family could descend from the throne to conquer the global market, and if giants like Crayola trusted in their manufacturing, What's stopping you from redefining your purpose?

I have incorporated this auditing system, tested in the major leagues, into my new e-Book: "Mission Possible: The Secret Service of the Organization" .

This work is endorsed by my publishing house: "The Lighthouse of Business Wisdom" .