Fans of Rot-Weiss Essen, VfL Bochum, Wuppertaler SV and Rot-Weiß Oberhausen will remember him: Achim Weber. We asked ourselves: What is Weber actually doing today?
Achim Weber (54), who played 124 games (65 goals) for Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, 64 games (30) for Wuppertaler SV, 47 matches (22) for Rot-Weiss Essen and 45 appearances (25) for VfL Bochum, is now self-employed with his marketing agency “16 METER” and extremely successful.
We asked Weber: “What does Achim Weber actually do? Achim Weber?”
Achim Weber, are you still the managing director of the agency “16 Meter”?
Yes, already since 2018. I am one of two managing directors. The other managing director, or rather managing director, is my wife Jutta. She is the boss of the creative department, I am the interface to the customer – for strategy and consulting.
How did you actually come to found your own marketing agency?
I was very fortunate that I was able to take the time off after my career ended to intern at different agencies and look into the field of marketing/communications. That had nothing to do with soccer, but it always interested me a lot. During my time as Sports Director in Wuppertal, I also worked at ICG GmbH. This company was owned by my friend and then fellow board member, Jörg Wolff. There, I rebuilt the marketing and communications division, which had not existed before. At some point, however, I wanted to start my own baby. And that’s how the agency “16 Meter”, a term that means something to every soccer fan, was founded in Krefeld at that time. After only three months we moved our company to Düsseldorf and are still here today.
I can describe myself as a marketing expert who taught myself everything. I was helped by numerous job shadowing, reading, conversations, and real-life experiences. With this knowledge I was able to start my own business and we can proudly say that we are now one of the leading agencies in Düsseldorf.
Achim Weber
What exactly does your agency do?
We are active in very many areas. For example, we support a great many companies on their social media channels or create modern websites, which we can support with up to 50 percent as an authorized consulting agency of the Federal Ministry of Economics. We also accompany players’ agencies or sports doctors who need a new website, a new logo, or “just” a flyer for an event. Many of our customers are medium-sized businesses. Here we are also very active in the area of trade fair communication. Trade fair stand concepts, analog and digital trade fair communication and everything that goes with it. With a network partner, we also realize the set-up and handover of the stand on site, as was recently the case in Milan at a major textile trade fair where five of our customers were represented.
Does your professional past actually help you in the profession? And: You’re not a trained marketing expert, are you?
Of course soccer helps. It still opens doors, and I’m happy to reveal something: When you meet with customers, and most of them are soccer fans, they like to spend the first half hour just talking shop about soccer. Of course, that’s always beneficial and nice for everyone involved. That’s why I’m always up to date on the first four leagues. But, of course, I also have to be an expert in what we do every day. I can describe myself as a marketing expert who has taught himself everything. I have been helped in this by numerous job shadowing sessions, readings, conversations, and real-life experiences. With this knowledge, I was able to found my own company and we can proudly say that we are now one of the leading agencies in Düsseldorf.
Doesn’t it actually sometimes tempt you to take on a functionary role in soccer again?
Sure, when you’ve been a professional for so long and also worked as a sports director, you always think about it. But: There have definitely been inquiries from a wide variety of sports. But then I also have to sound out the risks for myself. I know that such functionary tasks are not permanent. That’s why I prefer to stick to what I do. I like to do. That fulfills me a lot, I can work with my wife and with good WLAN also from all over the world. Most recently we were on the Cape Verde Islands and worked from there (laughs). Of course, that’s also a quality of life.
To perform like that in the sporting arena in a phase where the financial situation was publicly simmering was very impressive and more than calmed the overall situation. The confidence in the coach paid off. If things had not been going well in terms of both finances and sports, we all know what would have happened at Hafenstrasse.
Achim Weber
What do you actually say about the current form of your ex-clubs: for example, VfL Bochum?
Bochum, Freiburg and Union Berlin are doing great things measured against their potential. VfL will also keep the league this season. They are in a good position and there are other teams that will have bigger problems. There are, for example, the promoted teams Darmstadt and Heidenheim or 1. FC Köln with what I consider the most overrated coach in the league, who will have to prove himself this season. VfL doesn’t have to hide either. Every class victory makes for an even broader chest. And with Gonzalo Pacienca, Bochum has brought in a really good man. That could be a king’s transfer.
And Rot-Weiss Essen?
I watched a few games on TV and liked what I saw. We just have to make sure that we don’t go crazy at Hafenstrasse. But a secure place in the class weeks before the end of the season is certainly possible. And I would also like to say something else: In the phase where the financial situation was publicly simmering, to perform so well in sporting terms was very impressive and has more than calmed the overall situation. That’s where the trust in the coach paid off. If things hadn’t gone well in terms of both finances and sports, we all know what would have happened at Hafenstrasse.
And then there are the regional league teams Wuppertal and Oberhausen…
At the end of the day, everyone is on Friedhelm Runge’s plate – without exception: the coach, the entire staff, the team, the employees, the sports director. The WSV is going all-in this season. If you’re not in the top three on Halloween, then we’ll see completely new faces in Wuppertal at Easter. The person Friedhelm Runge would certainly be granted a promotion, regardless of how you might think about him. And Oberhausen? They’re doing very well – including coach Jörn Nowak. He has got a good squad. Marius Kleinsorge, Oguzhan Kefkir, Sven Kreyer and of course Moritz Stoppelkamp are quite an announcement. I have great confidence in RWO. If they get rolling, get the crowd behind them, then it will be hard for the supposedly bigger promotion contenders from Wuppertal and Aachener to stop Oberhausen on the way up.