Brand story time with a Swiss based female founder

Entrepreneur stories, episode 5: Maria Fahringer, founder of Förrlitales

This episode of female entrepreneur story time is about a brand story teller in Zürich whom I come to know about through one of my dear clients. Her name is Maria Fahringer!

Let’s learn about her in her own words.

Maria, tell us about yourself and your entrepreneurial journey in Switzerland?

My network and I support SMEs and small businesses tell their brand stories. After my diploma in Vienna (I’m originally from Austria), I came to Zurich in 2005 to do postgraduate studies in scenography and visual communication at the ZHdK. 

How do you help your clients?

After many years of experience in advertising agencies, film and video production companies, scenographers and well known branding agencies, In 2018 I decided to found my own branding, product and interior design studio.

Since then, I have been creating, developing, accompanying and realizing big and small brands in order to strengthen their identity, develop them further, realize their idea and the most important thing: To tell their stories in such a damn good way, that they will stay in people’s minds.

Especially in the last two years I have noticed how many incredibly good stories exist.
For almost everyone the last two years have been a great challenge. Also for me. I’ve had many losses, struggled a lot and experienced many fates.

But I also had exciting conversations, met interesting people and learned a lot about myself, about the society, about my surrounding. And above all, I have noticed how many incredibly good stories are not told so far. That made me think.

That’s why I decided a few months ago to give start-ups a platform to become (more)visible.

On April 1st, 2022, I opened the Förrlitales Brand Store in my Branding Studio premises. It’s a charming and unique place where you can discover little brands, smart products, great ideas and exciting stories. And of course to buy them.

In the coming months, we will also organize special events where small brands can present themselves. And to be able to tell their story in person. All events will be publicized via our Instagram account: @foerrlitales_aboutbrands

The Brand Store and its idea are already working well. But in order to be able to further support start-ups and also to further develop the Brand Store, I started a fundraising project a few weeks ago.

For more information about the fundraising-idea, the concept and what people get in return, click here
For every little support we are more than thankful.

What inspired you to launch your own business?

Ever since I can remember, I have always been fascinated by good stories. Actually, it’s my grandmother’s “fault”. She had the great gift of making up stories and telling them in such an exciting way that I have not forgotten them to this day. And so I started writing stories by myself when I was a little girl. And that doesn’t seem to have changed until today…

By the way, that’s why my company is called «Förrlitales». At the Förrlibuckstrasse in Zurich I started my own courageous story with the aim of telling not fairytales, but Förrlitales…

Learn more about starting a business in Switzerland in these blogs:

10 lessons I learned after 4 years of self-employment in Switzerland

“How To Become Self-employed In Switzerland : Business Resources For Women Entrepreneurs

What advice would you have for women who want to launch and grow their own businesses?

Just do it and if you fail, you will learn.

That’s my daily motivation: Doing things better than before. Fortunately I am a doer.

You will only find out if something works if you do it. Of course, mistakes happen more often this way but I think it’s better to try things and fail than to regret not doing them later.

How can we find you?

You can find my team and me from Tuesday to Saturday in my charming studio premises at Josefstrasse 22, 8005 Zurich, Switzerland. I’m always happy to meet new people and to have great talks. And last but not least, to listen to good stories.

On internet you can find us at : https://foerrlitales.ch

Instagram : instagram.com/foerrlitales_aboutbrands

Linkedin : Maria Fahringer