254: From Banking to Barista: A Relationship-Driven Career with Roman Eggenberger

Work From The Inside Out

​Roman Eggenberger​, is a man living many lives, who is good with numbers and likes to talk. At 15, he entered the banking industry as an apprentice in his home country of Lichtenstein, where he was introduced to the world of work while completing his secondary education. Like many young people who completed apprenticeships and opted not to go to university immediately, Roman went abroad to improve his language skills. Unlike most of his friends who went to English-speaking countries, he went to France to study French for four months and returned to Lichtenstein to work in banking in Lausanne, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. (For those of us in the US, this would be comparable to living in New Jersey and working in New York… well, sort of, kind of!)

Over the next several years, Roman worked in banking elevating his roles into the global markets and relocating to Hong Kong and Singapore. His travels also took him to New Haven, CT, Vancouver, Canada, and Nicaragua for different purposes, but you will need to listen to our interview to learn more about that part of his adventures.

Roman has carved distinct paths wherever he has gone in his career, and the arenas he has worked in are pretty varied. Yet he has navigated his journey with an internal compass that many of us might not be able to comprehend. Along the way, he earned a university degree, took Seth Godin’s alt-MBA program, and attended a five-day fool’s workshop that was a personally and professionally transformative experience.

After working in several large global banking institutions, Roman explored various other avenues, including the hemp business, bread baking, coffee farming, coffee and pastry service, oat milk business, agriculture, and many more entrepreneurial ventures. His takeaway message points to the importance of relationships, curiosity, and adaptability. Roman's story is a testament to the value of continuous learning and the impact of personal relationships on professional fulfillment.

In this week’s ​Work From The Inside Out podcast,​ learn more about Roman’s journey:

• Roman involved his whole family, including his children, in his decision to transition from a more traditional career path to his entrepreneurial pursuits.
• He has co-produced a traveling exhibition on discrimination throughout Lichtenstein. More than a thousand schoolchildren have attended the program.

Learn more and connect with Roman here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/romaneggenberger/