As CEO and co-founder of influencer marketing agency Lookfamed, Anton Ha says he is living out his dream. The thriving startup is based in his home town of Göttingen in Lower Saxony, central Germany. Anton spent a year studying on the Gold Coast as part of a management dual degree program between his local university and Bond University. It was an opportunity that he says changed his life personally and professionally.

Q. Can you give us a quick insight into Lookfamed? 

I founded Lookfamed in 2016, a year after my studies at Bond University. Influencer marketing was not a really big thing in Germany back then. A friend of mine was an influencer herself, so I started to manage her and it went so well that other influencers noticed and asked us to work with them. We pitched the idea to two other friends, they liked it, and we started to work in a small team of four. In the last five years, we have grown to more than 50 employees and 25 influencers, mainly focused on Instagram. 

Q. What do you love most about your job?

First and foremost, my team. We call ourselves the Lookfamed family. This team is reliable, performance-oriented and highly motivated. Our vision is to make people happy. Also, I can pretty much live my dreams, regarding building different companies and making ideas come true. 

Q. Why Göttingen, Germany?

I love Göttingen, it is my home town. I grew up here. I have always wanted to build a company here and make the city known for social media. In addition, Göttingen is an important university city with a lot of students. This is ideal for our startup to recruit new talents that are essential for our business. 

Q. How did you come to study on the Gold Coast?

There was a dual master’s degree program between the university here in Göttingen (PFH Private Hochschule) and Bond University. It sounded pretty amazing to be able to study on the Gold Coast. I knew I had to go there and have the experience. I stayed in different places during my studies and I really liked it. I took several classes with the focus on management and marketing, finishing with a master’s of Marketing. Since it was a double master’s degree, I only stayed one year in Queensland. 

Q. Did that year on the Gold Coast change you?

Definitely. During my studies on the Gold Coast, I experienced a different lifestyle. Since then, I always wanted to have this positive lifestyle in my life. And it definitely has had positive impacts on my career and my way of life – such as, don’t take everything too seriously; and remember to enjoy life.

Q. What do you treasure most about that time?

The experience for me was great. I met so many different people, especially at Bond University, and also outside university. Obviously the weather was great and the proximity to the beach was a nice bonus. There are so many activities I could try on the Gold Coast, such as scuba diving, beach volleyball, kiting and surfing. It was a really active lifestyle with caring people everywhere. I have seen so many beautiful sunsets on the Gold Coast and I always remember that feeling. In addition, I have made friends and contacts at Bond University that I am still in touch with. 

Q. What would you say to someone who is considering studying on the Gold Coast?

Do it. In my opinion, you should be brave and challenge yourself. Everything will work out afterwards. When you are doing it, be open-minded and try as many activities as you can. You will get to know so many great people and have so much fun.