Post by Nicolas Longin

✈️  𝐀 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐬 Early Friday morning on a red-eye flight, my mind and body are somewhere between half asleep and half awake. Next to me, a slightly snoring fellow traveller — strangely comforting, reminding me that I’m not the only one in this in-between state. The steady rhythm of his snoring pulls my thoughts into reflection, reviewing the past years. With 2025 almost at an end, I realize I have now spent 20 years working in and for Austrian companies. These years were not without challenges — the financial crisis in 2008, Corona in 2020, and a prolonged recession since 2022. Still, it has been a good journey, and I am grateful for it. Chances are I will work for another 20 years. That puts me right in the middle of my career. Working at Welser Profile taught me to think in generations rather than quarters. And so, somewhere above the clouds, reading the newspaper, one question emerges: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬? 🇦🇹 🌟 What Austria does exceptionally well 1️⃣ A wonderful country Attractive cities, breathtaking regions, and a high quality of life. Austria is a place people want to live in, visit, and stay in — something no balance sheet can fully capture. 2️⃣ People with substance Over the years, I have met countless skilled, reliable, and innovative people. Many genuinely want to contribute to an outstanding future. 3️⃣ Hidden champions World-class products and global market leaders, often under the radar — yet technically excellent and internationally respected. ⚠️ Where Austria is holding itself back 1️⃣ Tax burden High taxes for individuals and companies are understandable — as long as the services delivered match the contributions. When, for example, waiting times for doctor’s appointments become excessive, even in critical situations, concerns arise. 2️⃣ Structure and organization of the country Too fragmented, too slow, and too complex for today’s pace of change. The political structure often makes real transformation feel almost impossible — and that is coming from a Belgian, used to three official languages, multiple regions, governments, and parliaments 😉 3️⃣ A missing sense of urgency Things still work — and that is exactly the risk. Comfort can delay necessary decisions. 🚀 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 There is no single silver bullet. But the direction is clear: innovate, be bold, and work hard. Challenge habits, simplify structures, think beyond election cycles — and think in generations. 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧. 💧 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩. 👉 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐨𝐨?