Heidelberg Castle: An Eleventh Century Model

For a brief period in the winter of 1962 – 1963, my family lived in the small village of Ziegelhausen, Germany, in the hills across the Neckar River from the Heidelberg Castle.  We had a grand view of the amazing castle as we went about our ordinary daily activities, to and from church, school and grocery shopping.  Although I was very young, the castle left a permanent impression in my memory.

Some 50+ years later, I’ve just returned from a dream vacation in which I once again was able to tour the Heidelberg Castle.  The earliest portions of the castle were first built in 1214, from which it has been expanded and rebuilt numerous times over the centuries, but through the centuries always remaining strong, well-positioned and serving its owners’ purposes.  The castle is strategically positioned, sitting high on the hills above Heidelberg, with dramatic vistas over the town, across the river, and up and down the valley, making a powerful statement that it represents a force that must be reckoned with.  Through the centuries it remained a highly sought-after prize for would-be regional powers.  Still today, one cannot help but to be impressed, looking up at the castle from the old town’s market square, and walking through the castle’s hallways, stairways and ballrooms, by its sheer strength and durability after more than eight centuries.  Indeed, how very well it was designed, built and maintained!

Reflecting now from the comforts of home in Kansas City, still recovering from a long journey and jet-lag, it occurs to me how well the Heidelberg Castle illustrates important principles for building a business.  From the outset, it needs to be designed and constructed with its purposes well in mind, on a foundation and with a structure that can sustain it for the long-term.  Then, throughout its life, it needs to be nurtured with effective management and visionary strategies, making it a force in its territory, and a prize for its owners.

At Krause Law we can’t tell you if your business idea is brilliant, or how best to execute research and development or marketing strategies—that’s not what we do.  But we can help you build the right foundation, through forming, structuring and organizing your business entity, helping you to capture and protect your intellectual property, advising you through complex financing transactions, and representing you in negotiations and deal-structuring.  We don’t offer “standard forms” or “start-up packages” that are one-size-fits-all solutions.  Instead, we work with you to help design the best possible solutions that best fit your distinctive needs, then we implement those solutions in an efficient manner according to your decisions, and after that we stay around for the long-term to help you expand, rebuild and respond to the demands of your business.

Let’s build a castle together!