In a world where women continue to break barriers and redefine success, the journey of Stephanie Bauch, Chief Business Development Officer / Managing Director of Amoena Medizin Orthopädie Technik GmbH, stands as a beacon of inspiration.
As a leader in the breast care industry and a champion for women’s empowerment, Stephanie’s insights and experiences offer invaluable guidance to aspiring businesswomen and the next generation. Her story is one of resilience, determination, and a steadfast commitment to staying true to oneself.
A Tale of Leadership and Growth
Before joining Amoena, Stephanie spent 13 years in the textile industry for a global premium brand, where she honed her skills in various management roles. She led transformations and change processes, playing a pivotal role in the company’s international expansion. Reflecting on those years, Stephanie sees them as invaluable and full of challenges that allowed her to grow and develop as a leader.
In Stephanie’s words, “Success is achieving something that we have been striving for – after several efforts or overcoming hurdles. It is the wonderful feeling of confirmation, satisfaction, and joy.” This definition underscores her belief that true success comes from persistence and overcoming obstacles together as a team, a philosophy that has guided her throughout her career.
Empowering Women Through Innovation
Stephanie’s leadership at Amoena encompasses key areas such as Marketing, Human Resources, Education, Product, and Sales. “These departments work closely together and pull in the same direction,” Stephanie emphasizes. “Every single employee contributes to the company’s success.” With 80 percent of its workforce being female, Amoena’s solutions are crafted by women for women, emphasizing a deep understanding of their customers’ needs.
“Amoena is the world’s leading breast care brand and the developer of the first silicone breast form,” Stephanie proudly states. “Almost 50 years of experience and the strictest quality guidelines guarantee the highest product quality. Our products are designed to support women from diagnosis of breast cancer to the return to their everyday lives and beyond.” The range of products, from recovery care to breast forms, lingerie, swimwear, and lymph care, address the diverse needs of women, including the correction of asymmetries that often occur post-surgery.
“We have a strong team of dedicated people with a great sense of passion, expertise, and experience,” Stephanie adds. “Some with many years of seniority, others with fresh knowledge from other industries. We have realigned the company in the last years and expanded the product portfolio to offer a holistic approach to care. We have optimized the organizational structure and steered the company through the pandemic, setting a solid base for further growth.” Stephanie’s strategic acumen and dedication to empowering women worldwide are evident in her leadership at Amoena.
Transforming Challenges into Opportunities at Amoena
Leading a company to success is no easy feat. For Stephanie, the journey at Amoena began with difficulties. “I missed a culture that proactively tackles new challenges, where mistakes can be made, from which you learn and develop new things,” Stephanie reflects. “A culture in which people work together across departments to achieve goals. Where you dare to suggest new ideas without the fear of being judged.”
The management team, Oliver Dörner, Sonja Leppelmann and Stephanie, joined Amoena nearly five years ago, all at the same time. Together, they embarked on a transformative journey, realigning the company’s strategy and product portfolio. “Clear communication with a clear vision and strategy was important, as well as a concrete roadmap of how we would implement this together as a company,” Stephanie explains. “As a management team we ideally complement each other through our different backgrounds, experiences and skills.”
The initial challenges were daunting. “Some managers were frustrated and resigned due to the frequent management changes in previous years,” Stephanie recalls. “The departments at headquarters were decoupled from each other. Processes were not efficient, and employees were not used to taking responsibility. Cooperation between the works council, human resources, and management was broken. There was also room for improvement in the exchange with the subsidiaries.
Overcoming these obstacles required time and effort. It took several months to create a new basis. “In order to gain trust, you have to trust in the first place, ” Stephanie emphasizes. “Clear, respectful communication and reliability are the basis for proactive collaboration. We established regular management meetings and visited the subsidiaries. We talked to the teams in person and set up cross-departmental projects. We listened and involved the employees concerned. We were accessible and the doors were open.”
Today, the efforts have borne fruit. “There is always room for improvement, but we are on a good way,” Stephanie says proudly. “Today, we are the global market leader in breast care and the only provider with a truly holistic approach. We have a great team – also beyond the direct management line. I consider myself lucky to work with impressive personalities who I value, not only professionally but also personally.”
Stephanie’s journey at Amoena is a testament to her resilience and leadership, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and success.
Charting the Future: Innovative Solutions and Global Reach in Breast Care
Looking ahead, Stephanie envisions a future where Amoena continues to set new standards in breast care. “There is a long way ahead of us,” Stephanie acknowledges. “2.5 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. One in eight women develops breast cancer. It is the most common female cancer worldwide.”
Despite these staggering statistics, Stephanie notes that only around ten percent of affected women are properly served. “Very few of the women affected know that after a mastectomy or breast-conserving operation, there are products that feel so natural and that can give them their silhouette back,” she explains. “These products help to restore symmetry and reduce side indications without any further operations. Just a few women know that our Lymph products can help to reduce the effects of lymphedema, which occures in 30-40% after operations, or can minimize its impact.”
To address these gaps in awareness and access, Stephanie’s vision for Amoena includes a commitment to innovative product solutions and increased awareness. “We can’t do it alone, but we can achieve a lot by working in partnership with medical retailers, DMEs, specialized boutiques, pharmacies and health care professionals. We aim to continue to set new standards with new innovative product solutions, increase awareness, and redefine breast care,” Stephanie states. She also sees opportunities for further growth, in addition to the expansion of the product portfolio, both geographically and through collaborations with other companies, indicating a strategic approach to expanding Amoena’s reach and impact.
Navigating Challenges and Leading with Purpose
Reflecting on her 18-year journey as a manager, Stephanie acknowledges the valuable lessons learned from facing numerous challenges. “I realized that it’s not about pleasing everyone,” Stephanie notes. “Sometimes decisions are necessary that cause resistance. I don’t have to be liked by everyone. It is more important to be sincere, to have the big picture in mind, to develop the company successfully further for the future, and to involve the people who make this possible.”
When communicating with our B2B customers, it is important to listen and understand their needs. Their input has an impact on product development and on sales support measures that we develop and that help our customers to continue to grow with us in the field of breast care and thus provide even more affected women with optimal care.
Stephanie emphasizes the role of professional experience in dealing with roadblocks, stating, “My personal aspiration is to add value. To the people I work with, to the company I manage.” As a leader, Stephanie believes that true achievements are those accomplished together.
“You can’t achieve anything on your own as a leader,” she explains. “The best successes are those achieved together. When the departments work together and proactively contribute beyond their areas of responsibility. When in the end, even the doubters stand behind the result, and those who still thought they couldn’t, have outgrown themselves. Having made a contribution to this and seeing the company growing is the greatest confirmation.”
Stephanie’s leadership philosophy underscores the importance of collaboration, growth, and shared success in achieving meaningful outcomes.
Stephanie’s career goal has been to manage a company, which she has achieved. “Now the goal is to do this even better,” she says. “To strengthen Amoena, to set new standards with our product solutions and in cooperation with our B2B customers. To continue to learn and add value to the company and for the people who I work with.” Stephanie’s dedication to continuous improvement reflects her commitment to making a positive impact in her professional endeavors.
Be True to Yourself
Stephanie’s message to aspiring businesswomen and the next generation is clear: “Go your own way. It won’t always be easy, and not everyone will like what you do. But it’s your life.” She emphasizes the importance of breaking down self-imposed limits and staying true to one’s values.
“We often set our own limits. Break them down,” Stephanie urges. “It is important that you stay true to your values, that you take care of your surroundings and the people you work with, and that you don’t lose yourself in the pursuit of pleasing others. Try to be the best version of yourself every day.”
Conclusion
Stephanie Bauch places great importance on educating and creating awareness among affected women by breast cancer to ensure they receive better care. In terms of leadership and business development, she believes it’s crucial to break new ground, not fear resistance, and cultivate a culture where growth is achievable, new ideas are embraced, and affected individuals are actively involved.
