Two books. One playbook.
One on AI adoption. One on transaction readiness. Together: the operating manual for the DACH SME owner.
Book 1
AI Meets EQ
A CEO's Guide to Leading the Future of SMEs
AI adoption is failing — not because of technology, but because of leadership gaps.
This book gives SME CEOs a practical framework for building an organisation that adopts AI with confidence. The key insight: EQ is the differentiator. Leaders who create psychological safety for experimentation outperform those who delegate AI to IT.
Covers the 10-week AI adoption cadence, the "treat AI like cash" principle, and why manual-first always beats automation-first.
Key Principle
"Treat AI like cash: understand it manually, standardise it, then — and only then — automate."
Book 2
Fit for Transaction
The DACH SME Owner's Playbook for M&A Readiness
Transaction readiness is not a date — it's a habit you build 24 months before you need it.
Fit for Transaction walks DACH SME owners through the 24+12 Runway: build operational substance first (Commercial Engine, Clean Numbers, AI-driven Efficiency), then run a competitive M&A process on your own terms.
Available in German and English. Each chapter includes Artifacts, Buyer Logic analysis, and Field Rules.
Schneider Field Rule #01
"24 before 12. Build 24 months of operational substance before entering a 12-month M&A process."
