Sascha Wolf

Alexander Sascha Wolf began his career when he first launched Kiss.fm in Berlin. He then worked with the embassy and learned the importance of social networking. He founded AusserGewöhnlich Berlin which holds social networking-based events and initiatives.

aussergewoehnlich-berlin.de
Werner Aisslinger is an acclaimed industrial designer working and living in Berlin, Germany. With the latest technologies and the newest materials, Werner provides new impulses in the product design world.

aisslinger.de

"Berlin is a city that brings together creative people."

How do you distill Berlin’s complex nature?

Openness, serenity, tolerance, freedom, commitment, directness, and creativity is what makes Berlin Berlin. Throughout history, we see the city grow and succeed when people with different backgrounds come together. Berlin is a diverse city. When people with diverse areas of knowledge come together, they have the opportunity to create something fantastic.

Is there a reason why you have network events in different locations each time?

I researched and found out the best clubs are the ones that focus on networking and rotate with the people and the location. I decided the best way to do this is to hold each event in a different neighborhood. This lets you experience the cultural wealth across the entire city.

Why is each event limited to an hour only?

The theory of networking is not make small talk but to create bonds and lasting relationships. By keeping events short, people value their time much more and spend it more wisely when meeting new people.

What is the benefit of the exclusivity of only accepting a few members every year?

A group requires diversity but at the same time a common fundamental. A group has to be creative and dynamic; it requires diversity in skills but alignment in their set of values. By accepting only a few, we are mixing the social pool for members to make new bonds.

What is the advice you give to young creators ?

Open up. Don’t be afraid of fear itself. Don’t let fear stop you from trying something new and different. Drink a little and talk to someone you would never talk to; get to know them a little; learn from them. Everyone knows something you don’t.

How do you tackle a pandemic situation such as the coronavirus outbreak?

As an event-based company, AusserGewöhnlich Berlin has launched a webpage that helps  members of our community trade services. The Hanse Call: From job opportunities to services for cleaning and disinfection, AusserGewöhnlich continues to provide a platform for partnership among the members.

COVID-19 has affected the creative industry worldwide, yet Berlin creatives have come up with new ways present their craft and to interact. Berlin has always been known for its resourcefulness, and creatives have applied this ingenuity here, innovating in the digital social scene by using existing tools in new ways to create new experiences.

Below are some unique ways Berlin creatives are tackling the issues brought by the virus:

The Collective Action Nightlife Emergency Fun

Locals have come together to collect emergency funding for at-risk nightlife workers in Berlin. The shutting down of nightclubs means these people are out of jobs, and this emergency funding helps mitigate the economic damage that COVID-19 is creating.

betterplace.me/berlin-collective-action-nightlife-emergency-fund16

Questions for you:

What changes once we make these social spaces digital?

Will the digital event become a more normalized way to socialize?

Are people more open to attending these digital events?

Special Thanks to
Sascha Wolf
aussergewoehnlich-berlin.de

Editor: Jessie Liu
Interviewer: Bonnie Zhang
Camera: Pheobe Hsu

Additional Images: aussergewoehnlich-berlin.de