Barbara Hagedorn is a visionary, entrepreneur and bridge builder. What some people see as a headwind, Barbara Hagedorn sees as a breath of fresh air for new ideas.
“Hey kid, what are you doing here?” – She was greeted with this sentence when she started selling tires at the age of 23. She got her way – as so often in her career.
Next stop: the male domain of construction. Barbara Hagedorn has shaped the Hagedorn family business and consistently led it to the top for many years:
- 4th largest demolition company in the world
- Over 2,000 employees
- Awarded as “Employer of the future”
These milestones represent more than business success — they reflect her belief in leadership with heart, culture with courage, and progress with purpose.
Barbara Hagedorn Lecture topics
- “Women in construction, voice in change – how diversity really drives companies forward”
Why diversity is not a nice-to-have, but a real business booster.
- “From the portacabin to the CEO’s office – how we are rethinking leadership and securing the future”
Impulses from 25 years of entrepreneurship for modern corporate culture.
- “Attitude instead of harmony – Why companies need to be uncomfortably courageous now”
On responsibility, values and real change in a world in upheaval.
But Barbara isn’t one to settle. Today, she channels her energy into FutureWE — a consulting firm she founded to help organizations lead with clarity, humanity, and conviction. Through FutureWE, she advises companies on building resilient cultures, navigating transformation, and leading with values in times of change. Alongside this work, she is also an active investor, supporting entrepreneurs and leaders who are shaping the future of work with integrity and substance.
Her mission remains consistent: to redefine leadership and corporate culture — not as buzzwords, but as lived responsibility. She builds bridges between generations, genders, and organizational structures. Her approach is no-nonsense, grounded, and deeply human.
She says: “As a woman, you always have to explain more than a man – or you simply go ahead and let your actions speak for themselves.”
Barbara Hagedorn is a passionate speaker who brings energy instead of ego, clarity instead of cliché, and lived experience instead of theory. Those who hear her speak walk away inspired — and ready to act.