One thing in advance: For better readability, we use the generic masculine in our articles. Unless otherwise stated, the personal names used refer to all genders.
Yes, you heard right - we at OYESS are convinced that this world needs more yes-men! Now the commonly used term of a YES-MAN does not necessarily have a positive connotation.
Definition according to Duden:
Jasager, the
Person who is responsible for the plans, views, etc. always agrees immediately.
Synonyms for yes man
(derogatory) vicarious agent, follower Admittedly, according to this definition, none of us would like to be seen as yes-men. So time to give it a new meaning! ☺
Say yes and mean no - not with us! Our DNA at OYESS is completely different: one of our highest values, to which we are committed both personally and professionally, is authenticity. Because only when we are who we really are and do what we long for and where we feel like we are bringing pure joy into the world, only then can we make a difference. And believe us, we want to make a difference - not someday, but now.
We all know the dilemma: On the one hand, we want to live more sustainably and do something good for the planet; On the other hand, we have the feeling that we constantly have to forego something or make compromises in order to achieve something. Or we feel completely overwhelmed and paralyzed because we are afraid of doing something wrong.
Maybe you've often decided to shop sustainably the next time you visit the drugstore. But then you stand in front of the shelf and are literally overwhelmed by the many colorful, not-so-sustainable alternatives. Who else is supposed to see through that?
“Well,” you think, “I’ve actually always been happy with my previous product. Plus, it just looks so beautiful. Somehow it suits me well too. It won’t be that bad for the environment.” True to the motto “You can’t have everything,” you’d rather go with your usual choice.
We asked ourselves the question: Why should we have to choose between a stylish and a sustainable product? Why choose between a high quality and a less good but cheaper one? Why should there be an either/or? And that was exactly the reason why we created OYESS. Because it is clear to us: things cannot continue like this and we all have to and are allowed to do something!
We are Nadja, Anna and Frank. Three founders, one vision - the vision that more simply has to be possible. We have come together to use our know-how for something that concerns us all: our lives and those of our children.
For years we worked in various companies in the international beauty industry. Fate brought us together at our last shared employer. Due to a redundancy in the middle of the pandemic in the summer of 2020, we finally reached a point where we asked ourselves how we wanted to continue to live our lives. To be honest: We didn't have the answer to this question right away.
Frank, for example, sold his car after quitting his job to free himself from his own possessions and made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, he realized that he wanted to leave the life of a permanent employee behind and work freely and self-determinedly in the future in order to create something that he believes in and that really makes a difference.
Nadja had a similar experience. After many years of an international career, as a new mother on parental leave, she felt secure in the security of not being able to quit. Well, as life goes, things turned out differently. She was confronted with the stigma that certain things are simply incompatible. Baby meets business? - No way. And that's exactly what motivated Nadja even more, because it was clear to her: We not only have responsibility for ourselves, but also for our children and how we want to serve as role models for them.
As a mother of two, a commuter and a passionate salesperson, Anna also knows all about the prejudices surrounding the compatibility of family, private life and work. Women in Sales? Kids and career? -You name it! During her time in large corporations, Anna gained a lot of freedom and demonstrated that things can be done differently, that more is possible. Like Nadja, she wants to encourage other women, mothers, fathers, parents - simply everyone to live their dreams.
Because honestly: without a fair amount of courage we wouldn't be standing here today. And so we used the situation as an opportunity - despite or perhaps because of the supposed obstacles.
An opportunity like this may never come again, we told ourselves. If there is one thing we knew back then, it was that we share the same values: authenticity, transparency, openness, honesty, respect for and with each other and, above all, passion and joy. And we wanted to live and implement that together.
It was precisely these values that ultimately made us say OH YES to OYESS. Get out of the hamster wheel of making other people's dreams come true and into your own adventure. From founding the company to creating the brand and producing our products, it only took us five months - what a ride!
Was it always easy? - No.
Would we do it again? -OH YES!
And this is where you come into play. Because why are we telling you this?
We want to inspire you with our path. We stand for a new era of conscious consumption and make no compromises. We're going all in. For all of us, for those who come after us - our children, for our planet.
We want to show you that more is possible than we think if we are courageous and go for ourselves and our visions.
And above all: we want to encourage you to say yes without compromise and to believe in yourself. Become a yes man and SAY OH YES TO YOURSELF AND YOUR DREAMS!
So, will you join us?
