Claudio Gerlich is 37 years old working as a freelancer in the field of digital marketing. He became a father nine months ago when his daughter was born in Germany. Since his wife is from Malaga, they both decided to come to Spain after the first wave of the coronavirus. From the Costa del Sol, he serves his German customers and coordinates his own international multidisciplinary network of collaborators. In addition, he has enough time for his family and to enjoy the lifestyle in southern Spain.
Gerlich has always been driven by his enthusiasm for learning. After completing his business training in Germany, he completed his studies in International Business Management in the Netherlands and South Africa. Shortly after that, he joined a renowned digital marketing agency in Cologne, managing large client accounts as a strategic planner. In addition, he gained experience in the media field, working for one of the major German television stations, as well as for a human resources agency. “For me, continuous learning is essential,” says Claudio Gerlich, since it is the only way he can provide a comprehensive service to the customer. In his opinion, small and medium-sized companies do not take advantage of the potential of the digital world because they are not aware of all the possibilities it offers.
For this reason, since 2017, Claudio Gerlich has been self-employed and advises his German clients on their online strategies. He lived in Münster, Germany before moving to Malaga in June, yet he is easily in contact with his clients every day. The current situation prevents him from traveling and holding face-to-face meetings. “As soon as the situation allows it, I will re-organize my schedule for personal meetings in Germany. From Malaga, I have a direct flight to Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Weeze, where I already have many clients; therefore I can take the first flight in the morning, have my meetings, and come back the same day so I can say good night to my daughter.
This flexibility is valued even more since he is a young father. It is even better given the surroundings. « Generally, I work in the morning, then I am with my family in the city or at the beach and then at the end of the day I spend some time on the computer. On weekends, we like to spend time at my in-laws’ second residence, which is a few kilometers away, in the coastal town of Benajarafe. Within the City of Malaga, we like to walk through the Pedregalejo neighborhood with its beach coves, bars, cafes and restaurants ». Claudio Gerlich and his family love being outside, and with 300 days of sunshine a year in Malaga, it is definitely easier than in Münster.
