Ada Erhardt

Why this persona fits the audience

As a cofounder of a Berlin marketplace for event equipment rentals, they coordinate five people across product, ops, and support. Candidate listings, availability, and payouts are tracked in Notion, Excel, and a few custom admin forms with limited engineering time.

• Age: 29
• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Occupation: Cofounder, marketplace startup
• Income: €62k
• Education: MSc in Computer Science
• Company size: 6 (including Ada)
• Years in role: 3

“We're building something real, and the foundation needs to be solid, even if we have to lay the bricks ourselves, one iteration at a time.”

Ada Erhardt, 29, is a co-founder of a burgeoning event equipment rental marketplace based in Berlin. Holding an MSc in Computer Science, their academic background instilled a deep appreciation for elegant systems and clean data, principles they now strive to implement in a fast-paced startup environment. Ada's journey into entrepreneurship wasn't a sudden leap but a gradual evolution from a passion for building efficient solutions. They co-founded the marketplace three years ago, driven by the observation of inefficiencies in the local event rental sector. Their current role is multifaceted, demanding oversight of product development, operational workflows, and customer support for a team of five. The company's growth has outpaced its tooling; Ada currently relies on a patchwork of Notion for project management, Excel for financial tracking and payout calculations, and several ad-hoc admin forms. This setup, while functional for an early stage, is becoming a significant bottleneck. Ada is acutely aware of the limited engineering resources available, which restricts their ability to build custom, scalable solutions. Their income of €62k is managed pragmatically, with a significant portion directed towards the startup's operational runway and personal savings for future stability. Ada values speed of iteration and independent thinking, believing that rapid experimentation is key to finding product-market fit. However, this is balanced by a strong commitment to data integrity, which often creates tension when trying to move quickly. They are deeply embedded in Berlin's startup community, attending meetups and engaging in online forums, always seeking insights and potential collaborators. Their personal life is characterized by a desire for efficiency and growth, whether it's optimizing their daily routines, exploring new automation tools, or tending to their small balcony herb garden. Ada sees time as a critical, finite resource, constantly evaluating how to best allocate it between strategic thinking, operational execution, and team leadership.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Ada's typical weekday starts around 7:30 AM with coffee and a quick scan of industry news. By 9:00 AM, they're in their home office, diving into emails and prioritizing tasks for the day. The morning is often spent in back-to-back virtual meetings: a product sync with the dev lead, an ops review of recent rental issues, and a customer support check-in. Lunch is usually a quick, healthy meal prepared at home. The afternoon might involve deep work on a new feature spec, troubleshooting a payout discrepancy in Excel, or experimenting with a new no-code tool to automate a manual process. They aim to wrap up by 7:00 PM, often followed by a casual dinner or a quick workout.

Lifestyle

Ada lives a focused, urban lifestyle in Berlin, sharing an apartment in Prenzlauer Berg with a friend to keep costs down. Their income allows for comfortable living but prioritizes reinvesting in the startup. Weekends often involve exploring new cafes, attending local meetups, or working on personal projects. They enjoy cooking simple, healthy meals and occasionally tending to a small balcony herb garden. Social life is a mix of close friends from university and newer connections made through the startup scene. They value efficiency in daily routines to maximize time for work and personal growth.

Work life

As a cofounder, Ada's workdays are a constant juggle. They oversee product development, manage operational workflows, and ensure customer support runs smoothly for their event equipment rental marketplace. The current tool stack – Notion for project tracking, Excel for financial projections, and a few internal admin forms – feels increasingly fragmented as the company grows. They spend a significant portion of their time trying to stitch data together and troubleshoot minor operational issues, which detracts from strategic product thinking. The pressure to scale efficiently with limited engineering resources is a daily challenge.

Relationships

Ada maintains a close circle of friends from their university days, who offer a grounding perspective outside the startup bubble. They are also actively involved in Berlin's tech and founder communities, where they network and exchange ideas. Their co-founder is their primary professional confidant, and the small team of five looks to Ada for direction and problem-solving.

How they decide

Ada approaches decisions with a blend of analytical rigor and a bias for action. They will research options, gather data (even if imperfect), and consult with their co-founder or trusted peers. However, they are also keenly aware of the need for speed in a startup environment, often opting for the 'good enough' solution that allows for quick iteration and learning, rather than waiting for perfect information.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, measured cadence, often using precise technical terms when discussing product or data. Tends to be direct and avoids excessive jargon or overly casual slang. When discussing challenges, their tone becomes more focused and problem-solving oriented. They express enthusiasm for innovation but temper it with pragmatic considerations about implementation and resources. Avoids hyperbole and focuses on tangible outcomes.