»We’re world-class, but nobody knows us.«
The Mittelstand is full of companies that dominate narrow niches. Businesses that quietly power entire industries. Firms whose products are used everywhere, even though their names are known almost nowhere. Germany alone has hundreds of so-called Hidden Champions. And for decades, being hidden was a strategy. But today, that strategy deserves a closer look.
The hidden champion myth
Being a hidden champion usually means:
Market leadership in a niche
Exceptional technical expertise as a barrier to entry
Long-term customer relationships
Strong margins without loud marketing
Those things are impressive. But the narrative often stops there, as if visibility were something only consumer brands or startups need. That’s where the myth begins, because world-class excellence no longer translates into future security.
And yet...looking back, if you’ve been hidden you may have always been missing out on talent diversity, wider cultural relevance and probably the ability to pivot in times of change. Skills that are really coming in handy today.
Visibility ≠ being loud
Perhaps what many Mittelstand companies misunderstand is that visibility does not mean with being loud, superficial, or salesy, but being findable, understandable, and credible.
It means:
Explaining what you do in human language
Showing why your expertise matters, how it answers the questions that are important to your audience.
Sharing unique perspectives
Letting people recognize your value before they need it
The goal is not to stop being excellent.
The goal is to stop being invisible.
The most resilient Mittelstand companies of the future will still be deeply specialized - their focus is their superpower - and they will also communicate clearly. They will show their thinking, and demonstrate their attitude, not just their products. And, crucially, they willl build awareness and trust long before the sales process begins.
Time to come out of hiding?
Ask yourself honestly:
If the right potential employees searched for us today — would they find us?
If a new customer heard our name — would they understand our value? Or even just what we do?
If our industry changed tomorrow — would we be part of the conversation?
If the answer is “probably not,” then being hidden is no longer a strength. It’s an invitation.
Turning hidden champions into brands.
Breyden: Braking Boundries
Zultner: Repositioning a hidden champion
Vandaglas: Building a company beyond the ordinary
