"My Daughters Should Never
Miss Out in My Life"
The #believeinyourself story from Thomas Kirschner
With the successful launch of “George Junior", Thomas Kirschner once again demonstrated what teamwork, passion, and perseverance can achieve. Yet as important as professional success is to him, as the father of two daughters he knows exactly what truly matters. For him, career and family go hand in hand - and it’s the moments spent with his children away from work that give him the greatest strength.
Thomas has been with Erste Bank Oesterreich for 24 years. He started in product management and now works in Brand Management, Customer Acquisition Initiatives, where he is responsible for bringing new customers on board. He has two daughters - Anna, 11, and Theresa, 16.
Dear Thomas, what has been your biggest #believeinyourself moment recently?
For me, the launch of George Junior has definitely been one of my biggest #believeinyourself moments lately. A large team - colleagues from George, Product Management, Erste Digital, Content Management, CRM, Communications, Retail, and Advertising - worked intensively on it together. As always before go-live, there were unexpected challenges and issues. That’s when you need strong nerves, endurance, and the drive to push through.
I kept telling my daughters about George Junior and promised Anna:
“As soon as the app goes live, you’ll be the first to get it on your phone!”
At that point, though, it still didn’t look like it would work out.
What happened next?
I was convinced that George Junior was a great idea: enabling young people to manage their own money independently via our George platform. And I was sure we would make it happen together. The team rallied once more - and this May, we did it: the app went live, and we launched the campaign.
I showed Anna the app and said, “Look, the time has come! Let’s install George Junior on your phone.” When she realized she now had access to her own money, she beamed: “Dad, how cool is that!”
It was a true “magic moment” I had wished for my daughter - like riding a bike without training wheels for the first time, or getting your first iPad. It was incredibly special to experience that together.
All those years of hard work, with all the ups and downs, had paid off. My daughter was happy - and a little proud of me, too.
What does your role as a father look like? What do you want to pass on to your daughters?
What matters most to me is that, despite all my passion for my job, my family never takes a back seat.
Above all, I try to be there as much as possible - and on equal footing. I don’t want to control too much; instead, I want to support my daughters in their individual strengths. It’s important to me that they enjoy what they do. I don’t force them into certain hobbies or clubs.
I also care deeply about how they treat others - with respect for friends and classmates. Honestly, I’d rather they spend time with friends than sit alone in their rooms glued to an iPad.
Then there’s school. I wasn’t exactly a model student myself and caused my parents - and myself - quite a few sleepless nights. I’d like to spare my daughters that experience. And it’s working: they’re both doing really well at school, which makes me very proud.
What gives you strength?
My family gives me strength - it’s both relaxation and stress relief in one.
When I come home in the evening, I sit down with my daughters and they tell me about their day - school, friends, everything. I listen, and we talk things through. I’m interested in everything that matters to them.
I also love taking them to gymnastics, playing tennis together, working in the garden, watching them cook, or helping with math. That’s what recharges me. In those moments, work challenges suddenly feel very small.
What would you like to say to other fathers?
Enjoy the time with your children and be there for them from the very beginning! I was lucky enough to take paternity leave twice, and I can only recommend it. Every stage of life passes so quickly.
At the same time, don’t give up your own interests - whether it’s music, like in my case, or evenings out with friends - but be willing to put them on the back burner. Still, stay in touch with your friends - they are incredibly important alongside family and work. I’m sure the time for those “guys’ nights” will come again!
Every day and every hour you spend with your children is an investment that will pay off one day. Family is a dream - it’s worth believing in it.
Happy Father’s Day!