Selfie af Claus med Mette og en vinmark i baggrunden

From Childcare Worker and Sales Manager to Vineyard Owners in Eltang

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Claus and his family made a life-changing decision: they left their familiar way of life behind to take over Lindely Vineyard in Eltang.

But what do you do when you share a dream of building something together, yet lack the experience to make it happen?

En vinmark med en markvej mellem de lange rækker af vinstokke
En af Lindelys vinmarker med stokke, så langt øjet rækker.

Masser af gå-på-mod

Claus and Mette took the plunge with plenty of determination and enthusiasm – but the journey wasn’t always easy.

“If we’d known just how tough those first three years would be, we might not have done it. But we did, and we haven’t regretted a single second of it,” Claus says.

The transition from secure jobs as a sales manager and childcare worker to life as entrepreneurs was incredibly challenging.

But Claus has an important piece of advice for anyone dreaming of starting their own business: You can overthink things to the point where you never get started. Sometimes, you just have to go for it and learn along the way.

When the children thrive, the business can grow

Their success, however, isn’t just down to hard work in the vineyard. It’s also about the sense of security and quality of everyday life they’ve found in Kolding.

The family has fallen in love with the beautiful natural surroundings, the local school in Eltang and the strong sense of community. That peace of mind gives Claus and Mette the energy to focus on growing Lindely Vineyard.

Claus og Mette viser et bevis frem på, at de er Årets Iværksættere i Kolding i 2025.
Da de blev kåret som Årets Iværksættere, kunne Claus og Mette mærke, de var blevet en del af Kolding.

Netværk som genvej til succes

The family quickly discovered that you don’t have to do everything yourself if you’re willing to reach out and connect with others. Even though Claus doesn’t play golf, he joined the business network at Birkemose Golf Club, and they also became sponsors of Kolding IF.

But when did they know they’d made the right decision?

“When we were named Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 at the Business Kolding Award Show – that was the moment we really felt we’d become part of Kolding.”

They’ve now embraced life in Kolding so wholeheartedly that even their football loyalties have started to shift:
“I’ve bought myself a Kolding IF shirt. That’s when you know you’ve truly become a local!”