InterviewBetter-Be-Bold-Gründer Dennis Baltzer spricht mit uns über Unsicherheit, den mutigen Schritt zur Glatze – und warum beim BOLD INK DAY in Berlin plötzlich Fremde ihre persönlichsten Geschichten teilen.
Better Be Bold, is committed to ensuring that men don’t hide their hair loss – but rather face their baldness with confidence.”/>Dennis Baltzer, founder of Better Be Bold, is committed to ensuring that men don’t hide their hair loss – but rather face their baldness with confidence.
Christian Irmler
On site, he talked about how his own hair loss became a business idea, why many men struggle for a long time with the decision to go bald – and why real encounters are more important to him than pure social media reach.
Vom eigenen Haarausfall zur Geschäftsidee
Table of Contents
- Vom eigenen Haarausfall zur Geschäftsidee
- Der Moment, in dem alles anders wurde
- Warum viele Männer über Haartransplantationen nachdenken
- Steht wirklich jedem eine Glatze?
- BOLD INK DAY: Wenn aus Online-Community echte Begegnungen werden
- Gäste aus ganz Deutschland – und darüber hinaus
- Warum echte Begegnungen wichtiger sind als Social Media
- Sein Rat an Männer mit Haarausfall
The idea for Better Be Bold didn’t start with a business plan, but with a look in the mirror.
“The mirror gave me my original idea,” says Dennis Baltzer. Like many men, his hair loss began early. It was hereditary in his family – but the moment he really noticed it hit him.
He had a key experience during a vacation in Bali. “I was lying on the beach, my hair was wet, and I saw a photo. I was shocked to see that the person with hair loss on the towel was me.”
They followed four years full of uncertainty. A time in which he considered what could still be saved – and what options there were.
Visitors from all over Germany gathered at BOLD INK DAY in front of the tattoo studio in Berlin-Köpenick to celebrate free tattoos, personal stories and the bald community.
Christian Irmler
Der Moment, in dem alles anders wurde
In March 2021, Baltzer finally made a decision: The hair had to come off. “It was a brave decision – but at the same time an extremely liberating feeling.”
With baldness came a new perspective on skin care. Because he suddenly realized that the scalp has its own needs.
“The scalp is much more sensitive. Irritations, razor burn, UV radiation, sunburn – these are all issues that you don’t notice before with hair.”
This is exactly where he discovered a gap in the market. Together with his team he finally founded Better Be Boldtoday a family business Iserlohn in the Sauerlandwhich specializes entirely in baldness care products.
Some visitors even had a tattoo on their bald heads.
Christian Irmler
Warum viele Männer über Haartransplantationen nachdenken
Before he finally decided on baldness, Baltzer – like many people affected – also looked at other options. “I think every bald person has thought about hair transplantation at some point,” he says openly.
He also had offers drawn up and sent photos to providers in order to calculate possible treatments. But the long-term perspective didn’t convince him.
“The hair loss process is often not complete until you are in your mid to late 40s. If you transplant in your early 30s, hair may still continue to fall out in the back.”
The idea of living with this uncertainty permanently didn’t suit him. “I just wanted to make a decision and tick the box.”
Steht wirklich jedem eine Glatze?
As the founder of a baldness care brand, Baltzer could of course claim that baldness always looks good. But he doesn’t make it that easy. “It would be romantic to say: Everyone looks great when they’re bald.”
Factors such as head shape or beard growth can play a role. A slightly more oval head or a beard can make the overall picture appear more harmonious. Nevertheless, he emphasizes that there are no hard and fast rules.
“I also know a lot of people with round heads and no beards who still like it.” In the end, it’s less about perfect proportions – but about self-consciousness.
BOLD INK DAY: Wenn aus Online-Community echte Begegnungen werden
Among other things, you could have these great motifs engraved.
Christian Irmler
BOLD INK DAY came about relatively spontaneously. The idea only came a few months before the event. “The idea came about in December,” says Baltzer. After filming together in Berlin, his team thought about what format could follow next – and came up with the idea of a tattoo event for the community.
The response was enormous. About the newsletter with around 40,000 subscribers Anyone interested could apply for the free tattoos.
Many sent personal stories – some of them very emotional. “Sometimes you actually had a bit of pee in your eyes while reading.”
In the end they were 50 tattoo spots allocated: Some went to selected applicants, the rest was spontaneously distributed on site.
Gäste aus ganz Deutschland – und darüber hinaus
The fact that the event would attract so many people surprised even the organizers. “It’s really fifty-fifty,” says Baltzer. “Half of them come from Berlin, the other half from everywhere.”
Participants traveled from Nuremberg, Stuttgart, the Ruhr area – and even Austria, among others. For him, this shows how strong the community around the topic of baldness has become.
Better Be Bold has a strong digital footprint. Many people know the brand through videos and social media. That’s exactly why the personal exchange at the event was special for Baltzer.
“A lot of people come here and say: I’ve been watching your videos for five years.” But only in direct conversation do followers become real people with stories. “Real life happens here. It’s not all just the Internet,” says Dennis Baltzer.
For him, that was the most important moment of the day. “The event was worth it for that alone.”
Dennis Baltzer also gets a tattoo himself. Social media manager Chris Büchler holds his hand.
Christian Irmler
Sein Rat an Männer mit Haarausfall
Finally, Baltzer has another tip for anyone who is currently considering whether they should shave their hair. “Maybe just give it a chance.”
Today there are even apps and filters that you can use to try out what you could look like if you are bald. The well-known bald filter on TikTok is surprisingly realistic.
But one thing is particularly important: not to allow yourself to be put under pressure. “There are many options – transplant, baldness or just waiting.”
And even if you decide to shave, it is not a final step. “The advantage of baldness is that it grows back relatively quickly.” Or as he puts it with a wink: “And if it’s nothing at all, Foot Locker sells pretty good caps too.”
