About me
Flo GraselEntrepreneur & Ultra Trail Runner
20 years in business, 50+ ultra trail races and a family: my story of turning a vision into reality.
My entrepreneurial journey since 2005
As CEO and owner, I put my heart and soul into leading Smarter Business Solutions GmbH in Bad Erlach. Since 2005, we have developed innovative Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Teams solutions for large companies such as ÖBB, PORR and REWE, with more than 40,000 employees.
Our Microsoft Teams add-in TagTeam took second place in 2021 at Austria's Constantinus Award in the Standard Software & Cloud Services category. This award marked a milestone in our journey from custom software development to a product business.
Alongside TagTeam, we have developed Office 2 SharePoint (O2S), Smarter Event Booking and Smarter Navigation as further products proven in everyday use.
“When you do what you love, with the people you love, you are always a winner.”
This motto guides my team and me every day.
Ultra Trail Journey
As an ultra trail runner I am always looking for a challenge. In 2013, after just three years of running, I completed the legendary Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) over 171 km for the first time. In 2018, I finished ninth as the highest-placed Austrian (alpinmesse.info).
Highlights of my running career:
- 2018: 9th place at the UTMB (170 km, 10,000 m of elevation gain)
- 2022: Winner of the Eiger Ultra Trail E250 (250 km, 20,000 m of elevation gain)
- 2024: 2nd place at the Petite Trotte à Léon (PTL) (305 km, 25,000 m of elevation gain)
- 2025: 10th place at the Tor des Géants (335 km, 24,000 m of elevation gain)
- Fastest Known Time on the Berliner Höhenweg (16:25 h)
- Multiple wins at the Grossglockner Ultra-Trail
Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.
#lifeworktrailbalance
But none of these achievements would mean much to me without my family. I am married and a proud father of twins. For me, #lifeworktrailbalance is more than a hashtag: it is how I live.
I proposed to my wife Julia at the finish of the UTMB in 2013. In 2017, she was waiting at the finish, pregnant with our twins (Interview on smarterbusiness.at). Today, I plan my races so I can cross as many finish lines as possible with my family.
To avoid flying, I even ran 1,000 km from Vienna to Copenhagen for a conference (alpinmesse.info). I love nature, value sustainable travel and often use everyday journeys for training in my home region, the Bucklige Welt.
My philosophy
What defines me is the combination of entrepreneurship, endurance sport and family life. I firmly believe that clear focus, attention to detail and a strong team make ambitious goals achievable, whether in the office, in the mountains or at home.
I want to share this approach to life and inspire you to climb your own summits.
Facts & Figures
A journey in numbers
Let's talk
Interested in what I have learned from 20 years of entrepreneurship and extreme sport? Book me as a speaker for your next event.