🦥 #16 From Zero Interviews to 14 Success Stories: Antwerpreneurs Year One

Bent Fierens – Furniture Designer

Takeaways:

• Progress comes from experimenting, failing, and adjusting along the way.

• Where you come from, your interests, and your personality can set your work apart.

• Some of the most interesting results come when you combine things that don’t traditionally go together.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Alexandra D’Archambeau

Alexandra D’Archambeau – Golf influencer, politician, and cybersecurity expert

Takeaways:

• Being consistent is the key to growth.

• Surround yourself with people who believe in you.

• It’s okay to take breaks and explore different interests before returning to your passion with renewed energy.

  

👉 Read her full story here

Jules Toebosch – Founder of Collé Group, sustainable fashion

Takeaways:

• Focus on creating lasting relationships and sustainable growth.

• Success often comes from showing up, adapting, and sticking with it.

• Partnerships can be crucial for growing your business and overcoming challenges.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Joris Vanherp – Co-Founder of Maya Travel, AI agent for travel companies

Takeaways:

• To stay ahead, be ready to pivot and grab new opportunities.

• Sometimes the best product is the one that solves your problems.

• Reserve time early in the morning or in the evenings for strategic planning and focused work.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Robin Waroquier – Founder of ++addmore, product marketing studio

Takeaways:

• Understanding your customer and their goals from the start is key.

• Following your passions makes your work more meaningful and effective.

• Stay curious and keep learning, it will keep you ahead in a fast-paced world.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Laurent Geerts – Watch enthusiast turned luxury dealer

Takeaways:

• If you want something, dare to ask.

• Pursuing a passion can open unexpected doors.

• Genuine connections build trust, and trust builds opportunity.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Jan Verhoeven – Co-Founder of Ginger Jack, ginger drink

Takeaways:

• In hard times, adaptability is your greatest asset.

• Giving back to your community boosts your impact and your brand awareness.

• A reliable partner makes tough challenges easier to face and helps you move faster.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Tracy Enta – Founder of Lift Talks, networking event

Takeaways:

• The perfect moment rarely comes, create it by starting.

• Believing in yourself and speaking up opens unexpected doors.

• Surround yourself with people who believe in your ideas and help you turn them into reality.

  

👉 Read her full story here

Astrid Lefèvre – Coach and podcast host

Takeaways:

• Selling isn’t pushy, it’s about owning your worth.

• Sometimes self-reflection and outside help brings clarity.

• Success happens when your mission, values, products, and sales all align.

  

👉 Read her full story here

Lynn Mikolajczak – Founder of The Acquired, fashion & retail startup.

Takeaways:

• Feedback loops with users are very valuable to improve products and avoid mistakes. 

• A morning routine helps to prioritize creative work and align daily actions with goals. 

• Experimenting and validating ideas quickly is more impactful than waiting to have something perfect. 

  

👉 Read her full story here

Oliver Wolfs – Founder of Wehave, a data collaboration platform for marketing and sponsorship

Takeaways:

• Leverage success stories, they build trust and create new connections.

• Validate ideas quickly and talk to customers to make sure you’re building the right solution for their problem.

• Rejection is part of being an entrepreneur. If you don’t get it on the first try, you might get it on the second or third.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Niels Peetermans – Co-founder of Qallo, plant-based powder blend

Takeaways:

• If you build a loyal customer base, they can become a powerful asset.

• Talk to customers, it can help you discover new use cases for a product.

• When you find what works, try to improve it before developing new ideas.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Jeroen-Vincent Nagels – Co-founder of Trevor Motorcycles, electric motorcycles

Takeaways:

• Customer feedback is gold, use it to improve or create better products.

• Stay aware of what’s happening in your market, small shifts can save, make, or cost you money.

• Brand visibility through events, competitions, or small experiences will always attract customers.

  

👉 Read his full story here

Wout Lambrecht – Founder of Ethos Media, video production

Takeaways:

• Bold moves and calculated risks create breakthroughs.

• People don’t buy content, they buy the emotion, experience, and results it creates.

• There’s always someone more experienced that can show you the way and help you avoid mistakes, think bigger, and move faster.

  

👉 Read his full story here