Young Entrepreneurs

ISKE SYKES

Graphic Designer and Bar owner

Who doesn’t want to be their own boss? In 2020, the Netherlands counts just over 2 million companies. The growth in the number of young entrepreneurs in the Netherlands is striking. The dutch young entrepreneurs prove that you don’t have to be a certain age, to start your own business. Do you have the ambition and motivation to be your own boss? Then go for it. Iske Sykes and Martijn Crombeen did this a few years ago and they are still happy with the choice they made back then. What is so special about them? They run not one company, but two. A special achievement from which we can learn a lot.

Iske Sykes is 21 years old and lives in Axel, a village in Zeeland. She started her own company three years ago, when she was 18 years old. At that time Iske was travelling a lot for modelling around the world. She wanted to do something next to her modelling, to make some extra money and fill the emptiness that the modelling industry was for her. Graphic design was something she was already interested in and a perfect solution besides her modelling, because she could do this from all over the world. The only thing she needed was her laptop. She started like any other young entrepreneur. Teaching herself how to grow in this business. She started watching Youtube videos, but after a while this wasn’t enough. She knew this was something she was passionate about and something that she wanted to do for a longer time. That’s why she started following evening school in graphic design. After completing her study, it was time to put into practice what she had learned. “Iske web and graphic design” was a fact, her own graphic and marketing agency. Like the name says she can make all different kinds of designs, from logos to banners and car stickers. She also designs websites and webshops.

But that’s not all, because next to her graphic design she helps people with online marketing strategies. The advantage from being your own boss: you choose how much work you want to do and what you want to specialize in. The reactions she got when starting her own company were mixed. On one side she got a lot of positive reactions. Many people wanted to give her a chance, because she is young and ambitious. On the other side, people didn’t take her serious and didn’t think she could do it, because of her age. But age doesn’t mean a thing nowadays, as we have seen at the enormous increase in young entrepreneurs starting their own businesses.

Starting your own business is one thing, but distinguishing yourself on the labor market is another. Iske promoted herself by going to events for young entrepreneurs, for example “Rabobank Zomerondernemer”. She also made use of her parents network, who both run their own companies. Starting and promoting your own business can be stressful, but this didn’t stop Iske. Last year, she opened her second company. Something very different from her other company, namely a bar. But not just any bar. Her idea: a new concept for young modern people to bring the city-feeling to the small village in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. She didn’t expect to start her second business so soon, but it was an opportunity that came her way, so she took it with both hands. Something we all should do when we have an opportunity to develop ourselves. Like she said, it can be stressful but with a lot of help from family and a motivated team she never has the feeling she is alone. The graphic design she does by herself, but sometimes when it gets too busy she can count on the help from her friend who studied marketing communication. In the bar she has a manager working and five girls behind the bar. Besides this, she has an accountant and her parents who help her with any questions regarding her businesses. Her future plan is to develop her business and to grow as an entrepreneur. So no time for studying, only working. A special message she wants to give us: just do it. Don’t let your age or education hold you back, if you really want it, you can do it! If you want to know more about something, watch Youtube videos and read books. Never be afraid to ask advice from other entrepreneurs or specialists. Yes, it’s hard work and stressful at times but when you’re motivated and you have a business idea, you have to go for it.

MARTIJN

CROMBEEN

DJ and Robotics company owner

Martijn Crombeen is only 21 years and already has two companies. He lives in Axel and is currently a mechatronic engineering student at HZ University of Applied Sciences. He is quite well-known in Zeeland, because he has been a DJ named SevenC for a while now and has two companies of his own. On his 12th birthday he got a small turntable and that is where it all started. After a while he started performing on parties from family or friends. He spent the money he earned from DJing on bigger turntables and other equipment, such as speakers. When he was 17, he had earned enough money to stop working his side jobs and started fully focusing on being an even more professional DJ.

First company: SevenC Events

Because he invested in a lot of equipment at the time, there was often stuff he did not need at every job. He then came up with the idea of renting his equipment to others. He got more and more customers and at one point, some customers didn’t want to pay cash anymore, they wanted to pay by invoice. He then decided to register at the Chamber of Commerce (KvK) and came up with the name ‘SevenC Events’ for his company. He followed the course ‘Summer Entrepeneur’ as well, to acquire some business economics knowledge. After he registered at the Chamber of Commerce, he was able to get a professional promotion and bigger companies wanted to work with him. SevenC Events is a company where you can go if you need a DJ (both DJ SevenC himself and fellow DJs), light and sound installations or for advice on events, planning and promotion on social media. Actually, you can get in touch with the company for just about everything that has to do with small to medium events.

Second company: Crombeen Robotics

For his study in engineering, he had to do an internship. He had to do some jobs at a company and eventually the company offered him a contract. Since Martijn was already a busy bee at the time, he didn’t want a contract. Because of SevenC Events, he found out he really liked having his own company. 17

He came up with the idea to start another business, Crombeen Robotics, so he was able to work at the internship-company, but based on invoice, instead of having a contract. Because of Crombeen Robotics, there were also other companies that wanted to hire Martijn and this way he had even more projects. Crombeen Robotics provides engineering work, where he is up for hire for mechanic engineering jobs at companies who have an idea or problem. He designs, develops, and builds machines and robots with help from other companies.

The future of his companies and recommendation for starting your own business

Martijn is realistic about the future of his companies. He really enjoys SevenC Events, but he has to work very hard and at late hours, so it’s physically exhausting. He realizes that when he’s older, he would rather sit in an office chair than breaking down turntables at 4am. But as long as he’s able to do it and it is able to combine it with his other work, he will keep doing it, because he still takes pleasure in it. On the other hand, he does see a future in Crombeen Robotics. He wants to live from the money he earns with the company. In the beginning this might be hard, but he will work part time as an employee for another company for as long as needed. At the time he only works for Crombeen Robotics, and he wants employees there. Then,

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he only wants to do the really hard projects by himself and his employees will do the smaller projects. He also wants to hire a software and electric engineer, so they can do big robotic projects.

If he would recommend it? It depends on what type of person you are. If you want to work 40 hours a week and not one more, you shouldn’t do it. Martijn works 7 days a week. Especially in the beginning of building a business, it takes a lot of time, because you really have a lot of appointments. Besides that, there is a lot of stress involved. On the other hand, it is really fun and motivating, you get loads of positive feedback and you can earn a lot more money by running your own business. So, if you can handle stress and a really busy life, he would definitely recommend it!