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NEW SERIES: Entrepreneurship in Belgium

15:53 21/05/2014

Welcome to The Bulletin’s new series, Entrepreneurship in Belgium. Every month,  Brussels-based communications specialist Meg Stringer will interview an entrepreneur working in Belgium – whether established or just starting out.

Why the series? Well, while the streets of London and Berlin are bursting with entrepreneurial zeal, most expats see Belgium’s capital falling flat in comparison. Yet all is not as it appears. Stringer has met many business owners here, both Belgian and international, who are surviving and, yes, even thriving.

Name: Lionel De Somer

Nationality: Belgian

Age: 29

Location: Brussels

Sector: Technology

Most people don’t immediately associate Belgium with entrepreneurship, particularly in the tech industry. Lionel De Somer, a 29-year-old tech entrepreneur from Brussels, hopes to change that. 

De Somer spoke to Stringer about his perspective on entrepreneurship in Belgium, his many ventures in the tech sector since the age of 21 and his latest project, EASAPP.

Some of the best entrepreneurs have a high tolerance for risk and uncertainty. What about you?

De Somer: I grew up in a family where taking risks and going out on your own with a business was pretty normal. While my parents are employees, three of my uncles and my grandfather are successful business owners. If I have a high tolerance for risk, it is because of them. I observed and experienced through them the possibilities of having my own business. It excited me then and continues to excite me now.

When did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
I was extremely bored at university in Brussels. I did OK in my classes, but I wasn’t excited by my coursework. A friend was having a lot of success trading electronics between Europe and Asia and offered me an opportunity to intern for him. I dropped out of school to take the position, and it changed the course of my life.

For six months I got the coffee and watched as he made deals and grew his business. One day by chance I picked up the phone and ended up making a big sale … that’s when I got hooked. For nearly three years I worked for my friend and helped build the company. Then, I went out and started building my own businesses. Some succeeded, and others failed, but they all taught me invaluable lessons and brought me to where I am today.

What did you learn from the failures?  
I co-founded a venture capital firm in Brussels that closed in less than two years. We didn’t have the right leadership team, and there were conflicts among the partners. Now I am super careful when selecting partners and hiring senior staff. I look for people who have not only the right talent but also the character to deal with the uncertainty and risk associated with starting a business. Being business partners is like being married, just without the sex. 

What are you working on now?  
I co-founded EASAPP, a mobile application to submit accident statements directly to your insurance company. So, next time you get in an accident you no longer need to fill out the paperwork and mail it to your insurer. With EASAPP, you simply do it on our app directly with your smartphone and benefit from a bunch of neat tools to document the accident and get the help you need. And the best part is, it’s free! Our business model revolves around our relationships with the insurance companies. 

How has Belgium supported you in EASAPP?
The Brussels government has helped us with subsidised rent in Schaerbeek. And we were able to find fantastic local investors to help build EASAPP who are committed to the success of the company and are great mentors to me personally.

What problems have you faced as an entrepreneur in Belgium?
There are some serious barriers to starting a business here compared to the UK, Germany or the US. It takes more cash and time, and it costs far too much to hire staff. We also have real difficulties finding the tech talent we need domestically. We just hired a developer from Israel because we couldn’t find anyone locally. Belgium needs to do a much better job training young people for the tech jobs that are in demand now.

You speak French, German and English. What language has been most helpful to you? 
I work almost exclusively in English because it is the international business language. This is especially true in tech. We have an international team at EASAPP, and our only common language is English. All the best blogs and magazines in my field are in English, too. I went to French-language schools, but French is almost useless to me at work. 

You have lived and worked throughout Europe and as far as the US and the Philippines. What have you learned from these experiences?
My exposure to so many different cultures has made me very appreciative of the quality of life that we have in Belgium. The poverty that I witnessed in the Philippines and the social conservatism I experienced in the Emirates has made me grateful for our relative wealth and freedom.

In the Philippines, I was volunteering at an NGO promoting youth entrepreneurship. The dedication and spirit of the young people I worked with in the face of immense challenges inspires me and keeps me humble.

Do you regret dropping out of university?
I did the right thing at the time. Now that I am older and have more experience, I have decided to go back to school and am now getting a degree at the ULB in Managerial Economics. I hope to graduate in 2015. 

What is a one of the best perks of running your own business?    
I get to bring my dog to work! My cocker spaniel puppy adds a level of fun and spontaneity to our office and keeps me healthy, too, with our regular walks.

Finally, if a company offered you a good salary and the security of working as an employee, would you take it? 
They would have to pay me a lot of money to give up this life! Of course, it would be nice to have a dependable income and not have to worry about my employees’ paychecks. But I like being the captain of my own ship.

Have an entrepreneur to recommend? Email webmaster@thebulletin.be

Written by Meg Stringer