Freelancer profile translated to English.

Description

Since 2018, I have been venturing into entrepreneurship in sectors far from my original path: beauty, hospitality, nightlife, product development, retail, and distribution. Each time, the process is the same: learn quickly, identify bottlenecks, and find ways to improve, become more efficient, and increase commercial appeal. My goal is to build something that can function without me as the key point person.

The description 'theoretical consultant' doesn't suit me. I come from practice: leading teams, overseeing stores, managing administration, guiding restructuring, and launching products.

Today, I want to leverage that experience for self-employed individuals and SMEs looking for someone who can think along, execute alongside, and help bring more structure, efficiency, and commercial impact.

My background?

I started at 18 in a tax environment. Simultaneously, I earned my Bachelor's in Accountancy-Taxation. The goal: graduate not only with a diploma but also with three years of practical experience.

That combination of working, learning, and taking responsibility has always been the common thread.

The first few years were spent in tax services: Customs & Excise / Registration Offices at the FPS Finance. After several promotions, I ended up at the General Secretariat. There, for seven years, I was nationally involved with government restaurants: on-site audits, profitability, purchasing policy, personnel matters, and reporting to the Court of Auditors and the Inspectorate of Finance.

After that, I moved to the private sector as a District Manager (Frost Invest/ O’Cool). Responsible for 13 stores (own branches and franchisees). A solid learning experience in retail, managing people, planning, commercial follow-up, problem-solving, and, above all, adapting and intervening quickly.

Later, I returned to the FPS Finance as a receiver/office manager. I managed a registration office, handled tax files, and later, as a manager, led a team and guided the restructuring towards Legal Certainty. Getting people on board with change was at least as important as processes.

Languages

Dutch
Native or bilingual
French
Fluent
English
Fluent
German
Basic

Workplace preferences

Can work on-site

Ieper (up to 50km)

Facite bv
Freelance Operations Manager for SMEs
CONSULTING AND AUDITS
November 2018 - Today (7 years and 9 months)
Ieper, Belgium
Assistance to the self-employed and SMEs. Extensive experience gained in operational management, crisis management, and sales management. I bring structure, efficiency, and commercial focus to companies that want to grow, change, or are stuck. Practical, no-nonsense, and always close to the entrepreneur and their team. Results as an outcome, not empty promises!!
Operations Management Crisis Management Sales Management Making SMEs work more efficiently Entrepreneurship
Apericon / Xurro bv
Own Entrepreneurship
RETAIL (LARGE RETAILERS)
January 2021 - Today (5 years and 7 months)
Ieper, Belgium
Practical experience in brand development, retail, hospitality, B2B, sales, prospecting, distribution, and customer follow-up. Proof that I know what selling, organizing, and following up means. Setting up product sheets, market analysis, defining customers, making contacts, selling. Determining, supporting, and executing this within a company.
Commercial Growth and Sales Management Operations Management
UNIZO Ieper / CITY center marketing
Chairman
PUBLIC SECTOR
January 2023 - Today (3 years and 7 months)
Ypres, Belgium
Broad network and daily contact with the self-employed, traders, hospitality, and SMEs. Topics: local economy, costs, personnel, regulations, sales, vacancies, and collaboration with policy. Connecting, strengthening, and defending entrepreneurs. This both from Unizo and Centrummanagement. Attracting entrepreneurs, creating an investment climate, making a center flourish by focusing on experience, diversification, and a more pleasant environment.
Entrepreneurship Commercial Growth and Sales Management