Maurice Waltmans is Supervising Auditor at KPMG Eindhoven, where his current focus is with corporate clients such as Philips. Waltmans studied Business Economics at Tilburg University from 2007-2011 followed by his graduation in a Master of Accountancy. Additionally he is undertaking his final months in his Post Master of Accountancy, balancing the load with his work at KPMG. He was also once an active member of Asset Accounting and Finance. In this article he explains the importance and additional benefits of networking. The Importance of Networking in The Business World All companies have a comprehensive structure of sales activities in order to be front of mind in their future sales targets. One of the most important aspects of these sales activities is networking. Networking in the business world is an integral part of business life for companies, as well as for individuals. Let’s focus on the individual aspect of networking and what it can mean for someone’s own career. Based on the individual, networking can be defined as follows: ‘Networking is getting to know people who can help you develop your career prospects’ Networking is not just about the people you know and how they may help you in the future, but it is particularly about the people who are in the network of your connection. A network is as strong as the network of your connection and this can help you in realizing your personal prospects as well as your companies’ targets. Early on, when we think about networking, several questions come into play. These questions comprise of, ‘why do I need to network‘, ‘isn’t hard working and being ambitious enough to be successful in business life’ and may be more important, ‘networking is only important when I am a manager’. These questions can be best answered when evaluating two important aspects of this phenomenon. The first one is that networking is not just something for marketers or business people wearing fancy suits. Networking starts right now, even as a student. During your time as a student, your social life is at its prime. You are in close contact with fellow students during your lectures or other study activities. It is these connections that are a great starting point to build a network. Your network of today contains the CEO’s of tomorrow. Staying connected with this network enables you to increase your future prospects in business life. The second important learning experience is related to the following statement. ‘All things being equal, people buy from people who they like and who they can trust’ A good network relation is the basis of years of genuine interest. Only when you are genuinely interested in someone’s background and career, will a network relation be effective. Therefore it’s crucial that you start building your network timely and invest time in maintaining your connections. A strong current and future network opens possibilities and enables you to get that exciting assignment you wanted, that swift career step you are dreaming about and to raise the bar for yourself. Some of the most valuable network tips that help in day-to-day maintenance of networks are as follows: – Make sure you have an updated Linked-In profile; – Reserve time (e.g. 1 hour a week) in your agenda to analyze your current network; – Construct a short-list of people you want to get in touch with and check in your current network who can help you in achieving in this
The impact of excise tax increases in the border areas
Martijn van Helvert, member of the Second Chamber CDA, talks in this article about the impact of the increase of the excise tax in the border areas. According to him a serious policy is needed to keep the border livable. Small businesses are the heart of the local economy. A fair economy and a level playing field are very important for these entrepreneurs. This is even truer for entrepreneurs in the border areas. If there is something they do not benefit from them, then it is that action from The Hague that disrupts this level playing field. And that is exactly what the government of VVD and PvdA has done over the past year with ill-duty increases. This surpassed not only the filling station, but also other entrepreneurs in the border region. It cost hundreds of jobs and small municipalities went further back in their facilities. We can call it a reconstruction. Gap in the budget In the budget of 2014 a gap of several hundred millions had to be filled. A quick way to get extra money is a tax increase, the prevalent thought in The Hague. In the autumn agreement of 2013 was agreed to increase the excise duty on diesel, LPG and alcohol on January 1, 2014. Just the diesel tax increase would provide additional tax revenue of 230 million. Sales decline In this calculate-yourself-rich-calculation of the cabinet was not taken into account the fact that the excise duty increases would lead to sales decline for the entrepreneurs in the border areas. For a country with a very long land border and one of the most open economies in the world, this is of course very strange. A child can think of that more people through tax hikes would refuel in the border in Germany or Belgium, and immediately do their groceries shopping as well there. After all, the prices are now much lower there. CDA warns Already on Budget Day 2013 CDA party leader Sybrand Buma warned the government for these effects. In its own budget the CDA did also proposals to avoid the tax increase. A motion of the CDA to not let the tax increase has been rejected. A motion requesting to take in the border effects in the calculations was the same fate. Sink or swim Already in the first weeks of 2014, the boundary effects of the tax increase turned out to be great. BOVAG released figures, which showed off huge revenue declines. This was even more reason for the CDA to establish a hotline to identify the problems for filling stations and shops. In the Reporting Border Areas over 600 messages came in, some with dealers who had lost more than half their revenue. The responses were compiled in the report ‘Sink or Swim’ on 20 February; this was presented by Sybrand Buma to state secretary Wiebes. Bankruptcies and impair quality of life The report shows that there was only in the first months a very strong decline in revenue at many service stations, but also in hospitality in the border region, sometimes up to 35%. The first layoffs had already fallen, and there could be more. For many entrepreneurs a bankruptcy threatened. More and more people went refueling across the border, and were doing their groceries shopping at once, and having a drink at a terrace. For business travel, the price difference is even greater than for passenger traffic. The tax increase has put the quality of life in the border region under pressure. Stores will empty out, and provisions disappear. Voluntary organizations sense it too, for example more often that they can no longer rely on sponsorship of SMEs in the border areas because they have to deal with huge losses. Yet state secretary Wiebes refuses to review the measures. Scuttled turnover At the end of October, again figures on the sale of fuel were published. It showed that diesel sales in August plummeted by 15% compared to a year earlier. The average decline until August was 7%. In Belgium and Germany were increased sales in the same period by 2% and 3%. The dramatic decrease in fuel sales in the Netherlands and the increase in sales in Germany shows the direct result of the duty increases that were introduced by the PvdA and VVD last year. In gasoline we see a decline, as well as LPG. Declining sales here was a whopping 20%. Small business owners are hit disproportionately by the extra tax increase hit. It affects not only them directly, but also those of the municipalities in the border region, where this measure causes that jobs, facilities and activities are gone and will disappear, because the measure is still working through. In addition, the measure did not realize as much as budgeted, so for the treasury, the measure was also not so good. Randstad Cabinet We, as CDA, have often said that this government is too much with his head in the Randstad. If they would look more often in other regions, there would indeed be seriously discussed such problems in gas extraction, or range of cell phones, or the availability of fast internet. And then they would fix our entrepreneurs within the borders, so they would not suffer under increased excise what hunts their customers across the borders. What is needed is a serious policy to keep the border livable. So that residents and businesses can thrive there and so the whole Netherlands can contribute to a strong country.
Student entrepreneur Gieslo
Loek Giessen describes in this student entrepreneur the establishment of his company named Gieslo. Could you briefly describe what the business involves and what it is trying to achieve? I am owner and employee of Gieslo Obers & Serveersters. Gieslo is an office that deploys staff to different clients in Limburg. I have a group of catering staff that I have selected and/or schooled carefully before I started deploying them to clients. My main goals within this company are to unburden clients and allowing students to earn some extra money. When did you come up with the idea of starting your own business? I myself have always had catering jobs, at several different locations. Sometimes acquaintances asked me to work behind the bar or serve people at their own private parties. Next I was asked whether I could bring one or two friends to help out. Because of my passion for catering and entrepreneurship I have decided to turn this into an official company at the start of 2013. In what way has the company evolved since its inception? In almost all areas; we have experienced a growth of (fixed) clientele and have evolved from 0 to 55 (on-call) employees. Furthermore we have improved our clothing, the interior design of the office and the systems behind the screens. Could owning and running a business be combined easily with your studies? It is not easy, but certainly possible. It was a matter of much hard work. Of course the most important aspect was planning; without a clear and tight planning you will fall behind study-wise as well as work-wise. What skills have you acquired during your studies that can be applied to your daily business activities? Within my education (Consumer Services Management) a lot of time was spent on dealing with customers and employees. Such as having conversations with clients and managing your employees. I was able to apply the extensively practiced job evaluation conversations, exit interviews, sales pitches, management theories etc. directly to my own employees and/or clients. Up to this point, what skills have you gained from the establishment of your business? Especially dealing with clients. Each client requires a different approach; One desires to show you everything of his/her party or company and wants you to show a lot of interest whereas the other wants to know exactly what you do and how you are going to make sure that there will be absolutely good waitresses and waiters. I really learnt how to sense this and play around with it during a conversation. How do you see the future of the company? There are a lot of really big competitors, especially in South Limburg, the region in which I operate. So with view on that it certainly is a challenge to be part of those. I don’t want to take up this battle, I just want to get a piece of the market share in this region where possible. In another region I want to become a lot more active, I see a lot of chances there and anticipate a growth in employees and clientele.
A winter wonderland in Finland
A contribution by Faces editor Iulia Voinea. She writes about her experiences during her semester abroad at the university of Turku in Finland. Moreover, she extensively describes the beautiful and astonishing places that Finland and surrounding countries have to offer. A winter wonderland in Finland When students think of Finland as an exchange destination, they expect minimal excitement, non-captivating lifelessness and unimaginably cold winters. There are no boundaries to push and there has not been any destination closer to home than this one. However, I can definitely say, these people could have never been more wrong in their entire lives. I am one of the few fortunate students to have had the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the wide array of experiences the University of Turku and Finland have to offer. My choice went to this part of the world, as the quality of life, advanced educational system and mesmerizing nature did not fail to lure me in, to only find out I lost myself on the way out of this winter wonderland. Finland is worldwide known to have the best educational system in the world. Students do not only get to take full advantage of the quality of the courses, but are also supported through the offering of free education, facilities, free study material such as manuals and the possibility of borrowing a laptop. The main differences with Tilburg University would be the actual amount of time spent at university and the level of responsibility that is expected of students. With a maximum of two or three lectures a week, students are taught from an early age that a high sense of responsibility and ambition are required to succeed in their academic career. Apart from an ideal study environment, a vibrant nightlife and the amount of new friends made along the way, there was one more thing I was set to do during my stay in Turku: traveling, traveling and more traveling. With (and without) an active ESN association, many trips were possible to make, which included ferry boat parties to Stockholm, city trips to St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, a full week of exploring nature at its best in Lapland and stocking cheap alcohol by passing the borders of Estonia. Finland is the perfect location for traveling in the Northern part of Europe, with enough time given to explore each and every corner of the Baltic area. From all the trips I have made, the one week trip to Lapland was one I will never be able to erase from my memory. There is absolutely no movie and no story in the world that could prepare you for the overwhelming beauty your eyes will meet after stepping foot over the Arctic Circle, in the middle of Santa Claus’ village, in Rovaniemi. After arriving to Saariselkä, the northernmost ski resort in Europe, the most vivid dream has begun. Husky and reindeer sledge riding, snowmobile cruising, show-shoe-walking and cross-country skiing are just a few of the activities available to make during the stay. Not to mention the warm saunas and fireplaces available in every cottage and the possibility of experiencing the Northern Lights like never before. During my experience abroad I have met many people from many places around the world. It is extremely interesting and eye-opening to learn about each one of their culture and their view on their living conditions and social systems. We tend to take for granted the environment we live in, but we should often stand still and realize how lucky we are having access to the social, political and economic safety and security we are offered in The Netherlands. The little things that dissatisfy us are often insignificant. For my personal development, this was a huge eye-opener. An exchange is a unique experience in itself and I would recommend it to anyone. Finland was the perfect destination for me and I have no single regret for choosing it. If you’re intrigued by the winter season, blueberry pies and wish to explore Northern Europe, Finland is most definitely the country to start with.
Wine Solutions
In this student entrepreneur Jop Heuvelmans talks about his own business: Wine Solutions. He describes the establishment of the company and he explains what is like to be a student entrepreneur. Could you briefly describe what the business involves and what it is trying to achieve? Wine solutions is a company consisting of two parts – both parts operating in the wine industry. One part of my business is that I have created a web shop selling various wine accessories. The other part of Wine solutions consists of me presenting wine tastings, where I educate a whole range of participants on the basis of tasting wines in an informal setting. My ultimate goal is to create a sense of awareness among my participants that they will see how beautiful and diverse wine can be. When did you come up with the idea of starting your own business? It has all started as an assignment during secondary school, which eventually evolved into a real company: Wine Solutions. The company was born in 2012, back then still operating with three close friends, when we had the idea to start a company for the final assignment we had to make in our exam year. Initially, we did not really had an idea what kind of company it was going to be, but since my father (Ruud Heuvelmans) runs his own wine import company, the idea of a web shop in wine accessories was born. After we had successfully finished the assignment, we all went into different directions and came to the conclusion that it would be best if one of us would proceed with the company. From that moment onwards, I run the company by myself. In what way has the company evolved since its inception? I initially started giving the wine tastings, as a way of increasing my turnover on wine accessories. Afterwards, I realized it was a different target group for the wine tastings as those who are buying my wine accessories, so I have made a clear distinction between the two activities. Moreover, I realized that did not want to be a salesman on my own tastings. At the moment of this interview, I am creating an app to virtualize wine tastings, so people can do them wherever they want. Can owning and running a business be combined easily with your studies? In my case I can easily combine it with my studies, since my studies leaves me plenty of time to work on Wine Solutions. I believe it is sometimes even easier to combine everything, compared to a normal student job, since when I have exams or a busy schedule, I just turn down the business activities to a minimum. What skills have you acquired during your studies that can be applied to your daily business activities? In general, I’ve applied very little from my studies into Wine Solutions. I feel my study is too specific and aimed at large companies to be useful for me at this point. Although accounting class has helped me to form the basics of my own bookkeeping. Up to this point, what skills have you gained from the establishment of your business? Up to this point in time, I have learned to always be critical, and know how to negotiate properly. Furthermore, I have realized the importance of taking initiative and responsibility, since your own company is at stake if you do not. Moreover, with various activities running at the same time, planning and organizing your agenda is something I have mastered over the last years. During the wine tastings I have learned to further develop my presenting skills, since I often speak in front of big groups of people. In general, many skills I have acquired are practical skills you would hardly ever master, merely by studying theory. How do you see the future of the company? I have recently participated in an elevator pitch contest, in which I pitched a new idea and eventually won the contest. My idea is to create an app, which will allow people to host their own wine tasting. Participants will receive six bottles of wine. Using the app, which provides information and questions about the wines, participants will learn everything about the wines in their glass. As an added bonus of answering the questions, participants construct their own wine profile. Ultimately, I want to help people figure out what kind of wines they like, and create a community of people who have gained knowledge about drinking wine and their own preferences. Finally, what would you like to say to students who are also planning to start their own business? I would just go for it. Do not even bother starting to write a hundred-page-businessplan – I would suggest using the Lean Start-up Method. In my case, I went to Starterslift, an organization situated at Tilburg University, who helps starting entrepreneurs with their business idea. To me the Lean Start-up was a real eye opener, and Starterslift helped me implementing these concepts and helping me solve my issues. Besides, they’ve provided me with a lot of useful contacts. General information Founder: Jop Heuvelmans Study: Bedrijfseconomie Company name: Wine Solutions Location: Tilburg Employees: 1 Activities: Wine tastings & wine accessories web shop Website: www.winesolutions.nl
That’s why you need LinkedIn
Are you interested in expanding your network? In this article Eveline Pernoud discusses how important LinkedIn is for your networking and how it is used by recruitment. Also the ten essentials of your LinkedIn profile will be explained. Finding a job is a process, it takes time. Securing your ideal job requires an active, well considered approach. You start by reflecting on what you want and once that is clear, you must consider the steps you need to take in order to achieve that goal. Research has shown that over 70% of today’s jobs are landed through networking. Most of these jobs have not even been advertised yet. So the most successful approach to reach your goal involves relationships. The more people you know, the more job opportunities you’ll have. LinkedIn equals networking LinkedIn has made networking easy. It allows you to get in touch in an easy, accessible way, with people you do not know. You can manage all your contacts in one place and keep their contact information up-to-date. Furthermore, LinkedIn offers plenty of tools to allow you to stay in touch and stay visible to your network. Building an extensive high quality network of relationships takes time. It takes years. Therefore it is not wise to wait until you graduate to create the foundation of your network. Your search for a job does not start the moment you graduate. It starts the moment you set foot on the campus of Tilburg University. The importance of LinkedIn in recruitment Every recruiter has a LinkedIn profile and will use it as a starting point in their search for potential candidates. So, if you are not on LinkedIn, you won’t be found as a potential candidate. A missed opportunity. On the other hand, more and more companies publish their vacancies on LinkedIn. If you have a LinkedIn account and have made it clear what you are looking for, LinkedIn will automatically send you all vacancies posted by any employer on LinkedIn that match your profile. Again, if you do not have an account, you will not receive them. If you did not make it clear what you are looking for, you will not receive the vacancies that match your profile. Another missed opportunity. The 10 essentials of your LinkedIn profile 1. PHOTO: It does not need to be taken by a professional but it must look professional. Ask your friend for help you and use your smartphone. Make sure the background is plain, you wear a nice shirt that fits with the job you desire and most importantly, do not forget to smile! 2. HEADLINE: Tell people what you are doing now and what you are aiming for in the future. What is the job you are aspiring for? For example: Student in Econometrics, Aspiring to be a Financial Risk Manager. 3. SUMMARY: Describe who you are, what your skills are, what your aspirations are, what motivates you and what you want to do in the future. It is the only place on your LinkedIn profile where you write a short story. 4. EDUCATION: List all your educational experiences, from high school to college. The minors you follow etc. 5. COURSES: List all the special classes you have followed that show your skills and interest. 6. PROJECTS: Whether you have worked in a team with fellow students or started a business for a school project, talk about the projects you executed, what you did during the project and how you did it. 7. EXPERIENCE: List the jobs you have and had, even if they are part-time. 8. ORGANISATIONS: Are you an active member of ASSET? Here is the place to show it! Be sure to describe your role and activities. 9. VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE & CAUSES: Volunteer work can be just as valuable as paid work, so don’t forget to list it. 10. SKILLS & EXPERTISE: Add at least five skills and let your connections endorse you for it. The more specific these skills are, the more value they add. For example, ‘SPSS’ as a skill adds more value than ‘Economics’. Ready? Then continue with the most important step of all: expand your network! Connect with your fellow students, friends, family, neighbours and most important of all, connect with recruiters of companies you want to work for. But remember, everyone likes some personal attention. So, when you send an invitation to connect, include a short note with the reason why you want to connect and to keep in touch. Do you want to be the first to know about internships and other career possibilities of your favourite employer? Then go to their company page and press the ‘follow’ button. More and more companies (even smaller ones) are posting their job vacancies on their LinkedIn company page. If you follow their company, you will automatically receive news about their vacancies. An easy way to stay informed. So, why wait any longer? Open your LinkedIn account today! More practical tips on LinkedIn, networking and how to apply for your favourite job? Follow De Sollicitatie Experts on https://www.linkedin.com/company/de-sollicitatie-experts.