Idea validation, business plan, financial plan, testing, sustainability… Entrepreneurship is not just about confidence and energy. And success is never built alone.
Against all odds, Belgium remains a steadfast land of starters… According to Statbel, more than 120,000 new VAT numbers were registered in 2024, a figure comparable to the previous three years. Today, in our country, the rate of new business creation is 45% higher than it was ten years ago.
Yet, a large number of project owners fail to make the adventure sustainable. Graydon Creditsafe recorded a record number of bankruptcies in the first five months of the year – nearly 5,000 in total. In fact, while launching a business requires a solid dose of confidence, creativity, and energy, long-term success also depends on a rigorous approach and some essential management skills. To get a clearer picture, we asked a few questions to David Sobrie, head of the business creation division at Partena Professional, and to Audrey Thiry, head of the Dream Lab. This program, designed by the business counter for beginner entrepreneurs, supports participants from idea refinement to concrete launch and financial planning. It guides 250 people per year and includes interactive workshops to structure projects, as well as individual coaching to analyze business strategies in depth – from pricing to competition analysis and communication campaigns. It also offers the opportunity to test projects in practice. On average, half of the participants take the step into entrepreneurship at the end of the program.
Well-being is part of our business model canvas. Only an entrepreneur who is doing well can grow and evolve.
- Audrey Thiry
Should you give up all other activities to start your business?
No! David Sobrie points out that the profile of participants is becoming more diverse, and entrepreneurship is gradually being seen as a complement or alternative to salaried work. Becoming a starter is no longer only out of necessity or risk appetite, but also as a “breath of fresh air” in daily life. “Many are in professional transition or working as supplementary self-employed, wishing to turn an existing skill – often practiced as a hobby – into a business,” observes the expert. Audrey Thiry, who has been supporting business creation for more than seven years, agrees: “We see more and more students and young graduates going straight into entrepreneurship. And in the very significant 40–50 age group, the search for meaning and sustainability is increasingly the driving factor – even at the cost of a lower income,” she notes.
How can you ensure your idea is relevant?
A new business is always a gamble, and there is no magic idea… “To develop a good project, you must be in love with your problem, not your solution,” sums up Audrey Thiry. Submitting your idea to as many potential customers as possible is therefore an essential starting point to ensure that the value proposition is relevant. “During our first workshops, everyone pitches their project. We then ask the other participants whether they would buy it, and if not, why not,” explains David Sobrie. He insists that it’s important to consult people beyond family and friends, whose opinions are often biased.
How to move from idea to project?
Even if an idea meets a market need, the resulting project must also allow its owner to make a living from it. By analyzing available data, one must establish as rigorous a budget as possible and determine the break-even point. This starts with identifying production costs. For example, launching a food truck in a village requires estimating the initial investment, operating and supply costs, and one’s own salary. “The goal is to break everything down in detail to know exactly how many pizzas you need to sell per day to be profitable,” explains David Sobrie. This figure is then compared to the potential market: how many families live in the village, and how many are likely to come try your food, knowing no one eats pizza every night? “If the project proves unviable based on these first analyses, we look at alternatives: could the food truck move to nearby villages? Or take part in events? Very often, the initial project evolves this way,” adds David Sobrie.
How to test your project?
At the end of this exercise, an aspiring entrepreneur will have their first business plan. Even if it is well designed, it remains fragile until tested. The next step is to expose it to expert scrutiny – the “dream-test” or “crash-test,” as David Sobrie calls it. A sector expert challenges the project once it is presented, checking details and whether the vision aligns with reality and industry trends. Sobrie reminds us that a business really starts only when it gets its first customer. “Creating a first recipe, a first piece of jewelry, or a prototype and quickly testing it with the potential market is crucial. Through trial and error, you can adjust to demand without losing time.” The Dream Lab regularly offers participants the chance to test their ideas in Pop-Up stores designed for this purpose.
What is the purpose of the financial plan?
Part of the business plan, the financial plan demonstrates financial feasibility, identifies funding needs, and projects profitability. It details needs and sources of financing, the forecast income statement (revenues, expenses, and profit), and a cash flow table. It is indispensable for convincing investors and banks, but also for reflecting on personal financial aspirations. “A key question is: how much do I need per month to live? You must find a balance. Not paying yourself for a year or drastically lowering your lifestyle can also weaken you mentally,” stresses Audrey Thiry. Since a few years ago, drafting a financial plan by an accountant is a legal requirement for setting up a company, to prevent undercapitalization and ensure viability for at least two years. In practice, however, Sobrie regrets that the figures and information provided are often too incomplete to give a realistic picture of financial prospects. “The financial plan should be a promise to oneself and a monitoring tool to trigger alerts when deviations occur. But this only works if the business plan has been taken seriously. Otherwise, it becomes just an administrative formality,” he insists.
Is entrepreneurial success only a matter of business model?
Of course not. Entrepreneurship also tests personality, temperament, and mental resilience. You must be able to honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses, work on them, or sometimes conclude that entrepreneurship is not for you. “An individual’s personality or creative vision is a differentiating factor that contributes to success. Beyond that, well-being is an integral part of our business model canvas. Only a healthy entrepreneur can grow and evolve,” illustrates Audrey Thiry. “Many start out with great enthusiasm. That’s excellent, but they must also realize that every journey involves failures, doubts, and rebounds.”
Can Artificial Intelligence become a strategic partner?
David Sobrie admits that using AI to work on a business plan can be useful. “It’s another tool in the toolbox,” he says. But he reminds us that being a successful starter comes down above all to know-how and soft skills. “To sell, you must be comfortable with clients. Growing a business requires creativity and originality to anticipate and adapt.” Audrey Thiry adds: “We can quickly spot pitches written entirely by AI. They’re good, but lack the entrepreneur’s ‘gut feeling.’ Convincing investors or clients also relies on authenticity and personal stories.”
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