Meet Nele Verstraete!

Founder of Lilola, a boutique in Bruges that sells unique fashionable women's clothing and accessories.

"I started my career as a representative in the pharmaceutical industry after training as a laboratory technician. After giving birth to my twins, my enthusiasm for the job had run out," Nele explains. Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, with her father founding a family business, she had always been drawn to the idea of opening her own shop. "I started very small with a 'home party' system, but after 2 years, LILOLA was born. I also call it my third child. Now, 12 years later, I have a thriving store and am surrounded by a fantastic team," she proudly states.

Optimisation

"As an entrepreneur, my mission is to provide people with a top-notch experience. I want customers to bring out the best in themselves and leave with unique pieces and a good feeling. Such an experience is something you can't replicate in large retail chains or during online shopping," she explains.

"I see myself as a small fish among larger entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, I'm proud that I've managed to establish a personal fashion boutique in an unconventional street in the heart of Bruges," Nele shares. A business that has been successful for 12 years, even in tumultuous retail periods. "I constantly strive for improvement to keep my business as optimal as possible. This is also something I want to pass on to fellow entrepreneurs," she says.

"Traveling is a major source of inspiration for me. Immersing myself in different cultures, discovering foreign shops, and meeting new personalities - all of these give me a lot of energy. I also find inspiration from influencers, especially the Dutch ones who exude such great energy. So, I prefer to seek inspiration from sources that are not too close to home," says Nele.

The most beautiful and challenging aspects of entrepreneurship

"The best part of entrepreneurship for me is the challenges. I'm constantly seeking improvement - for myself, the store, and of course, for my customers," says Nele.

"One of the most difficult aspects of entrepreneurship for me is dealing with the constant changes and challenges in society that we've been experiencing in recent years," says Nele. She also finds leading and motivating her employees challenging at times. "I want them to convey the message of the store with the same conviction," she says.

Better Together

"For me, 'Better Together' means daring to share with each other. Sharing knowledge, sharing customers, and organizing events together. It's wonderful! I believe that there absolutely must be a sense of generosity. Collaborating, in my opinion, is the most beautiful thing. Unfortunately, jealousy often creeps in, which I find difficult to understand. As far as I'm concerned, we all become better when we can share," says Nele.