Lisselotte, our performance marketer, took in the atmosphere at Work Smarter

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Lisselotte, our performance marketer, took in the atmosphere at Work Smarter

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Soaking up the atmosphere at Work Smarter and sharing my insights in a blog post? Absolutely! Said and done. Here are my takeaways from the fifth edition of this Teamleader event. A warm welcome, fresh pastries, and an opening introduction by Jeroen De Wit, CEO of Teamleader. A solid start to the day, if you ask me.

“Your business plan is a guide, but don’t cling to it, or you’ll miss out on creativity” – Eline De Munck

Eline De Munck kicked things off with her startup story about Odette Lunettes, a fashion-forward eyewear brand born from her personal need for stylish glasses. She shared how she built her brand from scratch with her savings, navigating challenges and learning along the way.

What stood out to me most was her approach to launching a new product: “Warming up your audience starts with teasing. Don’t release your whole story at once—reveal it in pieces.”

“The future is digital and human” – Wouter Torfs

Wouter Torfs, whose company has been voted Belgium’s best workplace 10 times, credits their success to a strong people first culture.

His talk revolved around how the digital shift has been a significant pivot for Torfs: “It’s not about having the best technology but the technology that works for both your customers and employees.” He emphasized an optichannel strategy rather than omnichannel, focusing on gradually making a difference and extending customer love through digital channels.

For Torfs, investing in physical stores remains a priority, resulting in a successful new store concept and happy employees.

He concluded with the concept of “heartfelt leadership”: leading not just with the head but also with the heart. A core value at Torfs and a beautiful principle to keep in mind

“4 billion people deserve a personal assistant, not just CEOs” – Thierry Geerts

Thierry Geerts, CEO of Google Belgium, delivered a keynote on the future of machine learning.

Some AI applications are already part of our daily lives, like Waze and Google Translate. Under the motto, “4 billion people deserve a personal assistant, not just CEOs,” he shared his vision for the future.

Geerts discussed how, during the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we are reinventing everything: banking, music, cars, and more. He also highlighted how smartphones have become the window through which we view life.

“Successful companies reduce time” – Jürgen Ingels

Tech entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and SuperNova organizer Jürgen Ingels shared key entrepreneurial lessons with a mix of do’s and don’ts for growing a business successfully.

“Entrepreneurship is a mindset, not a trend. Don’t do it because it looks good on your resume, but because it’s within you. Do it with passion—you’ll need it.”

“Many entrepreneurs are overly optimistic. At the end of the day, you always need more money than planned. Account for six months without revenue while still covering expenses to make your forecasts more realistic.”

Ingels concluded with an important insight: “A successful entrepreneur knows how to save time.” Digitalization plays a crucial role in this, enabling more efficient processes—a core focus of Teamleader.

Lunchtime and afternoon sessions
The morning ended on a high note, giving way to a varied lunch and networking. It was also an opportunity to explore the Work Like a Pro corner featuring Teamleader, SD Worx, and Combell, and to check out the Product Lab to discover Teamleader’s new features.

In the afternoon, I attended the session by Ynzo Van Zanten of Tony’s Chocolonely. He shared how the company is working toward 100% slave-free chocolate, aiming to impact the entire chocolate industry.

Next, Dries and Yuri, the entrepreneurial duo behind Wasbar and Chez Claire, took the stage, sharing how they continuously create hype-worthy concepts. This was followed by Joost Callens from Durabrik, who introduced us to Ikigai—the ultimate combination of passion, mission, vocation, and profession. His philosophy includes guiding employees on personal development paths. “The more you invest in personal growth, the better your results.”

Jacco van der Kooy of Winning by Design highlighted the importance of understanding and integrating with the new generation, discussing what motivates them and how to connect with their world.

The day concluded as it began, with a talk from Teamleader CEO Jeroen De Wit. He delivered an inspiring keynote on Teamleader’s future and unveiled some exciting new features.

This edition of Work Smarter was a day filled with inspiring keynotes, actionable tips, and networking opportunities—a must for anyone looking to work smarter and more efficiently.

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