Freyke Van Looveren: Many declared me crazy, but I am still happy with the choice of entrepreneurship.
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Like her partner Carl Vorsselmans, Antwerp-based Freyke Van Looveren abandoned a fine career with the Belgian police in 2018 to seek warmer climes and take her chance as a real estate agent in Spain. Both are now together at the head of their company "New Construction in Spain and New Construction Tenerife" through which they help compatriots find their dream house or apartment in Tenerife, Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca or Ibiza. "Although we work all year round in a pleasant climate, in recent years we have never taken a day or week of 'real' vacation."
How important is money to you?
"Money is obviously important, you have to be able to pay your bills. I gave up job security as a tenured police officer to take a step into uncertainty. Many declared me crazy, but I am still very happy with the choice of entrepreneurship. The change from a steady income every month to an uncertain existence did take some getting used to. But the wonderful challenge and the many positive reviews make up for a lot."
What do you regret professionally?
"I was previously employed by the Antwerp Local Police and always enjoyed working there. For me, this adventure and new career turn could easily have started a few years later. Which is not to say that I regret my choice, but I certainly hadn't had enough of my previous job. The train passed and we jumped on it with great conviction and enthusiasm."
What are things that keep you up at night?
"I am a true perfectionist and want all our client files to be handled correctly to the last detail. It often happens that I wonder if I haven't forgotten anything, sometimes I'll shoot that awake in the middle of the night. Meanwhile, we work together with a lot of people and there is always something to do with that."
What is the most fun for you about entrepreneurship?
"With a bachelor's degree in business management under my belt, I actually like the fact that our business involves all facets of business. I'm a jack of all trades. We currently have an intern working for us - our company is recognized as an internship by the Antwerp AP University of Applied Sciences - and that gives another new dynamic."
What big entrepreneurial dream do you still cherish?
"We started with New Construction Tenerife and in the meantime we are active with New Construction in Spain in the whole of Spain, this gives us the opportunity to really tailor work for the client and advise them correctly. To be clear, we are not salesmen, the customer has already decided to buy, it is a matter of making him make the right choice. In the coming years, we hope to further expand and strengthen our current strong position."
"When, as a young company, you get to recommend an international project exclusively, it shows confidence and you get a lot of satisfaction and positive energy from it. Moreover, we are now very active in the German and Polish markets with NB-Estates."
What sacrifices do you have to make privately to be in business?
"Although Carl and I work year-round in a pleasant climate, we have never taken a day or week of 'real' vacation in recent years. This is the downside of being an entrepreneur. Our clients really put their 'destiny' in our hands and we feel very responsible for it. I think these are also the growing pains of starting up your own business, gradually we are trying to get enough structure in this as well."
Do you have other passions besides entrepreneurship?
"I used to be very extremely involved with sports, due to my busy entrepreneurial life I have been able to do this much less lately. My intention, however, is to change this soon. For example, I recently signed up for padel lessons."
What is your most important entrepreneurial lesson so far?
"That you should never give up. After rain always comes sunshine and vice versa. If things are going well, don't get too euphoric. And the same goes the other way around: if things are not going so well for a while, don't let yourself go. If you work hard, things will work out. And above all, keep believing in yourself, because that is obviously crucial for every entrepreneur."
"We are proud to say that after a few years, our company has become one of the references for the Spanish real estate market. That gives a huge kick, as do the many positive reviews we have received so far from satisfied customers."
