The Mentor Startup Café: Nicky and Pieter
One of the activities that is part of the Tilburg University IQONIC Startup program, is the Mentor Startup Café. During this evening, startup entrepreneurs engage in speed-dating style conversations with experienced entrepreneurs who can further assist them with network and practical advice. These seasoned entrepreneurs have undergone the same phases when starting their businesses and are eager to help startup entrepreneurs accelerate their companies.
Nicky and Pieter
Nicky Roodnat is one the aspiring entrepreneurs who joined The Mentor Startup Café. She started her own Telemarketing Company in 2020, Roodnat Telemarketing, providing telemarketing support for companies. From the beginning, her company is serving several clients and is on a growing curve.
In IT entrepreneur Pieter Rambags, Nicky found a valuable mentor, sparring partner, and friend. For 22-year-old Nicky, starting her first telemarketing business during her studies was an adventure that brought a lot of challenges and questions, she explains. “As a starting entrepreneur, you must start from scratch and figure many things out yourself. That in itself is not a bad thing, but it costs a lot of energy.”
Connection with IQONIC
To combine her entrepreneurial endeavours with her study of International Business Administration at Tilburg University, she contacted IQONIC. “At some point, I was doing a full-time internship while starting up my company and, at the same time, still doing some courses. So, to better manage that, I got in touch with IQONIC. They offer support, and perhaps more importantly, valuable knowledge resources for student entrepreneurs.”
Through her contact with IQONIC, Nicky decided to join the Mentor Startup Café. Her first impression? “Very informal, which I like. At first, you start with a borrel (Dutch for informal drinks), and soon after that, you go for the speed dating sessions and a dinner with the entrepreneurs, many of whom are Tilburg University alums. That’s how I met Pieter, with whom I had a great connection.”
The connection was mutual, Pieter confirms. “I’ve been involved in the Mentor Startup Café for several years, which started when I was thinking about what I could do in return for my former university. I liked to pop by the uni every once in a while to attend lectures, and by doing so, I got more involved in other activities. As an entrepreneur who was involved in several startups, it seemed like a logical thing to do. At the Mentor Startup Café, Nicky and I met, and I immediately liked her critical questions and way of thinking. It showed to me that she is serious about what she does.”
As an entrepreneur, you’re never ‘done’. It’s a continuous process of re-inventing yourself and your company. It’s a lot of work but also very rewarding Nicky
More than a sparring partner
Nicky: “Afterwards, I went back to IQONIC to ask if I could get a mentor, a sparring partner. Then Pieter was proposed to me because of our connection.” Pieter adds: “At first, that’s what it was: we sparred a lot about various subjects.” Laughing, Nicky adds: “Sometimes these sessions would take two or three hours, about profound and elaborate subjects. So you could say we covered a lot of ground.”
Pieter: “I’ve seen Nicky grow as an entrepreneur and make progress. Our meetups are still very much focused on her company, but it’s become more informal. We discuss what goes well and what doesn’t, and I give her tips and tricks. And it works both ways: I also get new inspiration and insights from this mentorship.”
Mutual friendship between two driven entrepreneurs
The connection between Nicky and Pieter has become one of mutual friendship between two driven entrepreneurs. For Nicky, this has been one factor that sped up certain decisions regarding her company, she explains. “If you have to do everything yourself, you’ll often be overwhelmed. But you don’t have to reinvent the wheel: there is always someone who has been through a similar process. With his background in data and IT, Pieter is a great fit.”
Pieter adds: “It’s a mutual connection that brings so much, but eventually, all achievements are hers and hers alone. I’m very proud of what Nicky has achieved in a relatively short time, and I am glad to have seen it from the sideline and been able to share some knowledge with her.” Whether or not she would like to be a mentor herself at some point, Nicky comments: “I can recommend getting a mentor as a starting entrepreneur. Perhaps I’ll be experienced enough to be one myself in some years. But let's first build towards an even bigger company."
“For Roodnat Telemarketing, the future looks bright”, Nicky says with a smile. “We are on our way to achieving our goals this year; compared to the previous year, we doubled our company activities. Pieter recommended I make a five-year plan: my five-year plan is to continue doubling yearly. Is that ambitious? As an entrepreneur, you’re never ‘done’. It’s a continuous process of re-inventing yourself and your company. It’s a lot of work but also very rewarding.”