Sunny Paul live guest at The Entrepreneur

At the end of this month The Growth College will start again. Prof. Justin Jansen is one of the teachers at the course of nlgroeit, Erasmus University Rotterdam and De Ondernemer and was a guest on our radio show De Ondernemer Live. He explained in great detail why, as an entrepreneur, it’s a good idea to apply.

“The Growth College is there for SME entrepreneurs,” Jansen replied when presenter Remy Gieling asked him who the initiative is designed for. ,,That can be medium-sized, but also smaller entrepreneurs who have the ambition to grow, but don’t always know how to do so. For us, by the way, growth is not always about getting bigger. Making the organization stronger or more sustainable, for example, falls under the same heading for us. Making sure that your organization goes through transitions that increase its impact.”

Participants should also learn from each other

Jansen explained that very diverse companies participate in The Growth College. Something that is exactly the intention, since entrepreneurs must also learn from each other. ,,On the one hand we offer the participants research, conclusions, tools and techniques that we have developed ourselves, and on the other hand the entrepreneurs must make each other wiser. This by talking to each other and being critical. This works extremely well when you put entrepreneurs from very different sectors together.”

“So what does a lecture series look like?” presenter Gieling asked his guest. “I can well imagine that an entrepreneur is busy enough with his own business, let alone having to spend another five nights a week in school.”

Jansen explained that participants can follow online lectures recorded at an earlier stage. ,,So they can listen back at any time that is convenient for them. We also give them assignments that focus on how to identify growth opportunities. Or how to attract and retain talent. Finally, there are also working lectures in which entrepreneurs therefore have to talk to each other.”

Experienced entrepreneurs as team coaches during The Growth College

In terms of teachers, The Growth College’s offerings are also diverse. Various experts from science are involved, but also from the field. Think of specialists in HR. But there is also a sales expert who can explain very interestingly how you can structure your sales process to be much more effective. To focus on customers who will bring your organization the most. We have also found entrepreneurs willing to act as team coaches when participants need to work together. These are experienced entrepreneurs who have set up businesses before. The combination of these aspects make The Growth College a success.”

Prof. Justin Jansen, Professor of Entrepreneurship Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and lecturer at The Growth College

Spread sunscreen interesting as a startup

Wout Spackler and Philip Kook are the entrepreneurs behind Smeerkees Sunscreen and were also guests at The Entrepreneur Live. The two say that with their sachets and sunscreen poles they want to create awareness in society when it comes to sun protection. ,,The sachets are already available, for example, at catering establishments that can offer them to their guests free of charge or via the menu and thus for a fee,” Spackler says. , “After all, on the terrace we often forget to lubricate.”

, “We want to distribute these sachets throughout the Netherlands,” Kook continued. “At festivals we have the sunscreen poles to provide optimal protection for visitors. The intention, of course, is for as many organizers as possible to purchase these poles from us.”

Jansen: “Who exactly is the customer here?”

When Jansen was asked by Gieling what the two young entrepreneurs should pay attention to during their mission, the teacher responded by defining the target audience. ”Who exactly is the customer and who pays for the product? Is it about that restaurant owner, the festival organizer or the individual? Only once you know that can you move forward as an entrepreneur.”

Jansen emphasized the importance of learning to look at your organization in a different way. Especially now that we are facing war, inflation and an energy crisis. ,,Important reasons to sign up for The Growth College. If you can look at your business in a different way, then you can also innovate and get the business into a higher gear. We are happy to help you do that.”

Source: https://www.deondernemer.nl/het-groeicollege/groeicollege-nl-groeit-erasmus-universiteit-rotterdam-justin-jansen-smeerkees-zonnebrandcreme~4105604