how to convince your parents & friends that you want to become an entrepreneur

HOW TO CONVINCE YOUR PARENTS AND FRIENDS THAT

YOU WANT TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR

THIS HAPPY BUNCH JUST GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSITY

MEET

LAURA

NICOLAS

MEET

LAURA SHE GOT A MASTERS DEGREE. HOORAY!

WHAT NOW?

SHE STARTS HER WORKING CAREER

HER OPTIONS:

SME’S

STARTUPS

BIG CORPORATES

LAURA CHOSES FOR A WELL PAID JOB AT A BIG CORPORATE

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2

3

HE GOT A MASTERS DEGREE. HOORAY!

WHAT NOW?

HE BECOMES AN ENTREPRENEUR

HIS OPTIONS:

MEET

NICOLAS

START A STARTUP

NICOLAS STARTS HIS OWN STARTUP

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WHAT BELGIUM THINKS

LAURA

NICOLAS

JOB AT A BIG CORPORATE

STARTS HIS OWN STARTUP

CRAZY FOOL!GOOD GIRL!

X1000

WHAT BELGIUM THINKS

LAURA

NICOLASCRAZY FOOL

“THE NUMBER OF YOUNG GRADUATES ACTUALLY STARTING UP A BUSINESS AFTER THEIR STUDIES IS LOW”

WHAT BELGIUM NEEDS

LAURA

NICOLAS

JOB AT A BIG CORPORATE

STARTS HIS OWN STARTUP

GOOD GIRL!

X1000

GOOD BOY!

HOW CAN NICOLAS CONVINCE HIS PARENTS THAT HE ISN’T A CRAZY FOOL?

MEET

NICOLAS

NICOLAS STARTS HIS OWN STARTUP

DON’T TELL THEM YOU ARE BUILDING THE NEXT FACEBOOK ;)

TIP #1 DON’T GET TOO FULL OF YOURSELF

NICOLAS

SHOW YOU THOUGHT YOUR IDEA THROUGH TO THE LONG TERM. NOT JUST WHAT YOU HOPE HAPPENS IN SIX MONTHS.

SOURCE

TIP #2 DO YOUR HOMEWORK

NICOLAS

BE THOROUGH IN EXPLAINING WHY YOU WANT TO DO IT, AND WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT. NO SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT DECISION!

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TIP #3 TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE

NICOLAS

GO TO MEETUPS, PITCH NIGHTS, OPEN COFFEES. ANY ENTREPRENEURIAL EVENT THAT’S RELEVANT. TALK TO FELLOW ENTREPRENEURS. TEST YOUR IDEA AND GET FEEDBACK

TIP #4 KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP

NICOLAS

THINK OF YOUR PARENTS AS INVESTORS. YOU NEED TO UPDATE THEM ON YOUR PROGRESS. THEY COULD HELP YOU. EMOTIONALLY AND BUSINESS WISE.

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TIP #5 SHOW YOUR PASSION!

NICOLAS

SHOW THAT THIS PASSION IS MAKING YOU HAPPY. YOUR PASSION FOR BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR PERSONAL JOURNEY.

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TIP #6 JOIN OTHER ENTREPRENEURS

NICOLAS

DON’T STAY IN YOUR BEDROOM. GET OUT OF THE BUILDING. JOIN OTHER ENTREPRENEURS (ACCELERATORS, INCUBATORS, CO-WORKING). CONVINCE THEM YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE DOING THIS.

TIP #7 BE COMPLETELY HONEST

NICOLAS

HAVE ULTIMATE TRUST BETWEEN EACH OTHER. IF YOUR PARENTS ARE HELPING YOU FINANCIALLY, MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THERE’S A CHANCE THEIR INVESTMENT WON’T PAN OUT

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TIP #8 SHOW THEM WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE

NICOLAS

YOUR PARENTS KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOOD AT. CONVINCE THEM WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT. SHOW THEM YOUR SKIllZ!

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TIP #9 FIND A MENTOR

NICOLAS

TRY AND LOOK FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO GUIDE YOU IN YOUR JOURNEY. SEASONED ENTREPRENEURS ARE WILLING TO HELP. THEY LIVE BY THE PAY IT FORWARD PRINCIPLE

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TIP #10 EXPLAIN YOUR IDEA ON THEIR TERMS

NICOLAS

SHOW THEM YOUR IDEA IS A GOOD ONE, THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF ACTUALLY CREATING IT, AND CONVINCING PEOPLE TO USE IT. SELL THEM YOUR PRODUCT AS IF THEY WERE YOUR CUSTOMERS

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YOU CONVINCED YOUR PARENTS?

WHAT NOW?

APPLY FOR THE TELENET IDEALABS ACCELERATOR

YOU GET:

MEET

NICOLAS

GUIDANCE BY 80 MENTORS

25K (NO EQUITY)

NICOLAS GETS ACCELERATED!

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WORKSPACE

ACCESS TO TELENET TALENT & NETWORK

BE SURROUNDED BY STARTUPS

ATTEND A LOT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL EVENTS

HEY LAURA, YOU SHOULD JOIN NICOLAS IN HIS JOURNEY!

MEET

LAURA

NICOLAS

APPLY NOW FOR THE TELENET IDEALABS ACCELERATOR