How the nexxworks Youth Tour changed my life

Front row seats to entrepreneurship

What greatly impacted me during my first nexxworks experience (to be clear: I was a student back then and not working at nexxworks yet) was how we were able to witness innovation and entrepreneurship up close and personal, interacting with the living, breathing testimonies of success stories that we often only read about. It allowed me to envision the kind of person I aspired to become.

In fact, inspired by the remarkable journey of Showpad in Silicon Valley, I recognized the value of learning from their experiences. And so I pursued a sales internship at their Ghent office during the summer, granting me the privilege to undergo the same training as the new sales development representatives at their company.

The network always wins

As a student, your social and professional circle expands through school, university, and the acquaintances of your parents. The nexxworks tour offered me remarkable opportunities to connect with individuals who, like myself, were seeking their paths in life. I was able to deeply engage with peers who shared similar aspirations and ambitions. It also gave me the chance to engage in conversations with adults who had diverse professional backgrounds, offering valuable insights into how they forged their careers and their unique perspectives.

Inspired by innovation

During my internship at Showpad, I had the opportunity to work closely with Salesforce, an intriguing tool that piqued my interest and motivated me to delve deeper into its functionalities. This experience then led me to join Deloitte, where I assisted clients in establishing optimal connections with their customers. Within a year, I progressed to the role of chief of staff for the Deloitte Salesforce Alliance in EMEA. In this capacity, I actively contributed to crafting strategic initiatives and ensuring alignment among leaders across the region. One of my most memorable achievements was organizing a future leader program at Dreamforce exclusively tailored for the top Salesforce practitioners at Deloitte, spanning across the globe.

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Through this endeavor, I then discovered my passion for organizing and fostering enthusiasm which eventually lead me to later join the nexxworks team.

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Since then, I have experienced how life – just as business – is never a linear process. One thing rarely leads directly to another, but it often sets a series of events in motion that can really transform your life. The Youth Tour lead me to Showpad which lead me to Salesforce and Deloitte, which gave me the experience that gave me an edge in the job conversations with nexxworks. So for me, it was a crucial catalyst in my professional life. That’s why I will be forever grateful that my father offered this opportunity to my sister and I. And why, although heavily biased, I can only recommend participating in this year’s edition of our Youth Tour in London.