Helping entrepreneurs score is in our DNA

Academy makes sense, but where does “Winger” actually come from?

(Smiles) ‘I had ambitions of becoming a professional footballer when I was younger. I played as a right winger at a local club, I had a decent dribble and a good cross, and I helped the forwards score. The symbolism of a winger fits me well, and it fits our business too: supporting others so they can be successful.’

‘These days I’m surrounded by a team that shares that same vision. We call them wingwomen and wingmen, terms borrowed from aviation, where it’s also about strengthening one another.’

What was the mission that drove you to start as an entrepreneur?

‘In the beginning, I didn’t have a concrete plan. I mainly knew I wanted to build something of my own. My biggest goal was to become the happiest version of myself professionally. My direction became clearer over time, thanks to partners like Voka, for whom I was able to deliver LinkedIn® training sessions.’

What milestones have shaped Winger Academy?

‘Our story began in October 2017 with the founding of Winger Consultancy. In June 2018, we rebranded to Winger Academy. In 2019 we launched our first video training courses, and in 2020 we introduced hybrid learning programmes, which turned out to be a masterstroke when COVID hit.’

‘In 2021 we started developing strategic LinkedIn® plans for business clients, which led to questions about whether we could roll those plans out too. From there, we kept expanding our services for a growing portfolio of agency clients. Alongside LinkedIn®, we began managing other social media channels, building websites, supporting clients with rebranding and email campaigns, the works.’

‘Today we’re a full-service digital marketing agency, but still deliberately focused on LinkedIn®, because that remains our passion.’

• June 2018, Rebranded to Winger Academy
• 2019, Launch of video training courses
• 2020, Introduction of hybrid learning programmes, a game-changer during the pandemic
• December 2020, First full-time marketer hired
• 2021, First strategic LinkedIn® plans and first agency clients
• 2021 – 2026, Growth of the agency

Where does your greatest strength lie?

‘Our strength lies in the combination of three pillars: Strategy, Agency and Academy. First, we give our clients direction by defining a strategy. From that strategy, we align on what the client will handle themselves and where our agency can take the load off and add value. Where businesses lack the knowledge, our academy provides the training they need.’

Do you struggle with challenges as an entrepreneur?

‘Running a business is never plain sailing, that goes without saying. The challenge I find most personally demanding is hiring the right people and building the team. Recruiting someone as a manager in employment is quite different from taking people on for your own business. For that reason, I want to outsource the HR side to a strong partner or dedicated team member.’

‘That’s been an important lesson for me: let go of the things you’re not good at, or that drain your energy. My administration is now firmly under control. The next steps are to hand HR, sales and operations over to people who genuinely thrive on them.’

Those are valuable lessons. What advice would you give to people just starting out?

‘Build patiently and don’t rush. Invest in quality. Move quickly in a fast-changing market, because standing still today means falling behind. But as an entrepreneur, it’s equally important to pause regularly, because if you’re always sprinting, you lose sight of the bigger picture.’

Great insights. Can you give us a sense of your plans for the future?

‘We definitely have growth plans. First and foremost, continuing to expand our agency portfolio and our team in a way where everyone flourishes and feels good about what they do.’

‘To get there, we’re looking for the right profiles to help professionalise the business further. We’re moving to a new office in Haacht and will soon be bringing on our first sales team member.’

‘Looking a little further ahead, I dream of building a local ecosystem of businesses that strengthen each other, each with their own area of specialisation.’

The greatest win

Tom’s journey shows that entrepreneurship is never a straight line. It’s about course-correcting, knowing when to pass the ball, and above all, staying true to what energises you. Or as he puts it himself: “Becoming the happiest version of yourself professionally, that might just be the greatest win of all.”