How did you start your own business?

I used to work in a German restaurant, in a Michelin star restaurant, on a cruisehop sailing through the Caribbean. In addition to that i opened several restaurants in hotels for different hotel chains. I also worked in Stockholm in several hotels/restaurants. 16 years ago I started Share Tastes & events. The idea was to focus on catering. Soon the small kitchen was too small. With that came the ambition for growth. Quite soon I realized the possibilities and opportunities which we had and that there was a demand for other kinds of concepts. I like to work according to the philosophy ‘give the people what the people want’. And always ask the customer; what do they want. This sounds very simple but actually it works.
 

The name Share comes from the fact that I like to share the social aspect how people socialize and get together. I enjoy the feeling to create Christmas all the time. Each event/occasion is unique. That’s the whole philosophy behind it.

Do you also have experience with running your own company in the Netherlands?

No, because I moved away from the Netherlands at a young age. My parents had their own business in horeca so it is 'with the paplepel ingegoten'as they say in the Netherlands. This means that I was used to it since a young age and it came naturally. I went to restaurant school in Austria.

I believe that being an entrepreneur is somewhat in your blood. Either you have it or you don't.

What are the major differences and similarities in the field of entrepreneurship between the Netherlands and Finland?

I am not really able to say. Sometimes I don't even know myself am I Finnish, am I Dutch. Who/what am I? I am probably more Dutch. Since I moved away from the Netherlands at a young age I cannot really compare or tell what are the differences / similaraties in doing business.

Did covid19 have an impact on your business? If yes, how?

Yes, it had. Both in negative ways and positive. We had to change our way of thinking. We were forced to think out of the box. We are playing chess. This is a very risky business. Opening 3 new restaurants is a big risk and even bigger in covid times. But I trust that the future will prove that our new / changed concepts will work. The new concepts are a base for the future. Things change; the ways of doings things, the way how to plan things, the concepts that customers want etc. I believe we are on the right track but the future is uncertain. Time will tell….

15 years of entrepreneurship always showed a growth in revenues. During covid-19 we lost 85% of our revenues in two months.

Do you have any tips for other Dutch, or international, people who want to do business in Finland?

Learn the Finnish mentality, culture and language. Try to understand the depth of the Finns. 
Try to understand why Finns are as they are.
Learn the language; Finnish and Swedish.

A peek into the future: where do you see yourself and your company in 5 years?

Hopefully I stay healthy. Perhaps I want to sell (parts of) the company. I need younger people to grow into the company. I want to pass on my own passion, my strengths and what I have learned. I want to continue with the reason why we once started: share!
 

Anything else you would like to bring forward?

Restaurant business is a lifestyle. There is nothing more satisfying to have satisfying customers and staff.

http://www.sharecompany.fi/