Personal consultant for managers and entrepreneurs Xavier Bostem talks about his work in personal development.
I am 42 years old, and I have been independent since I was 21. I started working as a student at a young age. I didn’t really need to, because my parents always supported me, but I was always drawn to financial independence. As soon as I left school, I acquired my VAT number… I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit.
I started my career in magazine publishing and, for a few years, co-directed publications in Hainaut and Walloon Brabant In 2011, I decided to review my commercial orientation more towards service to entrepreneurs. Before that, in fact, I was more in sales than in service. And that’s where my career really took off. Passionate about catering, it was first of all in the catering service that I was most useful. Admittedly, at the beginning in executive work, with my graphics skills being very useful to the chefs. I started by setting up with them simpler business flows for the update of their business cards and menus. I set up a system to print menu cards in 24 hours max, which brought me a lot of clients. In addition to this, I enjoyed other achievements in graphics and also the daily implementation of digital updates (websites and social networks).
I started my career in magazine publishing and, for a few years, co-directed publications in Hainaut and Walloon Brabant. In 2011, I decided to review my commercial orientation more towards service to entrepreneurs. Before that, in fact, I was more in sales than in service. And that’s where my career really took off. Passionate about catering, it was first of all in the catering service that I was most useful. Admittedly, at the beginning in executive work, with my graphics skills being very useful to the chefs. I started by setting up with them simpler business flows for the update of their business cards and menus. I set up a system to print menu cards in 24 hours max, which brought me a lot of clients. In addition to this, I enjoyed other achievements in graphics and also the daily implementatihis work allowed me to get closer, every day, to management and to understand many mechanisms that entrepreneurs, in their daily lives, often forget to put in place (or did not take the time to do so). With day-today experience of business leaders, it is the very development of the company that I am passionate about. It is primarily personal development that I studied, but always with a business orientation.
The ‘Mind Set’, yes of course, but the application and implementation above all. I then studied many techniques, organization, the accomplishment of tasks, efficiency, the integration of techniques in the daily work flow, the economy. All of this, again, with a manager’s skills as a central axis of development.
From meeting to meeting, I am now more and more called upon for the business development of business leaders. In 2020, for example, I worked with restaurateurs Who thanked me on 31 December because they had enjoyed a positive assessment of their year. Yes, restaurateurs who, with my support (and their work), closed 2020 with 6 months of their books in the black.
supported them in their strategic decisions, their positioning in the market, in the implementation of daily flows, in the accomplishment of their new projects, in the development of their business, their turnover and, especially, their margins. It is as a catalyst for my clients’ projects that I position myself. I am at their side, with personalized support adapted to their situation. It is in no way a question here of stereotypes of personal development, of copying and pasting of techniques. I speak here of the development of their company, their project, their business. Since 2019, and still today, it is to this that I devote myself.
supported them in their strategic decisions, their positioning in the market, in the implementation of daily flows, in the accomplishment of their new projects, in the development of their business, their turnover and, especially, their margins. It is as a catalyst for my clients’ projects that I position myself. I am at their side, with personalized support adapted to their situation. It is in no way a question here of stereotypes of personal development, of copying and pasting of techniques. I speak here of the development of their company, their project, their business. Since 2019, By continuing to manage my businesses – Carafe.be, CarafeMag which does magazine layout) and the development of real estate assets) – it is a real pleasure and pride for me when a client calls me to thank me because they have managed to set up and develop their project. Some project owners lead 1,000 people, others 100, others 10, and some only one. In any case, they will find support from me that is benevolent, professional, involved and totally tailor-made. I never ask for a long-term commitment. We always start with a small contract, but until now no one has wanted to terminate the arrangement.and still today, it is to this that I devote myself.
By continuing to manage my businesses – Carafe.be, CarafeMag which does magazine layout) and the development of real estate assets) – it is a real pleasure and pride for me when a client calls me to thank me because they have managed to set up and develop their project. Some project owners lead 1,000 people, others 100, others 10, and some only one. In any case, they will find support from me that is benevolent, professional, involved and totally tailor-made. I never ask for a long-term commitment. We always start with a small contract, but until now no one has wanted to terminate the arrangement.
One of the many challenges for companies today is economic transition, their migration to the future. Of course, you have to take care of your customers and establish an economic base, but it is important to open your eyes to new customers and to larger business development. So many companies are missing out. Every entrepreneur, including me, needs support. I don’t like to use the word ‘coach’ because for me it has been too overused, especially on social networks and on television, but everyone needs support, everyone needs an outside vision, a companion, a benevolent hand in their development.
My current clients are French speaking. But I travel all over the world. I worked in Tunisia at the end of 2019, I support a real estate company in the south of Spain, and, of course, there are my close Belgian clients.
A few years ago, I worked in Montreal for a few weeks to support an entrepreneur. I advised a New York restaurant chain in improving the presentation of their menus cards, and turnover improved immediately. In short, I am available for any ambitious entrepreneur who needs me. All this in complete confidentiality – for my part, I rarely talk about my clients except to develop their interests. But often they talk about me, to their friends and colleagues.
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