Hub van Heur

Is your business experiencing growing pains? Then Hub is the right place to come for advice, drawing on his own experience. Together with his brother, he took over his father’s construction company in 1975, which grew from 15 to 60 staff over the years. “When you grow, you quickly take on too much. I like to save entrepreneurs from the mistakes I used to make.”

Hub has been retired since 2014, but doing nothing is not for him. That’s why he responded to Entrepreneurs’ Soundboard’s call for consultancy. He has now been an advisor at the foundation in the Limburg region for five years with great pleasure. “This way I keep up to date and can help others,” he says enthusiastically.

He looks back with pride on his working life, in which he built up a thriving construction company with his father and brother. That knowledge he gained all those years, he now likes to pass on. From acquisition and administration to execution, Hub knows the ropes. His specialisations are tendering and price calculation. And let it be precisely these two facets that Hub believes many entrepreneurs struggle with. “I notice that many entrepreneurs drop a few stitches in that.”

Help to suit your needs

Entrepreneurs knock on Hub’s door with very different questions. “Some want sounding boards, others ask for confirmation for their plan and still others ask for help to solve a problem.” Whatever the need, Hub is happy to offer a listening ear and with great enthusiasm he advises entrepreneurs where he can. For example, a hairdresser who asked him for advice because he wanted to do something completely different – starting a business in prefab houses. Hub’s construction background came in handy in this case. Where do you find an architect, how do you apply for a building permit, what requirements do you all have to take into account? He helped the entrepreneur well on his way, and even now that the company is operating successfully, he still offers regular guidance.

“Don’t take on too much”

THE entrepreneurial tip?

“My most important tip for entrepreneurs?” Hub doesn’t have to think long about that: “Don’t take on too much.” If you want to grow your business, it is important to focus and structure it and not take on everything at once, he explains. Clear planning helps with this. “If you want to expand, first carefully examine whether this is the right time. Now with the tight labour market, for example, it is questionable whether you can find enough staff. Sometimes, in their desperation, entrepreneurs hire staff who don’t have the right papers. That is dangerous. It often does not bring the desired results and only creates more problems.”

You do need to be a little adventurous as an entrepreneur, but at the same time, that means you have to keep both feet on the ground. Those who want more adventure can always seek it out in their spare time. Hub, for instance, is thoroughly enjoying his pilot’s licence. No legs on the ground for a while, but enjoying the beautiful view high in the sky.