Entrepreneurial dream in motion: How Entrepreneurs Soundboard helped Dennie start his hiking campsite

From family shop to hiking campsite: Dennie found his entrepreneurial compass at Entrepreneurs Soundboard (OKB)

Dennie van Herwijnen is a true pedigree entrepreneur. Years ago, he took over the hiking shoe shop in Zoetermeer from his parents – a family business that had existed for four generations. When his entrepreneurial path took an unexpected turn, he found the right guidance at OKB each time. Dennie now runs his own hiking campsite in Doetinchem together with his wife.

His first introduction to OKB came through his parents in 2005, during the company takeover. “That first sounding board advisor helped us enormously with the transfer. It was nice to have someone alongside us who spoke the same language,” says Dennie. Another journey followed in 2014, when the shop was struggling. That led to a successful transformation into a walking shop.

Dream took shape

In total, Dennie followed four sounding board processes at OKB. The last trajectory marked a real change of direction: the dream of starting our own hiking campsite finally took shape. “We wanted to sell the shop, but it didn’t work out due to corona. Still, we decided to pursue our dream.” He started a new journey, this time with OKB advisor Rob Schouten – a marketing specialist as well as an old acquaintance from Zoetermeer.

Together, they worked on the marketing plan for the new campsite. “Rob asked the right questions: how do you stand out? How do you find a location? And how do you reach your target group?” During a camping fair, they came up with the playful campaign couple is seeking camping, complete with t-shirts. The campaign not only garnered a lot of attention, but also half a page in the newspaper and eventually the perfect location in Doetinchem.

The place was beautiful, but financially just barely adequate. Together, Dennie and Rob investigated additional income. So Wandeldrogist.nl was born – a webshop for walkers, as an extension of the shop – as well as a small catering outlet for passing walkers. ‘This allows us to generate wider income and continue to inspire visitors,’ he says.

Rob looks back on the journey with satisfaction. “The strength of OKB lies in the expertise as well as the personal contact. You really build a relationship. And when I walk around the campsite now, I see exactly what Dennie had in mind. That’s fantastic.”

Dennie is also grateful for the guidance. “An OKB mentor does not perform anything for you, but thinks along at a high level. That independence keeps you growing as an entrepreneur. I don’t rule out knocking on the door again in the future.”

Do you also want to bring more focus to your business plan so you can get off to a good start? Check out the possibilities of a sounding board process with an OKB mentor here and discover what it can do for you.