Pioneers Post

There are only a few days left before the Impact Shakers summit in Brussels – which its organisers describe as “Europe's first big startup event focusing on inclusive entrepreneurship and impact”. But what does “inclusive entrepreneurship and impact” actually mean? In this episode, Tim West speaks to Yonca Braeckman, CEO and co-founder of Impact Shakers, about what drove her to want to build an “impact ecosystem”. She also recounts her career path from a Belgian chip-shop to social entrepreneurship – which took her to the pre-2008 banking sector and virtual reality filmmaking in New York along the way. Being a good leader? “For me, it's all about being kind and caring,” says Braeckman. Being too caring can also prompt her to take on too much – although she admits she performs well under pressure: “It never felt like an option, to me, to not lead… I'm good in crisis situations… when big challenges arise, I go into some type of problem-solving mode, and move on.”