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Interview with Jean-Manuel Maret

What would you say about yourself and your business?

I’m a 28-year-old freelancer located in Namur, Belgium. I help small businesses creating and managing their online presence and developing their digital transformation.

How would you describe yourself with a few words?

Sometimes fully focused, sometimes relaxed, but my mind is always full of ideas. I’m also a die-hard heavy-metal music and football fan.

How did your career growth begin?

Once I obtained my marketing diploma, I started working for a Member of the Wallonian Parliament. In the meantime, I was writing down the guidelines of what is now my company. In June 2018, I decided it was the time to make things happen and launched marcomet.be. 2 years later, I consider it’s the biggest and best decision I’ve taken. Marcomet is developing progressively and I’m still collaborating with another member of the Wallonian Parliament, in a part-time job. Don’t worry, I can easily combine both.

Is there something careerwise so far that you have not done?

For the moment I’m working with sub-contractors but I would love to manage a team within the next 5 years.

Would you change anything in your career path if you could go back?

I live without regrets.

Tell us about a hard decision you had to make in your career. How did you deal with it?

I did my internship in the Belgian Development Agency (now Enable) between February and June 2017. By the end of that period, I had a discussion about my future. I assumed it was with the purpose of offering full-time job. It was a tough decision at the moment as a full-time job gives long-term security, but I declined any possibility of making me an offer when I said I already had a positive contact in the Wallonian Parliament and my company project was in a good way (even if I waited June 2018 before launching it).

Were there moments when you wanted to give up and if not, what stopped you (or not)?

It takes a lot of time before you get your first customers, and indeed sometimes you ask yourself if you’re following the wrong path. But then you take determination in one hand and courage in the other, keep looking forward, and light appears again.

Is there such a thing as a balance between personal and working time?

I won’t lie to you… Sometimes at 2 a.m. I’m still up working on a campaign or for my customers. Success is always made of sacrifice. I want success so the sacrifice is needed. Nevertheless, I can’t say my entire personal life is on hold.

What would you like to say to our readers?

Never give up! If you have a project in mind and you judge it’s worth it, do everything it takes to meet the objectives. And remember: success doesn’t fall from the sky, you must build it. You don’t score goals without hitting the ball. It’s as simple as that. If it works, keep evolving, and if it doesn’t work, learn from your mistakes and try again. Believe me, I learned from mine.

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KateS

Dedicated to my work and those around me, I'm always trying to give the best in what I do, so I'm constantly seeking inspiration from everything that surrounds me.
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