Noa followed the minor in Startup Entrepreneurship: ‘I want to be and stay happy as an entrepreneur’

It’s been a busy time for Noa Rijnenberg (22) during this first semester of her final year at Saxion. Alongside her 40-hour-a-week internship, she works almost every evening at Florencia Beauty Salon. It’s her own business, which bears her ‘second name’. Noa founded the salon during the second year of her studies.

The moment when everything fell into place

In her second year, everything fell into place for her as an entrepreneur. Noa had been thinking about starting a business for some time, but she didn’t have a specific idea yet. Until that one day, at the nail salon. “I was having my nails done by someone who ran a home-based salon. We got talking. About how she’d set up her business, how many clients she had, and what she earned. That sparked my interest. I thought: if you can do all this, then I’ve got a few extra ideas on how I could do it better, my way. For example, when it comes to the whole experience surrounding a beauty treatment. From a well-designed website and good content on social media to offering refreshments during the treatment.” Because of her interest in the beauty industry, Noa decided to open a beauty salon offering facials. And she acted quickly: “In the first month, I registered with the Chamber of Commerce, took courses, practised on models and created content for my social media. A month later, I was open. Yes, looking back, it was a very quick start.”

Startup Entrepreneur Minor

It was not just a quick start, but a flying start. Noa wrote a marketing plan, came up with a good opening discount and saw her salon’s schedule fill up immediately. She quit her part-time job, devoting all her attention to her business and studies. A conversation with lecturer Carolien Derkman also gave Noa a golden tip: in your third or fourth year, you can take the Startup Entrepreneur minor at the Saxion Centre for Entrepreneurship (SCvO); apply for it, and it will help you further. Noa took the advice and signed up during her third year of study. It marked the start of an eye-opening period: “I learnt so much from the minor, but… [laughing] I also came face to face with myself. That’s how I discovered that I often work very solitarily. I forgot to involve people in my process. I can get a lot of work done, but I keep it all to myself. During my final presentation, I shared all my actions and plans in one go. The lecturer involved was completely surprised, because that was the first time it all came to light. He said: ‘Noa, that’s fantastic! I had no idea. You should have involved me more.’ I learnt from that: you don’t have to do everything on your own. If you involve people earlier on, they can help you or give you tips.”

Thinking and acting quickly

But there was more to Noa’s story. The Startup Entrepreneur minor also gave her the feeling that she had finally found her true place. However much she enjoyed her degree programme, she often felt out of sync with her fellow students. Why was that? “Perhaps it was down to me. No matter which school or programme I was in, I always felt that I thought differently from most of my classmates. I didn’t always feel connected and wondered: ‘What is it about me?’ When I joined the minor group, it was different. I felt at home straight away and met people with the same mindset. I found that quite special.” In what way did Noa feel different? “I notice that I can think and act quickly. I’m ambitious and enjoy working. I also love brainstorming, making plans, and feeling that anything is possible. And I saw that in other students in the minor too. We exchanged lots of tips, helped each other and actually built a network together. I’m still in touch with most of the students from the minor.”

Money or passion?

Noa also made good use of the minors’ curriculum. The course material and sessions were exactly what she needed as a starting entrepreneur. “You’re not just offered courses, but also practical help. How do you deal with taxes? What tools can help you? But also: who are you, as a person and therefore as an entrepreneur? This involves, for example, your core values, because you are your business. But also: what are your triggers? The lessons were incredible. We walked out of the classroom feeling so inspired.” During the sessions, Noa also learned what drives her as an entrepreneur. Among other things, she realised that ‘making a lot of money’ isn’t important to her. “I work on a gut feeling and want to run my business with passion. So when making choices, I rely heavily on my instincts. That doesn’t necessarily mean I make the choice that generates the most revenue. I want to be happy and stay happy in my business. If you follow your instincts and work hard, the revenue will follow naturally. That’s my approach.”

In the flow

Should other students enrol in the minor? What does Noa think? “If you enjoy working hard, being creative, and often thinking one step ahead, then this is a brilliant minor. You don’t just learn a lot about your own business, but also about yourself. You’re often asked: what’s your next step, where do you want to go now? That keeps you on your toes. And… you build up a valuable network. The minor has given me a lot of useful knowledge.” When Noa eventually closes the door behind her at Saxion, she wants to focus entirely on entrepreneurship, so she can grow as an entrepreneur herself. Among other things, with her beauty salon. “This business is very close to my heart. I’d love to be able to spend the whole day working on it in the future. From treating people to creating beautiful, engaging content. Ideally, I’d be in the flow all day, with all sorts of different tasks following one after the other. Yet my clients always come first. I really want them to feel seen. I have all the time in the world for them.”

This article was originally published on saxion.nl and has been translated.