Starting entrepreneurs are more than welcome in every municipality. It is good for the local economy and that is why the municipality is investing heavily. For example, there are all kinds of start-up facilities, such as information meetings, start-up counseling, free housing in multi-tenant buildings up to starting from a benefit. And if you are a hip start-up, more doors will open for you, because you would only become a scale-up.
Even if you are innovative or a fast grower, the government will welcome you from low to high. Great growth programs, coaches, mentors and funders line up for you. The Netherlands likes to show off its successful companies, but they support real entrepreneurship and give entrepreneurs a little push when things go wrong; that is not high on the government's priority list. A missed opportunity!
After all, what happens if an entrepreneur is less successful? Then all hatches close quickly. Economic Affairs (whether it is local government or central government) then points the finger at Social Affairs and Employment, because they are bankrupt for the less performing entrepreneur with a little headwind. Economic Affairs is there for the successful entrepreneur. Well, and do you think you are at the right place at Social Affairs and Employment as an entrepreneur with a headwind, then you are all too often advised to unsubscribe quickly, so that you are forwarded to the next counter; private debt relief…
Entrepreneurs with debts are complex and well, they really wanted to do business and be self-reliant? Own fault. And if you are in debt, you are just a bad entrepreneur. How many times I've heard these noises in government land in recent years! Ridiculous of course and a missed opportunity for the municipality to maintain entrepreneurship and employment. Many entrepreneurs (and in particular the self-employed persons without employees) can have a perfectly viable company, regardless of the (debt) problems and, by stopping, would unnecessarily end their own source of income and apply for social assistance benefits.
Where should you be as an entrepreneur? To take the right steps to the right help. you first need to know how big your problems are and how you can solve them. And there is an immediate challenge, because an entrepreneur is by definition stubborn and goes on too long before he wants to face the problems. Take the taboo on failure and the ingredients for an unnecessary termination or even bankruptcy are also lurking there. It is clear that this will cause a lot of damage to all parties involved. The jungle of counters, regulations and assistance does not make things any easier.
With the upcoming municipal elections coming up, I would like to put my first wish list for the new city council members:
- In all starter programs, attention is paid to what to do if things are not going well: what are the possibilities and which bodies or regulations are there for the entrepreneur? Provide for the facilitation of a plan B (in addition to a plan A that consists of starting, growing and being successful);
- Access to the Bbz scheme for all entrepreneurs, including if you have a partner with income above social assistance level;
- Making debt counseling accessible to entrepreneurs in every municipality; policy must therefore also be formulated here;
- Provide a single digital and physical counter where entrepreneurs can go for help with (financial) problems;
- Award a prize for the best restarter of the year! And so ensure role models. Entrepreneurship is falling, getting up and going on.
A helicopter view from The Hague on the theme of debt (for both private individuals and entrepreneurs) is also sorely needed. The new ministers of EZ and SZW, but also Finance, will have to make good mutual agreements. And oh well, when we are ready for the next cabinet, I plead for a new Ministry of Debt!
jacqueline