‘Make your business your priority and enjoy the ride’
Start Up Campus Haarlem in conversation with Nuno Bastos Martins
Nuno Bastos Martins (25) is an International Creative Business student in Haarlem and moved from Portugal to the Netherlands. He started his own video production company to create promotional content for hotels.
Actions speak louder than words
“I come from an entrepreneurial family. My parents started and owned different kinds of businesses like restaurants and furniture shops. As a kid, I was always around and observed their behavior. But also helping by serving food and coffee at the tables. I loved it.
I would describe myself as hardworking, ambitious and honest. In a team I always try to bring my ideas and creativity. I see the client’s side so we can try to exceed their expectations. In a team I’m mostly the one taking the step forward and taking initiative to start something. I like to be in control of my own time and income. Starting my own business was just one step away, and an easy one to make. Sometimes I find it hard to give control in, when I can do it myself as well. It takes an effort to get me comfortable in that position. And in that case, actions speak louder than words. With my business I want to achieve the highest quality content and that comes with reliable and effective behavior of myself and people I work with.”
It’s all about connections
“I started my own video production company where I create high quality promotional content for mainly hotels. There is a lot of competition in our market. If you want to stand out, you need to specialize yourself and build a strong portfolio. I choose hotels. It’s a market that allows me to travel as well. Travelling is one of my passions. So, hotels from all over the world can fly me in, let me stay in their hotels and I take care of the best shots possible. Hotels need content the year round, so that gives me a lot of opportunities to travel among all the seasons. One of my last shoots was in Czech Republic where I shot short term rental apartments. It was a really nice experience, and the client was satisfied with the results. That’s the most important.
To enter a market, it’s all about connections. I have a couple of connections in Portugal, Luxembourg and Czech Republic. So, I started to focus on the countries where I already have a network. But since I live in the Netherlands, I would love to have a few good entry points here as well. How I’m approaching the market? Find some hotels with a need of better content, set my portfolio, send some e-mails, call them and go there.”
Admit your errors and take responsibility for it
“As a videographer I hope that my customers experience a sense of partnership. Once they worked with me, and they started seeing me as a partner from their hotel. Of course, I want to deliver high quality products and being able to tell their story that is emotionally impactful. If the client is proud of the final product and confident that working with me was the right decision, I did a good job. Hopefully they recognize my values: Hardworking, ambitious and honest. Sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances where you need to deal with. I would say: admit your errors and take responsibility for it. Don’t underestimate honesty if you want to build true partnerships.
If people say that they can count on me, anytime, and I went beyond their expectations with the results, I’m happy.”
No rush, do your research and pay your taxes
“I joined the Start program of Start Up Campus Haarlem. It helped me to understand how the Dutch business market works and how the business culture is different from other countries. It also helps me to verify some misinformation. After the program I’m sure of my step that opening my own business was the right one and I’m doing it with the right information.
Being in an environment with other people that also want to start is really motivating. I saw so many creative ideas. I didn’t feel so afraid of starting because I saw also other people starting at the same level and sharing their experiences.
My advice to other entrepreneurial students would be: no rush, do your research and pay your taxes. Just pay it and don’t run away from it. I heard many people have financial problems due to it. Prevent this for yourself. If you are serious about your business, make your business your priority. Make time for it and above all, enjoy it. Enjoy the ride and have fun with it as well.”
Start Up Campus Haarlem is the place for entrepreneurial students of Inholland University of Applied Sciences. Through an inspiring five-month program of events and workshops, you work on entrepreneurial skills, and your network grows at lightning speed. Entrepreneurship begins at Start Up Campus Haarlem! Want to know when the next Start or Growth program starts? Check out our Instagram of website.