What was supposed to be a relaxing summer holiday in 2000 ended up as a sort of internship at Houben nv, her parents’ construction company. Nearly 20 years later, Veronique Houben, together with her brother Ignace, is part of the management team herself. Our featured entrepreneur tells you all about facing hard times, good people, and impulsive travel.
With degrees in communication sciences and economics fresh in her pocket, summer couldn’t have started better for Veronique Houben. “The digital age was slowly gaining momentum and I absolutely wanted to keep living in Brussels after my studies. So I quietly started applying for jobs. At giants like Telenet and Proximus, for example. And for the rest, I was going to enjoy my holiday… or so I thought!” (laughs)
“My mother decided otherwise. Sitting at home? You go and follow your dad’s meetings. Exemplary as I was, I spent that summer mainly in the family business. A life changer, because from then on I knew I never wanted to let go of the company. Not much later, I applied for a job in accounting within the group at the time. Successfully, and it was the immediate start of my career here.”
“From 2005 onwards, we launched Airdeck. A prefabricated floor system for hospitals and other large utility buildings. Three years later, I became part of their small but amazing team. I saw the product emerge and grow, and by that time I had also gained the commercial knowledge and insights to help put Airdeck on the map. Today we have partners as far as Saudi Arabia and beyond. I am genuinely proud of that.”
“Am I in a bad movie, or what?”
A cliché question, but we have to ask it. How is it to hold your own as a female entrepreneur in the construction sector, the ultimate man’s world? “To be honest, I never felt that so-called barrier. My mother, of course, already worked in the company. Together with my father, she really fought to build Houben into the major player we are today. So I could fall back on very good role models. Actually, I see more opportunities than risks as a woman in this sector.”
“Although there were certainly difficult moments. My parents saw some very dark days during the construction crisis of the 80s. My brother and I experienced that up close. But even after 2000, it was sometimes necessary to negotiate hard to guarantee a good outcome. At those moments, I proved I had the necessary grit.”
“What is my most positive trait as an entrepreneur? My ability to put things into perspective. I find it easy to look at things from a distance. If something isn’t going the way it should, I think of my family. And then it might feel for a moment like I’m in a bad movie. That helps me to look for the right solution with a positive attitude.”
“Surround yourself with good people; they make the difference.”
“By now I can say that I have completely found my way within the company. My focus is now on further expanding Airdeck, and on marketing and communication at Houben. In both cases, the focus is on being innovative and future-oriented. Innovate or die, those are the great words of Jan Kriekels from Jaga. We follow his lead in that. My father was always looking for progressive techniques in all areas, and we must continue that. Standing still is going backwards.”
“The biggest lesson my parents taught me? Surround yourself with good people. The construction sector is tough, so positive people with the right mindset are crucial to making a difference.”
You are sent back to day 1 at Houben. What would you do differently?
“I would get even more of a taste of all the other departments such as execution, purchasing, calculation… to know how everything and everyone within the company works.”
You get to do another job within the company for one week. What do you choose?
“The HR department, without a doubt. I feel very closely involved with the staff and how they feel within our company.”
What brings you complete peace of mind?
“So many things. My family, my friends, and my books. But equally active things like skiing, water skiing, bootcamp, and walking in nature.”
Control freak or living on intuition?
“Definitely not a control freak! Just ask my colleagues. And every now and then I need some adventure (laughs).
Last year, for example, I traveled through the US with my family in an old motorhome from 1984. The plan was to travel through Western Canada, but my husband and I had already done that route once without the children. So at the very last moment, we decided to head in a completely different direction.”