‘She said no. So I put on a suit’: alumnus Ries Anderson on entrepreneurship

‘I get bored easily. So I always try new things and see what I can learn from them.’ That's Ries Anderson through and through. He's only 22, but lives life to the fullest. With a Belgian mother, an Australian father, and a childhood spent in London, Berlin and Hove. And in between: a Steiner school, a college, a university, a cycling hotel and a chocolate business. Ries' story is one to really sink your teeth into.

Talking to Ries Anderson (born in 2003) is energising. Every answer makes you even more curious. And he bounces questions back at you. ‘I think I've always been a bit of an outsider,’ he says. "When I was sixteen, I travelled to Morocco with my best friend. Alone. My friends thought it was crazy, but my parents just said, “Go for it.” They're like that themselves: open, curious, out in the world.

Between the kitchen table and the suitcase

Ries grew up with a Belgian mother and an Australian father who met in Morocco. He lived in Berlin until he was five, after which the family moved to Flanders to be closer to relatives. ‘That was difficult,’ he says. ‘Leaving all my friends behind, starting over. But at the same time, it teaches you to adapt quickly.’

At home, Ries was given a lot of freedom and trust. His father travelled the world as a keynote speaker and visiting professor, while his mother led a team at LIGO Antwerp and taught Dutch to non-native speakers. His sister studied Public Policy in China. ‘I'm so proud of her. Our kitchen table is never quiet. Everyone has an opinion, everyone has a plan. It's contagious.’

From cycling hotel to chocolate bar

After finishing secondary school (he attended a Steiner school), Ries wasn't sure what he wanted to do. His father owned a cycling hotel in the Flemish Ardennes. "He said, 'Come and help out there. And I thought, okay, why not.‘ There he discovered what fascinates him: putting things on the map. Entrepreneurship. ’I invited journalists, YouTubers, influencers for content. It worked: suddenly the hotel was full."

In the souvenir shop, he encounters a problem. ‘Beer, waffles, chips. These are typical Belgian products, but not practical for packing in a suitcase. And 70% of our guests came from outside Europe.’ His solution: chocolate with a story. Through his girlfriend's father, he ends up at a chocolatier. This is how Flandrien Chocolate came into being, with the Briek Schotte bar as its first product.

He wants to expand and approaches a promising major partner in Oudenaarde. "I thought: that conversation went well. And then she just said: 'No.' Afterwards, I realised: she probably thought she couldn't do business with someone who was 18. With a face like mine,‘ he laughs. That rejection spurred him on. ’From then on, I always wore a suit to meetings. Suddenly, people treated me differently. Same ideas, different suit. But hey, it worked."

(Continue reading below the photos)

More than More

Then, in the middle of the school year, he decided to study and chose the Bachelor's programme in International Business & Trade at Thomas More University College. ‘Firstly, it started in February, so I could begin immediately. And the atmosphere was much more international than I expected. A third of my class was Belgian, and the rest were from all over the world. I thought that was great.’ However, the transition from Steiner education to university was not easy. ‘My first ever exams were at Thomas More,’ he laughs. ‘That was a bit of a shock. I had to retake a lot of exams at the beginning. But by my third year, I had found my feet. No more resits, just motivation.’

Zimbabwe

What fascinates him most is the human side of the programme. ‘During our trip to Budapest with Rudy Geens and Paul Nchu, I got talking to them. I thought: these are entrepreneurs, not distant lecturers. That openness really changed me.’ He even dares to give them feedback. ‘Always politely, of course. First compliments, then my point. They appreciated that. And I learned a lot.’

Subjects such as African Business Topics and Global Marketing really appeal to him. ‘I suddenly knew: I want to do an internship in Africa.’ Ries ends up in Zimbabwe, where he works on solar energy projects. The cultural difference is huge, but he meets some fantastic people. And above all, his interest in diplomacy grows. ‘I saw how economics, politics and people influence each other. I wanted to understand that.’ Today, he is pursuing a Master's degree in International Relations and Diplomacy at the University of Antwerp.

(Continue reading below the photos)

‘Keep breathing’

Yet he remains attached to Hove, to his mates and the village pub where he enjoys his pint. They describe him as sociable and ambitious. But also restless. "My friends always say, “You can't sit still.” And that's true. I need to learn to do nothing. That's actually harder than running a business.‘ Since a yoga retreat in India, he starts his day with a BBC podcast, a shower, coffee, yoga and a mantra. ’Yes, I've become that kind of person,‘ he laughs. ’But it works. I stay calm, even when things get hectic. Like this morning. I was asked to give a guest lecture at Thomas More. A room full of students and teachers whom I respect deeply. I really wanted to do well.‘ His mantra this morning? ’Keep breathing."

Balloons and flowers

Curiosity. The word comes up regularly. Perhaps that is what really drives Ries. Recently, he was in Porto, sitting with friends on a terrace next to a house decorated with balloons and flowers. ‘I had to know what was going on,’ he says. Five minutes later, he was inside with the woman who was celebrating her doctorate. His friends laugh. ‘They're used to that from me. I can't help it.’ He inherited that drive to know from his family. "My father invited students over for dinner. I had to ask questions. I hated that. But now I see that it made me who I am.‘ His tip to students and young entrepreneurs: dare to talk to people, send a message on LinkedIn, ask for feedback. ’Most people think that's cool. And if you make a mistake, so what? They see that you tried."

No, entrepreneurship doesn't start with PowerPoints. It starts with a question. With a door you knock on. With a suit you put on. With ‘keep breathing’. Thank you for the mantras, Ries.

⚡️ Ries studied for a bachelor's degree International Business & Trade

👀 Curious about what your programme might look like? Then contact the programme coordinator. You can find their contact details on our website.

🤝🏿 Or join our events.