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A look back
Seven years ago, Tina and Filip embarked on the great Anna Pops adventure. Since then, they have provided toddlers aged two to teenagers aged eighteen with original and quirky outfits. Together with Tina we look back on what was and look ahead to what is to come. With a laugh, a tear and, above all, a good portion of passion and conviction.
How did you come up with the idea to start a children's shoe store seven years ago?
Anna Pops was created - as you often hear - from her own needs. I couldn't find a nice children's shoe for our then two-year-old daughter anywhere. This is how the idea arose to start selling those cool children's shoes yourself. During the summer of 2011 I hatched the idea and in January 2012 we visited the first fairs. We opened our doors in the summer of 2012, a year after the idea emerged. A nice new challenge, but above all very exciting.
There was no need, as it turned out, because Anna Pops was an immediate success. What was the highlight of the past seven years for you?
For me, those are the moments where we always made new leaps. From a very small store to something larger, then adding the clothes and then to an even larger store. Winning the Aalst Entrepreneurship Award in 2018 was the icing on the cake for me.
And are those successes extensively celebrated?
Far too little actually! We are very modest in that respect. People have to say twenty times that we are doing it right before I actually believe it. Tips for celebrating those small and big victories more often are always welcome! (laughs)
“One day everything goes great and the next day you don't see it anymore. That really became too much at a certain point.”
I assume that in addition to the many highlights, there were also lesser moments?
Of course. I find it especially difficult because of the rut that creeps in after a while and the constant switching between ups and downs. One day everything goes great and the next day you don't feel like it anymore. At a certain point it really became too much.
It gave us a choice: stop or grow and expand our team.
It was the last?
Beats! We waited quite a long time to take the step because people management is not our thing and we had quite high demands. Finally, after five years, we welcomed Judith to our team. The fact that she is a friend helped me make the move. She also knows my less sympathetic side! (laughs) We also always work with good student workers. We seem to attract them naturally. The fact that Anna Pops is a very friendly company that sells nice things probably has something to do with it.
“I learned what my talents are and how I can use them fully. It's great that as an entrepreneur you get full freedom in this!”
Added clothing, expansions and renovations, a new team member... A lot has changed over the past seven years, but in what way has entrepreneurship changed you?
Over the past seven years I have gotten to know myself very well. I learned what my talents are and how I can use them fully. It's great that as an entrepreneur you get full freedom in this! You see results with every bet you make.
In the meantime, you have two beautiful daughters walking around. How have you experienced the combination of entrepreneurship and motherhood so far?
I've never been a real 'mama-mama'. Of course I like to see my children, but that doesn't mean that I want to be at the school gate at half past three every day. It may sound harsh, but I think I would rather be an entrepreneur than have to take care of my children every day. I like to rely on the people around me for this.
You are clearly an entrepreneur through and through! What is the best thing about this job for you?
For me, that is the fact that every effort also produces a direct result. And of course the positive feedback from customers and the inspiration they give me when they talk about their holidays, their jobs, their dreams and desires.
“More children in beautiful, quirky fashion finds, that's what I dream about!”
And what are your biggest frustrations?
That everything goes so painfully slowly and that you have to continuously shout (read: market) to be heard. The rapidly changing technology and the fact that we as retailers have become so dependent on it also sometimes bothers me.
If you could go back to this moment, seven years ago: what good advice would you give yourself before embarking on this adventure?
When I started seven years ago, I still had to learn everything. So I had to pay a lot of training to get where I am now. I would therefore advise myself to first work in the industry before starting it myself. In addition, I would recommend myself to immediately take a marketing course. And to look for a partner or sounding board. Someone with whom we really click and who ensures that not everything falls on my shoulders.
And what might the future look like for you?
I dream that Anna Pops will become a well-oiled machine that can run perfectly even without me. Then I can disconnect more to work on new ideas. I also want to reinvent retail and deal better with overstock. The idea of a circular economy, coupled with a good revenue model, fascinates me enormously. And finally, I want to put Anna Pops even more on the map in Belgium and far beyond. More children in beautiful, quirky fashion finds, that's what I dream about!
