[quote style=”boxed”]I start by making a little plan and then making a website after that. When the website is ready, I start to make contacts with potential partners and employees. If I see that the idea is not as strong as I initially thought, I try to change it. If it is not working, I start on a new idea. There are enough ideas out there that no one has ever explored.[/quote]
Django Steenbrink is an entrepreneur from The Netherlands who began his entrepreneurial career at the age of 15. His company, Byteflowstudio, started out offering design services to companies. But Django wanted to do more, so he started his first project called TellyTalk, an entertainment and reality TV blog/community that provides news, views, pictures and videos about popular TV shows. Django asked himself, why only 1 website if it’s possible to have many more? So he started to create more websites aimed at music, festivals, games, love and even beauty.
Django wanted to make Byteflowstudio a ‘personal all round Internet company’ and started doing so by expanding Byteflowstudio’s services and projects. Byteflowstudio now has many divisions: a talent/booking agency, an event agency, a creative consultancy and a media and investment company.
Django hopes to take Byteflowstudio to other countries, but is first focusing on The Netherlands. Currently Byteflowstudio is busy organizing a gaming event for charity, launching a new gaming magazine and creating a new game show. His dream is to speak at a TED event.
What are you working on right now?
I am currently busy with a pocket book, making columns for my projects, organizing an event for charity and making Byteflowstudio projects a reality.
Where did the idea for Byteflowstudio come from?
I saw people working at the supermarket and thought to myself, that’s not my thing. Every time I read about entrepreneurs, I got a big smile on my face. How great is it to be an entrepreneur, I thought. If it doesn’t kill you, it only makes you stronger so I started my own company. The name was brainstormed in 4 hours because every byte flows through the cables and studio made the name complete. The ideas for projects come from everyday life, what people find cool and what people need.
What does your typical day look like?
I start by checking my Twitter, Facebook and email accounts at 9:00 AM. After responding to these, I start to work on one of my projects. Typically that’s Gameflow. I stop at 6:00 PM to eat, play videogames from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM and watch TV until 10:30 PM. Then I re-check my social media and email accounts and begin on my projects again until about 12:30 AM. Then I go to bed. Your company is like your baby; you love it with all your heart!
How do you bring ideas to life?
I start by making a little plan and then making a website after that. When the website is ready, I start to make contacts with potential partners and employees. If I see that the idea is not as strong as I initially thought, I try to change it. If it is not working, I start on a new idea. There are enough ideas out there that no one has ever explored.
3 trend that really excites you?
Serious gaming, I am very active in the gaming industry and seeing that people can be helped with games is just amazing. Another trend that excites me is user investments; people that invest in your project for perks, like indiegogo.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
I worked at an Internet shop adding products. It was so boring and repetitive that it nearly killed me. Never work at an Internet shop that only has 1 employee (the boss himself).
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
Nothing, to be honest. If it works, it works.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Be honest in what you are doing and treat your employees as you would treat your child–with love.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Create Internet shows in which people can decide what happens.
Tell us a secret.
I am a big fan of Michael Jackson. His music moves me.
What are your three favorite online tools and what do you love about them?
- Facebook: you can keep in contact with your fans and employees very easily.
- Twitter: the same as Facebook.
- Freedcamp: an all-in-one project management solution to keep everything on track.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
The Purple Cow by Seth Godin, knowing how to be unique with your company is like knowing where the Holy Grail lies. It will change the way you think about things.
What’s on your playlist?
Michael Jackson, Jackson 5, Metallica, RATM and Queen.
If you weren’t working on Byteflowstudio, what would you be doing?
I love to game, to write and to attend concerts so I would be doing one of these 3 things.
Three people we should follow on Twitter and why?
- @_wistjedat: Fun facts and trivia.
- @puckipedia: A 12-year old app developer.
- @mollywood: A video host at CNET, tech expert and blogger.
When was the last time you laughed out loud? What caused it?
When watching the British sitcom, The IT Crowd. I studied IT myself and seeing Moss doing crazy things is just plain fun.
Who is your hero?
Steve Jobs because he is someone who changed the world.
Does every company need to be active in social media?
Yes, you need to personalize your company and social media is the key.
Do you have a girlfriend?
No, finding girls that are entrepreneurs and are my age is rather difficult.
Connect:
Byteflowstudio on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byteflowstudio
Byteflowstudio on Twitter: @Byteflowstudio
Byteflowstudio on LinkedIn:
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.