How do you tell an entrepreneur’s story in a way that’s both authentic and unique? When Stef Roets was nominated for the JCI Award, we wanted to create a concept that did more than just tick the jury’s boxes. Amid personal tragedy, a concept emerged that captured the very essence of his business: Growth Rings of an Entrepreneur is a tangible reflection of the growth and resilience at the heart of Stef’s entrepreneurial spirit.

It was early December when Katlijn Voordeckers, strategic branding expert at Opmerkelijk, received a call from Stef Roets, founder of the eponymous company that specialises in high-end custom interiors and full renovation projects. ‘He asked if I’d be willing to help him prepare the submission for his JCI nomination. Despite a packed schedule, I didn’t have to think twice,’ Katlijn explains. ‘Stef had been a client of ours for a while, so my inspiration immediately kicked into high gear. A few years earlier, I teamed up with ZINNIG to help Caroline Rigo from Cent Pur Cent with her JCI application. I focused on the strategic concept while ZINNIG handled the copywriting. The project was not only a success in terms of collaboration – Caroline also went on to win the award.’

‘Projects like these take hours of work, so it’s incredibly rewarding when they succeed,’ says ZINNIG co-founder Hilde Neven. ‘Like Katlijn said, we worked really well together. Katlijn is a genius at developing strategic concepts and at ZINNIG, we love immersing ourselves in the stories of inspiring entrepreneurs and bringing them to life through words. It’s great to see that combination grow into a full-fledged dossier. So when Katlijn called me during our usual December rush, I was more than happy to carve out some time to meet Stef.’

‘To be honest, I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue my application for the JCI Award in Limburg,’ Stef Roets admits. ‘Not long after I was nominated, one of our employees – Jonah – passed away in a tragic workplace accident. December was a really dark month for me, and doing an awards show was the last thing on my mind. But Jonah’s parents pushed me to keep going as a way to honour their son. Reaching out to Katlijn felt like the right step at the time. Our strategic branding process was coming to an end, and if anyone knew the strengths and challenges of my company – and how I approach life as an entrepreneur – it was her. Even though I’d never worked with ZINNIG before, I immediately saw how well Katlijn and Hilde complement each other. That gave me a lot of confidence.’

Sum of many parts

Anyone who knows Stef, knows how passionate he is about authentic craftsmanship, wood, and attention to detail. Passionate to a fault. He’s also someone who sees entrepreneurship as the sum of many parts rather than a solo adventure. ‘I wanted to create a concept that reflected this,’ says Katlijn. ‘That’s what ultimately led to Growth Rings of an Entrepreneur. Like the rings of a tree tell the story of its growth, the rings in this concept tell the story of Stef’s growth as an entrepreneur. We ended up with five rings, or themes, each broken down into individual blocks. There were 32 blocks in total, all of which were connected in some way. They either complemented, contrasted, or strengthened each other. One block was missing though – Jonah, the missing link in the team.’ ‘Every day I see how wood tells its own story,’ says Stef. ‘The symbolism of the growth rings fits perfectly, reflecting my growth as an entrepreneur and a person. I couldn’t be happier with the concept and with how Katlijn put it all together.’

‘At ZINNIG, our job was to bring the concept to life with the right words,’ says Hilde. ‘The best way to do that is to dive deep into Stef’s entrepreneurial history through a series of long interviews. The concept of growth rings and blocks served as a helpful guide. Each day, I gained a better understanding of Stef’s story and the text gradually took shape.’ ‘Projects like these force you to stop and reflect on how far you’ve come,’ says Stef. ‘Something entrepreneurs rarely do. The train just keeps on rolling. But the interviews made me pause and look back on my journey so far. Hilde didn’t just write a good story – she wrote my story by listening and reading between the lines.’

When the texts were nearly finished, Mimi Leën of Mimi Leën Graphics got to work on the design. ‘I love giving opportunities to young people and budding entrepreneurs,’ says Stef. ‘When it came to the design, Mimi immediately came to mind. She’d just started her own business as a freelance graphic designer. It wasn’t the easiest job – the deadline was tight and the assignment was huge – but Mimi seized the opportunity with both hands.’ ‘Stef trusted me to design the book and the growth rings, blocks, stickers, and banner – a chance to leave my creative mark on the whole project,’ Mimi explains. ‘What fascinated me most was translating the richly layered concept into something visual: clear, thoughtful, and detail-oriented. It was exciting to see form and content come together so beautifully.’

Tour de force

Meanwhile, Stef and his team got to work in the studio to bring the concept to life through wood. The result: a sleek, black, bowl-shaped base with 32 blocks that come together to form the various growth rings. The bowl also had a space to hold the book. ‘We made 26 of them,’ Stef explains. ‘You do the math … It was a real feat of craftsmanship that took a lot of time and swearing to complete, but the result was stunning. And it fit perfectly with my personal story and my journey as an entrepreneur. It also came in handy when preparing the pitch, which each nominee had to present to the jury on 3 April, the day of the awards ceremony. Katlijn and Hilde once again proved to be an impressive team, and Mimi created an incredible visual translation. Hilde wrote the pitch, Katlijn gave valuable feedback from her keynote background, and Mimi took care of the design.’

‘You spend months working closely, weighing every word and fine-tuning wherever you can,’ says Hilde. ‘Let me tell you, when Stef’s name was called that night, everyone – including Katlijn, Mimi, and myself – breathed a sigh of relief. It was a rewarding end to a great collaboration.’ Katlijn agrees: ‘Working on a winning project is about more than just telling a nice story and answering a few questions. You have to step into the shoes of the entrepreneur, understand them through and through, and turn their authenticity into a concept that’s both strategic and creative. Then you have to find the right words and visual feel to bring the full potential of a nomination to life. We were thrilled when Stef’s name was called! It was entirely his achievement, but each of us poured a bit of our heart and soul into it, which made the win even sweeter.’

‘Getting everything done before the deadline was madness,’ Stef adds. ‘I’m a stickler for detail, remember? But I’m so grateful for the JCI Award and the portfolio we submitted. Preparing it also gave me the unique opportunity to reflect on how far I’ve come as an entrepreneur – the bowl and the book are a beautiful and tangible reminder of that. On to the next growth ring!’

Ambitious entrepreneur with award-winning plans? Looking for someone who will dive deep into your story and help shape your online or offline message? ZINNIG never shies away from a challenge.