Bizzcontrol
From vision to victory: the Bizzcontrol story
Nicholas De Nil, CEO Bizzcontrol
Starting its journey at Birdhouse nearly three years ago, Bizzcontrol has since charted an impressive course in the accounting industry. At the core of their success lies a clear mission: equipping professionals with the tools to offer proactive and custom advice to entrepreneurs. How did this vision set the stage for the founders' incredible growth? CEO Nicholas De Nil sat down with us to talk about their entrepreneurial journey.
Asking the right questions right off the bat
When Bizzcontrol joined Birdhouse in 2021, it was still in the early startup phase. "We were three founders who only had a good product for the time being," Nicholas begins his story. "But we still had to find our product-market fit and build an actual company."
The trio of founders quickly learned that the key was to ask the right questions. "During specific workshops, we shaped our mission, vision, and values," Nicholas continues. "As a starting company, you have a lot of ideas, but not all of them are feasible. That's why I think you need to know what you stand for as a startup. In a way, running a business is like a long boat trip. Your mission is the point on the horizon that you're aiming for, and your compass of values guides you in which directory you should sail. We still measure every decision or step against our raison d'être. It helps make decisions that will help you achieve the aims you have set for your company."
A sounding board as a catalyst for growth
Beyond the internal dynamics of the startup, external support was also pivotal. Just like many other startups have experienced, the extensive network of Birdhouse played a significant role in Bizzcontrol's success. "The mentors and workshops came at just the right time," says Nicholas. "We had so much to learn: which go-to-market strategy would we adopt? How were we going to approach our sales? And considering that less than half of startups survive, the stakes were high. Thanks to Birdhouse, we could critically assess our own proposals and assumptions. As a team of founders, you can sometimes become too immersed in your own viewpoints, so it's helpful to have an external sounding board of experienced entrepreneurs close by.
In addition, Nicholas found it useful to share a cohort with other entrepreneurs who were in the same phase of life. "It creates a bond. We noticed that others shared our challenges, considering we were in the middle of the coronavirus crisis. Whenever a startup accomplished something, it was celebrated and shared. It particularly helped us not to take anything for granted," he reflects.
People are everything
The main discovery during the accelerator program? Growing a business is primarily about people. "As a founding team, we spent the first few months actively defining our roles," Nicholas explains. "We've always complemented each other well, but we wanted to specify what that would mean in practical terms. We needed to have that foundation set before we started hiring our first employees."
Even though the first hire only came after Bizzcontrol had completed the accelerator program, having previously refined the company's mission and values ensured everything went smoothly. "Every month, we revisit our values and ensure they are shared by everyone in the company. I can confidently say that Birdhouse helped us grow sustainably from three to twenty employees in just two years. I can only recommend the accelerator program to other entrepreneurs,” Nicholas concludes.
Want to take your business to the next level too? Sign up for the Birdhouse accelerator program while you still can!
