Social entrepreneur and founder of B&D
Thijs Swinkels is a (social) entrepreneur and founder of the successful Brownies&downieS concept. Originally from Veghel, the company grew to 60 locations across the Netherlands in 12 years. Brownies&downieS has since been successfully sold to caterer Albron.
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In an ideal world, Brownies&downieS would not exist
Starting a company only to declare that your company ideally shouldn’t exist at all… Few entrepreneurs would make such a statement. Yet, this is the striking but clear message from Thijs Swinkels.
How does this work? In the Netherlands, we have had various initiatives for people with a distance to the labor market for years. But in an ideal world, there shouldn’t be special initiatives for this target group. Why don’t they work at the local bakery, supermarket, or clothing store? Of course, with proper guidance. The target group is ready, now the consumer needs to be!
Thijs Swinkels is a name synonymous with innovative entrepreneurship with a deep social awareness. His story begins in 2010, when at just 25 years old, he realized his dream by starting a lunch café in his hometown of Veghel. This lunch café, named Brownies&downieS, was not just any eatery. It was a place where people with a distance to the labor market were given a chance to shine.
What made Brownies&downieS so unique was not only the heartwarming concept but also the uncompromising quality that Thijs and his team delivered. With a combination of hospitality, high-quality food, and a relaxed atmosphere, they quickly attracted a wide audience. The success was undeniable and led to the establishment of a franchise formula in 2012, whose growth spread like wildfire across towns and cities throughout the Netherlands.
The success of Brownies&downieS was not only in the appeal of the target group but also in Thijs’s entrepreneurship. He strongly believed in self-reliance and aimed to make all Brownies&downieS locations financially independent, without relying on subsidies or donations. This vision, combined with a keen eye for quality and service, earned Thijs and his team several prestigious awards, including multiple GFK-Awards and Foodservice Awards.
In 2022, after years of dedication to the Brownies&downieS brand, Thijs decided to pass the baton to caterer Albron. However, this did not mark the end of his entrepreneurial journey. On the contrary, Thijs remained driven to apply his passion and knowledge to new challenges. Together with former employee and good friend Philip Christiaans, he founded ‘the Franchise Club’, a company that helps budding entrepreneurs roll out their franchise formula.
In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Thijs has also taken on a role as an inspiring speaker. He has spoken for various institutions and events, including the Social Impact Day, TedX, and Fontys University of Applied Sciences, where he shares his experiences and valuable lessons on perseverance, entrepreneurship, job satisfaction, and the importance of the target group.
Thijs Swinkels remains an example of entrepreneurship with a social conscience, always seeking new ways to combine his passion for helping others with business success.
For Thijs, work happiness comes first.
After a period of challenging years with the Brownies&downieS formula, Thijs embarked on an upward trajectory. This period was not only demanding but also very educational, shaping him into the professional he is today. Each day brought new challenges and memorable moments.
The appreciation from both the special employees and their parents is invaluable to Thijs. Brownies&downieS not only grew into a place of learning but also into a structured and supportive environment where professional bonds were forged that lasted beyond working hours. Work pleasure here became not an abstract concept but a tangible reality that Thijs and his team experienced daily.
These practical experiences have provided Thijs with valuable insights into work pleasure and human relationships. It is the dedicated colleagues who have made him realise that work pleasure is crucial, not only for individuals but also for the success of an organisation. Thijs cherishes these insights and integrates them into all his business activities. They serve as the driving force behind his continuous pursuit of personal and professional development.
Thijs does not originally come from an entrepreneurial family, but over the years he has gained a lot of self-knowledge. Initially, he had little affinity with numbers, but he soon understood that they are essential for healthy business operations. Moreover, Thijs strives for his staff to also behave like entrepreneurs within the company. Why should only owners take risks and face obstacles? Sharing a common passion for the company is of great importance to Thijs. He is committed to spreading this mindset among entrepreneurs and organisations.
Thijs’s goal: to get more people into work by inspiring and informing others about the power of an entrepreneurial mindset within the workforce.
Why would a successful formula like Brownies&downieS claim that it actually shouldn’t exist? Thijs has always had a clear stance on this. If people with special talents and capacities can also find a place in large supermarkets or fast-food chains, provided with the right guidance, then there is no longer a need for special venues like Brownies&downieS. In an ideal world, it would be normal for consumers to see, for example, someone with autism behind the till or preparing their hamburger. In other words, in a perfect society, there would be no need for such initiatives as Brownies&downieS.
For Thijs, the task is to spread this story among as many entrepreneurs and institutions as possible. A business owner can therefore always contact Thijs for text and explanation, entirely without obligation, with the aim; to get more people into work!
The road to success was long. Thijs takes you through the story of starting, debts, uncertain times, falling and getting back up. And… falling again and getting back up.
It was only in 2016 that Thijs realised he had to keep pushing a little longer, for then Brownies&downieS would be a healthy company. Thijs also initially suffered from judgments, but he knows how to turn this into something positive almost immediately.
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