New Champions of Belgian Business Startups

Oct. 1, 2008 - PRLog -- It’s a well-known fact in Belgium that you need nerves of steel, the patience of a saint and in-depth knowledge of the country’s pervasive bureaucracy to successfully start up a business or establish a local office.
So two women whose careers in Belgium span a combined 32 years have spotted a gap in the market. British born Louise Hilditch and American Julie Kolokotsa, who between them have worked for the European Parliament, local blue chip multinationals and set up and worked for not-for-profit organisations, are now bringing their expertise to Belgium’s expat business community.
The two women have written a 100-page guidebook now available for sale through book shops and newsagents in Brussels that offers an insider’s guide to anyone setting up a new business or already running their own operation in Belgium.
“Our book and consultancy service enables businesses to focus on getting their office or business off the ground, and worry less about the legalities of starting up in Belgium, the company registration process, getting started as an employer, what to pay local staff, and the challenges of tax and finance – including grants and other government incentives – as well as which suppliers to use,” says Louise.
“Once you’re up and running our consultancy will handle all your back office, administrative and routine requirements finding you the best deals and saving you the expense of hiring staff in house,” says Julie.

NOTES FOR EDITORS
Louise and Julie’s book ‘'Local Knowledge Guide to setting up and running your business in Belgium' is for sale at €22 through Brussels bookshops and newsagents and online at www.localknowledge.be For more information about the business and book, visit www.localknowledge.be

More about Louise and Julie
Louise Hilditch, 39, came to Belgium from the UK in 1993 and after working for a number of years in the European Parliament, went on to work for a major multinational food corporation as a lobbyist before leaving to co-found a successful public affairs consultancy with Julie Kolokotsa. She has since set up and managed several not-for-profit organisations in Belgium and elsewhere in the EU. She now runs a consultancy aimed at advising small businesses and organisations how to set up and run successful ventures in Belgium.

Julie Kolokotsa, 42 came to Belgium from the US in 1991 and after working for several years in the European Parliament co-founded a successful public affairs and event management consultancy. She has worked for an impressive number of blue chip companies over the past 15 years and her latest venture is aimed at advising other small businesses on how to succeed.

Both studied at the London School of Economics in the UK before coming to Belgium to work at the European Parliament where they met.  They successfully combine full time work with raising young families and Local Knowledge is their second successful business venture.

Media enquiries: Call Louise Hilditch on 00 32 495 160 845 or email info@localknowledge.be

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About Local Knowledge: Local Knowledge provides essential advice and hands on support to clients setting up in Belgium and offers the business management and supplier liaison expertise vital for success. With flexible contracts tailored to your needs, Local Knowledge will take the hard work out of running your organisation leaving you more time to focus on your core mission.