In a recent interview with De Tijd, Nico Daenens, CEO of Group Daenens, talks about his entrepreneurial journey and his vision for the cleaning sector. ‘During my internship 30 years ago, I was appalled by how people were treated in the company. That was the starting point for me to start a business that would do things differently,’ he says.

He started with one domestic helper and a service voucher company and built it into the largest player in Belgium, with over 17,000 domestic helpers, 100,000 users and 166 offices. On his growth strategy: "It was also something intuitive. I always thought the organic aspect of a company was really important: that people continue to identify with the place where they once started working."

The well-being of his employees is also central. ‘Happyland goes back to how it started. Twenty years ago, I was already looking for a way to make people feel appreciated and to ensure that they felt involved in their work. Because let's not beat around the bush, the outside world often sees them “just as cleaners”. That was the case when I started the company, and even today I still feel that there is too little appreciation for the profession.’