Luc Onink: “It's incredibly enjoyable and educational to build a company from the ground up and do everything yourself.”

Why did you choose to study Business Administration?

When I decided to start studying, I didn't have a clear idea of what I really wanted to do. That's why I chose a broader field of study, which would give me more options later on. At the same time, I was already interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. Business Administration was therefore a good fit: it combined that broad foundation with subjects that appealed to me in terms of subject matter. In hindsight, it was a very appropriate choice. That broad foundation helped me to explore different roles and sectors, and ultimately to start my own business.

Which skills from your studies do you use in your work?

At the moment, my girlfriend and I are responsible for everything that happens in our company. The broad foundation from my studies comes in handy every day. For example, I regularly use my knowledge of marketing, finance and operations to make decisions and improve our processes. We also carry out many projects (new collections, trade fairs, collaborations with brands, etc.), which makes the project management skills I learned during my studies very valuable. In addition, we negotiate with various suppliers, often in an international context. The insights I gained during my studies about negotiation and cultural differences help me to conduct these conversations effectively and respectfully. Finally, I notice that the critical thinking that is encouraged during the programme is perhaps the most important skill. It helps me to analyse situations, tackle problems structurally and make better decisions.

How did your career develop after graduation?

After graduating in Nijmegen, I did a master's degree in Amsterdam. Then I travelled for a while before I started applying for jobs in earnest. To be honest, I didn't know exactly which direction I wanted to go in at that point. Many of my fellow students went to a Big 4 firm, so I started at Deloitte. I worked there for two and a half years on various assignments, mainly in the financial sector. Although I learned a lot, I realised that my interests did not lie in this sector and that there were few opportunities to switch within Deloitte at that time. That's why I decided to move on.

I then started working at bol.com, in the team responsible for the quality of the sales partners on the platform. I worked on projects related to remuneration structures and sustainability, among other things. However, I realised that a large corporate organisation was not a good fit for me, due to the fixed processes and slow decision-making. During that period, my girlfriend and I had started Sattie in de boom, the precursor to our current company, and I found that it gave me much more energy. That is why I left bol.com within a year.

Because I didn't dare to go into business full-time right away, I then started working at Budbee, the market leader in parcel locker delivery. I was responsible for the parcel locker network in the Benelux. This was a versatile position with a lot of responsibility, varied working weeks and a great team. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot about logistics. Meanwhile, Yup in de boom was also growing rapidly. The combination of a full-time job and my own business was no longer sustainable, so on 1 October 2025, I decided to focus entirely on my business.