In episode 22 of Truckstop, Gino Withofs, active within Withofs Bulk Logistics, Handico Trucking and Macotruck, talks to host Jeroen Ver Schakelen about the balance between work and private life, the importance of letting go and how even a mountain hut tour has taught him a surprising amount about entrepreneurship.
For Gino, the mixing of work and private life was not a conscious choice. “We grew up with it,” he says. As a child he was already in the truck and in the workshop. The company was part of his life from an early age.
Still, he acknowledges that times have changed. Where in the past everything was all about work, today there is more attention to well-being and leisure. Not only for entrepreneurs themselves, but certainly also for employees.
Keeping your staff happy
According to Gino, companies should not remain blind to this evolution. Finding and keeping good staff is a challenge today. This means taking into account quality time, moments of rest and a feasible workload. “The work still needs to be done,” he says, “but we will have to organize it differently.”
A good division of tasks is crucial. Through shift work and shared responsibilities, you as an organization can continue to meet the increasingly higher demands of the sector without overburdening people.
Delegate
An important turning point in Gino’s journey was the decision to appoint an external CEO at Withofs Bulk Logistics. Not an easy choice, and the result of years of coaching. “I am an entrepreneur and a thinker, but not necessarily the best manager,” he admits honestly.
This step gave him more peace and space. Space to think, but also to seize new opportunities, such as his role as managing director at Macotruck. Letting go turned out not to be a loss of control, but a condition for growth. Although he still catches himself wanting to do a lot of work himself instead of outsourcing work.
Hobbies – or something similar
Networking is part of the job for many – but for Gino it is a form of relaxation. Conversations with like-minded people give him new insights and a renewed desire to develop ideas. Moreover, a network only becomes truly valuable as you get older and grow as an entrepreneur. Knowing who you can call at crucial moments makes a world of difference.
Outside of work, Gino unexpectedly found peace walking in the mountains. Although he initially had to be convinced by his friends to go along, such a trek turned out to be an unforgettable experience for him. Walking for hours, without an internet connection, completely in the moment. “You’re just concerned with the next step,” he says.
Surround yourself with the right people
That experience also translates into his view on entrepreneurship. Not everything has to be fast or big. Moving forward step by step is sometimes just as valuable. With achievable goals, perspective and an eye for the process.
Whether in the mountains or in the business world: you can’t get there alone. Gino strongly believes in the importance of people around you who are smarter in their domain. He sees himself as a generalist, someone who provides direction and motivates his employees. But without strong people to go up the mountain, every summit remains unreachable.
For him, entrepreneurship is not a sprint, but a long-term effort. Sometimes heavy, sometimes slow, but always moving forward step by step.
Gino Withofs about his podcast experience at “Truckstop”:
