Braavhearts
#Braavheart Camille Liebaert
Meet our next Braavheart: Camille Liebaert, she truly lives and breathes sports and made her passion her job as a brand manager of RectoVerso sports. We're excited to get to know this down-to-earth yet ambitious woman a bit better.
Can you introduce yourself and what you do in a few sentences?
Hello! I am Camille Liebaert, 27 years old, I studied business engineering and I am the brand manager of RectoVerso sports, a project we started within the family business. I’m a huge sports fanatic (especially football), and I’m very passionate about sustainable fashion and local brands. I have three brothers, which has definitely defined me as a person (hence the football ;-)), and I’m a huge family person.
What's your motto in life?
Everything happens for a reason! In the past, I could really get stressed about all the negative things that could potentially happen to me. This applies also to my professional career within RectoVerso. In our start-up year, we heard at every event/fair we participated, that the year before was a more successful edition. On top of that Covid 19 broke out in Milan, during our very first fashion fair at Milan Fashion week. If you are able to put these ‘unlucky’ events in perspective and think about the positive things that came out of it, it really helps. And I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, even though you can’t always see it at first.
How do you keep a healthy work-life balance?
I usually start working at 8 am and try to stop at 6 pm the latest. Quality time after work is very important to me. When I know that on certain days I won't have enough hours in one day, I’d rather start earlier, or skip lunch instead. I do struggle some days with a lack of creativity, inefficiency, or tiredness.
Ultimate relaxation after a hectic day?
I play football three times a week, and in stressful periods it really is the only moment I can entirely free my mind. I love seeing my friends & family, have a nice date night with my boyfriend, or go out for some dancing (which I really miss!).
What are your future objectives on your professional agenda?
I’m kind of an impulsive go with the flow kind of person. 2 years ago I worked as a barista in a vegan brunch bar, and now I am here, and I don’t really have an exact idea of where I (or RectoVerso) is heading, but I feel like we're on a good path! Everything is also so insecure right now, it is difficult to make plans. We are planning on going international pretty soon.
If you could give one ultimate tip to other ambitious women, what would it be?
Follow your gut! Everyone around you will try to give you tips, tricks, and advise on how you should manage your business. It's said with the best of intentions, but in the end, it drove me crazy and you start doubting about what to do. Of course, you should have a handful of people surrounding you (mentors, colleagues, friends & family) whose opinion you really cherish. You will also meet a lot of interesting with good insights. However, you feel the DNA of your brand/project the most and don’t let you get thrown off by everyone’s opinion.
Which book or podcast do you think is a must-read?
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. By using anecdotes that put in perspective the successes of so-called outliers (people who are exceptionally smart and/or successful), I really got inspired. From successful hockey players to IT geniuses and investment bankers, Gladwell describes the influence of external factors on their success.
Ultimate Braavheart?
There are so many female entrepreneurs I look up to but I would have to go with Noemie Moreels from Seamehappy. Although I don’t know her personally, you can feel her personality through her brand. It’s such a beautiful, feel-good brand, and the whole story just makes sense. Her no-nonsense and goofy approach is one that not many people could pull off.
