Chapter 2: The beginning of my Kite Journey

I remember it like it was yesterday, when I received my very first kite. There was a promotion at the local supermarket, where purchasing six bottles of soda would reward us with a free kite – a colourful, single-line kite with a long trail.

I was immediately fascinated by its ability to fly effortlessly for hours, powered solely by the wind. It truly felt like magic to me. This experience sparked a realisation:

wind is a powerful and interesting element

The simple joy of the single-line kite soon led to a desire for more…

Chapter 3: Control & Play with the Elements

To my delight, at the start of the following summer holiday, my grandfather surprised me with a two-line kite. This kite, with its purple, yellow, and pink design, the name of the city (Westende-Bad) emblazoned upon it, and a long, multicoloured tail, opened up a new world of possibilities.

I could now control its flight, actively interacting with the wind to draw curves and patterns in the sky with its vibrant trail. My grandparents could leave me to play at the beach for hours, day after day, and I remained utterly amazed by this newfound ability.

This progression from a simple, free kite to a controllable two-line kite marked a pivotal step in my burgeoning passion for harnessing the power of the wind.

Chapter 4: Discovering Community & Sailing

Following my initial experiences with kites, things began to progress more rapidly as a teenager. I started attending a youth movement every Sunday and soon transitioned to sea scouts.

My motivation was twofold: I wanted to learn how to sail and to meet and interact with children from various schools across Brussels.

I wholeheartedly believe that parents should encourage their children to participate in youth movements. This period had a profound impact on me. It broadened my horizons, as I realised that my school and family environment were not the entirety of reality.

I formed connections with children from diverse educational backgrounds, each possessing unique knowledge and perspectives. This exposure was incredibly enriching. Moreover, I was simultaneously learning the valuable skill of sailing.

Through these experiences, the concept of the social became truly meaningful to me. I began to understand the importance of community and the value of interacting with a wider group of people beyond my immediate circle.

Chapter 5: The Expanding of my Kite Obsession

Returning to the seaside the following summer, I was determined. I had saved all my pennies to purchase a two-line stunt kite that made a distinct sound when turning rapidly.

I searched all over the city to find the best one I could afford. This was a significant moment – the very first kite I had ever bought myself.

That stunt kite brought me immense joy! I could spend hours under the sun, seemingly dancing as I looped the kite through the air, the sand whipped up by the wind and stinging my legs. This experience only deepened my fascination with controlling the wind.

Chapter 6: The wind, a powerful friend

All my birthday presents revolved around kites. My next target was a powerkite (a 2m² Quadrifoil E=MC²).

Things were becoming serious and at the age of 12 y.o. and weighing 40kg, I could feel the powerful pull of the wind, even being lifted into the air by this kite.

Chapter 7: Time to combine elements

My subsequent birthday brought another gift: a mountainboard. I was eager to start moving, sliding across the earth, powered by the wind.

I was completely captivated and becoming truly addicted to these wind-powered activities. Every weekend, I would eagerly check the weather forecast and implore my father to take me to the seaside so I could play on the beach.

Chapter 8: I’m not alone

It was during this time that I began to see others at the beach engaging in something new and incredibly exciting.

They were out on the water with huge kites and boards on their feet, kitesurfing! These individuals were riding and jumping in the air, seemingly effortlessly harnessing the power of the wind and water. I was instantly captivated and thought to myself,

This is what I want to be doing!

Using the equipment I already had, I decided to experiment. I took my bodyboard and my 2m² power kite and started sliding across the shallow water. This was a rudimentary attempt, but it was a first step towards understanding the possibilities of combining different elements and tools.

Chapter 9: Following my inside thrill

Returning home that day, I couldn’t sleep; my head was full of stars. I immediately started buying kitesurf magazines to learn and understand about the kites and control bar systems.

In one of these magazines, I found an advertisement: “learn how to kite” in France, in Hourtin, in shallow water – “best place to learn”. I went straight to my mum, showed her the offer for one week of kitesurfing lessons in France, and explained that I wanted to go that summer instead of the family holiday.

At 16, I was determined to embark on this adventure alone; I had no friends willing to join me and I didn’t care. I knew what I was about to experience. My mother, of course, agreed, and it was an unforgettable experience. However, at the end of the week, I had only managed some shy first waterstarts and was disappointed with my progress.

Chapter 10: A growing Obsession

It took a while before I finally took the plunge into kitesurfing. After my internship, I was armed with my trusty 2-meter powerkite, my mountainboard, and a brand new 5-meter kitesurfxl foilkite. It was a powerful machine!

I had to wait until my 18th birthday to receive the ultimate gift from my mom: a complete kitesurfing setup – a Bic Airflow 142cm board and a Naish Aero 12m kite. All my best friends from school and scouts were there to witness this momentous occasion. Tears of joy streamed down my face.

I started practicing with my dad every weekend, trying to tame that huge 12-meter kite on the beach with my mountainboard. I trained, I played, and I trained some more. Eventually, I got a decent wetsuit, and I was growing up, heading off to university to study electronics engineering.

Chapter 11: Chased by a rainbow

After the June exams, my friends and I would always go on a week-long camping trip to Holland. It was a chance to unwind, have fun, and introduce my friends to the joys of powerkiting. Another time, we went to Wissant, and that day, the conditions felt perfect for a dip in the water. The 12-meter kite was quite large for my 58kg frame, so I needed to find a sweet spot where the wind was strong enough for stability but not too powerful.

That day, I donned my wetsuit and harness, asked a friend to launch the kite, grabbed my board, and headed into the sea. The wind was blowing side-shore. I bodydragged a few meters out, put my board under my feet, and attempted my first waterstart. I flew over the board, losing a few meters upwind. I kept calm, bodydragged back upwind with the help of the kite, repositioned my board, and tried again, this time going a little gentler. Gradually, I increased the power, step by step, until I was finally standing on the board. I had done it!

In that moment, I was gliding across the water, intuitively understanding how to control the kite and edging already upwind, just like I did on my mountainboard.

I was kitesurfing!

My heart pounded with excitement under my neoprene. Adrenaline coursed through my veins. To top off this incredible moment, I looked back, intrigued by the sound of water spraying like a fountain behind me. As I turned, I saw it – a rainbow! It was generated by the spray from my board, chasing me across the water.

It was the best day of my life! I rode for a full hour, mastering the water and wind, riding upwind from the very beginning. It was pure magic.  

Chapter 12: A Detail From My Childhood That Triggered Everything Else

I forgot to mention a detail that unexpectedly ignited something in me. At 18 y.o., during my final year of college, lesjeunesentreprise.be, a student association, offered a unique opportunity: creating a small business with peers. We designed, produced, marketed, and sold a product—a truly unexpected awakening to

Entrepreneurship

Like youth movements, I highly recommend this low-risk entrepreneurial experience as a teenager. It's a chance to build and shape your dreams with friends, offering a taste of what's possible. 

Chapter 13: Creating a Kitesurfing Community

My electronics degree sparked an interest in web design, leading me to create a website combining my passions: IT and kitesurfing. Kitesurfeur.be was born, featuring kitesurfing news, an active carpooling forum, event listings, forecasts, spot guides, and a kitesurf school directory.

www.kitesurfeur.be

It quickly became a Belgian kitesurfing reference, proving incredibly useful. From day one, I never missed a session, always finding carpools despite lacking a car and cycling everywhere, even to college.  

Chapter 14: Don’t underestimate the power of community

The power of community is immense; it can propel your dreams further than you ever thought possible.

I'm incredibly grateful for the people I meet daily

Those who are passionate about watersports, as well as those new to the sport whom I’m about to teach, coach, or advise on equipment.

Chapter 15: Becoming Kitesurf Instructor

In 2010, during my studies, I decided to spend my summer in Soma Bay, Egypt, at Tornado Surf Club. There, I had the pleasure of working with a wonderful Swiss couple, Felix and Sabine, who managed the club. They offered me the opportunity to learn how to become a kitesurf instructor—a chance I couldn’t pass up. It was also the first time I was kitesurfinf into turquoise water. What a dream!

Back in Belgium, I gathered all my savings and invested in obtaining my IKO certification in the Netherlands. And I got it! 😊

With the little money I had left, I equipped myself with kites, helmets, and floating jackets.

And just like that, my very first business was born: Kitesurfeur.be – Kiteschool.

Chapter 16: A Kitesurfschool & Working 7/7

After failing my first two years in college while trying to become a civil engineer, I finally earned my Master’s degree in industrial engineering, specializing in electronics. As part of my studies, I did an Erasmus exchange in Coimbra, Portugal—which allowed me to kite and learn Portuguese! Little did I know how useful this language would become, given that Brazil, Cape Verde, and Portugal are among the world's top kitesurfing destinations. What a coincidence!

At 25 years old, I was stepping into professional life. I wanted to validate my engineering degree by applying my knowledge in a real company. But at the same time, I was spending all my windy weekends teaching kitesurfing to my first students, squeezing in after-work sessions during the week. Between my full-time engineering job, kitesurf lessons, developing my website, organizing kite trips, and selling equipment—I was working 7 days a week.

Shaping my dreams – 1 more day per week

A funny thing happened after my first year as an engineer. I asked my boss, Joni B., if I could switch to a 4-day workweek instead of full-time. Not exactly a common request from a newly hired engineer! Surprisingly, she said yes. That extra day became a game-changer. It gave me more time to develop my little business, focus on my dreams, and work without distractions. I quickly realized how cost-effective that decision was—one extra day per week made a huge difference.

Thank you Joni.

Chapter 17: I just bought a Kiteshop with my kitesurf buddy Damien!

In 2014, I received a call from Ladislas Toth, the owner of Billykite.be in Brussels, along with his partner Antoine Gheysens. They had been watching me grow in the industry, and both felt it was time for a new chapter in their lives. They were looking for a motivated person to take over the business.

That call immediately struck a chord with me. Buying an existing kitesurfing business would be a huge accelerator—it meant I could start living from my passion much sooner.

Teaching kitesurfing is what I love most—passing on my passion to new people. But in Belgium, it’s one of the toughest businesses to sustain. The season is short, and everything depends on the wind. Making a living from it alone is nearly impossible. Adding a kitesurf shop to the equation would complete the loop and finally allow me to turn my passion into a full-time career.

Chapter 18: Let’s the adventure begin!

I approached my best friend and kite buddy, Damien Frappé (from Lille, France), to join me on this adventure. I didn’t want to take over the business alone. One of my biggest concerns was being trapped behind a shop counter for the rest of my life.

It felt natural to partner with someone I trusted—someone just as addicted to kitesurfing as I was. This way, we could share time at the shop while still having the freedom to ride, travel, or work on IT projects without distractions.

By October 2014, Billykite.be officially belonged to Damien and me.

Chapter 19: Feeling home

In January 2017, we took another major step—we became the owners of our own physical store.

At the same time, our website evolved from a simple catalog into a full-fledged online store. My background in electronics engineering and my passion for IT helped us scale the webstore quickly.

Chapter 20: My best friend Jeff Newell from the UK is joining the adventure

By 2019, our product catalog had grown significantly, and we needed extra support. That’s when my best friend Jeff Newell, a former kitesurf school owner in Vietnam (C2SkyKiteCenter.com), joined the Billy team.

I had met Jeff back in Egypt in 2010 when I was getting my kitesurf instructor certification. It was the perfect fit. Since then, Jeff has been a core part of our team, bringing his expertise and personal touch to our online store.

His dedication has been nothing short of amazing.

Chapter 21: Time for change

In 2022, I made an unexpected proposal to my partner, Damien. I asked to buy his share of the business. Unfortunately, the way I approached it was clumsy and indelicate. He hadn’t seen it coming. After all, he was as happy like me working at Billy! For eight years, we had both worked tirelessly to turn our shared dream into reality.

The reason behind my request was simple: I wanted to take full control of the company and push forward with my vision, which had started to diverge slightly from his.

For two years, Damien and I engaged in long discussions about the future of Billykite. It wasn’t an easy process.

Chapter 22: Thank you Damien, I will take care of our Baby, Billy

And in November 2024, just before heading to Brazil for three weeks, we finally reached an agreement. The papers were signed.

I officially became the sole owner of Billy.be, both the online and physical store.

Today, Billy is entirely in my hands, and I’m more motivated than ever to continue shaping its future.

I’m deeply grateful to Damien for entrusting me taking over our baby, Billy.be.

Chapter 23: A New Chapter is opening

We are now in March 2025, and the global economy is struggling. Taking over the business at this time is a major financial challenge, and Billy has gone through some unexpected changes on top.

But fortunately, staying true to myself, honest, dedicated, and endlessly passionate about my dream since day one has allowed me to be surrounded by incredible people who support and believe in me. And in difficult times, that is the greatest strength one can receive. The strength from the community I have build.

I am deeply grateful to so many people: Alice N., Anelina B., Antoine G., Cedric V., Catherine M., Chantal M., Dan VDB, Damien F., Hamid D., Hubert R., Jeff N., John R., Joachim R., Laurent H., Laura R., Louison C., Marc N., Michel P., Nelly & Diego N., Olivier P., Peter S., Vaga B.

And this list is far from complete.

I’m so much grateful to all of you guys !

🙏❤️