10 Years of Datashift - We're only just getting started

Ten years ago, at a kitchen table, Datashift started with a simple and pragmatic plan. My initial drive was to surround myself with like-minded and competent co-workers—people who shared the same passion for creating impact through data. 10 years later, we’re holding on to that plan. Collaborating with exceptional people continues to be the foundation of everything we do at Datashift. And with success. Along the way, some key realizations have stood out: achieving 50% year-over-year growth, even surpassing 30% growth in the past year despite broader market challenges; and the successful launch of Datashift Strategy, expanding our impact and offerings. But what I’m most proud of is the way we do it. Staying true to our values, acting with courage, and being genuinely ourselves have been at the heart of our journey.

Looking Back: Reality eats perception for breakfast

When we began, we were a small team with big ambitions. We had no guarantees, just a shared commitment to work hard and deliver impact. Fast forward to today, and we’ve grown into a thriving team of 135 consultants, collaborating with industry leaders like BNP Paribas Fortis, Telenet, and UCB. We’re still a team with a shared commitment to work hard and strive for impact. Along the way, a few things have been proven critical for our growth.

First of all, adopting a Growth mindset has been crucial. The world of data moves fast, and we’ve had to move with it—embracing new technologies, responding to client needs, and evolving our approach. We believe that putting in the required effort, leads to true mastery. Success is a result of hard work, strategic effort, and persistence, not just talent. When people are successful, we see there achievements as inspiration rather than a threat which reinforces collaboration and reduces envy.

Although the technology landscape evolves rapidly and brings significant growth opportunities, we have never blindly followed hypes. What matters for us is listening to our clients and helping them to be successful. Adopting a critical mindset on what truly brings value, makes a difference for our clients. The coming years will continue to challenge us to separate hype from reality and to focus on solutions that genuinely drive value. It’s easy to be captivated by buzzwords and fleeting trends, but real progress demands a level-headed approach. At Datashift, we are committed to maintaining that clarity—leveraging technology with a purpose and ensuring it delivers tangible results for our clients.

This mission calls for a team that goes beyond technical expertise. It requires emotional intelligence, true experience, and the ability to engage with complexity thoughtfully.

Finally, we aim for great people, not big mouths. We want to bring together a group of great people, from an expertise point of view as well as a “heart” point of view. It is my personal key driver and feel personally engaged and motivated to help them to become truly successful. Great people take pride in being of value to others and understand that if they succeed in doing that, they will succeed as well. That is how we are organized and what I will safeguard in the years to come. We’ve built a great company by surrounding ourselves with great people—individuals who are not only talented but who are willing to put in the work, day in and day out. It’s this dedication and shared drive that have propelled us forward and continue to define who we are.

Looking Forward: Building a Future of Opportunities

While we’re proud of the past ten years, we’re even more excited about what’s next. The future of Datashift is about creating opportunities. In essence, everything we do is to make people better: our team and our clients. In order to continue realizing that vision, we will:

• Continue what we are already doing: Attracting top talent, focus on client satisfaction, empower the team etc, is key in remaining successful. Datashift will continue to be a place for specialists to hone their skills, take on exciting challenges, and make a real difference. Our focus remains on enabling growth —professionally and personally.
• Open an office in Rotterdam: We’re expanding our horizons, creating chances for our team to explore international projects, work with global clients, and even relocate to new markets. For those who dream of working beyond borders, the door is open. As of 1st of Feb, our office in Rotterdam is opened, marking an important first step in our international growth.
• Create new companies: Empowering others to build their own companies is the next step in our evolution, which will help to attract and further develop talent as well. These new ventures will be provide the resources and support needed to turn ideas into reality, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within and beyond Datashift. Our first 2 brands are being developed and launched by end of this quarter. Stay tuned.

Gratitude and excitement

On a personal note, the past ten years have been transformative, but not without ups and downs. Great things just don’t happen overnight nor without the necessary struggles. Building Datashift has demanded a lot, and my family shares me with my work. They’ve been incredibly patient and supportive. It took some time to figure out that in order to be the best professional version of my self, my life needs to be in balance. Weeding the garden on a daily basis in summer, seems to help as well 😊

To our team: thank you for your dedication, your creativity, and your belief in what we’re building. Every single one of you matters and I hope you find your professional home at Datashift. I know many of you did. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to meet soulmates within our company—people who step into this journey, give all they have (and more), with whom you spent hours and hours with. They become part of who you are. I hope you guys also find the mental space to weed your garden and deploy a decent wheelbarrow 😉

To our clients and partners: thank you for trusting us and being part of this journey. Without you, there is no Datashift.

As we step into this next chapter, I can’t tell where the journey will end. But I know where to start.

Take care,
Nico Huybrechts, CEO of Datashift