Nicolas Delwaide – Owner and Founder of La Belle Waffle
Graduate - Graduate Diploma in Management (see similar programmes)
"Having approachable and knowledgeable tutors who are interested in what you wanted to do was really great"
Learn more about Nicolas
After moving to New Zealand, Nicolas began working in retail but it wasn't before long that he felt it was time for something new.
After researching the best places to study in Wellington, Nicolas enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in Management at WelTec, where he could learn wide-breadth of business skills.
"It's important to understand every aspect of your business. At WelTec I learned about accounting, marketing, strategy management, leadership and it really helped me when I set up my business."
After graduating, Nicolas launched La Belle Waffle – a Belgian dessert shop in the heart of Wellington City. Armed with a broad understanding of the business world, Nicolas was able to ensure all aspects of his business were running smoothly.
Nicolas and his wife set up everything from scratch, “from the design, the accounting, the business side of it – we did it together.”
Nicolas credits his tutor Cyril as having the biggest influence on him. Cyril was always available to answer Nicolas’ questions, and that support continued after graduating helped him on his path to success.
"Learning from knowledgable people who are easy to approach and interested in what you want to do was really good."
For Nicolas, building his waffle business is a personal dream come true, as waffles feature in many of his fondest childhood memories back in Belgium. He loves being able to share his love of waffles with Kiwis.
Nicolas' advice for anyone thinking of starting their own business is don't do it alone; "Study, get a mentor and learn lots before you start."
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