FRANK BOGAERS, DIRECTOR BOREK

This week Frank Bogaers, director of Borek, talks about his wheelbarrow. The family business specializes in outdoor living with unique outdoor furniture and parasols. Not only the consumer market, both at home and abroad, is being conquered, but also the project market. With more than forty years of experience, the Borek team innovates time and time again. They do this by looking at the latest trends, gaining inspiration in various world cities and entering into creative collaborations with renowned designers. Meet Bogaers…Text: Mical Joseph
Image: Borek

What kept you busy in the past?

“I was a real 'doer' from an early age and always played outside. I grew up in Moergestel in Brabant and lived for the first twenty years of my life. Initially I wanted to become a professional footballer and played for Willem II, but as I entered my teenage years I wanted to do something different with sports. I was thinking of sports reporter or sports entrepreneur.”

That is of course something completely different from what you do now. How did you end up in your current job?

“My father founded Borek in 1977. He was truly a pioneer in the field of parasols. He was the first in the country to import wooden and free-hanging parasols and sell them to garden centers and camping shops. My father was always busy with novelties and innovations in the industry. After high school, I did a MEAO course and wanted to go to HEAO to study Small Business in Haarlem. I ultimately did not carry out this plan, because my father needed me in the business. This was in 1988. As a 19-year-old young adult I was thrown to the lions, but fortunately this turned out well. I learned early on how to deal with customers, the different facets of the company and I worked from early in the morning until late at night.”

You indicate that you actually wanted to go into sports. Have you ever regretted your choice to enter your father's business?

“No, I have never actually regretted my choice. At a young age, I possessed the same work ethic as my father and mastered the business spirit early on. I enjoyed the work and everything that came with it.”

At some point you took over the business and became owner of Borek. What did you do differently?

“I noticed that when we had ideas, the factory where we had these concepts implemented also started producing the same kind of ideas. I thought it would be good to position Borek more as a brand, so I talked to designers such as Marcel Wolterinck, Remy Meijers and Eric Kuster and we started with furniture. Borek was retrained from an importer to a unique brand.” 

Who was your wheelbarrow?

“My father was my wheelbarrow for a large part of my life, but my mother also played an important role during my career. She took care of the family and was always there for us. My father threw me in at the deep end and told me that I should 'just sell' and pay the bill. This has brought me far. My parents both had a good influence on my career.”

What is your greatest passion in your profession?

“We now have three brands that we fully support: Borek, Max & Luuk and Yoi. Max & Luuk is named after my sons and that is the brand we positioned just below Borek. Yoi means 'good' in Japanese and Yoi is in the middle range. This is for consumers who have a slightly lower budget, but still want to go for the uniqueness of Borek. These three brands clearly reflect my passion: creating unique products with our own style and signature.”

What has been the biggest learning moment in your career?

“My very first job was in the catering industry and I learned a lot there. If you have some feeling for that, then I definitely recommend that you work in the catering industry. You do everything: walk on the terrace, stand behind the bar; it's hard work. I especially learned how to deal with different people. I gained respect and human knowledge from this work experience. I do a lot by feeling, I do make mistakes sometimes, but I don't feel too good for anything.”

What advice would you give to your 18 year old self?

“My sons are 15 and 19 years old. I say to them: follow your heart and develop yourself. My father always worked and my mother took care of us. Besides working, I am always busy with my boys. As a trainer, or as a football coach, for example. I like to do things with my children. If they ever want to and can work in the company, I would like that, but I don't put any pressure on them. It is absolutely not a must. If none of my sons join the company, or I am no longer there one day, there is an investor who will help us take the next steps. But, the door is always open for my children.”

Have you been a wheelbarrow for someone?

“I think I have been a wheelbarrow for my two sons. They also ask me a lot of questions. But I have also coached many football teams; a nice example of this is a boy I coached. He came from Afghanistan and was staying in an asylum seeker center at the time. At one point he moved far away from the club. We were only a few games away from the championship and I really wanted him to keep playing. There is only one as crazy as me, because I drove to his house early every Saturday morning to pick him up. He played the match and then I took him to the station. A few years later he contacted me again to ask if he could play football with me again. What I actually want to say: I often spend time with those boys, my door is always open and the glass is half full for me.”