Celebrating four years of Avenue: A founders’ retrospective
As Avenue marks its fourth anniversary, we sat down with the founders—Kenneth, Hendrik, and Stijn—to reflect on their journey, the challenges they've faced, and their vision for the future. Their insights reveal not only their growth as a company but also the values and strategies that have driven their success.
Ready, set, fun
When Kenneth looks back on Avenue's journey, he’s clear: “We’re much further along than we ever imagined.” The original idea wasn’t about building something enormous; it was about finding enjoyment in their work again. After years spent in high-pressure, corporate and international environments, they felt disconnected from their core mission as real estate brokers. So, when Avenue was born, it came with a mission: to engage in meaningful work while enjoying themselves.
“I remember saying that if we could be in the same place two or three years into our new adventure as we were when leaving the old one, it would be a huge success,” Kenneth says. But the reality turned out even better than they hoped. What started as a simple idea quickly gained momentum. They attracted people who believed in their vision, and that early belief helped Avenue grow faster than any of the founders expected. Kenneth points to one statistic as proof of that success: not a single person from their sales team has left in four years—a rare feat in their industry.
This wasn’t by accident. From the start, they knew who they wanted on their team and reached out to those individuals.That’s a big part of why they’ve grown so quickly. The team’s experience and expertise have been essential, and their retention is a reflection of Avenue’s strong culture.
When asked what really sets Avenue apart from competitors, the answer is always the same: it’s about sticking to their core values.
Trio of founders’ challenge
Being a trio of founders has been both an advantage and a challenge.They were also building a company culture and laying the foundation for how the business would operate. “We’ve been working through it ever since,” Stijn says.
“We started with three salespeople, figuring out how to split responsibilities was tricky.”
Over time, some of those early roles have evolved. At first, the founders even managed everything on their own, but they eventually decided to outsource some things the business expanded. It’s a constant process of redefining who does what as the company grows and their needs change. As they’ve grown, they’ve had to figure out how to play to each person’s strengths and make sure everyone is in the right role.
Pressure of expectations: no longer the new kid on the block
With success comes heightened expectations, and the founders feel this pressure acutely.
With early success, Avenue now faces a new kind of pressure. “The first three years were great,” Hendrik says, “but now we have to keep up that level of performance.” The company is no longer the newcomer that everyone is watching with curiosity; now, there are expectations to meet. “When we were starting out, people were more forgiving, but now we have to prove ourselves every day.”
“Everyone falls in love with the new kid on the block. When we first launched, we received a lot of excitement. Now, we must prove that we can sustain our success and even improve upon it. This creates pressure to ensure quality and consistency in our work.”
Challenges in structure and operations
Establishing a robust internal structure has been a challenge. Internally, one of the biggest challenges Avenue has faced is building the right structure for their teams. “Finding the right structure has taken a lot of time and energy,” Stijn admits. They’ve had to create many systems from scratch, including their CRM and database, which took considerable effort. But these steps have been necessary to support their growth and scale the business effectively.
What does the future hold?
Looking ahead, the Avenue founders know that the road will continue to evolve. They prefer to plan three years ahead instead of five. The business is constantly changing, and new opportunities seem to pop up when they least expect them. Just six months ago, they wouldn’t have imagined adding a new department, yet they’re always open to adapting as new possibilities arise.
“As long as we avoid becoming too corporate, I think the sky’s the limit.”
Stijn reflects on how far Avenue has come. They are no longer the new company in the industry, they have made their mark, particularly in the retail sector. Now, they are turning their attention to the residential market, looking to replicate that success.
A journey of growth
Celebrating four years of Avenue is not just about reflecting on the past; it’s also about looking forward to the future. The founders are proud of how much they’ve achieved, but they are just as focused on what’s ahead. Their journey has been about building a company that sticks to its values, works as a team, and enjoys the process along the way. As they look to the future, they are committed to staying true to that vision while continuing to grow and explore new opportunities.