In 2010, Steve Jobs announced the first iPad, but it was only in 2011 that the camera was added to the iPad.  

This camera triggered my entrepreneurial journey. 

Before that, communication on construction projects would happen via phone, email, and face-to-face meetings.

The iPad created a significant opportunity to disrupt the construction sector. Through an app, a foreman could quickly drop a pin on a drawing, take a picture showing the issue, and send a pdf report that needed no explanation. 

In 2012, I founded co-founded Aproplan. We built an app to help contractors, sub-contractors, and architects communicate better in the field.

We got early traction, quickly reaching €1m in ARR, raising funds from angel investors and reputable VC firms. We grew the business from a handful of people to 80 before merging with a Danish player to form LetsBuild, a 150 people-strong company in 5 different countries. 

I could stop the story here and say that everything was fantastic.

But that would only be one side of the story…

Like every entrepreneurial journey, it was a bumpy ride.

It was very stressful and frustrating at times. 

Early on, we had to do a management buy-out to solve a significant founders’ issue that almost killed the company.

We raised money from a reputable VC firm to grow the business.

This brought significant stress to grow faster, especially when you discover that international expansion is super challenging and so dependent on hiring the right people.

We merged with a company in the Nordics and almost doubled in size over night. And while the merger made a lot of sense on paper, merging two very different cultures made me realise it was all about people. 

Along the way, we raised and burned way too much money, hoping that money would solve all our growth problems.

Then COVID hit, and I burned out.

I had spent 8 years building a company. I was traveling 4 days a week, working weekends, and ignoring my family.

In 2021, I met Reggy and Pascal, founders of Q7Leader and discovered the People Model Canvas to me. I saw how powerful it was and all the challenges it would have helped me solve during my journey at Aproplan and LetsBuild.  

Today, I’m the CEO of Q7Leader and help B2B SaaS executives grow their business from 1m€ to 10m€ in a cash-efficient way so they don’t get diluted and keep control of their company. 

I write daily posts on LinkedIn where I share my learnings and the playbooks we use to grow Q7Leader in a cash-efficient way.

Thomas Goubau

This will be my new business OS for 2026.

It’s my biggest breakthrough of last year, and it will definitely change how we do business for the next few years.

I’m very curious…

Have you heard about using Claude Code for business (AKA not for coding software)?

I’m thinking about sharing my learnings here on LinkedIn.
But I’ll only do it if there is interest 👀

Would you like to learn more about this?

P.S. I'm totally obsessed 😬

Growing a B2B SaaS in a cash-efficient way by setting the operational foundations and make sure you have the right people in the right seat • CEO at Q7Leader • Operating Partner at welovefounders •

A 450-person company cut review time by 61%.

Now managers ask me to do MORE reviews, not less.

Two years ago, their annual cycle felt like torture.

HR chased forms.
Managers copied old comments.
Employees left reviews angry, not engaged.

They called us for a new tool.
They received a new ritual.

We killed long forms.
And we introduced:

• One shared General Expectation Profile for every role
• One simple D.O.T. structure for every 1‑1
• One 7‑minute prep ritual for every manager

Before a 1‑1, a manager now spends only 7 minutes of preparation per team member.

No more page-long notes, no more vague feedback.

During the 1‑1, both manager and employee see the same picture:

• Clear role expectations
• Concrete definitions, not gut feelings

Result after one cycle:

• 61% less time for reviews across the company
• Perceived fairness score up by 27 points
• Quote from one manager: “I love annual reviews.”

Performance management stopped being “evaluation”.
Performance management became “enabling performance”.

When managers ask for MORE reviews, I guess we created a system that works.

You told yourself you'd deal with pay transparency "in 2026" ... Well, it's 2026!

The EU Pay Transparency Directive is no longer a future problem. Deadlines are approaching, and most companies still don't have a plan.

550+ HR leaders have already joined our live sessions to get clarity on what's actually required.

Here's what we cover in 45 minutes:

→ What the directive actually requires (beyond the headlines)
→ A simple 5-step method to reach compliance
→ Where to start this quarter without getting overwhelmed

This Friday, you could finally have a clear roadmap instead of a vague sense of dread.

👉 Save your spot here: https://lnkd.in/er2CFqnz

P.S. We keep sessions small so you can ask questions - don't wait to book your spot 😉

Most founders have it backwards.

Last month, a former founder told me about a CEO in his portfolio who was perpetually overwhelmed. The diagnosis was simple: he was a 20/80 leader when he needed to be 80/20.

This CEO was dedicating only 20% of his time to high-leverage strategic decisions that only he could make, while burning 80% on tactical work others could handle.

Successful founders flip this ratio.

There's a classic example about a world-class surgeon who's also an excellent typist. Should she spend afternoons typing medical records? Obviously not. Her unique value is performing life-saving surgeries.

The same applies to startup founders.

The best founders focus on their "Zone of Genius" - where three things intersect:

1. Work that only you can do.
2. Work with the most organizational impact.
3. Work that genuinely energizes you.

That third element is critical. You might excel at financial modeling, but if it drains you, it's not your Zone of Genius.

Maybe yours is product vision, team building, or storytelling.

That's where your 80% should go.

Global Recruitment Entrepreneur 

Founder l CEO l Global Practice Lead @ Mavence, the recruitment leader for Public Affairs l Public Policy l Government Affairs/Relations / External Affairs/Relations - aka Lobbying functions. Mavence is a peer-to-peer (our consultants are all confirmed lobbyists) talent firm with presence in📍Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Washington, D.C., Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Dubai, Johannesburg and Singapore. 21 Consultants. 300+ clients.

For Business enquiries, please contact me at :  jason.descamps@mavence.com

Jason Descamps

𝟭𝟱 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 – 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜’𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲

In 2026, I will turn 40.

That same year will also mark my 15th year in recruitment consulting and headhunting.

Strangely enough, I’m looking forward to both.

CEO at Mavence, global Corporate Affairs & Association Leadership Executive Search

In 2026, I will turn 40. That same year, I will also mark 15 years in recruitment consulting and headhunting. Strangely enough, I’m looking forward to

Open article: 15 Years in Recruitment – Why I’m Still in the Game by Jason Descamps • 3 min read

15 Years in Recruitment – Why I’m Still in the Game

Despite a rough sea in 2025, I am proud of what we have accomplished at Mavence.

As I lead our global activities, I must say the market has taken us to fascinating parts of the world: from Latin America, where we have secured senior talent for European and American companies; to Europe, where we have been active in markets such as Italy, the Nordics, Luxembourg, and Poland; and on to Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore, where we have strengthened our on-the-ground presence with senior Corporate Affairs practitioners, and recruiters.

Beyond this, we have assisted a global tech giant in optimising the organisation of its Corporate Affairs function, as well as supported a major European trade association in revamping its structure and governance in Brussels.

We even supported a Public Affairs & Communications firm in its M&A plans across Europe.

A big congratulations to the teams who made all of this possible: Anna Aleksandra Koj, Roxane Fournier, Sergey Golyshin, Julien Schiettecatte, Sigrid Ligné, Margareta Przybyła, R. Adrian Garcia-Esteve, Philippe Putman, Anders Kopp, Emmanuelle Legrand, Thomas Grandmougin, Eleonore Para, Thomas Alves-Chaintreau, Antoine Lefranc, Silvia de Toledo Fagnani, Bruno Toussaint, Nicola Bruening, Dr. Ceyhun Emre Doğru, Jasmeet (Jasmine) Kaur

We all look forward to an even more promising year, with new clients and regions currently being onboarded.

It appears to be the next big thing for #EuropeanAssociations in #Brussels: 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝗨 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆.

Together with Anna Aleksandra Koj at Mavence, we are repeatedly meeting association CEOs who express the same need and intention: to recruit data specialists internally, capabilities that until now, were typically outsourced to consulting firms.

We interviewed several of these leaders from industries that do not necessarily have much in common, yet their observations converge:

“As EU advocacy becomes more evidence-based, associations that invest in these skills, and in the people who embody them, will be best positioned to maintain trust, authority, and influence. The message from European Associations is clear: while data has always played an important role in advocacy, today it stands among the undisputed first principles of strategic and effective government relations.”

Read the full article here 👉 https://lnkd.in/exiZxdDh

A big thank you to those who contributed with their insights: Koen Coppenholle (CEO of Cement Europe), Thomas Reynaert (Senior Vice President, External Affairs at International Air Transport Association (IATA)) and Piet Van Baeveghem (Secretary General at The European Lotteries)

𝗗𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 “𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀” 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

I’ll say the quiet part out loud.

There are two things I kept seeing in 2025 that immediately change how recruiters perceive candidates:

1️⃣ An outdated LinkedIn profile
2️⃣ The green “Open to work” banner

Let’s talk about both.

1️⃣ Not updating your LinkedIn profile - what’s the strategy here?

In 2025, I’ve approached a record number of candidates whose LinkedIn profile still showed them “employed”…

Only to discover later that they had been laid off or had resigned months, sometimes over a year ago.

I get it.

The market is tough. You want to protect your credibility.

But here’s the reality: you can’t hide it forever.

At some point, on a call with a recruiter or in front of the hiring manager, you’ll have to say “Actually, I don’t work there anymore.”

And when that happens, something breaks.

Not because you’re unemployed.
But because you weren’t transparent.

Suddenly, we’re not evaluating your skills, we’re questioning your ethics.

And ask yourself: what did you really gain? Not looking desperate? Not looking “weak”?

Your credibility doesn’t come from a job title.

 It comes from consistency, clarity, and the story you tell.

2️⃣ “Open to work” - the green flag that isn’t one

This one will sting a bit.

For many recruiters, the green “Open to work” banner is a turn-off.

It often signals urgency. Sometimes desperation.

And yes it can look like you’ve already exhausted your network and are now sending a bottle into the sea.

In Public & Government roles especially, where networks are everything, it can quietly suggest that your network isn’t working for you anymore.

Is it always fair? No.
Is it how it’s perceived? Often, yes.

And perception is the game.

𝗠𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄:

✅ Update your profile.
 If you’ve left a role, say it. Own it.

🚫 Lose the green banner. Instead, show up differently.

Post insights. Share thought leadership. Comment intelligently. Don't brag, it's a big turn-off too!

Position yourself as the expert, or one of the very few worth listening to on a or several subject matters.

Because showing up with value beats showing up with a sign that says “Please hire me.”

𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 “𝗜’𝗺 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲” 𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁.

👏  Très fier de Mavence France qui figure dans le Palmarès 2026 des meilleurs cabinets de recrutement publié par Les Echos en partenariat avec Statista.

Bravo à Roxane Fournier et à ses équipes, qui chaque jour font la différence en amenant une connaissance fine de nos métiers, pour les avoir pratiqué sur le terrain: à savoir les #AffairesPubliques et #Institutionnelles, la #Communication, le #Réglementaire, l'#AccèsauMarché et la #RSE.

⭐ 𝐌𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐨𝐛𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐞 𝟓 𝐞́𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 ⭐
Une distinction qui reflète :« 𝑈𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑡, 𝑡𝑟𝑒̀𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑒́𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑢𝑟 𝑎̀ 𝑙𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑟𝑒́𝑎𝑡𝑠. »

Je me réjouis également de voir l'agilité avec laquelle nos équipes travaillent ensemble à l'international, avec notre bureau de #Bruxelles emmené par Anna Aleksandra Koj et nos équipes monde présentes à #Berlin, #Copenhague, #WashingtonDC, #MexicoCity, #Brasilia, #BuenosAires, #Dubai, #Istanbul, #Johannesbourg, #Nairobi et #Singapour.

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧! Are you surprised to see, in numbers, where the 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 & 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 really sits in the in-house market?

My personal take: looking beyond what the numbers say 👇

👉 𝟑𝟗% 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂-𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞, which is honestly great news… BUT this remains 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞. A newly appointed CEO may change this simply because they value the function less than their predecessor, don’t fully understand it, or aren't used to handling Government Affairs directly, ultimately weakening its potential impact. Conversely, an incoming CEO who values the function and is familiar with it may just as easily elevate it to a direct reporting line. Remember, "it goes to whoever wants it"...

👉 𝟑𝟓% 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. We’ve already touched on this topic: the function is still 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲 shifting from External Affairs to Corporate Affairs, a terminology that often remains unclear to other functions. Under a single pillar, this model brings together the “brothers and sisters” of P&GA: Regulatory Affairs, Communications, CSR, Sustainability, Market Access, and more.

👉 𝟐𝟎% 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥, which remains a significant but clearly secondary home for the function. This reinforces the idea that P&GA is gradually 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲.

👉 🥶 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝟔% 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩. Ouch. This was quite surprising, but it shows that even in 2025/26, P&GA is 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫. Many companies continue to treat it as a corporate-level function rather than a market-embedded one, creating a gap between the function’s actual commercial impact and its perceived role.

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