{"id":103679,"date":"2025-08-14T12:27:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T10:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dexxter.be\/klantenverhaal\/think-of-your-secondary-occupation-as-your-playground-why-charlotte-dared-to-take-the-plunge-and-why-you-can-too\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T16:57:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T15:57:19","slug":"think-of-your-secondary-occupation-as-your-playground-why-charlotte-dared-to-take-the-plunge-and-why-you-can-too","status":"publish","type":"klantenverhalen","link":"https:\/\/dexxter.be\/en\/customer-story\/think-of-your-secondary-occupation-as-your-playground-why-charlotte-dared-to-take-the-plunge-and-why-you-can-too\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThink of your secondary occupation as your playground\u201d: why Charlotte dared to take the plunge (and why you can, too)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some entrepreneurs start with a business plan; others follow their gut. Charlotte began her secondary occupation with a stack of postcards and an old screen-printing table in her grandfather\u2019s studio. Today, her brand<\/span> Dujojo<\/a><\/span><\/i> has grown into a creative micro-business where she can fully express her personal style, family heritage, and entrepreneurial spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Entrepreneurship runs in her blood<\/b><\/h2>\n\n

\u201cI think I\u2019ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit,\u201d says Charlotte. As a child, she sold bracelets; during her studies, she printed on jute bags that she sold on Instagram. At the time, it didn\u2019t feel like running a business\u2014more like a hobby that just happened to bring in some money. But the seed had been planted. <\/span><\/p>\n\n

With grandparents who were both self-employed, entrepreneurship was literally in her blood\u2014even if it skipped a generation. \u201cLooking back, it really does come from somewhere,\u201d she says. \u201cThis drive to make, create, and share has always been there.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n

From drawing experiments to real commissions<\/b><\/h2>\n\n

Charlotte studied visual design at<\/span> LUCA School of Arts<\/span>, where she truly discovered drawing. \u201cI started out thinking I couldn\u2019t draw,\u201d she laughs. But through her perspective and life-drawing classes, her confidence grew. With her first paycheck, she bought an iPad\u2014and that became the starting point for her illustration style.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Her first illustration commission for a book came through her job at a startup. That collaboration ultimately fell through, but it did set something in motion: she needed a company number to be able to invoice. \u201cAnd once I\u2019d taken that step, I thought: okay, now let\u2019s just go for it.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Dujojo: a tribute in name and story<\/b><\/h2>\n\n

The name<\/span> Dujojo<\/span><\/i> is more than just a creative whim. \u201cJojo was my grandfather,\u201d Charlotte explains. \u201cHe was an artist\u2014he made stained glass, ceramics, sculptures\u2026 And I started screen printing in his studio.\u201d The name is a subtle tribute to someone who helped ignite her creative spark, even though he never saw it turn into a business.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Growing her secondary occupation, with room for dreams<\/b><\/h2>\n\n

Charlotte currently works 4\/5 as a salaried employee, but recently asked to switch to a 3\/5 schedule starting this summer. Not to work less\u2014but to have more time for<\/span> Dujojo<\/span><\/i>. \u201cMy passion really lies in entrepreneurship,\u201d she says. \u201cI just finished a week-long Mastermind session with other entrepreneurs, and I felt so at home there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Her goal is clear: to keep growing, preferably at her own pace. Without losing her creativity, but with more structure and more room to make an impact\u2014especially for other entrepreneurs. \u201cI also hope to take on more projects for self-employed people in the future. That challenges me and is very rewarding.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n

From Excel stress to accounting peace of mind with Dexxter<\/b><\/h2>\n\n

Charlotte\u2019s accounting journey began\u2014as it does for many\u2014with Excel files, templates from friends, and a father-in-law who occasionally checked in. \u201cI wanted to figure it all out on my own, but I constantly felt like I was doing something wrong.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n

It wasn\u2019t until she switched to Dexxter that everything fell into place. \u201cI was able to catch up on half a year\u2019s worth of bookkeeping in just two months,\u201d she says with relief. What appeals to her most? \u201cI don\u2019t need any prior knowledge. Everything is clear and structured. And if I make a mistake, I simply receive a warning with an explanation.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Dexxter not only gives her insight into her figures, but also the confidence that everything is going well. \u201cThat took a huge weight off my shoulders. Now I can focus on what I love to do.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n

\u201cUse your secondary occupation as your playground\u201d<\/b><\/h2>\n\n

Charlotte\u2019s advice for anyone hesitating to start a self-employed secondary occupation? \u201cThink of it as a playground,\u201d she says. \u201cEspecially if you still have a steady salary, there\u2019s little that can seriously go wrong. Experiment, discover what you enjoy, and keep learning. You don\u2019t have to rent an office or make big investments right away. Start small, and grow at your own pace.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n

She does the same herself. Every euro she earns through her online store or custom orders, she reinvests in new products. \u201cIt\u2019s so cool to see it all come together. That I can buy materials, make things, and sell them. And above all: keep creating.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Do you dream of running a business alongside your job, but dread the paperwork?<\/b>
Charlotte proves it\u2019s possible. And with Dexxter, you\u2019ll never have to struggle with your accounting in Excel. Try it yourself<\/a>\u2014it\u2019s simple, clear, and stress-free.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some entrepreneurs start with a business plan; others follow their gut. Charlotte began her secondary occupation with a stack of postcards and an old screen-printing table in her grandfather\u2019s studio. Today, her brand Dujojo has grown into a creative micro-business where she can fully express her personal style, family heritage, and entrepreneurial spirit. Entrepreneurship runs […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":102818,"template":"","categorieen":[141],"class_list":["post-103679","klantenverhalen","type-klantenverhalen","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","categorieen-secondary-occupation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dexxter.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/klantenverhalen\/103679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dexxter.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/klantenverhalen"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dexxter.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/klantenverhalen"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dexxter.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dexxter.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"categorieen","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dexxter.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categorieen?post=103679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}