Bladel ’s Top Five

How can ‘The Five of Bladel’ help you as an entrepreneur?
As an entrepreneur, you have an important goal in mind: to put your business on the map in such a way that you can earn a decent living from it. Now, let’s say that map covers part of the Brabantse Kempen. As an entrepreneur, you’re active in the historic village centres of Bladel, Casteren, Hapert, Hoogeloon, Netersel or in the beautiful countryside in between, rich in nature. These areas, collectively forming the municipality of Bladel, exert a major yet challenging influence on residents and visitors alike: whether they are living, working or enjoying leisure activities. How do you, as an entrepreneur, capitalise on this?

Diversity of identity
As the crow flies, the five villages are just a few kilometres apart. And each one has its own history, including the stories passed down from generation to generation by the local people. Many residents – and therefore local businesses too – share that typical Kempen mindset of ‘just act normal; that’s crazy enough.’ This identity is unique and remains very much relevant today. It’s wonderful to cherish this diversity of identity – not just as a resident, but certainly also as an entrepreneur. Does this ring true? If so, what makes your products or services so special that they attract customers?

Joining forces
As a business owner in the heart of the Brabantse Kempen, you’re not on your own. There’s a reason for the well-known saying: ‘better a good neighbour than a distant friend’. Focusing on what sets you apart is all well and good. But it’s even more rewarding to support one another and join forces. Or as we say in Brabant: to give each other a high-five. So just get on with it, but also enjoy life to the full. That sense of togetherness often brings us under a common banner: ‘The Five of Bladel’. If you use the authentic logo as a mark of quality, you show at a glance that you’re proud of your business. And you need customers or visitors to discover your product or experience.

Come and experience it for yourself
Modesty is a wonderful virtue, but it also obscures just how attractive it is to live, work or enjoy leisure activities here. To put it light-heartedly: don’t bury your head in the Kempen sand. As an entrepreneur, you can be proud of the products you create and the experiences you enable your customers to beleven. That is why ‘De Vijf van Bladel’ uses the tagline ‘Maak ‘t mee’ (Experience it). This one-liner has a double meaning. It is not only a nod to the manufacturing industry and the economic business climate in the towns of Bladel, Casteren, Hapert, Hoogeloon, Netersel. It is also an invitation to ‘experience for yourself’ just how diverse the municipality and its surrounding countryside are when it comes to tasting, belevening, enjoying leisure activities, shopping or crafting.

Are you, as an entrepreneur, experiencing this too?

For further information, please contact René Veldhuizen:  rene@visitbladel.nl/en

Download the handbook, logo, slogan and ‘klik’ tools below here.