Can I recommend Brennan Dunn's monthly classes on
Freelancing and consulting - mostly because there is a brilliant and active mailing list , with at least one Belgium on the list who has taken the path you are considering. Drop me your email and I will put you in touch
More generally, take the rest of your twenties to explore and push. You have (I assume) no child care responsibilities and its a good guess you wont till thirty-ish (if it changes - great !) - so can I recommend the following plan:
0. Unemployment is rife across Europe, especially at your age - so if in two years you have not had a "proper" job, it will look no different than 50% of the rest of the continent. But if you have run a startup, consulted, travelled... well...
1. With a degree in electrical engineering you have a massive advantage over most startup entrpreneurs - hardware.
2. Go look at the hardware hackday running with ycombinator (cannot find the link - on iPhone - anyone?). It might give you some ideas.
3. Market yourself as a prototype maker - join some maker groups, get some experience with arduino's etc. Maybe the local fashion college has people wanting to experiment with wearable fashion (plus point here - fashion students throw much better parties than EE departments)
4. Start talking about this - in English on a blog. Include youtube videos of the wearable stuff.
5. Want to travel - then stick to the hardware theme. DO the young backpacker thing, but ask on HN for contacts in Shenzhen and Mumbai. Go meet some folks and make contacts / friends. Be the Belgium hardware consultant with contacts in the hottest hardware and development hubs globally.
Blog on your travels, and if you can, do some arduino prototyping and consulting - getting paid to develop a startups new wearable toy whilst actually in Shenzhen. Better than paying yourself. And stop off in Goa and dive in Thailand - just because you need to relax.
In the end you are young - enjoy yourself. But be smart - enjoy yourself and at the same time build valueable skills. You already have a massive edge - increase that edge.
Remember you are a rare commoditity and investment money is dirt cheap globally - so if you need to raise cash later on you are the prize for them to compete for.
More generally, take the rest of your twenties to explore and push. You have (I assume) no child care responsibilities and its a good guess you wont till thirty-ish (if it changes - great !) - so can I recommend the following plan:
0. Unemployment is rife across Europe, especially at your age - so if in two years you have not had a "proper" job, it will look no different than 50% of the rest of the continent. But if you have run a startup, consulted, travelled... well...
1. With a degree in electrical engineering you have a massive advantage over most startup entrpreneurs - hardware.
2. Go look at the hardware hackday running with ycombinator (cannot find the link - on iPhone - anyone?). It might give you some ideas.
3. Market yourself as a prototype maker - join some maker groups, get some experience with arduino's etc. Maybe the local fashion college has people wanting to experiment with wearable fashion (plus point here - fashion students throw much better parties than EE departments)
4. Start talking about this - in English on a blog. Include youtube videos of the wearable stuff.
5. Want to travel - then stick to the hardware theme. DO the young backpacker thing, but ask on HN for contacts in Shenzhen and Mumbai. Go meet some folks and make contacts / friends. Be the Belgium hardware consultant with contacts in the hottest hardware and development hubs globally. Blog on your travels, and if you can, do some arduino prototyping and consulting - getting paid to develop a startups new wearable toy whilst actually in Shenzhen. Better than paying yourself. And stop off in Goa and dive in Thailand - just because you need to relax.
In the end you are young - enjoy yourself. But be smart - enjoy yourself and at the same time build valueable skills. You already have a massive edge - increase that edge.
Remember you are a rare commoditity and investment money is dirt cheap globally - so if you need to raise cash later on you are the prize for them to compete for.