About
An invite-only network for EU Beauty & Wellness decision-makers. This is why I started it and where it's going.
The spark
For most of my career I was a commercial leader, first inside international and local heroes like L'Oréal, Shiseido, and Naïf. Since 2024 commercial brand strategy has been at the core of my advisory work. I knew what I was good at and I built on it. It all made sense.
Then I attended conferences in NYC and London. Everyone there seemed to be a superstar of Beauty & Wellness. Still, even without a big name on my business card, people took me seriously and for the first time I felt part of something bigger.
I also realized that the brands, retailers, and investors who are shaping the industry are traveling the world to spot the latest trends or find new partners. Very valuable and fun, but why wouldn't they really focus on the EU as well? Turns out nobody in the EU was consistently doing this at a high level.
Why not me?
That's when I came up with three guiding principles that still hold true:
- Beauty and wellness specific.
- Intimate and truly enjoyable.
- Curated and collaborative.
In November 2025 I organized a first pilot executive dinner. Until then I had always leaned on my commercial experience. Now I was the host, which basically made ME the product. Scary AF. Special thanks to all the great industry friends who joined that night.
Then the reviews came in. People told me about the insightful conversations they had, about the unexpected learnings and connections, and about the quality and positive energy of the guests. That's when I realized I could actually build something true here because I come at it from inside the community and I have always been a connector.
Building
In 2026, together with a small team and our first great partners, we ran five events and gathered feedback on the format and our audience's preferences. Thanks to Zenith, Airwallex, Nuon Medical, AndAgency, and Cashfeed for believing in this small startup.
That's when I had to choose: go all in, or keep it small? If you're not committing, it's a hobby. If you're not monetizing it, it's a hobby. And a hobby can't grow. So I burned the boats. In November 2026 we launched the full Calendar 2027 and the Membership and Partnership Programs for The Break.
The Club
I want The Break to feel like that club or cafe you love walking into. A place you feel at home because you know you'll meet genuine people who care. To make that happen, we offer ongoing programming with plenty of opportunities to join and fresh faces at every event.
We focus our Membership Program on the Benelux, but the events will be worth traveling for. I get bored easily, so I can promise there will always be something new that adds value and excites. We've already got some surprises lined up.
I truly hope you'll join us on this journey. I used to be the sales and strategy guy. Now I'm also your host, and it's the best role I've had. If you want to contribute, support the team or join the club, reach out. I'd love to hear from you.
Victor
FAQ
The theme of the very first event was 'breakthroughs', playing on the fact that we want to spark breakthroughs by bringing people together. This evolved and we realized that what we're building should also feel like a break from the daily grind. It can also be a break in your thinking that drives growth, putting us in an upwards trajectory like the line in the logo.
We want to keep it intimate, so seats are limited and every guest list is curated. We make sure that all guests are decision makers so we can really drive business together. We make sure guests are open-minded and authentic, open to connect and share. We also want a safe space for introverts and others who don't usually enjoy these events.
No stage, no pitch, no dress code, no bull. We know the industry first-hand. We're not event organizers. We are constantly looking for ways to make it better, not repeating the same old thing every year. We strive to include practical workshops, peer sessions, and truly actionable discussions.
Yes, people from other countries are very much invited. At this moment we are mostly building in the Benelux, and only businesses from the Benelux have to be a member. Happy to work together on more events in your country!
Yes, we accept a limited number of lifestyle brands or other related businesses that fit the profile. We love a surprise now and then.
Yes. If you're not sure where you fit, or you have a strong case to make, reach out and we'll find a solution for you.
Request one. We read every application and reply within a week. You can attend your first event free of charge.
If you want to introduce someone who fits the criteria, we'd love to meet them! Please reach out and we'll get them an invite.