As an ice breaker, tell us about yourself. Who is Klaas De Coster?

"I ask myself how I can become a better version of myself on a daily basis. I really try to make that my personal brand. Sometimes it's challenging because it involves trial and error. I impose various obligations on myself, such as taking a cold shower every morning. A terrible experience at first, which I’m now used to. It’s a matter of tackling such challenges in order to improve myself further. My motivation for this is to be able to draw on it during difficult periods in my business and say, 'I did this', while not everyone can claim the same."

How did your businesses come about?

"All my projects have emerged from my two greatest interests: music and equestrian sports. In my youth, I was a DJ. I love loud music and the idea that you can influence and mobilise people with it. This passion led to a handful of businesses, including MaxAmaze. Next to that, I've been horseback riding since childhood. I love speed but I'm naturally lazy. Consequently, cycling didn't appeal to me, but the challenge of jumping fulfilled that need for speed and thrill perfectly. I combined both interests with an innovative, even disruptive vision of how certain aspects of equestrian sports and entertainment could be approached, and built my various businesses around that. I want to prove that things can be done differently."

How come?

"Mares of Macha, the company I founded in horse breeding, is a good example. Breeding is a very inaccessible business. It’s not easy to acquire a top-level horse. With Mares of Macha, we aim to break this pattern and make genetic material from mares accessible to everyone. The sector is skeptical about this, and we are the only ones worldwide approaching it this way, but I am convinced it's the way to go."

To what extent do you focus on branding the businesses you start?

"When I started out, I didn't understand what branding was. I took initiative out of interest for a product I believed had a market. The rest would fall into place, or so I assumed. And in a way, it did. It was my colleague Yff (Vandendriessche, director of Mares of Macha) who put branding on the agenda at Mares of Macha. Only by paying attention to it did I realise the added value of branding for a company. A similar impulse presented itself at MaxEQP, which needed a new brand due to expanding activities. During the process the name MaxAmaze was determined first, followed by the visual identity and website. At each step, I felt that everything was perfectly aligned, and the result truly reflects who we are. This way I experienced firsthand that branding is indeed the DNA of a company."

How has the branding of MaxAmaze made a difference?

"The impact we feel six months after launch is enormous. People understand what we do and what we stand for. Additionally, it's evident that we attract a high-quality influx of potential employees through the video campaigns on social media. They understand who we are and that they could fit in with us."

What role does storytelling play in your brand strategy?

"Storytelling supports branding. Telling something in the simplest possible way through high-quality (video) content is incredibly important. From Mares of Macha to MaxAmaze, neither brand names clearly depict the who or what, so conveying that storywise is crucial. With Mares of Macha, we go so far as to rely exclusively on storytelling to strengthen our brand. In the disruptive niche where Mares of Macha operates, traditional marketing is futile, and it's about clarifying our message through storytelling and gradually creating awareness. This requires immense patience, but I am confident that we will achieve this in about five to ten years."

The effectiveness of branding is difficult to measure. What are the most important parameters for you to map your branding efforts?

"For me, branding is synonymous with DNA and feeling. I have to feel it, and if I feel that it's right, then it is. With Mares of Macha, I felt that my surroundings responded to the brand by treating me differently, and I felt that again at the launch of MaxAmaze. I perceive that the people I want to reach now understand my brands. In that way, to me, the effect of branding is measurable."

Finally, does your branding approach differ from one company to another?

"The difference is minimal because at the core the same DNA applies for each brand. At MaxAmaze, everything is slightly more extravagant than at Mares of Macha, yet both surpass the standard. After all, I want to do inspiring things to be able to work with inspiring people. Therefore, my brands must reflect this."

More insights or inspiration for your brand? Browse the digital version of our limited edition book Untold here.