A day in the life of a freelancer: Margaux Deckers
“Thanks to Tentoo, I keep my spirits up at times when times are tough”
She is a model, dancer, actress and influencer. And as if that were not enough, she also owns a clothing store on Antwerp’s Groenplaats. Margaux Deckers is eighteen years old, but already leads a busy life. To keep her focus, she signed up with Tentoo, her regular sparring partner who advises and assists her.
Chances are you’ve seen Margaux Deckers at work before. During a Studio 100 dance show, in the regular cast of the Ketnet series #Like Me, in a McDonalds commercial or on her Instagram where she gives more than 14,000 followers an insight into her life. There is no shortage of passion and talent. In fact, that desire to create and be an entrepreneur arose at a very young age. “I was three years old when I started taking dance lessons. It was also at that age that my parents noticed that I loved being in front of the camera. Unabashed posing was already my thing then,” Margaux laughs. “At age six, I started dancing at Studio 100. I was allowed to participate in iconic performances, such as the Christmas show. Incredibly nice to be able to gain so much experience at that young age. I often danced fifteen hours a week, which in turn helped me with my assignments as a model.”
Own clothing line
When she dances, she can express her emotions. Happy or sad: by dancing, she can express them. “But now I do have less time to indulge in that. When I dance, it is in preparation for upcoming shows, not merely for relaxation anymore,” she explains. “Especially since I started a business with my sister-in-law. We launched a clothing line called Ikiru. You’ll find both urban and street style. We respond to fashion trends, but also always give our own touch to the collections. A blazer with graffiti, for example, is one of the eye-catchers.” This summer they opened a temporary store in the Grand Bazar on the groenplaats. They will continue anyway until December, but extension is an option.
Practical and strategic support
“I am lucky that my mom, who is also self-employed as a veterinarian, has always supported me. It was she who introduced me to Tentoo a long time ago, and I am so grateful to her for it,” said Margaux. “At Tentoo, as a freelancer, I can ask all my questions about finances and invoicing. They explain to me how best to invoice, but also help me strategize: maybe a different approach works better with that particular client? Thanks to Tentoo’s support, I keep my nerve at times when it all gets a bit much or when things get tough. And a good thing too, because the alternative is a desk job, and I don’t think that would make me happy.”
Future dreams
“Of course, sometimes those busy days weigh a little too much. When it’s my turn to be in the shop, around 3 p.m. the second part of my day begins and I crawl behind my books. I couldn’t take any more administrative hassles. Tentoo takes some difficult things off my hands. We’ll see how the future turns out. But if I can dream big, I’ll combine dancing with studying in New York or Los Angeles and become a dancer with the greats, like Beyoncé or Dua Lipa. Or take care of social media management at Vogue. Dreams galore!”