An integral part of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), the EO Global Student Entrepreneur Awards is the premier global competition for undergraduate students who own and operate businesses. Nominees compete against their peers from around the world for the chance to win capital and in-kind prizes from sponsor organizations. In this special interview, we chatted with Steinar Henskes, CEO of Bird Control Group and the 2015 EO Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
“I had a small holiday job when I was 18-years-old. I felt I was more capable than my boss at running the business, so I decided to start my own. This involved the distribution of lasers. Based on this experience, I discovered that birds perceive laser light differently than humans do— they are scared of it and fly away.”

How did you get involved in EO GSEA, and what were you hoping to get out of the experience?
“The EO Netherlands chapter asked me to participate. My goal was to meet other entrepreneurs from around the world with a relevant network.”

How would you describe your EO GSEA journey, and what was your biggest takeaway?
“The journey has been amazing. The biggest takeaways are the fellow ambitious entrepreneurs I got to know.”

How are you applying what you’ve learned through EO GSEA to bolster your business?
“I learned to delegate more and work as a team instead of only with individuals. So I set our goal to expand the management team.”

In your opinion, why are programs like EO GSEA so important to rising entrepreneurs?
“This quote sums up my answer: ‘What if the leaders of tomorrow would be friends today?’”

You’ve won the EO GSEA Global Finals and are the “Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year.” What’s the next step?
“Next step is to open up an office in the U.S., expand our management team and set up a board of advisors.”