How Xolo Supports Dutch Solopreneurs Through Its Business Management Platform

Startups Are a Marathon, Not a Sprint

“Startups are a marathon, not a sprint.” This often-used analogy may have become a cliché, but it resonates deeply with the entrepreneurial journey. For many entrepreneurs, the initial challenge is simply to start, a task that becomes even more daunting for solopreneurs. After over 16 years in IT businesses, Avo Alender, Erik Mell, Erko Hansar, and Urmo Pärg decided to embark on their own entrepreneurial journey. Their combined knowledge of the Estonian IT market and passion for entrepreneurship led them to launch Xolo (formerly known as LeapIn), a platform designed to support solopreneurs. Since its inception in 2015, Xolo has assisted over 130,000 solopreneurs across more than 150 countries.

Solo to Xolo

Being a solopreneur is an exhilarating yet challenging endeavor. The primary hurdle is often financial uncertainty, with inconsistent income posing a significant challenge. Additionally, managing expenses can be overwhelming. Solopreneurs frequently find themselves juggling multiple roles, struggling with time management, and facing the complexities of taxes, invoicing, and compliance.

Ariel Cervantes Quintana, Expansion and Partnerships Manager at Xolo, identifies three main hurdles that solopreneurs face. The first is the necessity of building a client base and establishing credibility in a competitive market while working independently. The second hurdle is accessing affordable tools and professional resources, which are crucial for growth. “Balancing stability with expansion requires careful planning,” he notes. The third challenge is networking and securing consistent projects, which can feel insurmountable without strong industry connections.

Xolo addresses these challenges by offering a comprehensive suite of services, including company formation, banking integration, invoicing, expense management, accounting, and tax compliance. “By automating these tasks, Xolo enables solopreneurs to focus on their core business activities, effectively reducing the time spent on administrative duties to near zero,” argues Cervantes Quintana.

Leading e-Residency Provider

Estonia is renowned for its quality of life, education, and digitalization, and it has gained global recognition for its e-Residency program. This digital passport grants entrepreneurs access to Estonia’s digital infrastructure. While the e-Residency program is often credited with Estonia’s recent growth, Cervantes Quintana emphasizes that the country was already a burgeoning market prior to its launch.

The founders of Xolo recognized Estonia as a global leader in freelancing and solopreneurship. Today, Xolo is arguably the leading e-Residency provider, experiencing significant growth and receiving strong user feedback. “Today it’s the #1 e-Residency service provider. User satisfaction is notably high, with platforms like FinancesOnline reporting a 90% positive social media mention rate for Xolo Go, underlining its effectiveness in addressing user needs,” says Cervantes Quintana. He adds, “We also have a Google review score of 4.8, highlighting Xolo’s exceptional customer service and user-friendly platform.”

The Dutch Odyssey

Having established itself as a leader in Estonia, Xolo expanded its localized services to Spain, significantly impacting the local freelancing community. The platform enables Spanish freelancers to efficiently manage invoicing, expenses, and tax filings by combining expert accountants with an intuitive online interface.

Xolo is now launching its services in the Netherlands, aiming to replicate its success in Spain. The Dutch platform will cater primarily to sole proprietorships (eenmanszaak) and self-employed professionals without employees (ZZP’ers). It will offer comprehensive tools for business management, including expert accounting support for tax reporting, invoicing, and expense management. “Our strategic expansion into the Netherlands aims to replicate the positive impact we’ve seen in Spain, offering Dutch freelancers a streamlined solution to administrative burdens and enhancing their operational efficiency,” explains Cervantes Quintana.

Despite the straightforward nature of the Dutch reporting system, both expatriates and local solopreneurs often find managing various aspects of running a business—such as invoicing, bookkeeping, and compliance—time-consuming and confusing. This challenge is particularly pronounced for expats who must navigate a new language. Xolo is designed to alleviate that burden, providing an all-in-one platform that offers professional invoicing, automated bookkeeping, and seamless compliance with Dutch regulations. “Whether you’re filing VAT (BTW) returns or tracking your expenses, Xolo streamlines the process so you can focus on growing your business,” Cervantes Quintana quips.

Go-To Platform

Solopreneurs often juggle multiple services to manage their businesses, leading to inefficiencies and frustration. With its entry into the Dutch market, Xolo positions itself as the go-to platform for expats and Dutch solopreneurs seeking a seamless business management solution. “The focus is on simplifying administration by making VAT (BTW) returns, tax filings, and compliance easy, initially in English with Dutch support to follow,” explains Cervantes Quintana.

By integrating all these services in one place, Xolo eliminates the need for multiple service providers. Solopreneurs can effectively “hire” an accounting professional or business administrator without the overhead of actual hiring. “Additionally, Xolo will emphasize its role as a gateway to a thriving entrepreneurial community, helping users connect, collaborate, and discover new business opportunities,” he adds.

With €11.1 million in funding to date, Xolo has set ambitious targets for its Dutch expansion, aiming to establish itself as the most trusted name for solopreneurs in the market. Cervantes Quintana states that the goal is to achieve a 90% satisfaction rate on platforms like Trustpilot and Google, anticipating exponential revenue growth as the Dutch freelance community joins the network.

Conclusion

The journey of a startup is indeed a marathon, requiring endurance, resilience, and strategic planning. Xolo exemplifies how understanding the unique challenges faced by solopreneurs can lead to innovative solutions that empower individuals to thrive in their entrepreneurial endeavors. As they expand into new markets, Xolo continues to pave the way for solopreneurs, helping them navigate the complexities of business management and focus on what truly matters: growing their businesses.