u/pilea_peacock

I (23F) immigrated to Belgium this year, and have been underwhelmed by the salaries posted for entry level positions. I’m A2 French (and learning), have a business management masters from a good school, and have two options for the next year that I’ll need to decide between soon. Am unsure whether to do A, B, a mix, or find an option C.

A: I can either do 100% remote work for a US company at $55/hour full time + sales commissions + revenue share (this is a scaling startup around since 2020, and I’d be the first full time worker). They have a proven business model, good cash flow, and I have a great relationship with the cofounders. I like the work, I like the team, and they’re open to me working on my own schedule and between 20-30 hours per week. I’d have a lot of autonomy and be managing most aspects of their company.

B: The other option is a Belgian consultancy. Ive been working with them since I moved here as a trainee. I’m also interested in this work, and it has the added benefit of being a bilingual office. The pay would be low - probably 2100 net or so? No mobility budget, nothing fancy. They are also open to revenue share on contracts that I significantly contribute to, but we’ve not talked numbers yet. Just guessing based on comparable roles’ linkedin ads (and vibes of the company).

I feel like if I did freelance I could get the best of both worlds - work for the US company 3 days a week and the Belgian one 1-2 days a week. Am I being overly optimistic about how easy it would be to set up a company? I started a US LLC and managed by myself from 2021-2024, so not intimidated by the idea - just unfamiliar with Belgian laws/norms.

I have some savings and a partner to split expenses, so luckily I get to prioritize learning and career growth over financial growth. Based on its current growth and revenue, I feel like A is in a position to scale and believe that it could be hitting $500k+ revenue in the next 2-3 years. Margin last year was ~40%.

Thoughts? Experiences? Recommendations?