Martin Buxant hosts Serge Lejeune, a Belgian entrepreneur who leads a real estate group. Lejeune reveals he was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, prompting a discussion on why Belgian business leaders fear admitting illness due to potential loss of clients, bankers, and credibility. He describes having to fight a legal battle against his own partner while undergoing chemotherapy, feeling isolated during the process. Lejeune explains that illness is often interpreted as personal failure in the entrepreneurial world, causing anxiety among financial partners, employees, and clients. To address this, he founded B4B in 2024, an association aimed at lifting the taboo and providing a confidential space for entrepreneurs. B4B operates through an affiliation system offering prevention and intervention services, including governance planning, delegation strategies, and access to information. A key component is mentorship, where entrepreneurs who have experienced similar crises volunteer to support others. Lejeune highlights a survey conducted with UCM showing significant revenue and job losses due to CEO illness, estimating hundreds of millions of euros in economic impact. B4B also addresses other life challenges like depression, burnout, accidents, and death, extending support to spouses and life partners. The episode touches on the lack of solidarity among business leaders and B4B's goal to foster mutual aid. Lejeune advises young entrepreneurs to anticipate life accidents, noting that three out of four entrepreneurs will face such events. He reflects that his illness made him a better leader, motivating him to create B4B, and confirms he would embark on entrepreneurship again despite the risks.
