29 Aug Let’s Do Business Differently: Circular Thinking, Small Business Power, and the BASE Vision

Why We Need a New Way of Doing Business

Across Europe, a new conversation is emerging about the kind of economy we want to build — one that’s sustainable, inclusive, and better connected. But despite progress in green and social innovation, our systems still reward size over substance.

Take startups: while European policy frequently promotes entrepreneurship, funding and incentives often flow to scale-ups and corporates, leaving early-stage founders overlooked. This imbalance is a missed opportunity. Small and micro-businesses make up 99% of all enterprises in the EU, employ nearly 160 million people, and generate over €11.9 trillion in turnover, according to Eurostat. They aren’t just economic units. They are engines of local innovation, sustainability, and resilience.

BASE exists to change this — to create a platform where small businesses are seen, supported, and able to thrive alongside larger players.

The Origins of BASE

BASE was born from a simple but critical insight: too many innovative small businesses were excluded from the conversations, capital, and opportunities that could help them grow. Freelancers, micro-founders, and independent creators were innovating on the edges of the market, but they weren’t in the rooms where policies were shaped or partnerships were formed.

Founded in Amsterdam with a global perspective, BASE puts these businesses at the center of meaningful economic dialogue. It’s a space where ideas flow, collaborations form, and small-scale innovators connect — not just to survive, but to thrive.

Values in Action: Business That Feels Human

At BASE, business isn’t about transactions. It’s about relationships built on trust, empathy, and shared value.

Participants aren’t just finding clients, but forming long-term alliances. Projects evolve into ecosystems, and those ecosystems grow into movements. This human-centric approach creates lasting impact, far beyond what’s possible in a short-term gain model.

Here, business feels personal again. You know the names, the faces, the values. And that human connection becomes the foundation for sustainable growth.

For BASE founder Veronica Guguian, that spirit of reciprocity is also deeply personal. Growing up in Romania during a time of cultural transition, she witnessed how communities leaned on each other to rebuild. “You help me, I help you” wasn’t just a saying — it was a way of life. A Romanian proverb captures it perfectly: O mână spală pe alta (one hand washes the other). That ethos of mutual support is now woven into the DNA of BASE, where collaboration is the driving force for meaningful growth.

Reframing the Circular Economy: From Concept to Community

According to the European Commission, a circular economy keeps products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible, while minimizing waste. It focuses on reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling.

BASE takes that principle beyond materials, applying it to relationships, knowledge, and opportunities. In this model, small, medium, and large players are all part of the same interconnected network. Instead of competing for resources, they co-create value that benefits everyone involved.

This mindset comes to life each year at the BASE Conference in Amsterdam — a central gathering point where entrepreneurs, investors, creatives, and policymakers share ideas, exchange resources, and build partnerships. BASE is not a traditional trade show. It’s a curated experience designed to spark meaningful conversations, connect unlikely allies, and leave participants with practical tools and new opportunities to grow.

In other words, BASE is the living embodiment of circularity in business: I help you, you help me, and we both grow.

The SPIN Community: Extending the BASE Vision Year-Round

When you attend the BASE Conference, you also have the option to step into the SPIN Community — the ongoing network that grows out of the event. SPIN is a vibrant space where members share resources, make introductions, and collaborate year-round.

Through simple tools like community mapping (a way for members to share what they have to offer, what they need, and where they can connect), SPIN keeps momentum going well after the BASE Conference ends. It breaks down barriers that often keep small businesses isolated, opening doors to partnerships, mentors, and opportunities that might never have been found otherwise.

For many attendees, SPIN is where the real magic happens — turning a single day at the BASE Conference into a year of growth, collaboration, and support.

This Year’s Theme: Systems That Create Flow

The 2025 BASE Conference focuses on a challenge every entrepreneur knows well: how to grow without getting stuck in chaos.

Many business owners think systems and processes will slow them down or add stress. This year, BASE will flip that idea on its head, showing how the right systems can actually create freedom, flexibility, and flow.

Under the four pillars of BASE — Build, Advance, Sustain, and Elevate — the conference will explore frameworks for smooth onboarding, simple marketing and sales, financial health, and space for innovation. Automation isn’t presented as cold or impersonal, but as a tool to free people up to do what they do best: solve creative, complex problems.

You’ll leave with more than just inspiration. You’ll have a clear picture of the kinds of systems your business needs to create flow and fuel growth — and a community of like-minded people who are ready to collaborate and help you bring those systems to life.

Conclusion: Your Invitation to BASE 2025

The way we’ve been doing business in Europe and much of the world leaves too many small players out of the picture. BASE is here to change that.

If you’re a founder, creative, investor, or institution committed to building a more human, more sustainable economy, the BASE Conference is designed just for you.

Join us in Amsterdam this October for BASE 2025 and step into a circle of co-creation where business isn’t just done — it’s done right.

Reserve Your Spot for BASE 2025