What is Ale Listens and Draws? What kind of services do you offer?

Ale Listens and Draws is a visual facilitation service and visual storytelling in three languages: English, French and Spanish.

What is visual facilitation and visual storytelling? How can the companies use it?

On the one hand, visual facilitation or graphic recording consists of drawing, digitally or on a paper, the flow of information that appears during a meeting or an event. The participants can “see” how the conversation is taking shape (literally). The result is a “visual memory” of what has been discussed.

Currently, the use of online tools for meetings and events has become almost essential, but it is difficult for everyone to maintain the same degree of attention. Visual facilitation helps in these digital meetings that everyone is present and participates.

The other services that I offer is visual storytelling. It is based on the fact that our brain is programmed for stories and, if these are in a visual format, the effectiveness of a message remaining in our mind increases a 90%, since visual things are more attractive.

This tool can be applied not only to sales, but to any concept or idea that we want to communicate in a more efficient and attractive way, such as: annual or strategic reports, visualization of a company’s strategy, explanation of the phases of a project, etc.

How did the idea of ​​creating Ale Listens and Draws come out?

For more than 10 years, I worked in capacity building and communication development in different organizations. During this time, the use of visual elements helped the projects in which they were involved would be more efficient.

After it, I decided to set out on my own path in the world of facilitation and, after some research, I came across visual facilitation and realized that “this was my thing.” Almost at the same time I also discovered visual storytelling for the development of communication tools and I was also captivated by the power it has, so during 3 years I have been exclusively dedicated to this activity.

How was the experience of launch a company in Belgium?

It has been a very good experience so far. In Belgium coexist types of companies: national, European and international. This is very interesting for a person like me, who offers services in different languages ​​and who is interested in working both international organizations and European institutions, and with other entrepreneurs and SME.

Belgian companies are very open minded to news that can help improve their performance, so many of them give you an opportunity from the first moment to at least know what you offer.

What kind of profiles usually request your services?

They are very different types of profiles: SMEs that want to advertise their services or products through animations or infographics, European institutions that want their meetings and events to be more participatory, cooperatives that want their reports to be more accessible to their members, companies of digital marketing who need animated videos for some of their clients…

Which companies would you say are that most who need visual facilitation and visual storytelling?

Everyone who needs their idea to be “seen” and “felt” and their meetings and events to be more effective, more participatory and remembered over time. I could say that: European institutions, organizations that manage European projects and need to communicate better and more effectively, cooperatives that need their members to better understand internal results and processes, etc.

Which are your projects for the future?

For the moment, I want to focus on creating online courses so people can learn that visual facilitation is for everyone and easy to learn. On the other hand, I am very interested in start offering more online visual facilitation services to improve the meeting’s efficiency.

You are a member of the EmprendeBelux program. What benefits has this affiliation brought you?

For me it has being an experience to work as a freelance in a country I do not know well its culture and whose administration can become very complex, so having a resource like this program to solve doubts and have the support, both moral and practical , makes a big difference.

I really appreciate the work of the staff of the Chamber. The personal and close contact and their willingness to lend a hand whenever possible, it is really appreciated when you are in a country where you have to learn how to launch a company. Thanks for making this adventure more bearable.