Lotte Hermans
Lotte Hermans studied geology, later earned a master’s degree in economics, and found her way into the IT sector through a job fair. Today, she works as an SAP Consultant at Flexso Digital, where she builds applications for clients and thrives on the variety her role offers. Her journey is one of following curiosity, trying new things, and continuously reinventing herself.
An Intuitive Choice and an Unexpected Passion
After completing a science-focused secondary education with mathematics, Lotte chose to study geology.
“To me, it seemed like the obvious choice,” she explains. “My parents also thought it was important that I earned a degree. Beyond that, I didn’t really think about it much. I was seventeen. I mainly thought: studying and living away from home is going to be fun!”
While she enjoyed the scientific approach, she soon realized that the subject matter itself wasn’t quite what she was looking for.
The turning point came through an elective course in entrepreneurship.
“It immediately appealed to me. I had never done anything related to economics before, but I instantly felt: this is it.”
She decided to pursue a complementary master's degree in business economics and discovered that studying could actually be enjoyable.
Today, she also appreciates the value of her geology background.
“Analytical thinking, recognizing patterns, breaking down complex problems - you definitely learn that in a scientific degree. Those skills stay with you, even if you don’t end up working with rocks.”
If she could choose again?
“I’d probably study business engineering. That was always my dream program.”
She laughs.
“But you can’t do it over. You can only steer your path from where you are now toward where you want to go.”
Enactus, Syrup, and Entrepreneurship
During her studies, Lotte was active in Enactus, a student organization focused on sustainable entrepreneurship. Together with fellow students, she helped build Saveur, a syrup brand with a sustainability-driven mission.
That entrepreneurial experience left a lasting impression.
“I love the fact that you can define your own goals and direction. Those complex challenges and strategic thinking - that’s something I also see in my work as a consultant. You constantly have to find your way in a new project and reinvent yourself.”
A Tumblr Blog as Her First Step into Tech
Before joining Flexso, Lotte did something that at first glance seemed unrelated to technology: she ran a Tumblr blog, an online platform where people share photos, texts, and content they discover online.
What started as a creative hobby soon became her first introduction to coding.
“I always thought it was really cool to customize my blog. I’d look up how to change colors, layouts, and styling in HTML.”
Those small experiences turned out to be more significant than she initially realized.
“Where little boys might hack a video game, I wanted to customize my blog. I learned that you can teach yourself so much through the internet and create things with code. I found that incredibly fascinating.”
It also lowered the barrier to entering the tech world.
“Tech seems difficult, scary, and complicated, but it’s actually manageable. The confidence you build through those small steps stays with you.”
And that’s exactly what she hopes others experience as well.
“Small experiences help you realize it’s not as difficult as you thought. Then you start trying bigger and bigger things.”
Accidentally Finding Her Way into Tech
After graduation, Lotte visited a job fair and stopped by Flexso’s booth.
“I didn’t go there thinking about IT. I always assumed: I don’t have a technical background, so is IT even an option for me?”
The people at Flexso explained that coding skills weren’t necessarily a prerequisite for a career in IT.
“They told me they also needed people with different profiles.”
What ultimately convinced her was the variety of the role.
“Running workshops about business processes, guiding clients, implementing solutions - that really appealed to me. It was more about the daily variety than the idea of ‘I have to work in IT.’”
The company culture also stood out immediately.
“The flat structure, the way they presented the company, the importance they place on knowledge sharing - it felt right from the beginning.”
Despite her enthusiasm, she still had doubts.
“I was nervous because I didn’t have any IT experience. Could I really do this?”
Flexso supported her through the transition.
“I started with the Flexso Academy, several weeks of training at the beginning. It immediately gave me the feeling that I could make this work.”
Strong mentoring during her first project made a huge difference as well.
“In the first months, I worked alongside an experienced colleague who taught me so much. Good guidance from the start makes an enormous difference.”
A Typical Week: Clients, Code, and Lunch Sessions
Today, Lotte works as an SAP Consultant at Flexso Digital, the branch of Flexso that develops applications for clients.
A typical week?
“Monday is usually at the client’s site: lots of meetings, alignment, and discussing requirements. Tuesday I work from home: emails, developing apps, and getting through my own tasks. At lunchtime I work out because it gives me energy.”
Wednesday is office day.
“We have knowledge-sharing sessions over lunch. We call them ‘sandwich sessions’: someone explains a topic while everyone eats lunch.”
One of the most popular topics recently has been AI.
“We explore together how to use AI in our work and how it can help us move faster. Things that used to take weeks or months can now be done with AI.”
For Lotte, that accelerated way of learning together is one of Flexso’s biggest strengths.
“Thursday I work from home again, and Friday I’m back at the office. Sometimes after work we grab a drink with colleagues. Nothing organized, just casual.”
Learning and Growing on the Job
Lotte intentionally keeps her role broad.
“I’m a technical consultant, but I also want to bridge the functional and architectural sides. Translating a client’s needs into an application they actually use - that’s what energizes me.”
She also earned an ABAP certification, SAP’s programming language.
“It was challenging and very theoretical. But I really mastered it by applying it on a project afterward. That is how I learn best: by doing.”
She also sees project-based team changes as a major advantage.
“You get to know many colleagues, and everyone has different skills. That knowledge sharing accelerates your growth tremendously.”
Tough Love and Pushing Boundaries
Not everything always goes smoothly.
One of the biggest challenges, according to Lotte, is delivering difficult messages to clients.
“Sometimes you have to say: this simply won’t work. The client doesn’t understand why and thinks you’re against them, while you’re actually acting in their best interest.”
In those moments, she focuses on helping clients understand the bigger picture.
“Someone once said: ‘As consultants, we’re here to deliver, not to be loved.’ I thought that was a great quote.”
One particularly demanding project became her biggest professional learning experience.
“I didn’t have much experience yet, but I still had to set boundaries and stay true to my own way of working and communicating. That was quite intense.”
She persevered.
“I learned to become more assertive. I always had that directness in me, but I held back. Now I consciously use it professionally as well.”
Another personal milestone came alongside her professional growth: overcoming her fear of driving.
“My very first victory was actually overcoming my driving anxiety. I had very little driving experience and needed to visit clients regularly. Now I drive long distances without thinking twice. It sounds small, but it felt like a real milestone.”
She is equally proud of her technical growth.
“I casually throw around technical terms with colleagues now that I wouldn’t have understood at all five years ago. The fact that it all works out - I’m genuinely proud of that. And it’s nice that my colleagues recognize it too.”
An Unconventional Background as a Strength
Geology, Economics, Enactus, Tumblr - Lotte brings a very different background than most technical IT consultants.
And that, she believes, is exactly her strength.
“Sometimes I need to put in a little extra effort to master technical concepts. But because of that, I approach things from a different perspective. I’m always asking: is this user-friendly for the end user?”
Going with the Flow - But with Direction
Looking five years ahead, Lotte sees herself moving more toward product development.
“At Flexso, we also build packages for specific sectors such as universities and the food industry. The idea of truly building a product - working with Scrum, Agile, and product ownership - really appeals to me. That’s where I see myself growing.”
Still, she remains loyal to her “go with the flow” philosophy.
“I’m not someone with a ‘I want that title in five years’ mindset. I live very much in the present and let opportunities come my way. Maybe there’s entrepreneurship in my future too - that sounds cool - but I haven’t found the golden idea yet,” she laughs.
Her Advice: Trust Your Instincts
To young women considering a career in technology, Lotte offers one piece of advice:
“Trust your instincts. What feels like the right choice? What gives you energy? Think less about where it will lead or what the outcome will be. And remember: nothing is set in stone forever. You can always change direction.”
To conclude, she describes herself in three words:
Flexible. Creative. Direct.
“Flexible in everything: what I do, what I feel like doing that day. No day follows the same structure.”
Creativity shows up both in her professional and personal life.
“It’s an office job, but you’re still creating things with your computer. At home I build cabinets, work on my garden, and I’m learning to sew.”
And when it comes to being direct, she has become especially confident.
“That side of me was always there, but in my professional life I used to hold back. It was that difficult project that taught me that being straightforward isn’t a bad trait. In fact, it can be incredibly positive when used well. That’s what I do now.”
