“After building yet another custom integration, I thought: there must be a smarter way to do this.”
If you had told Erica Hoekerd at the end of the last century that she, without any education in IT, would one day lead a technology company, she would probably have laughed. Yet that’s exactly what happened. In this blog, Erica shares her journey from information specialist to the CEO of Tinx. She explains how her vision has led to intelligent solutions that help e-commerce businesses (or webshops) operate more efficiently and prepare for growth.
From a dull library job to tech pioneer
“I studied Business Information in Deventer, where we learned how to support management with relevant tactical and strategic information,” Erica explains. “After graduating, I ended up in the library sector, implementing software. Honestly? It wasn’t my passion. But I knew: this can be done better.”
Her drive to simplify complexity eventually brought Erica into the IT world, where she discovered Microsoft Dynamics NAV — the platform now known as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
The birth of a smart idea
As a freelancer, Erica often worked on projects connecting webshops with Dynamics NAV. “After building yet another integration, I thought: this is such a hassle — there has to be a smarter way. Why not create a standard solution that companies can use right away, without all the custom development?”
That idea led to the development of the Magento Connector: a scalable, stable solution enabling businesses to seamlessly connect their webshop, marketplace, or POS system with Dynamics 365 Business Central. “It was exciting to develop something entirely new, but I knew: this is what businesses need.”
From chaos to control
Many e-commerce businesses and webshops face the same challenges: systems that don’t communicate properly, inefficiencies that frustrate teams, and increasing complexity as the company grows. Solving these problems requires experience and a clear understanding of what truly works.
Erica is all too familiar with these struggles. “During my freelance projects, I repeatedly encountered the same issues. Webshops struggled to connect systems reliably, and companies lost valuable time to error-prone processes,” she recalls. “This not only frustrated operational teams but also made it difficult to scale.”
These insights laid the foundation for developing standard solutions that simplify complexity and make IT landscapes future-proof.
Diversity makes the difference
As a female CEO in the IT world, Erica is committed to promoting diversity. “Our team may be small, but I strongly believe in leveraging unique talents. You can see that reflected in our products: they were created by listening to a wide range of needs.”
Her involvement goes beyond strategy. “The books say you should focus on working on your business rather than in it. But I believe it’s important to stay hands-on and connected to the groundwork. That’s how you stay in touch with the challenges customers and teams face. Just recently, I developed a new feature myself. It helps me stay connected to the real-world practice.”
Standard solutions, custom results
With over 300 clients and dozens of partners, such as ERA Group, ABC E BUSINESS, and WSB Solutions, Tinx has proven that standard solutions can be both scalable and reliable. “Our goal is simple: to help businesses integrate their systems seamlessly so they can focus on growth.”
Want to learn more?
Looking to take your online business to the next level and excel in e-commerce? The Tinx e-commerce connectors can seamlessly integrate your webshop, marketplace, or POS system with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Curious? Feel free to contact us — we’re here to help!
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