De Soete was put to work at the age of eight. Orphaned at fourteen, he enrolled at the drawing academy in Molenbeek.
During this period, he did all sorts of odd jobs to earn a living.
In 1900, he became an apprentice in the polishing department of the Compagnie des Bronzes.
Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to the assembly department, where he worked on sculptures by renowned sculptors such as Julien Dillens, Constantin Meunier, and even Jef Lambeaux.
Self-taught, he learned to model and sculpt, with the aim of becoming a sculptor himself.
A bronze foundry in Anderlecht appointed him head of one of its departments in 1911.
In 1924, he began working full-time as a sculptor.
He received numerous orders, including for memorials, his first major achievement being the Brussels monument to the aviators and balloonists who died during the war, in 1926.
From then on, he focused specifically on official commissions for busts, medals, and portraits.
He created a number of monumental works reminiscent of images of authoritarian regimes from the 1930s.
At the same time, he produced a highly varied, smaller-format oeuvre featuring highly original subjects such as motherhood, sports, and dance.
These works display a very classical style, yet de Soete claimed not to belong to any particular artistic school and always to work according to his own insights.
He also designed images for the automotive industry, such as the iconic radiator grille for Minerva cars.