Our people

"Throughout my career, I’ve held various leadership positions in retail, childcare, and government. What I’ve learned over the years is that a small shift in leadership or communication can make a big difference. It can be the difference between simply working hard or achieving more together, with greater joy. That can lead to better business results, lower absenteeism, higher engagement, and teams that stay together longer.

In 2010, I came into contact with the trainings at How Company. Their vision and way of working gave structure to something I had felt for years: it’s people who make the real difference - through their leadership and communication. And it all starts with me.

The trainings and insights I gained at How Company inspired me to take my own steps as a trainer and coach in 2011. Since 2023, I’ve proudly been part of How Company’s team of trainers.

In my personal life, I’m a mother to a son and a daughter. I love everything related to sun, sea, beach, and water. I’ve been practicing yoga for years, meditate regularly, and find total calm in a challenging sudoku or a 5,000-piece puzzle."

"At home, in my parents’ business, I was already the one asking the ‘difficult questions’ as a child. Why do we do what we do? Why do we do it this way? ‘Because that’s how it’s done’ never satisfied me. Later in my career - in retail, at the police, and then for a large non-governmental organization - I was always focused on simplifying processes.

In 2005, I came into contact with How Company. I took a training that helped me truly understand what I already intuitively knew: it’s not the process, but the people that make the difference - and my opinion is just one opinion.

That insight led me to change course completely and join How Company’s in-house training program to become a trainer and coach.

Back to the core - the why - and growing from there. To inspire people to explore that for themselves is still one of the greatest privileges I can imagine.

My personal vision is to help create a society where love - starting with self-love - and partnership are the norm. I do that by being an example and by training myself and others, again and again.

That doesn’t stop in the training room. It’s part of who I am and something I bring home - to my wife Linda and our three children, with whom we truly enjoy life. In the summer, I love going on long-distance hikes with Linda. We once walked a camino to Santiago de Compostela - an unforgettable journey in every way. And if I get to enjoy a glass of Zundert 10 along the way, my day is complete."

"Before founding How Company in 2003, I held roles at BP and Randstad in sales, marketing, and general management. A common thread throughout my (international) career has been leading change - from strategy to implementation.

My expertise lies in culture transformation, leadership, teamwork, and personal growth. I work with multinationals, as well as SMEs, non-profits, and elite sports organizations.

I’m deeply driven to help people realize that you can achieve far more with less effort - simply by looking at situations and developments from a different perspective.

I see myself as a lifelong entrepreneur, and through the many life lessons I’ve learned, I’ve developed a strong passion for making things better—together with others. I’ve shared my insights in my books Liever een blije eikel (2013) and My Life Really Matters! (2021).

I’m a father to two young children who keep me young and on my toes. I love Italian food - and the wine that goes with it. But I’m equally fond of a refreshing Belgian blonde beer now and then. You’ll regularly find me in the stands at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam."

"When I had to choose what to study, I picked Applied Physics. I liked physics and had no real idea what I wanted to achieve. It seemed like a safe choice - and definitely a challenging program. But I soon realized that solving complex equations didn’t bring me much fulfillment. What I truly enjoyed was working with others on projects and achieving results together.

Through my manager at the time, I enrolled in a training on how I communicate - with others and with myself. I was instantly hooked. This was what I had been missing all those years: How does life actually work? How do I work? How do other people work? And how can I improve my relationships?

I started focusing more and more on people, and eventually made the transition from project lead to team manager. I always thought: I want everyone to experience not just more success and joy at work, but at home too.

I had already worked with How Company at my previous job, and later invited them to partner with us at Thales. We wanted to set up a program - together with another company - to give our technical leaders a real boost. That program became Accelerate: a journey that combines technical content with leadership development. How Company designed and guided the leadership component for us. Throughout every phase, they actively helped us think through the next best steps. Accelerate personally inspired me to pursue the trainer path at How Company. Not an easy decision as a full-time working mom - but I’m still enthusiastic about it every single day.

I have two children, and we love going on vacation - preferably to the U.S., whether it’s to go hiking in Zion National Park or to visit family."

"During my career at the bank, I quickly discovered where I truly made a difference - not in the numbers and models, but with the people: my clients and my teams. While results and targets are important, I believe we too often forget the human being behind the numbers. People are the beating heart of every organization. I’ve learned that when I invest in my team, the results follow naturally.

At How Company, I found a place where that vision is shared. Here, I completed the personal training program to become a coach and trainer, and I’m proud to contribute to our mission: making people happen. I love helping others move forward, exploring together how we can approach things differently, better, and - most of all - with more joy. My style is light-hearted and no-nonsense, always grounded in genuine interest in people and their questions.

In my free time, I enjoy all the beautiful things life has to offer with my husband and our two adult children - whether that’s a night out for dinner, a trip to a new destination, or cheering at a match in the Johan Cruijff Arena. I love winter and everything that comes with it: snow, huskies, the Northern Lights, and especially the breathtaking nature of Lapland. At home, you’ll often find me with a good book or a challenging puzzle - glass of wine in hand."

"Over the past years, I gained extensive experience in leadership roles and as an organizational advisor in various production companies and educational institutions. I learned that people are the key to success - and, as many will recognize, that this doesn’t happen automatically.

In 2013, I took a training at How Company. That’s when I experienced firsthand the power of their approach. I saw that things can be different - what truly moves people, and how they begin to take action from a place of ownership. In the years that followed, I started experimenting with the tools and discovered that I could help people see how much more they are capable of achieving.

Since 2017, I’ve been part of How Company, where I get to inspire and activate people. It’s my passion to help others experience their full potential - and I truly enjoy and draw a lot of energy from that."

"Many years ago, I started my career in the financial sector - a world where expertise and strict protocols take center stage. While all those rules and requirements served their purpose, I quickly discovered that my degrees and knowledge of procedures weren’t enough. To truly deliver results, I had to learn how to connect - with clients, colleagues, teams, and leadership.

My journey toward that connection began when I crossed paths with the people at How Company. After attending several trainings and applying these new insights in practice, I noticed that something shifted. What once felt daunting and difficult became the most valuable part of my work. Achieving results together, daring to go beyond expectations - that became my greatest motivation. So it felt like a natural next step to become a trainer at How Company myself.

A wonderful bonus? The tools and insights I use in my work apply just as well in my personal life. Together with my wife and our three growing teenagers, we face challenges every day, make mistakes, and learn from each other. That makes not only my work, but also my personal life, richer and more meaningful."

"In the hustle and bustle of daily life, we rarely pause to reflect on your or my personal development. The focus is often on doing more, doing better, and reaching goals. There’s nothing wrong with that - but we sometimes forget that it’s people who are responsible for achieving those goals. That applies to me too: by working on myself, I often find I can achieve the same goals with much more ease.

In my experience as a leader - among others at ING and Sogeti - I’ve learned one key lesson: better performance is only possible when you invest in personal growth. Growing as a person brings energy, drive, and passion - and from that, performance naturally follows.

What I value so much about training at How Company is the combination of professional and personal development. Our trainings are challenging, thought-provoking, and always practically applicable. It’s a privilege to work alongside people who, just like me, want to keep growing every day - so they can bring out the best in themselves and in others. In my free time, I love being in nature - especially in the mountains. I enjoy being active, both in sports and in music."

"In my role as a leader at the fire department, I was first confronted with the striking gap between what people want to contribute and what actually happens in practice. It was painful to see how people who started out full of passion slowly lost their enthusiasm. That sparked a question in me: how can this be different? That was the moment I began exploring personal leadership, growth, and self-expression. Around that time, I came into contact with How Company. The insights I gained and the world of possibilities the trainings opened up for me touched me deeply.

I saw how my leadership changed. I connected more effectively with my team, handled resistance better, and inspired more - rather than just making sure the job got done. It became clear to me that in every organization—not just in the fire department - there are huge opportunities to help people truly thrive. That’s where I found my true passion: helping people grow in their work with more joy and better collaboration. In 2005, I began training to become a facilitator at How Company, and in 2008 I decided to take the leap and work full-time as a trainer and coach.

That decision has profoundly changed my life. The How Company methods are now woven into our daily lives - at work and at home - and we see the difference it makes every single day. The trainer certification program didn’t just reshape my career, it enriched my personal life as well. Together with my partner Ivo and our two sons, we’ve created the same team spirit at home that I aim to foster in organizations. We say what we think, listen to one another, and when things don’t go the way we want, we solve them - together.

I believe organizations can achieve top performance and greater life satisfaction when they create space for humanity and connection, offer clear frameworks, and give people the freedom to act within those boundaries. I’ve experienced it myself and continue to witness it in the participants of our trainings. What could be more rewarding than that?

For me, walking in nature is the perfect way to relax and gather my thoughts. I also draw a lot of energy from guiding young people who are taking their first steps into entrepreneurship. It’s amazing to see how they develop their ideas and celebrate their successes."

"Since its founding in 2003, I’ve been involved with How Company as a coach and trainer. Just like my background in journalism and filmmaking, this gives me the unique opportunity to look behind the scenes at a wide range of organizations. What strikes me time and again is that people always want to give their best - but somehow it doesn’t always work out.

At How Company, we use methods that help people bring out the best in themselves, together with those around them. Often, people know exactly what they want to achieve, but the path to getting there is less clear. It’s a privilege to guide them along that path - especially in education, where through teachers I can also reach their students. It’s incredible to see the positive impact this work has on younger generations.

What drives me is the desire to help create a society in which we can all move forward more easily and effectively - together. That’s what I dedicate myself to every day, with passion. I truly believe it’s a meaningful step toward a better world.

In my free time, I love being on the water to sail and unwind - sometimes with friends, but often on my own. I also enjoy riding my motorcycle, and as a former filmmaker, I still watch a lot of movies"

"Throughout my career, I’ve worked as a manager, labor expert, and consultant in various organizations. I’ve always been fascinated by the question of why people, despite their best intentions, so often fall short of achieving what they truly want. For me, it’s all about helping people bring out the best in themselves. I deeply believe that this benefits not only the individual but also those around them. That’s when real joy, fulfillment, and growth become possible. That’s what I’m committed to - and what I love contributing to.

My greatest reward is seeing people truly start to trust themselves and, in doing so, make a difference in their own lives.

I’ve been involved with How Company since 2007. My focus is mainly on leadership, team culture, and personal growth. What I find special about How Company is that we genuinely contribute to the growth of people and organizations - and that we practice what we preach. We speak from our own lived experience.

I live with my husband in Amstelveen. I love dancing salsa and tango, enjoy good food, and get a lot of joy from spending time with my nieces and nephews. I love my work and find great fulfillment in it."