I WAS BORN A DEAL MAKER.

It all started for me at only 10 years old. Pokemon cards were the thing, but (un)fortunately my parents didn’t give me any. So, I asked kids at school for some of their unwanted cards and traded them for better and more valuable ones. By the end of the craze, I had grown a nice collection of cards and was able to sell them, for what for a kid felt like a small fortune. As a teenager, I became interested in LARPing (Live Action Role Playing). To be able to play, I had to create rubber swords and protective leather gear for myself. Soon enough I was buying and selling chainmail, Orch ears, and whatnot. The final culmination was in high school when I started trading retro video games online. It started once again without greater plans. I just wanted to get my hands on good games. Soon enough I realized that buying the games in bulk and selling the ones I didn’t want gave me games for free, and also made me a nice profit. Well as you could guess by now –  I was hooked! Truth be told, in the end, I think I spent less than 20 hours playing the games but hundreds of hours buying and selling them. Yes, throughout all of these endeavors it was fun to make money, But it was never only about the money, it was the excitement of translating people’s needs into concrete actions while making deals!

MY LOVE OF MAKING DEALS GREW.

As a young adult, my deal-making passion drove me to the stock market. I became obsessed with analyzing companies and evaluating how great they were at creating value (i.e making great deals). I made money. A lot of money. At some point so much, I decided to quit my boring day job. I also lost money. A lot of money. At 28 years old, I joined the board of directors of a company in which I had invested, to help to turn things around. But that’s another story for another time.

After graduating with a handful of business/finance degrees (shout outs to free education) I wanted to step up my deal-making once again. I was attracted to the hot-shot investment banks in London and Wall Street, where I could make the biggest deals there are. Luckily I ran into a few people from the Boston Consulting Group. After some guidance and reflection, I realized what I am truly aiming for: not only making bigger and bigger deals but rather knowing how to make better and better deals. (and how to make them with the right people).

What do better and better deals then mean? I understood a great lesson. While it is the great companies who make the great deals, it is the teams and the people in them, that make it all possible. So I became increasingly curious about understanding the success factors of teams and the qualities of the individuals within them. With curiosity came a hunger to learn. After learning the need to share! With a new sense of purpose and with the experiences gained I felt ready to embark on the next adventure of starting my own company.

NOW TODAY, WHO AM I?

Having my own company has allowed me to focus on the activities, types of engagements, and clients to serve that truly feel aligned with my passions, purpose, and expertise. The added support of having partners and colleagues aligned with the same purpose and values multiplies the impact I can have.

No matter whether I am coaching an individual over zoom or running training for an auditorium full of people, I always have that feeling of excitement in my gut. That voice saying: ”This is what I love, this is something I need to do more of!”. I get excited when helping others to make better decisions, and I’m passionate to teach and share the skills needed to make better decisions by yourself! 

I am passionate about helping business professionals help themselves through coaching, training, and consulting on topics that are crucial for them, and close to my heart.