Est. Talks #2: Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten
Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten is a seriously fun guy, and a difficult person to categorise. He is variously described as a serial entrepreneur, a technology trendwatcher, an artist, a Dutch dandy and even a professional juggler. His very long name has become synonymous with The Next Web (TNW), which started as a technology blog in 2006 and has since grown into one of Europe’s top tech conferences. Alongside this, Boris oversees and advises an extensive network of startups and tech companies, also providing them with workspaces through TNW Spaces.
With his passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and tech trends, one can’t help but wonder: What drives Boris? What fuels the energy of this witty, well-dressed Dutchman, who is constantly reinventing himself and never content to stand still? Established, but new.
1. Describe yourself in three words.
Unpredictable, creative, adventurous.
2. Could you consider yourself ‘Made by Amsterdam’? (as it says on our label).
I once told my two daughters, both born in Amsterdam, that no matter how long I’d stay here, they would always be able to claim to be ‘real’ Amsterdammers, where I only moved here when I was in my twenties. They thought that was hilarious; I even felt it gave them extra confidence. It’s great for a kid to have something or do something that their parents don’t or can’t. They still make fun of me for not being a real Amsterdammer. Having said that, early in my career, I consciously decided to make Amsterdam my home base but use every opportunity to travel the world. That has worked well for me, and I’m always delighted to return here.
3. Apart from juggling, what else did you learn at circus school, and how has it influenced your career?
Discipline. Working at the circus is rough, never-ending, and non-negotiable. The show must go on, and there is no excuse to bow out of anything. I practiced eight hours a day, and we did three shows a week, and it was just expected that you’d show up and do the work. I think being that responsible and disciplined has helped me a lot. I’ve been fortunate, but I also worked a lot and often harder than others.
4. Your name is synonymous with TNW, Europe’s premier tech festival. Can you share the sparkling inspiration behind the idea?
The company just evolved organically. We started with the event, and then later, media made sense to explore, and then we grew out of our offices, and a co-working space made sense. I like it when companies are almost inevitable and logical and are started because someone is just annoyed by a thing and then builds a solution, and their friends start using it, and there’s no business model at first. I feel like that ensures the company is focused on the essentials from the beginning, and revenue is almost just a side-effect of the company being successful.
5. What is your proudest mistake?
I once publicly complained about the shitty service of one particular company on the day a massive marketing campaign was supposed to go live on our site. They withdrew their campaign that day, costing us a lot of money. It felt good not to suck up to them for the money but to stay honest and call out bullshit where you see it. A lot of people were understandably upset, but it felt terrific nonetheless.
6. Your CV and list of BVs are as long as Apple’s ‘Terms and Conditions’. What new business ideas excite you the most?
The simple things that make you go, “Hey, that’s funny”. I lose interest as soon as I detect bullshit terminology and don’t immediately understand what the company is about. The best ideas you get immediately and want to tell your friends about right away. There’s a lot of opportunity in AI stuff right now, but I’m sensitive to people just adding AI to their plans to look cool. It reminds me of when every company claimed they were a technology company simply because they added .com to their name. But now and then, I hear about a company that solves a simple problem, and I think, “I wish I had thought of that,” and that’s exciting.
7. What drives you, and what ultimately brings you the most satisfaction?
It’s fascinating to see the world change and then have some influence on that process. I’m most proud of meeting entrepreneurs who felt inspired or empowered because of something I said or have done.
8. You’re fond of quotes by Winston Churchill and Picasso, but if you could choose just one established figure you truly admire, who would it be, and why?
Truly admiring is a tough one. I’ve been intrigued by Steve Jobs and admire some parts of his personality, but I’m also enormously happy I’m not him. He achieved great things, but they came with a cost, and whenever I look at how he dealt with people, I think about what kind of person I want to be and what sacrifices I want to make to be successful. I’d rather be poor but a great father, and I’m proud that people thrived within my company. We sometimes could’ve made more money but chose to have more fun instead.
9. What is something that deserves more celebration?
Failure. I often respect people who admit defeat more than those who persist in working on something we all know is doomed. Unfortunately, there’s this myth that you can never give up, but that’s not how I’ve dealt with things. There are constant challenges if you run a project with promise, but it always feels like you’re getting somewhere. It is OK to admit that you failed and start something new if nothing works. I’ve failed many times and had no problem admitting that. I’m still proud of the projects where I successfully showed it didn’t work.
10. What’s next (and please don’t say ‘the web’)?
I enjoy making things that aren’t digital, like a chair or a small cabin I built in the woods. As much as I love building services that lots of people can use, I also find great comfort in creating something small – like a cutting board made from wood that came from a fifty-year-old tree, spent thirty years as a boat deck, and is now shaped into a form that could easily last another fifty years.
