Starting from scratch

Starting something from scratch is no walk in the park, I know. I've done it before. I've been an entrepreneur most of my life. Well, almost. After I sold my E-commerce Software company in 2020 – I settled with a steady income as a freelancer, helping companies that got stuck in failed software projects. Easy-peasy. I know how to do that. That's been my job. And although it was fun, it never gave me that same satisfaction I got when I was behind the wheel of my own company. Because nothing beats the feeling of creating something from nothing, seeing it grow, and parenting it to adulthood. So.. time for a new adventure.

My decision to venture into uncharted waters again is quite intimidating, scary and exciting, all at once. But my desire for entrepreneurial freedom, ultimately keeps pushing me to take this leap into the unknown. Today, I really enjoy those little moments of growth, with each small step forward and every tiny success. The adrenaline is running again. World of coffee, here we come! 

So, why Coffee?

For me, this journey began drinking a cup of coffee with a friend. No kidding. He asked me to look into his coffee webshop, if I could vitalize it. I looked into his business case very seriously. After some reading and digging I quickly found out that coffee is big in Europe - and the Netherlands in particular. Just the Dutch market alone is worth 5,1 billion in 2022, drinking over 48.000.000.000 (yes, that's billion!) cups of coffee each year. That's quite exciting. 

But there are also hundreds of roasters, webshops and wholesalers, trying to beat the competition. And they are all trying to buy their way to the top position in Google. Eventually I gave my friend the advice he asked for. Actually, I said: Don't do it. There are so many coffee vendors online, and there are only 3 spots in Google that really matter. You'd need a lot of perseverance and tons of cash to get yourself on top of the race. And besides Google, you're options are limited. There is no marketplace for Coffee. 

And then it hit me. Really? Is there no marketplace for coffee? That was a big trigger for me to dive into the world of caffiene, and to stick with coffee. A vertical marketplace, bringing al these beautiful companies together, creating a live-community, building a happy-place. How cool is that? Knowing the numbers, experiencing the coffee-culture, I instantly knew that the potential of a coffee marketplace is enormous. 

Think big!

And then, think big! Because the world today is more connected than ever, and the internet has changed the way we do business. The prospect of creating a business with a worldwide reach is a dream that fascinated me. I want to build a venture that could go beyond borders, allowing me to connect with people from all over the world. A coffee marketplace, I realize, has the potential to connect coffee lovers from every corner of the globe. And I get to be in the middle of it.

The universal language of coffee

Coffee is a language spoken universally, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers. It brings people together, creating moments of shared joy and cheerful conversations. My vision is to establish a marketplace that not only cateres to coffee enthusiasts, but also acts as a hub for coffee farmers, roasters, and aficionados to connect, share, and learn from one another.

Tripping, falling and getting up again

The road to building my coffee marketplace is not without its fair share of hiccups, mistakes, and flops. The complexity of setting up a platform, sourcing bean roasters, getting the wholesalers on board, and building a customer base, it all demands dedication and hard work. But the drive to turn my passion into a purpose is authentic, and with every challenge, I keep finding opportunities to learn, adapt, and grow.

Thanks for joining me on this trip! 

PS. Don't forget to tell your friends and family about Fête du Café.