dieneke: “We’ve known each other for over forty years, literally from the sandbox. We lived diagonally behind each other in The Hague.”
Yep: “As teenagers we went on a skiing holiday with peers.”
dieneke: “But the contact dwindled when we both went to college. And when Ype’s parents moved, we no longer met in The Hague.”
Yep: “Until four and a half years ago, there was no contact at all.”
dieneke: “Yes, we hadn’t seen each other for 26 years. Then we met again in the schoolyard. That was very surprising.”
Yep: “We had both been in a relationship and decided we needed to catch up. The rest is history.”
dieneke: “It’s nice to have so many shared memories.”
Yep: “You have to explain much less to each other.”
dieneke: “We don’t live together, but we do live near each other in The Hague. Neither our houses are big enough to accommodate two adults, three teenagers and a dog. During the lockdown, Ype and I worked in his house and the children were homeschooled in my house.”
Yep: “When the children are out of the house, I will sell my apartment and we will live in Dieneke’s house.”
dieneke: “After my law studies in Rotterdam, I enjoyed being a lawyer for many years, but at a certain point I was ready for something new. With a busy job and teenage children, I was busy 24 hours a day. I wanted to have more time for the kids. I had been a member of the knightly Johanniter Order for years and was given the opportunity to join the board of the volunteer organization Johanniter Nederland. The Johanniters are committed to people who cannot automatically participate in society, for example due to a physical disability. That board position made me realize that I was ready for a new challenge outside the legal profession.”
Yep: “I studied management, economics and law, with a focus on real estate. After that I became a real estate agent and I worked for the municipality of The Hague. And now I am co-owner of a project development agency that transforms real estate into homes. That’s more than a full-time job. I already answer the first emails between 6 and 7 in the morning. On the other hand, as my own boss, I can go to the gym during the day.”
Steep learning curve
dieneke: “When we were at home during the lockdown, Ype and I walked a lot. I had just been to a trade show in Paris and wondered how to find the right person to answer a question. During those walks the idea arose to develop an app that functions as a digital business card with which you can exchange data. We called it Great to Meet.”
Yep: “I am deaf in one ear and always have to listen very carefully when someone introduces themselves. Understanding and remembering names is an art.”
dieneke: “I have always felt the need to develop new things.”
Yep: “Suppose you are in a meeting with some unknown people. Then you can exchange data via our app. That works better than a paper business card: they are often outdated, or you will lose them. You always have the correct spelling of someone’s name, photo and other shared information at hand.”
dieneke: “I designed the app myself and had it tested by acquaintances. The app is especially useful during symposia, meetings and trade fairs. And you can also build your own community with it.”
Yep: “We have been through a very steep learning curve. Sometimes we made 100-hour weeks.”
dieneke: “But it’s our brainchild, so you don’t notice how busy you are with it.”
Yep: “Actually, the project has gotten a bit out of hand. We immediately approached it as a real company, not as a Sunday afternoon project. We don’t have a revenue model yet, but in the long run we can offer additional, paid services via the app.”
dieneke: “I don’t miss the legal profession. With Great to Meet, I also encounter problems that I need to solve. With that I found the challenge I was looking for; work-life balance is now good. Ype and I often go to our neighborhood café in the evening to brainstorm.”
Yep: “We have already thought about and solved a lot. Just like during our walks with the dog.”
cast-offs
dieneke: “The app costs a lot of money, but otherwise we have a boring life financially.”
Yep: “We spend money on food and drink. But not clothes and we don’t have extravagant cars. And we don’t collect anything.”
dieneke: “I’m carrying my daughter’s cast-offs. My interior consists of furniture that has been around for generations. The dining room chairs belonged to my grandmother. And we haven’t been on vacation for a year and a half. Before corona we liked to travel. In addition to law, I also studied Japan Studies and a few years ago I went to Japan with the children.”
Yep: “We now mainly live with the day and are busy with the app. But in the future a sabbatical would be nice.”
dieneke: “We just let life surprise us. We have plenty to do for now.”
In Rush Hour, couples and singles tell how they combine work and private life. Participate? Mail to [email protected]
#Weve #steep #learning #curve