More about me

I have already given you a short introduction but not nearly enough to get to know me as a person.

My childhood

I was born in Breda in 2002, but raised in Baarle-Hertog, a small Belgian village very close to the border of the Netherlands. I always enjoyed doing sports and going outside. I have tried a lot of different hobbies and activities like; football, karate, tennis, being a diskjockey, … All there activities have shown me different cultures and gave me ways to get in contact with a lot of different people and of course, which was the most important part at that age, make a lot of friends.

My prior education

My kindergarten and elementary school were both in Baarle-Hertog very close to my home which was ideal for growing up, the school was called De Vlinder.

After finishing up elementary school at 11 I had to expand my living space because I chose for a school in Hoogstraten, this meant I had to travel with the bus to my school. The school was called Klein-Seminarie, I did a general secondary education program which was very broad to expand your knowledge on all different topics. After the first two years I had to choose to focus a bit more on some specific courses. I chose mathematics and sciences. This gave me more courses on math, physics, biology and science. During this study I had one setback which made me resit my fifth year at that school. This was quite harsh for me because most of my friends moved on. But I quickly made more friends and finished my study with a degree.

After my education in Hoogstraten I wanted to go to school in the Netherlands which gave me the opportunity to move with some friends of Hoogstraten and go to Tilburg University. My first year at the university I chose Dutch Law. This was quite a hard year because of Covid-19 and also because I switched from the Belgium to the Netherlands I didn’t have a lot of time to choose the correct education. After one year I understood that Law was not my cup of tea and I researched other possibilities. I stayed at Tilburg University but went on to study International Business Administration, I really liked this study because I got to know that I liked the international aspect of business and that I was quite good at different languages which I already had a lot of knowledge from because of my highschool. Sadly I couldn’t motivate myself to study enough during the pandemic which resulted that I had to change school. After this chapter in my life I chose that i needed to focus more on my study and I chose Avans University of Applied Sciences as my school but I continued on the International Business course.

Here a short summary of my education:

Klein-Seminarie, Hoogstraten (2014-2021)
- ASO Wiskunde Wetenschappen
Tilburg University, Tilburg (2021-2022)
- Bachelor Rechtsgeleerdheid – Not Finished
Tilburg University, Tilburg (2022-2023)
- Bachelor International Business Administration – Not Finished
Avans University of Applied Sciences, Breda (2023-…)
- Bachelor International Business – Ongoing

My work experiences

My first work experience was working at a company where my uncle currently still is CEO. The company is called Q-lite and I was a warehouse worker at the company in Baarle-Hertog. I had to manage and maintain the warehouse. I worked there in vacations from 2018-2021. A few months before New Years of 2020 and 2021 I also started working part time in a firework shop in Baarle-Hertog. I was a sales associate there and helped with maintaining the store and helping the customers. Baarle-Hertog is very famous for the firework shops because they are right at the border and have a bit less strict rules then in the Netherlands. In 2021 I also worked one day in the week at an online store called Hardlopenwinkel. It was a store that a friend of my dad ran and i helped him with logistics and packaging. After I stopped working at Q-lite and the other companies I started working on Saturdays at the local supermarket, Jumbo, and more specifically the butcher. I also started at the company called Himmeltak, in Riel, which is a company that does exclusive tent rentals for weddings and events. I helped with constructing the tents and also helping the customers with organizing which tent they would like and if that was possible for their situation. I currently still work at both of there places.

Being a second-year International Business student at Avans Breda, I am keen on seeking opportunities that will suit both my academic and personal endeavors. I am a young, outgoing person who enjoys meeting people from various cultures, bridging language gaps, and sharing common interests. These skills are inherent in my quest for a career in international business, where effective communication and cultural sensitivity are essential.

Problem-solving is one of my greatest strengths. I enjoy challenges and coming up with a range of solutions, which allows me to be flexible and a critical thinker. This has been very valuable throughout my studies and will continue to be the driving force for me within the business arena.

My Strengths and Weaknesses

I will use the Ofman Quadrant to demonstrate my qualities and corresponding pitfalls, by using this I can recognise my problems easier and this will help me balance my strengths.

First, my core quality is my enthusiasm and social engagement, which allows me to connect with others on a deeper level. I genuinely enjoy engaging with people and communicating with new acquaintances, finding excitement in each interaction. I am quite social, and I thrive in environments where I can meet and get to know new connections, as this not only broadens my network but also enriches my perspective on various topics. This characteristic could be a huge asset when looking at the business environment, where collaboration and relationships often play a critical role in achieving success. However, my pitfall could be my over-enthusiasm, which might lead me to prioritize socializing at the expense of my other professional and personal goals. I could easily find myself focusing more on fostering good relationships rather than addressing the pressing issues that are occurring at the moment between myself and another person. The risk of this behavior could be that I unintentionally neglect more serious or critical aspects of my work or personal objectives, leading to consequences that might undermine my overall effectiveness and productivity in both settings. Therefore, it’s essential for me to strike a balance between nurturing connections and remaining attentive to the responsibilities that demand my immediate attention.

My other core quality could be problem solving. As I already mentioned, I enjoy problem solving in different situations, and if I may say, I’m quite good at it. I can view different situations from different perspectives, which allows me to also look at different possible solutions. This quality makes me efficient when faced with difficult problems, as I employ a methodical approach to tackling challenges. I thrive under pressure, often finding that high-stakes environments fuel my creativity and analytical thinking, leading to innovative solutions. I like thinking outside the box to try and create a solution that not only addresses the immediate issue but also considers potential long-term effects. A pitfall of that could be that I get caught in a problem because I want to find the “perfect” solution to that problem instead of finding a simpler possible solution. This desire for perfection can sometimes lead me down a rabbit hole of over-analysis, which could create unnecessary stress or delay the process by second-guessing myself instead of acting confidently. I have sometimes learned to recognize this tendency and am actively working on balancing my pursuit of excellence with the need for timely resolutions.