Over the years
Our history
Between Christmas and New Year's Day 1998, Dreamfactory Born. In a cold holiday cottage in Brabant. That was quite a while ago, and of course, a lot has changed and happened since then.
Like any organization, Dreamfactory Made by the people who work there. People of today, and people of the past.
If you'd like to learn more about our people and our history, you'll find an overview of our history below.
2024 - 25 years Dreamfactory - New version of the OG book
We exist for 25 years
We celebrate this with our colleagues. We create a work of art together with Ellen van Os, which now hangs in our hallway.
With our customers and relations with beautiful DreamfactoryBest-of-customer-anniversary events. A workshop with our own preference: how to realize your dreams/organizational goals using the Creation Spiral and your network.
And we have a friends party with a nice gift from all Dreamers.
Book Client Wanted re-released
This year also marks the release of the new version of "Client Wanted." After 14 years, it was time for a completely updated and revised assignment. Jan Willem dedicated the book to his father, Frans. Frans proudly accepts the book.
2023
New Book: Why Don't They Just Do It
For years, we've been helping organizations become more entrepreneurial. And the leaders of those organizations naturally play a key role in this. That's why our programs focus heavily on these leaders and what they can do to develop, encourage, and guide their people.
There are a number of pitfalls and best practices to consider. Managing people on how to become a Trusted Advisor more often, for example, is quite different from providing them with substantive guidance.
We've gathered a wealth of knowledge on this topic over the past few years. And we find it so valuable that we're publishing it in a new book: Why Don't They Just Do It – Help consultants and technicians find and keep clients.
Our new book arrives in January. It's always an exciting moment, and when we open the first box, we're thrilled with the result.
The photo shows Eveline van Os, Maarten's sister and editor of all our books, among the proud authors.
2022
Nice benches
This summer we have an important upgrade to our building: lovely outdoor benches.
2021 - Farewell to Cornelie and Margreet
Farewell to Cornelie
Cornelie says goodbye. At least as a secret, not as the artist of our crocodiles! We had a wonderful farewell and Of course this included a crocodile gift.
Cornelie beautifully described the wonderful time we had together on LinkedIn:
After working for 7 years at Dreamfactory I say goodbye. And This isn't just a goodbye because it wasn't a job. It was a Way of Life….At Dream, at DF. First in Voorburg and later in Woerden.
I've learned so much and experienced so much. It really touches me. heart to leave you and I will give this a place in the coming period to give. It is still with a smile and a tear when I think of you and that will soon only be a smile. To all the memories, the craziness and the fun we had. The intensely beautiful conversations, the great open connection and I could go on and on. And yessss, we have also had stress, things went (almost) wrong and it happened everything is always good again
I want to thank you dear Maarten & Jan Willem, Ellis, Anique, Karin, Mijke, Harriët, Tomer, Ria and Saïda thank you for the wonderful collaboration. And I also want to thank everyone I've worked with, all my 'other' colleagues at all clients, with whom I had so much fun at the planning. We often formed a super smooth team together and I kept always amazes me how familiar it became and how much easier and everything is more pleasant than it used to be. I am very grateful for that. I'm going really miss you guys too!
And of course a big thank you to everyone clients and all those who were trained, coached and guided by Dreamfactory that I have had the pleasure of meeting.
I'll keep drawing the crocodiles, that won't stop. And I'll continue even more drawing and writing in the future and learning new things and Discovering. I'm really looking forward to all that too.
I wish you an incredibly cool and passionate new colleague!
Farewell to Margreet
This year we say goodbye to Margreet. For many years we were able to find a work format that suited her fitness level. Unfortunately, it wasn't available more. The beautiful farewell party has been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus.
Jomi comes on board as a planner
2020 - Online training
During the coronavirus pandemic, we're allowed to train in our attic for some time, as long as we maintain social distancing. We're installing an additional ventilation system specifically for this purpose.
Online training is hip
This year we were forced to reinvent our profession.
Suddenly the agenda was empty, the attic sessions were cancelled, and we had to go online. Some of us At first with a fresh reluctance. Through doing and experiencing we noticed that we can do that too.
We managed to convince our customers to attend the cancelled during the first lockdown, still managed to do an hour online. And so we learned a lot. Boy, did we learn a lot, because online is really very different. But luckily we still had the opportunity to learn, and we were allowed a few months later other training agencies also teach it.
We have permanently changed our working methods, including the use of Mural, which allows us to involve our clients even more actively in the projects we work on with them.
2019 - Move to Woerden - Ellis joins us
We're moving into the building in Woerden. It's a lot of work to get everything up and running, as the building is much larger than the previous one, with more training rooms. The first six months will be spent furnishing, finding new suppliers, improving workspaces, and optimizing them. The results are impressive; participants, clients, and we feel at home. And all the crocodiles, of course.
Sabine prefers working with individuals and small businesses and is leaving.
Ellis comes on board to help us with the administration, the refrigerator door rotation direction and to do 1001 other things to make our lives easier and the building and our working methods better.
Crocodile costumes for the opening party
2018 - Farewell to Voorburg
Moving, but where are we going?
We've been wanting a bigger, more central location for a while now. And they're converting our current building into apartments. It's high time to say goodbye to our old one.
Our criterion: no system ceiling. We want to do business with Dreamfactory is a memorable event, and a unique building helps with that. It's also nice for us, of course.
We found a building dating back to 1840 in Woerden. We've been working hard on it throughout the fourth quarter of 2018, and we can move in before the Christmas holidays. It's fantastic.
Moving from Voorburg
Colleague Wanted comes out
One of our first clients said: I believe you'll help us land a lot of great projects by making our consultants more entrepreneurial. That's great. The next problem I'll face is that I don't have enough people. I'd prefer to find them through our warm network. You should write a book about that too, because recruitment and commerce are quite similar...
No sooner said than done. Published by our own publishing house, Krokoboek.
2017 - Internal trainer training established
Dreamfactory is growing. We have some new Dreamfactory Partners on board. People who work from their own business, and where we
collaborate structurally. Because we have our own methodology, we start a training class, where Anique and Karin will provide trainer training for Mijke, Harriet, and Sabine. The title is DAB: Dreamfactory On board.
2016 - Krokotube set up
We're letting the world hear from us in a different way. This time with video tips in our monthly Dreamfactory Journal.
Every month, a new short film is released in which one of our people gives a tip about finding and keeping customers satisfied.
We're making a YouTube channel: Krokotube.
2015 - Client Satisfied is published
February is the day: we'll be holding our new book for the first time. It's beautiful, hardcover, beautifully designed, has a new website, and has received many positive reviews on managementboek.nl and Bol.com.
We don't know if it's related, but until last year, we were primarily active in engaging professionals more commercially. Since this year, more and more clients have been asking us to help them take on the role of trusted advisor for existing clients. And we're happy to oblige.
2014
From Management to Client Satisfaction
The first print run of our book "Leadership" is almost sold out. In consultation with the publisher, we've decided to thoroughly revise it. "Leadership" was written for a broad audience: anyone who interacts with clients or managers. And our target audience is highly educated professionals in business-to-business services.
Because we use the book extensively in our projects, it wasn't quite right. Therefore, we're adapting it. A new title, several new chapters, a thorough revision, and next year it will be published under the title "Client Satisfied."
More Cure More Pay
We're also very busy, and a growing number of clients are finding us when they want their professionals to take on a commercial role. Starting this year, we're also increasingly working with "more-cure-more-pay" projects, and we have a well-developed formula for this.
This provides our (new) customers with additional assurance that they will not pay too much if the result is disappointing, and in practice, it means additional turnover for us, because in practice we usually achieve our targets.
Extra space in the building
We're expanding: the subtenants in our building in Voorburg are leaving, and we're getting an extra training room.
2013 - Growth requires a planner
We are receiving more and more large orders
We're working with increasingly larger clients and taking on increasingly larger projects. Planning is becoming increasingly important. We know Cornelie as the illustrator of our books. She drew all those crocodiles. She's also an excellent planner, and she's taking over from Els. We've grown again this year, and we're happy about that.
2012 - Finding and keeping clients satisfied
Book Taking Charge is released
The end of September is the day: the birth of our second book: Taking Charge. Once again published by SDU/Academic Service, and of course with a crocodile on the cover. According to the publisher, this is good for sales figures.
The title is: Taking Charge. And the idea is: there are people who lead, like managers and clients. And then there are also people who receive that leadership. There are already many books for managers, but far fewer for those taking charge. And yet there are many more of those.
So this book is about how to take charge, how to gain trust in a relationship with a client or manager.
While our first book was about finding clients, this new book is about keeping them (satisfied). By being a trusted advisor to your clients.
A new payoff
With the new book we also launched our payoff: we have captured our passion, experience and specialty in five words:
Finding and keeping clients satisfied.
2011 - Our own share of the market
Client Wanted helps us and others
As our board members predicted, the launch of our book is bringing us many positive results. In Han's words, we've "claimed this part of the market." And indeed, we're increasingly seen as specialists in commerce for people who hate commerce. And we're also increasingly comfortable in that field, as we gain more and more experience in it.
Secretariat is growing
With all the new assignments, we could use more support. Els is coming on board, so there's always someone in the office. What a luxury.
Evergreen status for Client Wanted
Our book has been awarded evergreen status by managementboek. This means we've sold over 1.000 copies through managementboek alone. This year, our first book has sold over 4.000 copies. We'll also be visiting managementboek.
2010 - Client Wanted and BNR
Launch of Client Wanted
At the end of September, the time has finally come: the launch of our book "Client Wanted," published by SDU/Academic Service. It was followed by a fantastic party at Hofwijck.
We're being interviewed on BNR radio, which generates a lot of publicity. We're increasingly being found by organizations with many subject matter experts working in our field.
Training by Karin de Galan
We're taking a serious and positive step in our personal development, and we're all taking a coaching course with Karin de Galan. With her training school, Karin is, in our opinion, one of the top trainers in the world. The word "guru" is also quite fitting. In 2010, Karin wasn't yet well-known, and we were fortunate enough to have her join us. Her philosophy has a significant influence on the way we train and coach. We remain fans of her and her philosophy.
2009 - 10 years Dreamfactory
A new corporate identity after 10 years
Ten years ago, Maarten van Os and Marco Raad Dreamfactory founded. What a wonderful time. So much has happened in 10 years. We started making dreams come true in a broad sense. You could everything is in our hands. And now we focus on improving organizations and help them find clients and take charge.
Maybe we are now closer to the goal, realizing dreams En We have a new corporate identity. Our old factory is no more. With the With our new corporate identity we would like to express our enthusiasm for people, inspiration, effervescence and blossoming.
Changing of the Guard After three years of employment, Joost is going his own way. We are going continuing with a number of people that we do not employ, but where we We'd love to collaborate. This year we're connecting with Mauk. van der Woude and with Cornlie Meijnen.
We have known Mauk for years. We worked together at UWV, among other places, where Mauk trained a team in written communication with clients. At DNW Mauk, as a technical chairperson, helped to achieve sufficient simplicity and to provide an overview in a technically and organizationally very complex area process. The customers were happy with it, and Mauk and Dreamfactory also. A excellent basis for further cooperation. We know Cornelie from Pink Elephant. After a year at Boertien, She started her own business. And starting this year, she's also been working with us.
In-company training: Client Wanted
We have a new in-company training: Client Wanted that we Giving twice this year. A wonderful testing ground to test all the ideas from us to try out a book-in-progress.
Margreet has been in service for 10 years
Hooray, Margreet has been answering the phone when you call for ten years now, she arranges lunches and appointments, does the bookkeeping, and provides guidance people to the dream attic, and she deals with the more or less last minute wishes from the rest of Dreamfactory. In gratitude for this faithful service, and we have Margreet and her Alex for a long weekend Sent to Berlin.
The program Dreamfactory journal appears
Hooray, we have a newsletter! The first one is out, and we have We have already received many (fortunately mainly positive) reactions to it. Our goal is to provide both inspiration and practical tips. offer. And keep the amount of advertising limited.
Bar Association recognizes Dreamfactory as a training institute
This year we have been recognized as a training institute by the Dutch Bar Association. It was a lot of paperwork, but we finally managed it.
This means that lawyers can now receive professional points if they submit a complaint to us. to follow training. Unfortunately, next year the Order will decide that learning to becoming a trusted advisor to your clients is no longer is worth points. Mind mapping training, yes, but yes, we provide that not.
2008 - Farewell to co-founder Marco
Marco trades Dreamfatory for Your Jester
Marco Raad, one of the founders of Dreamfactory, has started a new company. After nine years Dreamfactory It was time to focus his energy on something new. Marco wants to be a pioneer again and do it himself. Check out the Uw Hofnar website.
Of course, the farewell is intense. And at the same time, we're proud that we're parting just as we started. With champagne, and the knowledge that we're doing the right thing for now. And boy, it's proving difficult to explain that we truly still like each other. Many people expect hatred and resentment, when in reality, it's not there. Yes, it does take energy from everyone involved, but that seems logical to us.
Maarten and Jan Willem are now joint partners of DreamfactoryThey're sharpening the focus even more on making organizations more effective by guiding people. Trust and impact are key. And that proves to be effective both internally and externally.
Our commissioner Danny Jolink will now assist your Jester and will conclude his commission with Dreamfactory After nine years, we've retired. And that same summer, we've found a new one: Han Hendriks, director at Kirkman Company, has joined our Supervisory Board. This brings us back to full strength (two people).
Maarten wrote about Marco's farewell in April 2008:
It's the week before Christmas, 2007. After the Dreamfactory At the end-of-year dinner, the six of us walk down Herenstraat in Voorburg. Marco and I lead the way, arm in arm. We talk about the past year and what happened at the last two commissioner meetings. I tell Marco that I appreciate the space it's created, even the opportunity for Marco to potentially do something else outside of work. Dreamfactory. Marco says: “That's for sure.” We walk silently to DreamfactoryWe say goodbye. Marco and I hug each other even tighter than usual, tears welling up in our eyes. Jan Willem and I walk upstairs together. The two of us sit in the room that belongs to the three of us. Sadness, anger, and many questions. And at the same time, we were already able to name: Dreamfactory continues.
The next day we talk further. It's exactly how I know Marco. He has new ideas and inspiration, and he wants to get started on them right away. I know it's good, and I'm leaving for our dream trip with Fiona in a few days, while Jan Willem, Marco, and I have a lot more to discuss. For now, we decide that Marco will continue with his ideas, but that we can't announce/officially announce his departure until all three of us are there. So, not until after my vacation.
On vacation, I barely thought about it. My heart and mind were filled with Fiona, nature, and travel. The day after Easter, my first day back at work after the trip, I do notice a heavy heart. I'm saddened by Marco's departure. Besides, I have some catching up to do, as Jan Willem and Marco haven't been sitting still. I'm thrilled to hear that Jan Willem has come up with the name for Marco's new company. And it's great that we're handling the business side of things quickly. Telling the other Dreamers is a real challenge, and it stirs up quite a bit of emotion.
After that, I also tell family, friends, and clients. It raises questions there too. Do you have any arguments? Are there business disagreements? No. We are and will remain fantastic friends. And we didn't have any business disagreements either. Marco wants to continue on his own and be a pioneer. Yes, that was also possible in DreamfactoryAnd no, that wasn't possible. Some things can't be explained rationally. As Marco so aptly put it when I asked why he was leaving: "Because I have to."
The sadness is clearly present in the first few weeks. When I come in the morning and see Marco's cupboard empty, for example. Now, a different energy has taken its place. Inspiration, a desire to get moving, the same energy I brought back from vacation. I notice it's good. It's good for Marco, busy building his business. It's good for me. My fire is burning. And I already notice it's good for him too. Dreamfactory.
I feel a tremendous sense of space. And I also feel gratitude. I'm grateful that my dream of owning a business with my best friend has come true. I'm grateful for the significant contribution Marco has made to my personal growth over the past nine years. Dreamfactory has delivered. I'm grateful that I'm following my passion, that I'm doing wonderful work. Developing organizations by developing people. Training, team coaching, coaching, entrepreneurship, connecting hard and mental. I'm grateful that we can handle the business and legal aspects smoothly. I'm grateful that, in addition to the business side, I've also grown close to Jan Willem as a friend. I'm grateful for the wonderful collaboration with Margreet and Joost. I'm grateful that Dreamfactory I'm completing great projects, the satisfied client base continues to grow, and the financial side of things is thriving. I'm grateful that my dream has come true. And the best part is: it leads to new dreams!
Our New Year's Greeting
This year, our New Year's greeting was accompanied by clay (which we're standing in) and a kite (because of our heads in the clouds). And there's a contest again this year.
Because the jury couldn't reach a unanimous decision, they wisely decided to award two first prizes this year. Both the grand winners received their grand prize: a cool kite. Enjoy it (dads too!).
In March
Maarten and Fiona are back from their 3-month dream trip to New Zealand and Australia.
Maarten wrote about their experiences on www.dreamfactory.nl/droomreis. Because he also wants to look at the photos regularly, the link will remain up for a while!
Caspar van Papendrecht leaves Dreamfactory, to work at Eneco.
The Know-What-You-Want Workshop is going better and better, and we think it's getting better and better. Maarten and Anique are the regular trainers.
We regularly receive requests from people who have heard about us through word of mouth and register. We find this remarkable, as we hardly do anything.
We're working on marketing for the WWWW-WS. And we're enjoying it, too, because it's a wonderful workshop.
Summer 2008:
Fons Groen joins the network of Dreamfactory Partners. Independent professionals who, based on shared values, like to
with Dreamfactory working together. While also running their own (sole) business.
In September 2008:
Fons Groen and Jan Willem will give a lecture/workshop on the topic they met years ago: leadership. The body of thought on leadership is steadily growing.
This year, we're once again seeing a lot of contact with our existing and highly valued clients. At Getronics, for example, we offer training on "The Business Side of Business Consultancy." This training focuses on the intersection of consulting and commerce. After a somewhat wary first group,
consultants, with a post critical attitude towards salespeople and anything that resembles it, it became a very enjoyable and
Educational program. At UWV, we continue to work on team coaching, among other things.
We were also delighted to welcome new clients. At VPRO, we're teaching project leaders how to better manage deadlines and appointments in a creative environment. At the municipality of Katwijk, we were also able to train project leaders, while at Prénatal, we're embarking on a fantastic program combining team coaching and training. Other names include Intenz and Humanitas Childcare.
Blunder of 2008:
Confusing part-days and days in a quote. Yes, that's a factor of two difference. Thanks again, customer, for not signing so hastily.
2007
Our traditional New Year's greeting comes with a growth package. The super balloons are particularly effective for families with many children, but sunflowers, measuring tape, and Pokon were also popular.
In addition to existing clients like UWV and Getronics, we're adding new names this year. For example, we're coaching several teams at Rabobank. And at Ernst & Young, we're providing a few short workshops. In September, Joost van Andel will join us as a trainer. Dreamfactory to work.
Blunder of the year - turning interim managers into trainers
We devise a plan. Maarten, Marco, and Jan Willem all have backgrounds as consultants/project leaders/interim managers. What if we hire someone to work as a project manager through secondment, and then develop that person into a trainer?That is why Caspar van Papendrecht will be joining us in May with great enthusiasm Dreamfactory to work. Despite everyone's good intentions, this business model doesn't seem to work as well as we'd hoped. After a year, Casper decides to go work at Eneco.
We become an IRO reintegration company
This year, we were also recognized as an IRO Reintegration Agency. One of the participants in our Know-What-You-Want workshops was looking for a new job, and we were able to help him. It's not our core business, as we primarily focus on making organizations more effective. But we do enjoy doing it occasionally.
2006 - Anique not a partner after all
Merger leads to almost a dispute
The year is all about the merger. The New Year's greeting is accompanied by a folding model of the new collaboration with four partners. The merger celebration is in April! To celebrate the collaboration of Dreamfactory To celebrate with Anique and Jan Willem, we put up a tent on the roof terrace of our downstairs neighbors and have a great party.
And there's a lot of commotion, because the merger we initiated in 2005 resulted in four partners. Two of whom are married. Anique and Jan Willem discover that while they work together as trainers for a group, they're truly different when it comes to business. The collaboration isn't going as planned.
Jan Willem and Anique choose their marriage over their business partnership. Anique leaves Dreamfactory in August as a partner and will continue from her own business PuraVida. She will continue with Dreamfactory We're working together, and we're now sending each other a few invoices every month. Oh yeah, and we've tried it.
Besides a lot of enjoyable work with clients like UWV, Getronics, Evita, ING, the Municipality of Delft, and Interpay, we're mentoring several Saxion University of Applied Sciences students in their graduation projects. Maarten and Jan Willem are offering two open-enrollment commercial training courses for Euroforum in December. We're increasingly focusing on commercial skills for those who aren't so keen on them...
At the end of the year, all trainers attend a vocal workshop with Alex Boon in our own dream attic. Wow, we can make a lot of noise!
Changes in the Supervisory Board
Jan van Os is leaving the Supervisory Board after seven years of inspiring advice. He will be succeeded by Ed Peelen.
2005 - Merger with Anique and JW
Merger plans are taking shape
Over the summer, merger plans emerged. We work so closely with Jan Willem and Anique that we want to strengthen each other even further. While visiting Anique and Jan Willem in Woerden, Marco and Maarten tossed two keys to the building on the garden table. "Come on in!"
After much deliberation and consideration, we decided in August to merge under the name Dreamfactory.
The Know-What-You-Want Workshop is launched
The number of WWWW sessions is increasing. We certify Karin Keijzer to deliver them.
And, partly due to the growing number of WWWW clients, we're developing the Know-What-You-Want Workshop together with Ed Peelen. A similar concept, but with a group of participants instead of just one person.
2004 - We've been around for five years
Feast
We open the year with the Dreamfactory Current, in honor of the fifth anniversary of Dreamfactory. And we have many activities this year to celebrate that. We start with a dinner for all the people and partners who attended Dreamfactory have been involved and made this anniversary possible.
IIn February, we held a Race Night. Participants connected extra laptops and racing wheels to our network, and we raced as fast as we could. We also enjoyed a small snack.
A historic football match will follow in April Dreamfactory against ING. This heroic battle is narrowly decided in ING's favor (11-1). CONGRATULATIONS to the gentlemen from the bank (and we're going to practice again...)
There will also be another Bridge Tournament in June that year. This time, it will be led by one of our clients: bridge professional Danny Molenaar. For the historical overview: The prize winners of the cryptogram competition from Dreamfactory Current were:
- Mr. C. Hooijman
- Ms. ECA Raad-Luijsterburg
- Mr. F. de Smeth (with some help from Jet)
- Mrs. M. Spek (with some help from Erik)
- Mrs. E. de Wijs
And the coloring contest from the same issue was won by Mike Maarse, 9 years old.
Business-wise, we are mainly busy this year at ING, PinkRoccade and DTO.
2003 - Quiet growth
Our now-traditional New Year's greeting comes with two sets of cards. One with dream questions and one with action questions. We're getting a lot of positive feedback.
And another article from this year: “Dreamfactory “pur sang” – Renate Postma
“The story of Dreamfactory "It's not just any story. Wherever I tell it, people find it special. And almost everyone who listens to it, you can see them mentally leaping into their own dream, only to have that thought quickly pushed back…"
2002 - Heated toilet
Move
In 2002, we moved from Mariannelaan to Westeinde. Hooray, finally a heated toilet!
After a thorough search and contacts with Commissaris van Os, we were able to rent the top two floors of building number six on Westeinde in Voorburg. Because the space needs renovation anyway, we have a significant say in how we want the interior.
We do have some ideas about that. We want a physical separation between Dream and Factory. That means we'll have a production room downstairs, with a table and chairs around it, and a whiteboard on the wall.
To create a space for dreaming, we invited an interior designer. He gave us ideas for shaping the dream attic, and indeed, it became a special space that invites us to dream and imagine.
In April, we're having our moving party. We're borrowing the floor of the neighbor's apartment below us and inviting 300 of our friends and family. And it seems like they all showed up; it was so crowded. The hockey team is providing the drinks, and Paul Reijenga and his band are providing the music. It was a wonderful party.
We do the three-year training at Phoenix
Maarten and Marco, following a tip from Jan Willem, embarked on the three-year professional guidance program at Phoenix. It's a program that's making an impression and changing the way we work forever.
Elsevier weekly magazine
And in June another article in Elsevier: “Dreamfactory helps to make dreams come true”.
“What I would most, most, most love to do is..' And then after the wild fantasy on the dots usually follows the word "but". Sober Northerners prefer to push aside the delusion. Away with that perverse Brainwaves! At least, that's how it used to be. Nowadays, dream chasers are resurrected. like a phoenix from the ashes of the sixties. Only the daydreamers now armed with business acumen…”
2001 - A real company
Publications
September 2001
“Dreaming of Loyal Employees” – Automation Guide –
“After an initial selection, Questus sends the candidates to Dreamfactory, where their dreams are explored. That's less vague than it sounds. Because it concerns deep-seated wishes of potential employees, not about what they dreamed last night”.
June 2001
"Primal Pinkers and the Back Door" – Proksi (internal magazine PinkRoccade) “Marco Raad left the company to make dreams come true. Literally. Together with his best friend he founded Dreamfactory up. This Voorburg company helps make dreams come true. Although that may sound more vague than it is. An important product is the'know-what-you-want session'. Marco: 'Find out your dream, then the “realization is a matter of good project management”.
This year we will again hold a dreamfactory-open bridge drive.
Start of the U-model
The collaboration between Dreamfactory and Jan Willem becomes more structurally with DTO as a major client. Together we provide team coaching and We offer a training course entitled “The Winning Offer”. A training aimed at writing as few quotations as possible by the way. But still the client wanted to keep that name Keep. Fun training sessions, which formed the basis for the U-model (structurally find out what the question behind the question is, and then (solution to create).
2000 - The second year ...
One of the first services: The Know-What-You-Want Session
We've really hit the ground running. Our own product, the Know-What-You-Want The session is underway. Marketing was still a point of attention. Last year we called it “morpeo analysis” but that wasn't the case exactly what we wanted with it.
Future partners start their own business
During a board meeting, Jan Willem flips the agenda and starts writing frantically. He comes up with his own dream on the spot. He's done everything he wants at PinkRoccade, but he's less enthusiastic about being a managing consultant at a listed company.
Too many lease car forms and SAP. Not enough attention for customers and employees. So, in 2000, he started his own business under the name "Toplicht Advies", named after his student house in Groningen. Training and
Coaching. And from the start often in collaboration with Dreamfactory.
His wife followed shortly after. Anique van den Brink was one of the first customers of DreamfactoryWith the help of the dream manufacturers, she is setting up her own business this year: PuraVida. Spanish for Pure Life. First
It's about astrology. But soon after, she focuses on communication training, and horoscope requests are politely but firmly forwarded to the network.
Own bridge tournament
Considering the hobbies of the gentlemen, we have been keeping it for a number of years Dreamfactory Bridge tournament
management team
"Dreamfactory makes dreams come true”.
“Always wanted to start your own business? Stop daydreaming and let Dreamfactory find out if your dream can come true.”
Management Team
1999 - Commissioners and first employee
Commissioners
As stated in the business plan, the first supervisory board will be installed in February. It's not a legal requirement, but rather a Council of Experts, who provide solicited and unsolicited advice, and with whom the management meets a few times a year to provide a reflection. The first supervisory board members are:
- Commissioner Jan van Os, Maarten's father
- Commissioner Danny Jolink, a former manager of Marco
- Supervisory Board: Jan Willem van den Brink, former colleague and mentor of Marco.
White WaveDesign logo
Ellen, Maarten's sister, designed our first logo. The factory where dreams go in and results emerge.
In the media
- Dreams no longer deceitful Dreamfactory – Voorburgsche Courant … Do they still have any dreams to fulfill? Raad: “This company is our biggest dream. We are very proud that our dream has at least come true.”
- Dreamfactory helps dreams come true – Voorburgse Krantje .. Dreamfactory"Helps others realize their dreams," Maarten explains. "It doesn't matter what kind of dream. Because everyone has one. When someone walks in here, we start with a free intake interview. We try to determine if they actually have a dream. We deliberately chose the word 'dream' because it can also be a wish. The difference is that people are much more motivated to make a dream come true."
- Dreams become reality by Dreamfactory” – Haagsch Nieuwsblad People who dreamed at night that they were chased by a giant banana in a metro tunnel do not have to report to the police the next morning. Dreamfactory to join. Daydreaming, that's what it's all about in the former bakery on Prinses Mariannelaan in Voorburg.
The first employee - Margreet
Following the first articles, the phone rings. Margreet Tybout calls. She has a dream: to work for DreamfactoryIt clicked, so Margreet became the first employee to be hired as a secretary.
Networking and first customers
1998 and early days 1999 - Prelude: The Origin of Dreamfactory
Two friends from high school
Maarten and Marco know each other from high school. Friends from the same class. During their studies, they went in different directions. Marco studies economics in Rotterdam and Maarten chemistry in Delft. But their friendship grows, as does their ability to stimulate each other in solving the world's problems during late-night sessions. When they both start working—Maarten as an entrepreneur and Marco as an IT consultant—they continue to explore the meaning of life.
In a cold hut
On Boxing Day 1998, Maarten and Marco met. They had both been thinking about starting their own business together over Christmas. They wanted to come up with a plan as soon as possible. The first option was January 4th and 5th. An acquaintance of a friend knows of a small house in a hamlet somewhere in Brabant, nestled on a pond at the edge of a forest. It's quiet, and except for two do-gooders and two crates of beer, there's no one around. No TV, but there is a wood-burning stove. And it's very cold.
Besides walks (to warm up), there's also a lot of wood chopping (to warm up). There's also a large supply of Grolsch. There they decide to share their ideas about helping people in the to put into practice. They choose to Dreamfactory to start.
At the end of the afternoon they draw up a simple contract and drive straight to the Chamber of Commerce. Dreamfactory was founded.
"You guys are crazy"
This evokes all kinds of emotions among friends and acquaintances, ranging from "cool" and "you're crazy" and "you can't make a living with that" and “what a cool name” to “now we have to move because we can no longer pay the mortgage”.
