Since we started Sweav in 2022, we are breaking record after record. We established product market fit with a lot of potential in the market and went from start-up to serious business. Now the next question is, how do we grow in a better, more sustainable and faster way?
Long story short, Rob Wiggelinkhuizen joined the team. He is a former partner at SparkOptimus and once started his career at Rocket Internet. We wondered, why did he join Sweav’s management team, what is his plan as Chief Growth & Product Officer and what are his secrets to establish sky high growth?
When I started at Sparkoptimus as a consultant I never expected to stay for 10 years. My goal was to gain experience in consultancy for two years and go back to Rocket Internet, where I started as an intern and stayed after graduating from Business Studies in Amsterdam.
Rocket incubates and scales internet-based businesses like Zalando, HelloFresh, and SumUp. I think this is where my hunger for growth comes from. Rocket’s model involves replicating successful startups, hiring top-tier talent, and pushing for exponential weekly growth. While I eventually joined the management team of one of their ventures in Berlin, I realized my profile wasn’t ideal for advancing further.
So, that is when I applied at SparkOptimus, a leading digital consultancy firm in Amsterdam. In the early days at Spark, I sometimes wondered, “was it the right move?” But the vibes were vibrant and fun, and I discovered I had a knack for the work. When you find yourself in a good flow, it’s easy to get caught up and stay the course: the work was fulfilling, the people were great, and the compensation was rewarding.
I truly saw myself as a “Sparkie”. At some point I also became partner and COO thanks to a combination of hard work, deep involvement in the firm and some good fortune, including the privilege of working with interesting clients.
What started as a short-term plan turned into a decade of valuable experience and development. With over 100 different projects across ten countries, I learned more than I expected.
Typically once a year, every consultant wonders: “Is this still the right place for me?” After years of tackling similar projects and issues, I started feeling my energy diminish. My girlfriend was pregnant with our second daughter and my oldest just turned two. So, it seemed to be the perfect moment to jump and make time for my family while thinking about the direction I wanted my life to take. I resigned and we took off to New Zealand, Fiji and Tokyo. Initially, it felt a bit overwhelming to focus solely on finding the next beautiful beach, mountain and/or coconut. But as time passed, I started to unwind and returned home fully recharged, though still with the unanswered question of what my next role would be…
To give myself time, I started freelancing and joined Sweav. I supported JASA in updating their strategy and business plan; a welcome change after digital consulting, and did a project at Infinitas Learning related to the impact of Generative AI. I really enjoyed that I could work on my own terms and spend a lot of time with my family in the period my second daughter was born.
And just when I thought this freelance life suited me, Joeri and Thijmen asked me if I wanted to join Sweav…
Sweav holds lots of potential. From my time at SparkOptimus I could see the value of the proposition for clients, especially for mid-markets companies that typically do not have the funds for larger consultancy projects. Similarly, they have a strong proposition towards both existing freelancers and potential new ones, providing a ‘soft landing’. Also, with Sweav in its “rocket-like” phase, it’s reigniting my passion for growth.
At SparkOptimus, I worked a lot with Joeri and Thijmen. We did a six-month project at an iconic coffee brand, best summarised as “work hard, play hard”. I’ve played countless soccer matches with Thijmen, and in the summer of 2019, Joeri and I collaborated on another project in São Paulo which further strengthened our bond. So, also on a personal level there was a match as well.
Thus, 1+1 = Sweav.
My goal as Chief Product and Growth officer is to grow faster and better, doubling in the next 12 months. With a focus on sales operations, marketing and product, I will effectively set up and structure Sweav and create more space for Joeri and Thijmen to focus on other growth opportunities.
First of all, excitement. This will give you the energy and drive to go all in, essential for achieving exponential growth. If you find yourself losing enthusiasm for your product, colleagues or clients, it will diminish your energy, effectiveness and happiness. That is the time to make a move.
In addition, you need freedom. Freedom to experiment, hire new people, kill darlings and operate on your own terms. For example, my most productive hours are not mainstream; you shouldn’t be surprised if you receive an email from me at a random moment during the weekend, excluding the expectation of immediate reply of course.
Finally, speed is more important than perfection in accelerating a company. I like to energize my team by emphasizing keeping speed high, inspiring us to pick up the pace and push beyond our own expectations limits. This accelerates progress and pushes us to achieve more than we thought possible.
