CV
Ben Steenstra
Ben Steenstra (1973)
Entrepreneur, Author, Executive Coach and Public Speaker
As an author, I have a passion for writing articles and books about the balance between doing good and excelling in a certain field of expertise. This involves writing about how to create strategic business plans and how to begin a startup, as well as topics about the mindset of an entrepreneur. In my writing, I always try to bring across my experience of starting multiple businesses myself, and my background in neurosemantics and executive coaching.
As an entrepreneur with skills in the fields of strategy, on- and offline marketing, communication, and development, I, together with the Mindd team, contribute to a more future-friendly world. With every project, we try to find and realize something that not only achieves the desired commercial results but also adds value to people, society, and/or their environment. We help international enterprises and startups with our strategic insights and creative and swift execution.
I also use my skills and experience to guide other entrepreneurs and teams to get the best out of themselves and/or their businesses and to let what deserves sunlight grow and flourish. Usually, this is through disruptive business plans or ideas, but sometimes through team sessions.
As an executive coach, I help entrepreneurs or senior management to face challenges in business and private life and become a better version of themselves.
As a public speaker, I talk about topics like entrepreneurship in general, how to start a startup, Meaningful Profit, and my own turbulent journey to achieve a Meaningful Profit company.
What makes my work different?
I am extremely curious and disruptive, do not shy away from challenges, and dare to explore boundaries, always maintaining a balance between doing good and being good at something. Meaningfulness is what drives me, but achieving results is where I derive satisfaction. This applies both to business, writing, and coaching.
Work experience
| Become Damn Good | : | Co-founder – Blog/Knowledge platform |
| Mindd | : | Co-founder – Strategy, online and offline marketing & communication |
| TheONE | : | Co-founder – Video calling platform active in 154 countries |
| Proudly Open Minded | : | Co-founder – NGO |
| EcoWiser | : | Co-founder – Minimize the impact on the environment with your business |
| WeBellen | : | Co-founder – Telecom Company |
| Quince | : | Founder – International advertising & event agency including software department with offices in Amsterdam, Budapest, and Jakarta. |
Worked for customers among others:
Samsung, HTC, LG, Nokia, Philips, Apple, Schiphol, KPN, T-Mobile, Media Markt, Whirlpool, Bauknecht, Dixons, Tech Data….
Books
| 2011 | : | Ik ben niet alleen op de wereld, een beetje reclame voor zingeving. (nominated as management book of the year) |
| 2023 | : | Start Giving a Damn; Do Good, Become Better Yourself |
| 2023 | : | A Damn Good Business, Make Good Money Meaningfully |
Some recommendations
Michel Brands
Sometimes in your life, there comes a time when everything in life is dark gray or maybe even black. The “concept” of Ben’s multi-day coaching made a deep impression on me. The combination of healthy food, sports and mental coaching, and friendly conversations made it complete for me. I’ve seen a lot of parts come along, NLP, and neurosemantics. It brought insights into myself that I had lost along the way. It gave me back the energy and motivation to be who I am and made me decide to start a new business. And “enterprise” I mean in the broadest sense of the word, so also in being “human”. Thx Ben!
Jord Drontmann
Business Developer & projectmanager at UEB | Co-Founder & Executive Director at Diyalo Foundation | BSc Entrapreneurship & Innovation / Commercial Technical EngineerBusiness Developer & projectmanager at UEB | Co-Founder & Executive Director at Diyalo
Ben has been able in a very impressive way to help us (Diyalo Foundation) with answering our main question what is our proposition based on our BIG WHY? We have been working with him during brainstorming sessions with excellent guidance & coaching to align the whole team! Thanks a lot once again.
Zita Dusa
Digital Strategy & Campaigns | Lead Generation & Paid Advertising through Goal-Driven Content | | Copywriter EN
Forever grateful for personal coaching of Ben. We did an intensive coaching program during a time when I felt completely stuck on a personal and professional level in life. At this time traditional self-help or psychology didn’t help. Ben helped me to open my mind to think and act in drastically different ways and to be able to bring back my power over my life after feeling helpless in my situation for too long. If you want results and aren’t afraid to confront yourself, then get ready for a better life.
Bas de Jong
Event branding specialist bij Brandyourevent
Once you’ve worked with Ben, you’ll ALWAYS remember him, in the most positive sense imaginable. He’ll get the best out of you, your team, and even your suppliers. His subtle ways make you run faster, do better, and achieve more than you would have thought to be able to. I knew Ben before, during, and after his life-changing process. Read his books as well and acknowledge his statement that he WAS a ‘reclamelul’ and has changed into someone that matters.
Stijn van Balen
Data, IT, Impact
Ben combines the ability to quickly analyze situations with the discipline to delay judgment. This modus and his years of experience make him a very special sparring partner.
Carl Lens
Head of Digital Regreening at Justdiggit
Decisive, radical, profound, and immensely driven to reach ‘the next level’. Ben instilled in me the courage to make one of the biggest choices of my career. I grant teams and people with underutilized entrepreneurial skills Ben. Decisive, radical, profound, and hugely driven to reach ‘the next level’. Ben instilled in me the courage to make one of the biggest choices of my career. I begrudge teams and people with underutilized entrepreneurial savvy Ben.
Guido Braam
Co-owner Powered by Meaning group, Founder Route Circular, Make participations, Buildings that matter, Circular pioneer, entrepreneur, investor, volunteer.
Normally I don’t do recommendations spontaneously, but I like to make an exception for Ben Steenstra. If you have a question on what you genuinely want, for you as a person or with your company, you need to call Ben. Do not mistake his approach for a marketing/ positioning method. It is beyond that. Ben helps you to explain your true beliefs and what really drives you and he has the ability to translate this in words that everyone will understand and in strategic goals. The meaningful cooperation between Ben en I will continue and I can advise you to get in contact with him.
Nicci Severens
SEO & content specialist
Ben has been exceptional in helping me A. To find out the reason why I was emotionally stuck. B. Let me understand my problems on my own and solve them by means of a neuro-semantic approach. After years in the regular program of psychology in the Netherlands, during which I did not feel heard and was sent from pillar to post, with incorrect diagnoses being made, Ben’s intensive approach in a homely setting was a relief and the way I could finally move on. It wasn’t easy, confrontational, and intense but it gave me the insights I needed to make lasting changes. As a result, I am now a lot more balanced and permanently happier in life.