Every company has to do lead generation. The basis of all business is a good relationship. Mark and his team in Lead Generation create name recognition and make a good impression on the companies that they approach.

Where do you come from?
I grew up in Bovenkaspel and Grootebroeck. After high school, I went to Amsterdam to study Civil Engineering and Business, with a focus on project management. I lived for a year in Haarlem, after which I found a place to live in Amsterdam.

How did you end up at Tricycle-Europe?
During my studies, I worked as a telemarketer with Tricycle-Europe. When I graduated, Tricycle was just entering into a partnership with Microsoft. The directors were no longer able to give their full attention to lead generation. They could have hired someone from outside, but they approached me to take on the leadership of Lead Generation. A fantastic opportunity.

No soul searching on a mountaintop or changing majors?
No, I never reached that point where many students hit a wall after or even during their studies. I am very happy about that, that it has all gone so smoothly. I’ve been lucky. And of course the fact that I moved from a side job to a position like this is not something I would ever have expected when I started.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?
I actually run a small company within a large company, and because of that I have a great deal of freedom and ample opportunities. It’s fun to hire people, to manage the team, but also to work with them. And communicating with the clients. We have a good number of regular clients, and it’s great fun to be able to talk with each other on a professional level, while it’s quite informal. When you manage to build up trust, you often almost become friends with your clients. That makes your work more enjoyable and more successful.

How do you find the responsibility?
I make sure that it stays challenging and that I always keep building, instead of just cruising along. In the first year, I had a great deal to learn and to discover. I found out that as soon as I’ve mastered something, there is already something else new to develop and learn. Learning includes falling down and picking yourself up again. I think that when you have responsibilities, you have to fulfill them.

The most difficult thing about your position?
Letting people go, for example, is never fun. And sometimes you are faced with unexpected situations, when you think that everything is fine, but a fire starts up somewhere, and you have to put that out. Then you have to be creative. We work in a landscape here where things can change quickly.

Do you have a tip for people starting out in commerce?
Keep trying things out. Have courage. You always have to look for new ways to get better. That’s the only way you can keep developing. Keep your eyes open, because often people do not see the opportunities, even though they’re there. I manage based on those things. It’s important to be in contact with your market when you are trying to create business.
People have to know you, and hear about you, and it’s important to invest in your marketing, but you never know in advance whether the message you’re sending rings a bell for the customer. That’s why we always do a pilot first, to see whether or not what we have in mind will work.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
No idea, because I’m not going to make any long-term plans right now. So much can change suddenly in your environment, but also in yourself. I do want to be a few steps further along in five years, personally and professionally. Always keep moving forward.