Who's George? What I believe in

Everything I do is about enabling people to look at the world with eyes full of curiosity. To get to a point where we can be aware of our assumptions and look with open eyes. To postpone our judgement and remember that everyone's actions make sense to them. What can we learn when we try to understand somebody else's actions from their perspective?

What would the world be like when we would act from a mindset of curiosity and a place of abundance and understanding? Studio George was born from this question. I have a desire to create a better - and frankly a happier - world by inspiring people to be curious. And enabling people to create that space between observation and reaction.

Google Curious+George and you'll even understand what that monkey is doing here.

 
“Be in curiosity. Don’t let expectations blindfold you. Open your eyes.

Wander through this world. Observe what’s happening. Listen. Take pause.

Create space. Explore the unknown. Smile at what you don’t understand.

Be in curiosity. And don’t take yourself so fucking seriously.”
— me
 

What I do

I help creative entrepreneurs get as smart about their business strategy as they are geniuses in their craft. To get clarity on what it is they want to accomplish and help them develop a plan.

That takes the form of training or coaching. Sometimes it's writing. Sometimes it's starting a community of learners. And often it's reading, listening and asking questions.

So contact me for:

  1. Business Coaching for creative and impact entrepreneurs. I'd be happy to coach you personally on tough decisions, developing a strategy and compass.

  2. Interested in joining a Club met Peren, an mastermind for impact entrepreneurs: 6-10 of your peers get together monthly to help each other with challenges and growth.

  3. Running a place where entrepreneurs gather and want to do something to help their entrepreneurial power? I’ve hosted training programs for the ImpactHub Amsterdam, Art-Up and De Stadstuin Utrecht. Interested?

  4. And of course, you can just hang out here and browse for inspiration. Perhaps through:

    1. De Gebakken Peren Podcast,

    2. My blog and my favorite things;

    3. Download the Hourly Rate Calculator to learn to ask better rates;

    4. When you want to make this official -> subscribe for Shots of Strategy to get a weekly insight to grow your capacity to run your business better.

Who I surround myself with

It's often said you're the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Luckily I surround myself with amazing people. A group of mates on my entrepreneurial journey in Gijs, Joost, Mara, Marc & Marien.

I hold office In De Vechtclub XL, within the office of the fabulous Studio Moan. Before that I was located in De Stadstuin Utrecht and Hooghiemstra.

I'm part of a vast network of Art of Hosting practitioners and a community of givers in KULA. And I'm always in different projects where I work with a lot of people that inspire me.

Just look at that beautiful face ;)

 
 

But but but. A résumé?

Oh yeah, résumé stuff! To give you an idea of what I've done and how I've ended up where I am.

I studied physics (MSc in Utrecht, 2007), circled the globe travelling, worked at a prestigious strategy consulting firm for the public sector (Andersson Elffers Felix) for three years (2010-13).

I co-started a university (De Universiteit) in 2011, and was involved in launching a gap year program (Breekjaar) in 2013. In 2016-17, co-ran Knowmads (a creative business school that educates change makers) and coaching student on their creative projects. In 2018-20, I've co-initiated Wilson.

Have been hosting workshops and conversations professionally since 2012. I’ve organised and followed about 300 workshops and trainings with thousands of participants. 

I've been running my own business under the moniker Studio George since 2013. Started blogging and organising my first strategy sessions in 2015.

The last few years, I’ve been or am the trainer in some of the best programs for entrepreneurship in the country: the Business Model Challenge, Food Pioneers Program, Boost je Buurt Program with ImpactHub Amsterdam, Leergang Social Ondernemen of the Utrecht University, the ArtUp Incubator, Cultuur Innovatiefonds Provincie Utrecht, and De Stadstuin Werkspoorfabriek.

In 2014, I started "sort of coaching" (or more precisely: listening and asking questions from curiosity). In 2022, to learn to direcet my experience more effectively, I’ve gotten a formal coaching education (The Art of Developmental Coaching and following that up with The Power of Embodied Transformation)

All in all, I’ve organised and facilitated about 400 workshops with thousands of participants. Specifically, I’ve coached or trained about 500 creative and impact entrepreneurs.

For a more comprehensive list of everything I've done, check out my Linkedin-profile.