The story of Marvin

Figuring It Out as I GoMy name is Marvin, I’m 32 years old and I work at Pionect in Amsterdam. I live in Utrecht with my wife and our two dogs. My role right now is a mix of operations, project management, strategy and increasingly, customer happiness. I’ve always liked solving problems and being creative, so that’s what I get to do every day. But I didn’t land here with a clear five-year plan. Far from it. 
After high school, I thought I’d try studying physiotherapy. That lasted six months. Way too many books. I’ve never been someone who learns well by reading, I need to do, build, and try things. After that, I spent a few months working at a summer camp in England. It helped me figure myself out a bit. When I got back, I enrolled in Communication and Multimedia Design at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam. That was way more my thing: 80% hands-on, barely any theory. This is also where I met my wife, we were in the same class together. Fast forward a few years and we are happily married.

The Entrepreneur YearsDuring that study, I followed the minor entrepreneurship. The setup was simple: build a business in six months and get graded on the success of it. Literally just that, make it work. We ended up winning the title of ‘best business’ out of the whole group, and that gave me the confidence to keep going.
Right after graduation, we continued with the agency. We didn’t even have a developer at first, so we built our first few websites with WordPress. Menno and I started the business and shortly after Sem (a good friend of mine) joined as well. That’s how we started Avocado Media, and a few years later we rebranded it to Clarity. That name felt more aligned with who we were and how we worked. We built it up for nine years, hired our first developers, hit revenue goals, and built a culture we were proud of.

Making the Jump to PionectLast year, we started talking to Egbert from Pionect. We were in touch with a few companies, but his vision made the most sense to us, especially the idea of opening a second office in Amsterdam. We could stay close to our clients, keep the momentum going, and become part of something bigger. So he took over some clients and our office, and I joined Pionect in a management role at the start of this year.
The shift from running your own business to working in someone else’s is real. Not in a bad way, just different. You’re used to calling all the shots, and now you’re part of a bigger team. But I’ve found my rhythm. I still get a lot of freedom to contribute ideas and shape things, which is important to me. At first, I focused a lot on internal operations, but now I’m putting more time into customer success: how to keep clients happy long after a project ends.
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How I WorkI learn best by doing. Not from manuals or thick books, but by diving in and figuring things out as I go. That’s how I pick things up quickly; by trying, asking questions, making mistakes, and adjusting. It’s no different at Pionect. I learn from talking to developers, clients and colleagues. That hands-on approach works better for me than any traditional method. 
To do what I do, I think you need a few key things. You need drive to improve things, not just maintain them. You need to be able to communicate clearly and listen properly. And you need people skills. I enjoy being around others, which is why I still go to our Rotterdam office once a week even though I’m Amsterdam-based. It keeps me grounded in the company.
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Looking AheadI’m proud of many things like building Clarity from the ground up, rebranding it into something that truly reflected who we were and eventually closing that chapter in a way that felt right. Clients were looked after, employees were paid, and we didn’t leave any loose ends. I believe how you finish something is just as important as how you start it.
Now at Pionect, I’m excited about what’s ahead. We’re growing the Pionect Amsterdam team and my goal is for the two offices to feel fully connected over time, not just ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Rotterdam’, but one Pionect team. That’ll take effort (and probably a few team days, barbecues and regular meetups), but I truly believe in it. Culture doesn’t build itself.

Life Outside WorkOutside the office, I’m training for a half marathon in November. I just ran my first 10k under an hour, which felt good. I swim weekly, I like gardening, I love my dogs and I’m really into craft beers. I’ve logged over 1,400 different ones on an app called Untappd. We do tastings with friends now and then, usually paired with a good board game or just hanging out. 
Our six-week honeymoon in Japan was one of the highlights of my life. I planned every detail; from the cities we’d visit to the travel routes and activities. It was the perfect blend of amazing food, kind people, breathtaking landscapes and a culture unlike any other. That trip reminded me why I love structure, but also how important it is to leave space for the unexpected. I also love hosting and organizing events to create fun, lasting memories for the people around me. Whether they’re friends, colleagues or clients. That’s what it’s really about for me: making people happy.