Maarten Schafer

I'm cycling through Amsterdam’s historic centre, a UNESCO world heritage site and an enduring testimony to the city’s rich history. During the Golden Age in the 17th century, Amsterdam’s port was at the centre of a global trade network, with ships sailing to Asia, Africa, Brazil and the Americas, and merchants trading goods across Europe. I pass in front of Paradiso, the iconic rock music venue where bands like The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, The Cure, Nirvana performed, but also more recently Lenny Kravitz and Amy Winehouse. Along with the nearby Milky Way, it became synonymous with the hippie counterculture and the rock music of the seventies. I turn right and then left and I cycle on the Prinsengracht, one of main canals, where warehouses built in the 17th century are still in good shape. Much has changed since then: in those days merchants travelling to Brazil were away for months, maybe even years. Today, businessmen fly to São Paulo and are back in the polder within...

We are sailing in the Gulf of Aden towards Djibouti. Our captain, Maurizio, who  is a barista in his spare time, is standing behind his espresso machine preparing a caffé latte macchiato.  Suddenly the calm is disturbed by one of the crew: “Whale shark!”  Leaning over the rail of the 38-metre schooner, we scan the water’s surfacebut can see nothing but waves. “Whale shark!” the sailor calls out again and gestures towards the waves. Suddenly we see part of a tail fin emerging above the surface, slowly cutting through the water. We abandon our coffee and upon Maurizio’s directions I get into the Zodiac with my underwater cameras and our snorkeling gear.  The sailor takes us to the place where we spotted the whale shark last. “There he is!” the sailor exclaims and we see a shadow disappear under the boat. I put on my diving mask, bite on the snorkel and spend a few seconds considering whether it is a good idea to get into the water with...

"Over 60% of people never  Google themselves , but colleagues, potential partners or clients certainly will. People are already talking about you, either online or offline."   Your name has started popping up in search engines, blogs and on social networks. This can be both beneficial or harmful depending on the context. What are the things that come up? Your achievements, things that you’re proud of? Or are they irrelevant and and outdated? Or is there nothing at all? The viral nature of the internet should encourage you to start listening in on what people are saying about you. Negative mentions will spread fast unless you keep your ear close to the web, so I recommend you setup a Google alert for your name. The best way to build a strong personal brand is to give people something to talk about, creating talk value. On the other hand, over-self-promotion is not a good option either. There is another option… ‘storytelling’. You can write your story in ...

I’m cycling through Amsterdam’s historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an enduring testimony to the city’s rich history. During the Golden Age in the 17th century, Amsterdam’s port was at the centre of a global trade network, with ships sailing to Asia, Africa, the Americas, and merchants trading goods across Europe. In this city of openness to the world, I was born and raised. This might have triggered in me the openness to experience, which involves active imagination, aesthetic sensitivity,  preference for variety and intellectual curiosity. I pass in front of Paradiso, the iconic rock music venue where bands like The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, The Cure and Nirvana performed. Along with the nearby Milky Way, it became synonymous with the hippie counterculture and the rock music of the ‘70s. This is all part of my childhood scenery and part of who I am now, influenced by the rebellious movement of  rock and the ideology of flower-power. I turn right and th...