AABC Blog

By Carol P. Govaert, Magpeye Photography My story starts in Assen where I used to live 8 years ago. We lived there 5 years and eventually my husband switched jobs. It required a lot of travel and we figured out pretty quickly that we needed to be near an international airport. He proposed a deal. If I could find a job in Amsterdam that would cover our mortgage until we sold our home, we could move. I immediately went into action mode. The first person I thought of contacting was Charles Ruffolo (Ruf), The Networking King. At this time, he was also the President of the AABC. Ruf said he would help me if I would fill the position for events in the AABC. I agreed. Two weeks later I had a job with T & A Relocation Services, I was a board member of the AABC; where I had never attended an event, and a month later we were living in Amsterdam. Phew! The AABC gave me a warm welcome and then I was initiated into the club by planning one of the biggest events in less than 3 months: Election Night 2008. As it happens in life, two years after joining the AABC my life went through many strange and unexpected changes, which pushed me into another direction. One of the decisions I made was to study photography at the Fotoacademie in Amsterdam. During my studies, the only ties I had to the outside world were managing the events at the AABC. Eventually I started Magpeye Photography. I reached out to John Milhado, a long time member and supporter of the AABC, from Color Business Center. He graciously agreed to host the launch of Magpeye with an exhibition of my work during an AABC “borrel”. Dennis Cowles, the AABC Chairman and owner of Dynamic Cooking, supplied the deIicious finger food. While planning the exhibition I was introduced to my agent, Loes Kok from Bullcreative, through Color Business Center. Now I was open for business, a friend and fellow board member, Neifor Acosta asked me what was my specialty. I proceeded to explain to him, which in my mind was clear and concise. He told me he had no idea what I was talking about because the explanation was too technical. Neifor said, “Carol, you need to work on your elevator pitch.” One morning I woke up and I knew what it was. I specialize in the 3 C’s: Creative, Commercial and Community.

• Creative works gives me the freedom to explore and experiment.
• Commercial work is where my business background comes into play.
• Community work is teaching photography to children and working on The Visible Project.

The moral of my story is that because of the AABC I have met interesting people, made useful contacts, and have made many friends. Just like anything in life, you reap what you sow. Visit Magpeye Photography Check the blog for more information on The Visible Project. Share this article:

By Albert Both, Dutch Flow Now Doing business in English is a bit easier than in Dutch in one specific sense. You can just call your customer you and that is it. But Dutch (like many other languages) is a bit more complex. In Dutch you can choose between two words, jij or u. Which one do you think is best to use? Most books and language courses will tell you this: always use u, because then you show more respect. If you say u, then you create more distance and this is a very polite thing to do. Jij is something you say to people that are younger than you, your friends and children and why not, also your pets. When you say u, it means that you are a serious person now. Yes, it is true that in many official situations people will call you u. All the banks do it and if you get a letter from the gemeente (municipality) or belastingdienst (tax office), then you’ll certainly see that they always call you u.

Sometimes u is less positive than you might expect

But here is the thing, although it looks very formal and official, not every company chooses to use the word u. Many companies such as Ikea or Hema would rather use the word jij. Somehow, they like to suggest that they are a good friend. They would certainly like to help you to make your life nicer and of course, they have a lot of suggestions (all the things that you could buy from them) and then, it feels that if they can speak to you with jij, then the relation gets more intimate. It feels more like friendship. Real friends trust each other, you would always listen to a friend, right? This is exactly why many companies deliberately choose to use jij instead of u. Here is another thing, what do you notice if you get letters from the belastingdienst (tax office) or gemeente (municipality)? Sure, they politely call you u, but often there is something unpleasant attached to it. Often, there is something that you need to pay. Official institutions do things that normally would end a personal friendship!

One mistake that many Dutch entrepreneurs make

The decision whether you call people u or jij is an important decision. First of all, it has to match with your personality. If you see yourself as formal and official then u might be the right choice for you. But if you see yourself as dynamic, easily approachable, friendly and casual then jij can be a very wise choice. Here is one important warning however, you have to be consistent! First of all, once you have started to call another person jij it is quite ‘insulting’ to call a person u again. It simply means that somehow you forgot about your friendship or you clearly show that you don’t remember this person any more! Yes, it could certainly lead to embarrassing situations. Therefore, if you call some people jij and other people u, then you must have a good memory! My memory is not so good, so for me it feels a lot saver to call everyone jij. Here is another mistake that also many Dutch people make. Many Dutch people prefer to say jij, because it is more easy-going and certainly if you want to connect with new people it is a great way to connect a lot faster. But once they send invoices or other official stuff, then sometimes all of a sudden they switch over to u. One of my designers for example used to call me geachte heer Both when she sent invoices and somehow, it was confusing and distracting. Therefore, if you call a person jij while doing business, then do not switch over to u if you send invoices for example. You do not want to come across as a schizophrenic person! Say: ik heb je betaling ontvangen, instead of ik heb uw betaling ontvangen if you'd like to mention that you received the payment. This is also very important if you have a webshop. If you share your tips and trips while using jij, then don’t all of a sudden switch over to u when people need to pull their credit card. A very simple rule would be the tie rule. Would you wear a tie while doing business? (If you are a woman just imagine something else that looks neat and sophisticated.) Then u could be a wise choice. But if your outlook is more casual or creative, then jij could be the right thing to say. Then of course, some companies people might be flexible. While they call each other jij all the time, all of a sudden, in very official meetings they may switch over to u, only during this meeting. But the good thing is that you’ll notice this quite easily. Just listen to what other people say. Last but not least, for networking, just make your own choice. Jij might be the right thing to say for you, because it will make you more approachable. Saying jij to a person may certainly mean that you respect the person that you are talking with, because somehow you clearly show that it is okay to move closer. So here is a question: what word have you been using so far? U or jij? To discover more go to talencoach.nl or dutchflownow.nl Share this article:

By Veronica Guguian, Marketing and Business Development Consultant Photo: Carol Padula Govaert, Magpeye Photography As the poet John Donne said: No man is an island. We are social beings in need of interaction with other people. We need to feel accepted and to feel we belong to something. This rule applies to personal life, as well as business life. According to Wikipedia, networking is “a socioeconomic business activity by which business people and entrepreneurs meet to form business relationships and to recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities, share information and seek potential partners for ventures”. In other words, networking is market research. You go to events, meet new people, analyze if their skills and ideas can be useful for your next venture, while also taking a peek into what your competitors are doing and seeing what opportunities are there for you. People do business with people. This why it is so important to go and meet them face to face. The next person you meet could become your client or even your business partner. With this in mind, you would expect to see a constant flow of new people and new startups coming to networking events. And there are so many events you can choose from, especially in Amsterdam. For me, the challenge is to choose from the multitude of invites that flow into my inbox every day. However, in reality, you tend to see the same faces at most events. From time to time you see new ones, and it’s so refreshing! However, the majority of new faces do not stick to it. Don’t get me wrong, I know it is not easy to do so. You need to invest time, energy and money into networking and you will not see results straight away. If you want to see return on your investment, you need to be constant. This could not match all personalities, but personally, I love networking. It is a great way to catch-up with your business contacts and friends (yes, a lot of them became my friends), meet new people, learn about new opportunities and, the best reason of all: to practice your pitch. Every single time you meet someone new at a networking event, you need to introduce your company and what you do. And you have less then 30 seconds to grab the attention of the other person and get him/her interested in your organization. But the good news is that every single time you present yourself, you practice and your pitch becomes better. Every question asked after your pitch, it’s a feedback that will help you improve the way you present yourself and your company. We all know that repetition is the only way to make it perfect. So, even if you are an introverted and socializing with new people means going out of your comfort zone, sometimes it is worth doing it. Just keep in mind the end goal. A word of advice, these events are the perfect place to meet people and practice your pitch, however, keep in mind it is not the place where business will be decided or papers signed. In order to achieve that, you need to make the effort to follow-up with the people you met. My hope? To see more new people and learn about new businesses during my networking event. So, when you see me at one of the networking events, come and practice your pitch! Share this article:

By Stephanie Ward, Firefly Coaching Are you using video as one of your marketing strategies to grow your business? If not, I want to help you get started. I have a challenge for you, watch this short video (less than 2 minutes) to find out more.

Here are four ways you can use video in your business.

1. You as a ‘talking head’ sharing valuable information that the people in your community can use is a great way to connect with people because they can see you and experience you. It’s the next best thing to speaking ‘live’ in person.
2. You can interview experts that provide information relevant to your audience.
3. Websites can be overwhelming and sometimes you don’t know where to start. A short video that provides an overview or tour of the website will help visitors know what’s available and where to go next.
4. Ask your clients if they would be willing to record a short video about their experience with your business. It’s great exposure for your clients as well. You can also ask attendees of your talks or workshops to give their video feedback after the program.

© Stephanie Ward Share this article:

By Petra Benach, PetraBenach.com Photo: Silvia Falcomer Photography I have had a couple of opportunities in the last year to speak at local networking events here in Amsterdam. At my last talk for Creative Mornings, I touched upon the topic personal development – it lasted about 30 minutes and you can watch it here. Personal development has always been a popular topic. My social media channels are always filled with messages about the importance of finding your true self and all the benefits that come from doing it. It’s easy to dismiss these typed words over the image of a perfect sunset as just all around cheesy, but when I explore the importance of really being your own best friend, it’s hard to deny that investing in personal development is incredibly smart. Let’s first examine what personal development is all about. To do that I am going to use Humanistic Psychology, which theorizes that we humans are all here to grow, change and strive to be the best people we can be. Some conditions apply – just take a look at Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In Maslow’s theory, to be the best people we can be, we need to have a few things taken care of, like physical health and safety. When we can get these layers under us we can become self-actualized – with a true awareness of our selves and others, acceptance, confidence and self esteem. This level of self-involvement is critical is because of the way our personal attributes run through all aspects on our road of life. On this road of life most of us have a feeling that our life progresses forward, we mature, get jobs and mostly move ahead, just look at who you were five years ago. Now we have multiple roads all leading us in a direction, and we’re traveling on all of them at the same time. There’s the family road, the health road, the relationship road and definitely the business road. All of these roads are connected and intertwined. We can see this most prominently when one of the roads runs into a block. For example, when your have problems on your health road, all of your other roads feel it, things seem to grind to a halt and everything has to shift so that your energy can go to improving your health. On the positive side, when one of your roads is amazing, like that new-relationship road you just got on, all of your other roads seem to brighten and feel more positive. This is just how life seems to work.

When we view our life in this way the role of personal development becomes a bit more apparent. If Maslow was right and I take care of these levels of development and become more self aware, it means that I have learned how to become more flexible and acceptant of my self and others. If I do all that, I am a better person making that road, the personal awareness road, stronger and more at ease – and that, my friends, makes every road better. The more I know myself, the more I know that whatever road hits a block next, I will find the tools or the repair crew to work it out. Since knowing yourself is such a useful tool, how can we do it? First we must understand that we’re all incredibly unique. What works for me isn’t going to work for you. You need to find the tools you need to understand and embrace that you are different because that’s the key to accepting that your road is yours and no one else’s. One of the best ways of figuring out your special brand of you is by playing, which was the crux of my Creative Mornings talk. When we play we understand how we express things, Plato said “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” You can read all about the benefits of play as an adult here. So how do you do it? Here’s a practical guide: 1) Go to a store and check out materials. You can do this at an art store, but what’s better is a toy store with a large craft section. Here’s the best part about this step – LOOK but don’t buy – go home after you’ve checked everything out.

2) Take a day or so and see what material(s) you saw that you're still thinking about. This is about finding a material that inspires you, it’s the thing you’ll keep looking at on the shelf, once you’ve ID’d that go ahead and go back and buy it. 3) Schedule three hours of uninterrupted time, if you can't do that, learn some time management and try again OR, even better, recruit a someone to do this all with you. When we partner up with others it can keep us accountable. 4) Put your phone away and don't touch it for those three hours, if you touch it, you owe me €20 – when was the last time you consciously disconnected from media? Just try it. 5) Now for the fun part, just play with your materials – which means NO goals, NO end product, NO analysis, NO tweeting. Definitely do NOT follow the directions, do NOT judge what you do, just explore those materials and see if you can discover what is so great about them. 6) When you’re playtime is up, check in with yourself and see how you feel. Did you have fun? Take some inventory and embrace the experience. 7) Share your experience with others, recruit them for your next session or even better get your employer to sponsor a play date at work. You’d be amazed at how much closer you’ll feel to your coworkers after you’ve made macaroni art together. 8) Repeat as often as you can, but no less than once a month, schedule it and don’t compromise. Taking the time to connect with yourself through play is one of the best things you can invest in to really be a better person – you won’t regret it. If you want to come and play with me you can do it by coming to InterART at the Affordable Art Fair on Thursday 27^th and Friday 28^th of October from 4pm til close. I hope to see you there! Share this article:

The AABC's interview with Renee Nielsen: Representative for Republicans Abroad in The Netherlands

AABC: What is the role of the Republicans Abroad in the Netherlands? Renee Nielsen: The role of Republicans Abroad is to assist US citizens with voter registration and to work with our host country to help understand what the GOP stands for. [Republicans Abroad] is a soft place to fall for like-minded friendly discussion. AABC: Do you feel that the interests of Americans living abroad are being considered/addressed in the election and the US government? RN: The interests of Americans living abroad were absolutely not considered in the past. We are a neglected group of citizens because we are not a concentrated constituency. Our votes are diluted with other homeland American voters whose local issues take priority over ours as they outnumber us in the counties we are required to register our votes in. However, in this election cycle, the GOP has stepped forward and is hearing those of us living abroad. This is thanks in part to the Republicans Overseas organization with their lawsuits against the Federal Government. RO and other groups against FATCA have gotten the party leadership’s attention — including that of Reince Priebus who is chairman of the Republican National Committee. Republicans Abroad Netherlands is doing our best to promote RO’s fine work. There is congressional panel being convened to investigate FATCA and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) has recently introduced HR5935 to go even further in its assistance toward financial relief for American citizens living abroad. More information about this issue can be found at the Republicans Abroad Netherlands website, Facebook and Twitter pages. AABC: As a representative for Republicans Abroad, what are your views on the election? RN: It is an extremely unusual election and Trump is not a traditional GOP candidate in general because he is not a politician, but we do support our party’s nominee as the one to bring about change. Change for many overseas voters may be in regards to party their traditional party alliance as ordinary Americans living their lives lawfully and peacefully are fearful of the IRS and Treasury departments targeting of their private affairs and being denied bank accounts in their country of residence. Therefore, the luxury of traditional partisan voting may be "trumped" by the reality that only a GOP President is likely to sign any repeal for FATCA and establish residency-based taxation. These two crucial positions have now been established formally within the GOP platform. The Safe Harbor option being pushed as an alternative doesn't go far enough because it still requires the US citizen to fill out paperwork exempting themselves from taxes and still completely avoids the larger issue on establishing residency-based taxation. This is because Americans living abroad are being used as an easily-targeted (sometimes double-taxed!) revenue generator by the US Government — even though we already pay taxes in our countries of residence. We at RA-NL are thrilled the GOP is taking the lead on financial relief for millions of everyday Americans living ordinary lives outside the USA. The thought of waiting at least 4 or even 8 more years without resolution and relief from FATCA has transcended tradition party allegiance this election cycle based on the phone calls RA-NL is receiving. This may sound like a broken record, but it is reality. AABC: How can Americans abroad make a difference in the election? RN: Vote. The GOP has reached out to Americans living abroad and has started to hear and understand how badly we are being treated. A vote is the only way we have to voice our disapproval for policies. Unless and until they remove the vote for US citizens living outside the United States, we must make our voices heard. We as Americans abroad have the right to be considered as a constituency with our own unique issues such as FACTA and residency-based taxation. Visit fvap.gov to register to vote. "I Voted" photo credit: bludgeoner86 on Flickr Share this article:

By Marie-Claire van Poelje, Driven Sales and Support

Really busy, but also in need of new clients...

Does that look familiar? One of the ways to find new clients is by phone acquisition. Who has the guts (and the energy) to just pick up the phone and make "cold calls" to offer their products or services? Cold acquisition is a process. Some of the keys to success are: perseverance, a good elevator pitch, planning, and keeping in mind who your prospects are and why you want to do business with them!

How do I do it?

I have done several phone acquisition assignments for clients of Driven Sales and Support. The first step in this is making an adequate list of potential clients. Together with the client, you must determine which branches to approach and whether their location is important. Additionally, it is vital to know the right contact (decision maker) to talk to. I practice my elevator pitch before I pick up the phone, so I am optimally prepared to call the prospect. In my experience, it's often not possible to speak to the decision maker right away. The phone is usually answered by the "gatekeepers": receptionists, operators, secretaries, personal assistants etc. They play an important role in contacting the right person. After all, they are the ones to decide whether the phone call is of interest to their manager, the decision maker. That's why it's important to treat the gatekeepers with respect! Then, after you're put through to the right contact, the first minute of your conversation is key. Experience shows that this is when they decide whether or not to continue the conversation. One way to start is by opening with a current issue in the branch. Another possible opening is mentioning an item in the news the prospect is confronted with. If the conversation goes well and the prospect recognizes the problem, you can propose to make an appointment to talk further. Share this article:

The AABC's interview with Bob Bragar:
Immigration Attorney and Representative for Democrats Abroad in The Netherlands

September 22, 2016 De Huyschkaemer, Amsterdam AABC: What is the role of Democrats Abroad (DA) in the Netherlands? Bob Bragar: DA exists to represent Americans living outside the United States who would like to support Democratic candidates or have an affiliation with the Democratic Party. DA is technically considered a “state” within the Democratic Party. As such, we are represented as part of the Democratic National Committee, just as any other state. Our delegates cast votes at the Democratic National Convention to select the Democratic candidate for the presidency of the United States. I was elected and served as a delegate in support of President Obama back in 2008, and was a super delegate for Hillary Clinton this year. According to the State Department, there are 6-8 million Americans living outside of the United States. The Federal voting system allows for individuals not living in the United States to vote. Democrats Abroad’s core mission is to help register Americans to vote and to ensure that our voices are heard in the halls of the Congress. AABC: Do you feel that the interests of Americans living abroad are being considered/addressed in the election and U.S. government? BB: Yes, but not enough. The constant challenge of DA is to knock on Congress’s door and say, “don’t forget about us.” Case in point was when Congress was going to pass the Affordable Care Act. They were going to include all Americans living abroad in the penalties section for failing to comply with ACA. We were able to successfully remind and convince Congress to exclude non-residents from the ACA penalties. Similarly, DA constantly lobbies on behalf of its constituents on matters ranging from tax reform, specifically FATCA, to social security and Medicare reform, as well as other matters that impact expatriates in very real ways. AABC: As a representative, what are your views on the election? BB: This election is extremely close. This is why we strongly encourage everyone to vote, even if you’re living abroad. This is one of the most, if not THE most, important elections in U.S. history. Do your part to be a part of this historic election. AABC: How can Americans abroad make a difference in the election? BB: VOTE! Get your friends to vote. I encourage everyone to call 10 American friends and remind them to register to vote if they have not done so already. The deadline for absentee voter registration is fast approaching. If you don’t register to vote before the second or third week of October, at the very latest, you will likely not be able to cast a vote in this important election. Don’t let that happen! Voting is an attribute of U.S. Citizenship and your civic duty. Be a part of the process. Please visit VoteFromAbroad.org to register to vote. If you have any questions, feel free to reach us at DemocratsAbroad.org. "Vote Here" photo credit: katbaro on Flickr Share this article:

By Beacon Global Advisers Financially speaking, the terms “saving” and “investing” are often used interchangeably. But the concepts behind these terms actually have some important differences. Understanding these differences and taking advantage of them may help you in working toward financial goals for you and your family. Saving You may want to set aside money for a specific, identifiable expense. You park this money someplace relatively safe and liquid so you can get the amount you want when you need it. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission brochure Saving and Investing, “savings are usually put into the safest places, or products, that allow you access to your money at any time. Savings products include savings accounts, checking accounts, and certificates of deposit.” Some deposits may be insured (up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured institution) by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit Union Administration. Savings instruments generally earn interest. However, the likely tradeoff for liquidity and security is typically lower returns. Investing While saving money may be an important objective, your goal might be to realize a return on your money. Using your money to buy assets with the hope of receiving a profit or gain is generally referred to as investing. Think of investing as putting your money to work for you--in return for a potentially higher return, you accept a greater degree of risk. With investing, you don’t know whether or when you’ll realize a gain. The money you invest usually is not federally insured. You could lose the amount you’ve invested (e.g., your principal), but you also have the opportunity to earn more money, especially compared to typical savings vehicles. The investment is often held for a longer period of time to allow for growth. It is important to note, though, that all investing involves risk, including the loss of principal, and there is no assurance that any investing strategy will be successful. What’s the difference? Whether you prefer to use the word “saving” or “investing” isn’t as important as understanding how the underlying concepts fit into your financial strategy. When it comes to targeting short-term financial goals (e.g., making a major purchase in the next three years), you may opt to save. For example, you might set money aside (i.e., save) to create and maintain an emergency fund to pay regular monthly expenses in the event that you lose your job or become disabled, or for short-term objectives like buying a car or paying for a family vacation. You might consider putting this money in a vehicle that’s stable and liquid. Think of what would happen if you were to rely on investments that suddenly lost value shortly before you needed the funds for your purchase or expense. Saving generally may not be the answer for longer-term goals. One of the primary reasons is inflation--while your principal may be stable, it might be losing purchasing power. Instead, you may opt to purchase investments to try to accumulate enough to pay for large future expenses such as your child’s college or your retirement. Generally, saving and investing work hand in hand. For instance, you may save for retirement by investing within an employer retirement account. Why is it important? Both saving and investing have a role in your overall financial strategy. The key is to balance your saving and investing with your short- and long-term goals and objectives. Overemphasize saving and you might not achieve the return you need to pursue your long-term goals. Ignore saving and you increase the risk of not being able to meet your short-term objectives and expenses. Get it right and you increase your chances of staying on plan. Disclosure Beacon Global Advisers – a division of Beacon Global Group - does not provide tax or legal advice. None of the information in this article should be considered tax or legal advice. You should consult your tax or legal advisers for information concerning your own specific tax/legal situation. Securities offered through Regulus Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Regal Investment Advisors, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Regulus Advisors and Regal Investment Advisors are affiliated entities. Beacon Global Advisers is independent of Regulus Advisors and Regal Investment Advisors. Share this article:

As we celebrate our 33rd year as a club, the Board of the Amsterdam American Business Club would like to thank our club's faithful members, its valued sponsors and all the guests/interested parties that have made this business network club so vibrant. As I often say “there is always business in the room” and as we kick start the new business season with two events in September we sincerely hope that you will be able to join us in the coming weeks and months for what promises to be a wonderful season. We will continue to serve the business community in Amsterdam and environs, uniting primarily the US and NL cultures with a common interest while our club constantly expands to include many other nationalities amongst our members. As chairman, I would like to wish you all success in your business efforts as we gain traction with fresh energy after the relaxed summer period. Share this article: