Member Spotlight: Albert Both

Each month we’ll feature a different AABC member in our new Member Spotlight, this month Albert Both. Would you like to be featured in a future edition of our Member Spotlight? Get in touch with Veronica at marketing@aabc.nl

Who are you? Introduce yourself

My name is Albert Both and people also know me as Mr. Dutch Brainwash. I have my own company Talencoach (languages coach) and I show people how they can learn and speak Dutch faster than they ever imagined. For this purpose I developed my own techniques, such as Dutch Flow Now and Dutch Brainwashing
I am Dutch for 100% I grew up in a small village Broek op Langedijk, close to Alkmaar. There you can find many fields with cabbage and the colors are as beautiful as the tulip fields. There is one big difference, the smell….
I came in Amsterdam to study and then I stayed… It feels that I have been living in Amsterdam for centuries

When and why did you join the AABC?

I joined the AABC in 2005 I think, quite some time ago. At that time there was still a lunch format. The people that come to AABC are always great and… now there are borrels, so in that sense the AABC got a lot better :).
The AABC is a great place, because it is easy to meet new people. Not only clients, but also I work together with people that I met at the AABC. This is how I found Expatica, I am Expat & Fire Fly Coaching.
I personally prefer to work with people that I have met before and that is why the AABC can be really wonderful. It is also a great way to combine business and gezelligheid.

Tell us about your business and how we can work with you.

I help people to learn Dutch fast and to speak much more Dutch than they could ever imagine while having fun
Many people believe that the Dutch language is extremely hard, and although there are always challenges when you learn a new language, it is not true. Dutch could be the closest language to English and in its essence it is like a German light
The first thing that you need is a different mindset. Once you have this, then speaking Dutch gets so much easier… When it comes to speaking Dutch, many people have many limiting beliefs. But… when you open your mind you can discover for yourself that it is not that difficult to talk about anything that you like, in Dutch!
I have free eBooks and a free workshop Finding Dutch Flow so that people can start to feel inspired and then, if they really like it, they could even be Dutch Brainwashed. This means that you really dive into Dutch for 7 days in a row. You’ll have a great adventure when it comes to learning and discovering new exciting things. It is not only about language… it is also about structured and creative thinking and many other things.
People that follow the Dutch Brainwash somehow notice a great sense of accomplishment. When all of a sudden you just know that you can learn and speak a new language, and certainly when you get in touch with your ability to learn new things, then somehow it makes life different! This is what I love about my job, because any time that I work with people, I just know that speaking more Dutch will have a great positive impact on their lives…

What are your tips and advice about doing business in the Netherlands?

I think it is much easier to do business if you really enjoy life. I think that Holland could be a great place for business because in general, people do like new ideas and they are quite easy going. At the same time, it is important to be patient and it helps if you like to meet new people and if you are genuinely curious.
In Dutch there is a word that does not exist in English, which is gunnen. It is the opposite of being jealous. It means that you feel happy when good things to other people. Therefore we also have the word gunfactor. It means that people like you and even if you charge more than the competition, they still prefer to work with you. I think that gunfactor is extremely important…
Another tip that I have is: make sure that you recognize compliments. If a Dutch person says goed (good) or interessant (interesting) it could mean: I really really love it! Not always of course, but just make sure that you are open to that possibility as well. And then, make sure that you always feel great about what you do. Sometimes it is easy not to ‘forget’ the real value that we give to others and… always remember that you could give far more value than you ever imagined to other people, by just being you….

Photo credit: Magpeye Photography www.magpeyephotography.com

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