Part of our family

You grow up with it as a child without really noticing. The fact that your dad is an entrepreneur and that his company is almost like an extra member of the family. For us – Amy, Fabian, Mum and Dad – JDS, and later Plan-IT, has always been part of our lives. Not as something complicated, but as something that was simply there. At the dinner table, in the holiday luggage, even at Grandma and Grandad’s house – where it all began.

Downstairs at Grandma and Grandad’s, that’s where the work happened. Sometimes the hallway and kitchen were packed with boxes. We’d often have lunch there with Dad and his colleagues. It all felt completely normal to us. Even cosy. Like we were part of the gang.

Sometimes we’d be on holiday, sitting somewhere in the sun, and Dad’s phone would ring. Or there’d be a system issue in the middle of the night, and he’d have to fix it. And yes, the laptop always came with us. But it never felt like he wasn’t present. Quite the opposite – he had a great sense of balance. He was always there for the moments that mattered – on the side-lines of Fabian’s football matches, at performances, at family dinners. Mum created calm and structure at home. She worked too, but she always knew exactly what we needed. Together they were a strong team, and we felt that.

Dad has boundless energy. He comes home with ideas, stories, plans – even after a long day. What really stands out is the way he handles setbacks. When something goes wrong, he doesn’t dwell on it. He looks ahead. “Okay, this didn’t work. So what can we do?” That attitude is contagious. As children, we really absorbed that.

We often look back on moments that might seem small, but meant a lot. Like when I (Amy) was in Year 6 and gave a presentation about JDS. It was my own idea. I really wanted to talk about Dad’s company. I decorated the whole classroom with little flags and JDS logos, wore one of Dad’s oversized shirts, and there he stood – at the back of the class, proudly watching, waiting for his moment to answer questions. Looking back, I realise just how proud I already was back then.

Dad never pushed us in any particular direction. We never felt any pressure to “do something with the company”. What he did teach us was: find something you really enjoy. And he lives by that himself. At a certain point, he knew exactly which tasks gave him energy – and which didn’t – and that’s when Jos came into the picture. We see that as a great example of how to shape your work in a smart way: doing what you’re good at and what makes you happy, and letting go of the rest. That really shaped our own view of work, ambition, and taking risks. Work shouldn't just be something you do – it should suit you.

Mum saw him grow from a nineteen-year-old with a dream to the entrepreneur he is today – with a beautiful office on Keizersveld, a leading position in the Dutch market, and even steps onto the international stage. As a child, that’s quite special – your dad travelling abroad for work – it’s something you look up to.

Despite his success, he has always remained people-focused. He sees the person behind the client, behind the colleague. And at home? At home, he’s just Dad. Or Juul. Someone we laugh with, share stories with – or just sit with in comfortable silence.

What do we wish for him in the future? Maybe a bit more time for himself. More of those unplanned moments. But also that he keeps working – as long as it gives him energy. As long as he continues doing what he loves. Because that’s what he’s always taught us.

And the most beautiful part of all? That we’ve stayed so close as a family. Precisely because of that entrepreneurial spirit. The company was always there – but our stories were what truly mattered. Always.