Interview with Niek Karsmakers

Niek Karsmakers studied technical business at the University of Eindhoven. At the same time, he founded his first consultancy agency Crystal Advice. After graduating, Niek started as a trainee within the YSE program of Kirkman Company. In one of his additional projects, he interviewed 30 CEOs which resulted in the book “No Guts, No Story”. During his short career as a consultant, he discovered that building and creating social business was his real passion. Niek resigned as consultant and started Aimforthemoon in 2013 together with Jesse van der Meulen. Aimforthemoon connects a group of young entrepreneurs who turn opportunities and challenges in startups and new business.

Where do you see yourself and AimfortheMoon in 5 years?

In 5 years time I’m still healthy, happy, and grateful for the things that are happening to me. Since our environment is changing so rapidly, it’s very difficult to predict what’s going on with AimfortheMoon. Hopefully, by that time, I will be proud to have managed to adapt to all the changes and that we have become more impactful. It would be great if we’ll have developed many successful social entrepreneurs and ditto impact ventures. We are active globally with AimfortheMoon spaces on all continents.

What is the key factor to your personal drive and aspirations?

I believe in social entrepreneurs, because they are the ones who have a positive impact on society while making profit. I lost faith in governments, NGO’s and large corporations to realize change. Therefore, I wake up every morning to stimulate social entrepreneurship.

What trends do you see by young entrepreneurs? What opportunities do you see for them?

Young entrepreneurs see that we can and have to do different. They want to have impact and make this planet better than it was. They are also willing to share and co-create. They don’t believe in ‘copy right’, but in ‘right to copy’ or even ‘copy left’. I see a bright future for young entrepreneurs, since I believe that coming up with solutions for (either small or big) social problems is not only needed, but also fun. And it generates great commercial success.

What makes or breaks a start-up?

The entrepreneurial team makes or breaks a start-up. For this, I want to quote Jim Collins “First get the right people on the bus, then decide on the direction”. I truly believe that the most essential ingredient of a start-up is a balanced team of entrepreneurs with complementary competences.

I often hear people talk about good business ideas for start-ups, but only true entrepreneurs will and can follow up on those. Setting up and growing a business on your own is almost impossible. So, it is important to inspire and mobilize others with courage, compassion, connection and vulnerability. Even if the initial idea wasn’t that good, you are able to decide on the right direction by adapting to the changing environment.

If you could change one thing about our society, what would it be?

I would like to change the Dutch culture concerning taking down people, who stick their heads above the parapet. It is ‘not done’ to be strange or ambitious. Just act normal, then you are crazy enough -we say. It is a shame. Looking at the USA for instance, we see the opposite. We should have more of that.