Johan: TNT.com’s Napoleon (In A Good Way)
After a few years in Costa Rica and Brazil, Johan Stoop is back home in the Netherlands. While he used to dabble in the dark arts of SEO, he’s now Product Owner for TNT.com. We sat down with him to discuss entrepreneurialism, happiness and getting into Napoleon’s head.
What track should people play while reading this?
Daft Punk — Around the World. *Starts singing*. It was something new when it came out and there’s a personal story behind it. *More singing*. But that’s off the record.
What does the day of a Product Owner look like?
The day actually starts the night before, when I write my ideas down. Then, on the morning train, I go through them and put the good ones to my team. Once I’m in the office, it’s talking, talking, talking: gathering input, planning ahead, presenting here and there. Every day is different. There is no normal day.
What’s the most challenging part?
You want to produce fast but also with quality. There can also be a lack of clarity around what needs to happen, so making sure we all have the right input can be tricky. It’s a constant iterative process. You’re not stuck on a one-year plan. That’s the challenge and the beauty of it.
Describe Johan the person in five words.
Creative, international, keeping things light, organised chaos…
Erm…
A blend of creativity with organisational perfectionism. OK, that’s a lot more than five words.
We’ll let you off. You started a company in Costa Rica. Details?
I always wanted to start my own company, so I went for it. I was working all-nighters providing online marketing services from search engine optimisation to building websites. This experience taught me the importance of focus.
It also taught me that you need to be part of the in-crowd in Costa Rica. As a foreigner, you’re not accepted so easily if you want to do business in the country. You’re on a journey of acceptance and two years isn’t enough to reach it.
Do you prefer the startup life or working somewhere bigger?
Working in a startup is more exciting. However, corporates provide a broader network and better facilities. In a startup you do a lot of things yourself but the results aren’t always as impactful as you’d hoped. In corporates you can create value on a massive scale. You can have much more impact actually.
I think TNT Digital is ideal as we have the resources of a corporate but it’s not a corporate environment. You have a lot of freedom.
Nicely said, our bosses will be happy. I hear you also give lessons at a university?
I do. I teach SEO. I love to inspire people and share my excitement. They say love multiplies when you share it, well I think the same applies to excitement.
Inspiring stuff! Regardless of the time of the year, you walk around the office with a Christmas mug. What’s the deal with that?
Visibility! On the office floor you need to gain visibility for your cause. When people see me with the Christmas mug, they start talking to me. It symbolises me being accessible and through those conversations I can gain momentum for TNT.com.
You’re an evil genius! I like it. OK, who would you like to meet, alive or dead?
I want to get into the head of Napoleon. Why would you do what he did? Doing a lot of great things but destroying so much.
Finally, what’s your hobby and what’s your passion?
I see my work as a hobby. I also love building things. Finally, there’s surfing. Surfing is great because you have to analyse and make quick decisions but you also have moments of complete relaxation. It’s time to reflect and do sport at the same time.
Cheers dude.
Want to work with Johan or see his mug up close? We’re always on the lookout for fresh Digital talent. So click here and see what happens!
