The Start-Up Puzzle is a no-nonsense guide that breaks the start-up journey into nine essential pieces, offering aspiring entrepreneurs a structured, practical approach to building a successful business. Why was this an important book for you to write?

Imagine a world where start-ups are not just a gamble but a powerful engine for sustainable economic growth, innovation, and prosperity. While large companies focus on stability, start-ups dare to challenge the status quo, redefine industries, and create new opportunities. Today, only 10% succeed—but what if we could significantly increase that number? Could this become the greatest catalyst for global development, wealth creation, and stability? I believe it can. And what if I could make my 30+ years of experience and motivation available for others to benefit from—an open-source model for entrepreneurial success? This was the inspiration to pull together a practitioner’s guide that offers a practical framework based on best-in-class practices, explained by real in-market examples and interviews with people who live in the start-up reality every day, augmented by the latest academic insights to hopefully help increase the odds of start-up success together!

What inspired you to structure the book around “puzzle pieces” rather than a traditional step-by-step framework?

For me, a step-by-step framework would imply there is a chronological order to the start-up challenge, ie start with step 1 and work your way through to step x. But like with the challenge of a real puzzle, the starting point can be anywhere. Some start with the borders of the puzzle, some with a random part. None of this has any influence on your ability to successfully finalize the puzzle! And I feel this is the same for a business challenge like creating a start-up. Sometimes you only have a great team with an aspiration to create a business; sometimes you have a personal problem you want to solve for yourself first and foremost, and sometimes you have a well-researched consumer problem you have passion to tackle! My hope is that if we improve the understanding and connections of the individual puzzle pieces, people will get better in crafting the puzzle!

What’s the biggest mistake founders make when assessing their market?

Falling in love with their solution, and confusing their own excitement for general consumer acceptance. As a founder, you have a huge bias, maybe even blindness, that clouds your judgment. Because you are excited, everybody should be excited, right? NO! I’ll offer some thoughts on how you can avoid this trap in the next question.

If you could give just one piece of advice to a first-time entrepreneur launching today, what would it be?

Great question! If I had to give one piece of advice to a first-time entrepreneur, it would be a variation of your previous question:

Focus on Solving a Real Problem, Not Just Building a Product.

A lot of first-time entrepreneurs fall in love with their idea rather than their customer’s problem. The key to success isn’t just creating something cool—it’s making something people desperately need and are willing to pay for.

Here’s how you can put this into action, and please forgive my direct Dutch punchy style 🙂

1. Validate Before You Build

– Talk to real potential customers before spending time or money on development.

– See if they’d actually pay for a solution (pre-sales, deposits, or strong interest).

– Remember: If no one is excited about your idea before it exists, they won’t be after.

2. Start Small, Move Fast

– Build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)—a simple version of your solution that solves the core problem.

– Launch quickly and get real-world feedback. Don’t wait for “perfect.”

– Iterate based on what people do, not what they say (watch their behavior).

3. Cash Flow is King

– Profits > Vanity Metrics. Revenue is the best sign of product-market fit.

– Keep expenses low—don’t spend big on branding, office space, or features no one needs.

– Get paying customers ASAP.

4. Sell Before You Scale

– A great product without sales is a hobby, not a business.

– Learn how to sell, market, and tell your story—it’s just as important as your product.

– Don’t focus on raising money before proving demand. Investors follow traction.

5. Stay Resilient & Keep Learning

– Things will go wrong. Keep adapting, learning, and iterating.

– Surround yourself with mentors, advisors, and smart people.

– Success is a game of endurance—most people quit too early.

Lastly, and before you lose your will to get started in the first place, I wanted to offer a closing thought: seeing your idea grow into a flourishing enterprise is one of the most rewarding things in life. Being an entrepreneur is not a job; it is a mission to make a positive impact on the consumer you have designed your proposition for.  For me, even in those endeavors where we did not succeed in the end, the journey has always been incredibly rewarding, and stimulating, allowing me to learn and grow. I hope this passion and deep gratitude come across in the book. I wish you all a similar experience!

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