While you can find our entire team on this website, we think those short biographies don’t do them justice. This month’s colleague in the spotlight: Nils van de Scheur!
What did you do before you joined Aexus?
“Both my parents worked in hospitality, so my love for the sector was kindled at an early age. When I started a job at a cafe myself, I noticed I really enjoyed making people feel welcome. At the same time, I loved playing tennis. When not behind the bar, you could always find me on the local court. So when the owner of the club house – colleague Can Paul Urganci’s father, funnily enough – decided to sell, it felt like a unique opportunity to combine both of my lifelong passions. Together with a friend, I took over the business.”
Sounds perfect! Why did you decide to go abroad?
“It really was. But after four years, I felt I needed to make a choice: work in hospitality for the rest of my life or change course while I still could. I realize it sounds a bit cliché, but I decided I wanted to see more of the world and get to know myself better. What was meant to be only six months travelling through Australia and New Zealand, turned into 4 and a half years.”
How did that happen?
“I just loved Australia. The people, their culture, and the general vibe. The wealth gap is a lot smaller as well, which allows for a less stressed society. That is my theory, anyway. I worked at the largest sports store / training center in Sydney, teaching people how to play tennis. I also helped introduce padel, a Mexican/Spanish racket sport, in Australia. After two years, I decided to cross the Tasman Sea and get a taste of New Zealand. I lived in Queenstown, the so-called ‘adventure capital of the world’, for a year, doing all kinds of different jobs. After going back to Australia and living there for another year, I again had to make a decision: become a permanent resident or return to the Netherlands.”
Why did you?
“I loved life ‘down-under’, but it is very, very far away from the Netherlands. I was missing out on a lot of things and felt a certain pull towards home. Still, I am glad I made the decision to go there in the first place, because – and I realize that sounds cliché as well – it really allowed me to grow as a person. I met a lot of friendly people from all over the world, noticed cultural differences, and learned how to deal with those.”
How did you end up at Aexus?
“Back in the Netherlands, I started my first job in sales. A friend of mine had started his own company and was looking for new colleagues. I initially did only sales, but that quickly evolved into being responsible for partner acquisition. I’d been doing that for about four years, when Can Paul – as I said, we go way back – asked if I was maybe looking for a new challenge. Turned out I was!”
What were your first impressions?
“My first talk was with Chris. I really liked the way he looks at the industry. The job sounded really interesting and diverse and would allow me to work again with people from many different cultures. My second talk with Jos sealed the deal. The onboarding process was really smooth, and colleagues were always available and willing to help. It did not take long for me to feel at home within the Amsterdam team.”
You’ve been at Aexus for more than a year. Do you have a daily routine by now?
“As all the interviewees who came before said as well, you can’t really have one. You are running the entire process, from sending the first pitch, to finally closing the deal. On one day, I can be taking care of reachouts for one partner, and supporting another one with their proof of concept. And every partner has a different offering as well, which makes every day feel brand new.”
Do you have any plans for the future?
“I am looking forward to support Aexus’ constant and stable growth in a post-COVID world, in whatever way necessary. I am proud of the fact that we not only survived the crisis, but even managed to come out of it stronger. And who knows – if Aexus is looking to open a Sydney office at some point in the future, I’m their guy!”
