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Family businesses think long-term
“Martine asked me to share some thoughts on the values and qualities of family businesses. I first got to know her through the local entrepreneurs’ association VION in Nieuwerkerk, where we were both members. Martine’s a keen cyclist—so am I—and that’s how we started riding together.”
That’s how a cycling group was born. A few times a year, a group of us get together to ride. We wear jerseys that say Los Zand, which reflects the relaxed way we approach it—we just go for a ride when we feel like it. During those rides, we always have interesting conversations, often about work. Twice, I gave Martine a bit of spontaneous advice. The first time was during the financial crisis. The second time, she was considering buying Heat Matrix. Only later did I realise how much those conversations had supported her thinking. In both cases, the message was more or less the same: trust your gut and move forward. Keep going with what you believe in. Continue building the business. And go ahead with that acquisition. I was able to support her, mainly because we’re both entrepreneurs in family-owned businesses.
Not everything has to be rational
“I’m part of the largest family business in the Netherlands: Van der Valk. One major difference with non-family businesses is that we sometimes make decisions based on factors that aren’t entirely rational. At Van der Valk, big decisions—about succession, for example, or how we structure our business groups—aren’t always based on strict logic. That’s also the case at Bos Nieuwerkerk. Martine knows very well how things should be done, thanks to her Nyenrode background. But when it comes to major decisions, she listens to her intuition. Her company is also informally structured. The voice of the person with the most knowledge carries the most weight in a discussion, even if that doesn’t match the official org chart. It’s the same with us. If a certain family member raises an eyebrow at a proposal, we all know whether it’s a go or a no. Outsiders sometimes struggle to understand this dynamic.”
Looking beyond quarterly results
“Another typical trait of family businesses is that they don’t sail too close to the wind. They’re often conservatively financed, so they can keep going even in tough times. They also tend to think longer-term—they look beyond the next quarter. Companies that are judged purely on quarterly performance may earn more during good times, but in bad times they’re often sold or shut down in no time.”
Martine wants to hand over the business to her successor in top form. That mindset is what makes family businesses strong—and valuable, not just for the people who work there but for society at large.
Sustainable in both senses of the word
“That brings me to my third point: family businesses are more resilient—and more sustainable. Sustainable in the original sense of the word: they’re built to last. You want to pass your company on to the next generation. And when you do, you want to pass on something worthwhile. Long before the war in Ukraine, we had already decided that our new hotel in Schiedam would be built and operated as sustainably as possible. Sustainable in the modern sense of the word. By using recycled concrete aggregate and many other measures, we achieved the highest sustainability certification: BREEAM Outstanding. The hotel is gas-free and almost fully self-sufficient, thanks to a system for thermal energy storage and solar panels with thermal buffering in water tanks. Had we looked at it purely from a financial perspective back then, we probably wouldn’t have done it. But because we’re building something to pass on, we did it anyway. And by now, our payback period has been reduced significantly. Martine wants to hand over the business her father founded in excellent shape. That attitude makes family companies strong—and of great value to the people who work there and to society.”
Who is Peter van den Hul?
Peter van den Hul married Eveline van der Valk in 1995. Two years earlier, the Van der Valk family had bought a bankrupt hotel at auction. That became the current Van der Valk Hotel Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel, which Eveline and Peter have run together ever since. Eveline is the granddaughter of Martinus van der Valk, who was born in 1862 and founded the family business. In April 2022, Eveline and Peter opened a newly built, sustainable hotel in Schiedam, with 179 rooms and a restaurant, wellness centre and swimming pool on the 16th floor. At the opening, they handed over the hotel’s day-to-day management to their children, Sarah and Daan. Eveline and Peter also run Hotel Het Haagsche Schouw in Leiden and have new construction plans in Oegstgeest.
