First Moves | Podcast on RSS.com

First Moves

by Sebastian Nyrup

Business Education

EP.35 | From Med Student to 300K Followers: Building an Instagram Brand That Actually Helps People | Wout Voorderhaak

In this episode, I sit down with Wout Voorderhaak, a medical student who has grown his Instagram to over 300,000 followers while simultaneously balancing his studies and running a business. But Wout's story isn't just about numbers—it's about purpose. Throughout our conversation, Wout shares how his content creation journey has always been driven by one core mission: helping people. Unlike many creators chasing growth for growth's sake, Wout has built his platform on authentic service, creating content that genuinely adds value to his audience's lives.

EP. 33 | Crafting DARQ: Chocolate, Family & Bold Moves | Jorrit Consten

From a magician’s flair to a full-fledged chocolatier, Jorrit Consten’s entrepreneurial path is anything but ordinary. In this episode, we dive into how Jorrit turned a single workshop into DARQ—a boutique chocolate brand that now spans a café, hotel, ice cream shop, and more. A compelling story of creativity, resilience, and building with family.

EP. 32 | Coaching leaders to the Edge of Performance | Peter Holmark

Executive coach Peter Holmark reveals what sets exceptional leaders apart—and how they stay grounded through complexity, pressure, and power. From energy management to cultural alignment, this episode is packed with real-world leadership insights and coaching tools for any leader aiming to level up.

EP. 31 | AI & Robotics in Agritech : Brightlands x EIT FOOD live event podcast

Discover how artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming the future of agriculture in this dynamic live event, hosted by Brightlands Greenport Campus and EIT Food. From precision farming to automation breakthroughs, this conversation brings together pioneering minds pushing the boundaries of agritech innovation. Tune in to hear how cutting-edge tech is transforming the way we grow, harvest, and sustain our food systems.

EP. 30 | Turning Research into Real-World Impact for Glaucoma Patients | Christian Bertens

What happens after your PhD project fails in clinical trials? For Christian Bertens, it opened the door to a very different kind of success. In this episode, Christian shares how the challenges of his early research shaped his perspective and prepared him to co-found Peyeoneer—a startup developing a novel implant to treat glaucoma. From the realities of clinical failure in his PhD with eyedrop dispensing technology to navigating regulatory hurdles, building a team, and raising funding for his glaucoma treatment. Christian walks us through the raw, behind-the-scenes process of turning scientific insight into a tangible medical solution.

EP. 29 | Vince Meens on Overcoming Business Failure and the Power of Resilience

Vince Meens has lived through the full spectrum of entrepreneurship— founding & building successful companies, experiencing exits, and facing the pain of failure & bankruptcy. As well as personal challenges, ultimately landing him in a coma & even facing death. Doctors told his family he wouldn’t make it. But Vince did survive. And more importantly, he rebuilt. Over the course of three years, he persistently fought his way back—relearning how to eat, walk, and live again. In this powerful episode, Vince shares what it means to start over from absolutely nothing, how his coma dreams shaped his outlook, and why in business we must not forget about the human side/cost of ambition. This is a raw and inspiring story of resilience—a reminder that no matter how deep you fall, you can always rise again. In business and in life, rebuilding is always possible!

EP. 28 | How Media is Powering Regional Innovation in Limburg | Stèphanie van Heuven van Staereling

Stèphanie van Heuven van Staereling shares how Ondernemen in Limburg is transforming from a media platform into a vital connector in the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. From curating impactful stories to shaping strategic narratives, discover how storytelling is driving innovation across Limburg.

EP. 27 | From PhD to Medtech Venture with €160M in Funding | Martijn Cox

How do you turn a PhD project into a medtech company receiving €160M in funding? Martijn Cox, co-founder and Head of Technology at Xeltis, shares the story of building a groundbreaking vascular implant startup from scratch. This episode explores the realities of deep tech commercialisation—from team building to scaling to market launch.

EP. 26 | Building a No-Nonsense Soft Drink Brand | Max Prop

What started as a college project to help his mother has become a thriving soft drink brand. Max Prop, founder of Prop’s Brewery, shares how he built a no-nonsense drinks business, sells over 15,000 bottles a month, and develops custom flavours in collaboration with a variety clients.

EP. 25 | Building Medace: A Launchpad for Medical Innovation | Kurt Gielen

What happens when biomedical startups get a head start with built-in infrastructure, regulatory guidance, and hands-on knowledge? In this episode, Kurt Gielen, Chief Business Officer at Medace, shares how they’ve built a globally unique model that accelerates early-stage innovation in the life sciences. We dive into the origins of Medace, its one-stop-shop approach for clinical trial readiness, and how it's helping founders avoid common pitfalls by embedding quality and compliance from day one. If you're building in healthtech, this is a blueprint you’ll want to hear.

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