Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten

Learn A Language You Already Know

Imagine that someone would tell you that with a minimum of effort you could learn another language. A language you could understand when spoken and one that you have been using yourself, since the day you were born, without knowing it. A language that everyone knows and speaks, but isn't aware of when used. Wouldn't you be interested? This is what it feels like when you learn more about body language. A few weeks ago I bought a book titled "The Definitive Book of Body Language". I...

1.2 million people and who do I bump into?

Yes, Patrick de Laive. Not that hard to miss in his white Fleck suit. He hadn't slept all night and was working on a plan: he was buying stuff he could sell for more in one day. I'm sure he will make a bundle today. It is Queensday in The Netherlands which means that everybody is dressed up in orange, buying and selling stuff on the streets and getting...

My Blackberry Collection

I had a few other models too but can't find them. These are just the ones that still...

boris.jpg from my Blackberry 8300

Yesterday my pre-production Blackberry 8300 arrived. Since then I have been playing with it and trying to get everything to work. That isn't as easy as it sounds because a lot of features aren't enabled yet on this test model. The camera isn't working very reliable. As you can see. But apart from that it is easily the best Blackberry I have ever used. The keys are great, the casing is beautiful and it feels smaller than most other Blackberrys. And if I get the camera working...

The Cat Is Out Of The Bag (Wakoopa on Techcrunch)

It isn't easy to organize a company launch. You have to get your pressreleases in order, notifiy bloggers, journalists and your mothers and hope that everybody waits until the moment you decide to actually launch your product and then hope they all write something nice. Sometimes it doesn't go as planned. Meganova is a shareholder (just like Ilse, IDG, Telegraaf who invested in them via DCIF) in Wakoopa which is a hot new company launching next week. Last week we contacted Techcrunch and...

The Difference Between Men And Women!

I finally know the difference between men and women. Marja Ruigrok explained it to me, in detail... Well, she did some research into what women and men do different online and blogged about it and I read that. The original post is here, in Dutch: Marja’s Blog » Mannen en vrouwen ‘’sharen'’ verschillend But the results are so interesting that I decided to post a (partly) translated version here: Men and woman differ as much online as they do offline...

Alcohol: a Business Tool?

In 1999 I found myself in a bar, in Monaco, together with my business partners and a lawyer. We were slowly getting drunk. Since we were planning to sell our company for millions the next day I asked the lawyer if we shouldn't try to stay sober to avoid a hangover. He replied that the best way to go into a negotiation is with a hangover. His theory: The unpleasant physical effects following the heavy use of alcohol actually work to your advantage during a tough negotiation. Seemingly...

Smile You To Death

You could say that I am a friendly guy. I am polite, patient and interested and if you need a minute of my time you can get it. In most conversations I'm the good cop. You could say that this is a good thing. And sometimes it can be. It is nice to be liked. But sometimes I would like be honest and tell people what I REALLY think. One of the jurors of Idols once explained why they were so incredible mean to the people in the show. He explained that all he tried to do is prevent a life of...