Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten

A few weeks ago I spent a few hours shoeshining (Story and Photos) at the New Tailor shop in Amsterdam. This Friday we are going to repeat the same event but we will start at 4pm and have some drinks with it too.

If you want to join us just leave a comment here so we know how much champagne to buy! And, free shoeshines by me for everyone!

Dutch Invitation:

Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten komt schoenen poetsen

In navolging van de eerdere succesvole zaterdagochtendsessies kunt u aanstaande vrijdag 11 april van 16.30-19.00 uur kennismaken met en uw schoenen laten poetsen door Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, serial entrepreneur van ondermeer thenextweb.org, fleck.com en in het verleden V3 Redirect Services en HubHop. Onder het genot van goede espresso, de lekkerste taartjes en een glas champagne vertelt hij graag over zijn successen, flops en zijn voorliefde voor maatpakken van New Tailor. Laat u inspireren en kom langs!

De Amsterdamse vestiging aan de Honthorststraat 2a, tussen de Paulus Potter- en de PC Hooftstraat heeft die ochtend specifieke stoffen van alle Boris pakken voorhanden. Boris staat bekend om zijn gepoetste schoenen, witte hemden en flamboyante maar altijd geklede driedelige ruitpakken.

Boris: “Net als ieder ander heb ik een hekel aan netwerken. Dat schichtige geleur met je visitekaartje op een avond waar de meeste aanwezigen zich het liefst verstoppen achter een glas bier. Terwijl je koortsachtig probeert uit te vinden wat je in godsnaam aan iemand hebt dreunt diegene zijn standaard verhaal voor je af waarna je hopelijk zelf ook even mag. Helaas merk je na 3 seconden al dat je netwerkpartner ongeduldig over je schouder kijkt op zoek naar de volgende netwerk opportunity. Netwerken is net werken.

Me @ work:

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Yesterday evening I presented the ‘Website van het Jaar’ award ceremony in Hotel Arena in Amsterdam. The organization received more than 1.3 milion votes in 14 categories. I announced all the winners on stage, had a little chat with them and presented them with their prize.

The big winner was Google.nl. For all the winners see the ‘Website van het Jaar‘ website. IPAN was the host for this event and paid for some for the drinks.

I took this photo 1 minute before we started. As you can see you don’t see much on stage which makes it hard to get feedback from the audiences. Still, we had fun and I could hear people laugh now and then. If you were there leave some feedback here. Always love that.

In the beginning of 2008 I will be handing over my title of ‘Chairman’ at IPAN to the next lucky guy. I have a pretty good idea of who that could be but in the end the members of IPAN will have to decide about that with their votes. I have been the chairman of IPAN for more than two years and it is time for a new team to take over now.

The official event where members will vote on the new chairman will take place in early 2008. But on Tuesday, December 4, I will host an informal farewell party during an IPAN Event.

Han Gerrits will ask me personal and tough questions in a special ‘All you ever wanted to know about Boris but were afraid to ask‘ interview.

I will also give away 30 personal presents to whoever is there and gets to me first after the interview.

So if there is something you have always wanted to know contact Han (han.gerrits at innovationfactory.nl) so he can ask me on stage.

Location: the Fleck bar in Amsterdam
Date: December 4, 2007
Time: 8pm
PS: If you are not a member of IPAN contact saskia@ipan.nl

Hope to see you all there!

Some of you know that we are planning a Bowlr.NL event here in Amsterdam on January 31, 2008 which, with 42 participating teams, is pretty much sold out.

But tonight we also announce our San Francisco Bowlr.US event which will take place on February 7, 2008. This is our official (well…) Press Release:

PRESSRELEASE - Amsterdam, November 20, 2007
Bowlr.US: THE bowling event for the Internet Industry

On februari 7, 2008 a crowd of internet entrepreneurs will show up at the Seabowlr in Pacific for an old fashioned Bowling tournament. This is going to be the second edition of a new worldwide phenomena started in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Balls will be polished, egos will be crushed and talent will arise in the ultimate fight for the grand trophy: The Blue Bowlr Ball.

At the Bowlr event there will be time to network and mingle during dinner and the party. Bowlr co-initiator Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten about why Bowlr will take place in San Francisco: “We figured we could show those Silicon Valley entrepreneurs how to throw a REAL Dutch party”.

The first teams who signed up are Technorati, Fleck, Wakoopa, Plaxo and Meetro and the event is supported by STIRR and NBSO California.

Companies can sponsor a lane or just sign up with a team. The Bowlr organization advices strongly to train in advance in the finer art of beer drinking, and Bowling.

More Information:
http://bowlr.us

Upcoming:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/323136/

Last night I was invited to a special ‘Music & Internet’ event hosted by Veronica. Tessa was invited too so we asked a friend to watch over our kids. As we were getting ready for the party I noticed that my hair was really long and that I was completely out of hair gel. I complained about it to Tessa who suggested that we would buy gel on our way to the party. I didn’t like that idea and just gave up.

Then we arrived at the party and to my surprise it turned out to be in a very hip Amsterdam shop which included a barbershop right there in the store. I asked a guy what the deal was and he turned out to be the owner of the store and a professional barber too. He offered to give me a haircut and ‘restyling’ right there. I just couldn’t resist.

Luckily Guido van Nispen (CEO Veronica) was there to make a photo while my hair was being washed. After that Tessa said ‘You are so lucky’ to which I replied:

‘It wasn’t luck but serendipity…’

Tonight at 11:30 we are leaving Amsterdam to drive to Berlin, in one night.

Tomorrow and wednesday we are visiting Web2.0 Expo Berlin and on Thursday morning we drive back. This is going to be an exhausting trip but I’m sure we will have a great time.

I will keep Twittering and blogging and Flickring as usual and maybe even a bit more than usual…