Wieke Veenboer
Editor-in-Chief
In three words: Curious, creative, unconventional
Caffeine really doesn’t agree with me, haha. So for the past two years, I’ve been drinking decaf or, keeping it very basic, a matcha latte with coconut milk.
This interview has been translated, the original language is: Dutch
Short introduction
- What gives you energy, at work or outside of work?
- Coming up with new ideas and then actually seeing them come to life. I can get really excited about a great idea, an interesting interview or a concept, and then I immediately want to get started. I also get a lot of energy from positive people who have the same kind of mindset as I do. Outside of work, I get energy from travelling, dinners and drinks with friends, but just as much from an evening on the couch with a book and my cat. I love being social, but I also really enjoy spending time on my own.
- What are you most proud of? (professionally or personally)?
- The fact that I’m now 37 and can genuinely say that I’m happy. That might sound like something to take for granted, but I’ve had to work really hard to get here, and for a long time I wasn’t sure I ever would. For the first time, I feel like everything is in balance: I have a job that makes me happy, I feel good about myself, and I know where my boundaries and priorities lie.
- Which development within media, marketing or communication are you currently following with particular interest?
- I find the contrast between AI and the growing need for authenticity really interesting. We can produce content faster and faster, but I think that makes having a distinctive voice even more important. I’m curious to see which media brands will succeed not only in building reach, but also in creating a community that people actively choose to return to. That’s also very relevant to what we’re building with VIVA.
- What do few people know about you?
- I used to wear skate clothes for years (without actually being able to skate) and mainly listened to Korn, Slipknot and Limp Bizkit. My Taylor Swift phase only came after that, haha. Oh, and I can rap along to Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio from start to finish. I have quite a broad taste in music ;-).
- Which app do you use more often than you would like to admit?
- Reddit. My screen time is honestly pretty shocking anyway, but as a chronic insomniac, I spend a lot of those late-night hours scrolling through Reddit.
- If you had a time machine, which period or event would you travel to, and why?
- Ooooh, that’s a tough one, because there are so many! I’d love to witness the Titanic setting sail in 1912, experience Woodstock in both 1969 and 1999, see The Beatles perform in Blokker in the Netherlands, where my father was in the audience, visit Pompeii before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, witness the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and be there for Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance in 1993. So, more specific events than actual eras — I actually find the time we’re living in right now fascinating enough!
Wieke's recommendations
- Which podcast, newsletter, series or book would you currently recommend?
- For every woman in her thirties, I’d recommend So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne; it’s so sharp, brilliantly written and full of humour. More generally, I’d recommend The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger because it remains one of the most beautiful books, and If This Is a Man by Primo Levi — beautifully written and incredibly important.
- If you could give one piece of advice to young media professionals, what would it be?
- Pitch that story, start that newsletter, send that person a message, or just go ahead and develop that idea. Some of my favourite projects have come about simply because I took the initiative and had the courage to go for it. Don’t be afraid of being cringe or making a fool of yourself. And always stay true to yourself, your own boundaries, and what you’re worth.
Last but not least
- Who would you nominate for a future edition of ‘Kennismaken met…’?
- Britt Hogenhuis from AndAgencyAmsterdam: an incredibly hard worker, an inspiring woman, and also just a genuinely lovely person.
- What is your favorite quote?
- Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people” — attributed by many to Socrates, although according to Google it’s by Henry Thomas Buckle. And, while we’re at it, the entire songs You’re On Your Own, Kid by Taylor Swift and Shower the People by James Taylor; beautiful lyrics.
