Your Game Company. Better.
All successful companies have been where you are. Stuck between one growth phase and the next, hobbled by growing pains. I can help you navigate the uncertainty of those uncomfortable in-between phases, and take your company to the next level.
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Running a Game Business Is Hard
You started your company to make something amazing: a great game, a beautiful product, a game-changing service. You’ve seen success, and want to take the next step. But most days you feel more like a firefighter than a successful entrepreneur. Some days, you can hardly recall the passion that started you on this path.
You want to spend more time working on your business instead of in your business. You want better results, less hassle. You want peace of mind.
But where do you begin?
Focus, Alignment and Accountability
All successful companies share three key traits: they have managed to attain incredible levels of focus, alignment, and accountability.
Imagine if your company looked like this:
A clear long-term goal that is shared by all, and informs daily decision making on all levels. A crisply defined set of values as the foundation of a healthy company culture. A steady meeting rhythm that drives your operations and decision-making. The right people in the right seats, solving the companies issues in a proactive manner. Everyone has clear priorities, and knows how their work contributes to the company’s goals.
Better results would be an inevitability.
It’s Dangerous To Go Alone
I help my clients attain the results above, and more.
Together, we develop a clear strategy, set up solid management structures and processes, and develop your self-awareness as leader of a creative company.
Most coaches will focus on either the first two, or the latter, but getting all three locked in is critical for sustained success.
Using proven tools and frameworks, we get you up and running on all three accounts.
About me
I have worked in the games industry in various roles for 13 years before becoming a business coach and consultant in 2021.
I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work firsthand. And obtaining an MBA degree and researching the elements that make up good leadership helped me understand why.
Building on these experiences, I’ve developed a framework that will help you lead your company with confidence, and get better results with less hassle. So far, I have helped 70+ CEO’s, founders and leaders implement meaningful improvements towards the company of their dreams.
For each of my services, I aim to deliver results worth at least 3x your initial investment.
If that sounds like an investment worth making, let’s talk!
About you
I work with clients that fit a very specific profile. In order for us to work together, I expect you to be:
1. Ambitious
Your definition of success is meaningfully different from where you stand today.
I don’t care if your ambition is to build the worlds biggest codevelopment studio or the most famous 10-person lifestyle studio. I just care that you are truly aiming for bigger, more or different.
2. Open to outside help
You realize that you what got you here won’t get you there.
You are open to the perspective that I bring, and willing to work with me to implement best practices in a way that best fits your unique organization. I don’t expect you to do everything I say just because I say it, and you don’t expect me to be your enforcer either.
3. Willing and able to invest
You realize that this will require a significant investment, both in terms of money and time.
We will meet regularly, sometimes with your whole leadership team, and sometimes for a whole day. In-between our meetings, I expect you to assume accountability for implementing any improvements we outline, alone or with your team.
You also realize that this is not a magic pill. We are trying to realize a meaningful change in your organization, and change takes time. The first results will be visible quite quickly, but the real payoff will come later, when your new way of working has become second nature.
How it works
Most business or CEO coaching focuses either on the business, or on the person. I do things differently, helping you improve on three fronts simultaneously: company strategy, company management, and personal leadership. You must optimize across all three pillars to reach your full potential.
Strategy
I will help you develop a big picture, vision, where you want to go, helping you and your company make better decisions in the trenches.
Management
We will set up foundational structures and processes that guide every day actions.
Conscious leadership
To get the best results, you will have to develop not just your ability to set a course for your company or manage its internal goings-on. Together, we’ll work on developing the skills you need to lead from a place of self-awareness.
Take the 3-minute Next Level Performance Test to see how your company stacks up in each of these three areas:
How We Can Work Together
I offer two trajectories for working together. In both trajectories, you can expect unlimited access to me by phone, email and whatsapp. For each trajectory, you should expect to make a return on your investment (because that’s what it is) of 300%.
“The Yoda”
1-on-1 CEO coaching
Meeting twice a month, we go through the work that is necessary to bring your company and yourself to the next level.
In any given session, we have the freedom to discuss something from my toolbox, or to dive into a pressing matter that is hogging your attention.
Duration: 6-12 months
“The Charles Xavier”
Team coaching
I work with you and your team to build a strong foundation for your company.
Over the course of 90 days, we meet for 4 days of fundamental work. In this time, we’ll cover everything from your company vision and core values to your meeting rhythm and KPIs.
Duration: 90 days
What Others Say About Me
Peter de Jong
CEO & Co-founder, Codeglue
“Martijn has helped me and my leadership team to get better to formulate a vision, so everyone in our organization is on the same page with where we’re going and how we plan to get there. He’s helped us to keep focus, discipline, and accountability throughout the company and has made our leadership team more cohesive, functional and healthy.”
Robin Ras
Co-founder, Rusty Lake / Second Maze
“Martijn turned out to be a great sparring partner for our gaming businesses. His ability to share his in-depth knowledge during our meetings helped us a lot during our growth struggles: he was able to pinpoint what we could apply (also practically) to run our businesses better in the short and long term. Highly recommended for any type of gaming company!”
Deloryan Hommers
Founder, Deloryan B.V.
“As a game studio owner, I am pretty much a creator by heart. Running a company was not my forte and I was glad that Martijn was here to help me out with that. Having a sparring partner for several months helped me grow as a business professional. Plus it helped me get the inner workings of the company running smoother and more organised. Would highly recommend working with him!”
Stijn de Jong
Owner, Stuurmen Branding Agency
“With his proven method, you can effectively divide responsibilities, establish a clear growth path, and create a clear meeting pulse. Martijn is the perfect facilitator during his sessions. He is calm, honest, and helpful, leaving you and your team in good hands. Big thanks to Martijn for helping us level up!”
Wouter Go
Founder, StrideQuest
“I’ve been meeting with Martijn on a regular basis. He challenges me on business modelling and our sparring sessions are valuable to me in making my ambitions for StrideQuest concrete.”
Mike Zhang
Founder, Outfox Games
“I came to Martijn with questions on how to handle the business side of a small indie game company. Martijn provided solutions and immediately identified our areas of improvement. He provided a framework and system that would be both helpful and efficient. Then helped us implement this framework to work with our specific situation, providing practical tools, resources, and follow-up meetings to oversee the progress.”
Bart Kemps
CEO, i3D.net
“Over the past year, Martijn has consistently served as our guiding force in shaping our quarterly objectives. His meticulous methodology and composed demeanor have proven to be a refreshing influence during these sessions. In the midst of our fast-paced operational landscape, Martijn stands out as the calm within the storm.”
Manuel Kerssemakers
Founder, Abbey Games
“It was a quick, painless, even fun process. He has great insight on how a practical framework can connect to the problems and processes in a small studio like ours. He knows how to keep it pragmatic while still injecting valuable business insights.”
Hugo Obi
Founder, Maliyo Games
“Working with Martijn and his FIRM framework has been a game-changer for me. Not only did it help me gain clarity on my priorities, but it also provided a roadmap for aligning my team to bring our company vision to life. I was genuinely impressed by Martijn’s passion and dedication to understanding our business and helping us unlock our full potential.”
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