Testimonials

“Maarten is a highly knowledgeable and creative coach. Together, we co-created a framework we called ‘Sweet Agility,’ where we explored smarter ways to innovate our production processes. Throughout this journey, we noticed a clear improvement in team collaboration and a stronger focus on delivering value to our customers. Among other things, we worked on reducing project scope to speed up delivery, improving decision-making, and clarifying our team processes.

His deep understanding of food manufacturing, Lean, and Agile thinking allows him to adapt and redesign traditional Lean and Agile practices. This resulted in practical advice and insights that were perfectly suited to our context.

It was a pleasure having him on the team, and I highly recommend Maarten to anyone looking to enhance their team’s performance.”

“Maarten’s talent of transferring his enthusiasm onto his public is something to be jealous of. His fruitella game during a training on statistical methods was entertaining. Who said statistics are boring? Not this way.”

“Maarten is a visionary leader. Not only did he help our team to transition from ISO-9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015 certification, he also shared practical tips & insights to take the next steps in our continuous improvement journey and be ready for the future. Thanks to his conceptual thinking, we managed to simplify our approach significantly, allowing to get much more done faster & better with less people.”

“As our agile coach, Maarten helped us improve our approach to innovating the manufacturing process. His deep expertise in Agile, Lean Manufacturing, and business management earned him immense respect; however, it was his open-minded, constructive, and respectful approach that truly set him apart.

It’s no surprise that Maarten quickly became our go-to sparring partner for all kind of challenges. He seamlessly combined his diverse expertise to tailor hands-on solutions that met our unique needs.

The concepts he introduced and the work he accomplished continue to hold great value and are embedded in our daily practices.”

“I had the pleasure of co-facilitating a hands-on 2-day ‘Lean & 5S’ training session with Maarten. We complemented each other perfectly. Maarten’s calm and calculated approach quickly earned the trust of the group. His broad, practical background allowed him to share impactful tips & tricks. Even I had a few AHA! moments myself! By the end of the training, we were praised for our flexibility. Maarten’s preparation and seamless adaptability in the moment certainly contributed to that result. It truly felt like we’d been working together for years, ‘dancing in the moment.’ ”

“Maarten inspires you to improve your own workspace and to overthink the actions you are taking on a daily base. Having Maarten in your team is having an expert in your team who is taking an in-depth look at problems and who is proposing surprisingly simple solutions to complex problems. I really appreciated his structured approach combined with a human interest.”

“Maarten has an openness to talk / discuss different points of view. From there, he shares practical tips & tricks, drawing on his experience. The resulting ideas and insights allow to be more in control & to deliver better results. You go in the meeting with lots of questions & some doubts. You leave the meeting energised & full of new ideas. It is pleasurable to work in such a way.”

“Maarten conveys his extensive statistical knowledge in a visual, understandable, and humorous manner. He clarifies abstract concepts with concrete examples tailored to the interests of each individual. His dedication and enthusiasm, combined with visual aids and humour, make his instruction particularly enjoyable and engaging. Understanding and patient, Maarten repeats complex material in various interactive ways, adjusting his explanations and examples as needed. I am incredibly grateful to Maarten for his training and coaching.”

“Maarten was my manager for a couple of years. He was smart and demanding. I on the other hand have a serious medical background resulting in regular absence. I was there to enjoy work & to be among colleagues.
Not without hesitation, I spoke to Maarten about my situation. It was the best thing that could have happened. Together we created a schedule that worked for me and he assigned tasks that best suited my situation. I felt understood, appreciated and usefull! I enjoyed my job.
From the beginning, I used to call him ‘Chief’, assuming he would be boss number x who’d lead our team and give orders. I was wrong. He cared about the people in his team. The more we got to know each other, the more I respected him.
My condition got worse and a year after Maarten left our team, I was 100% on medical leave.
I am greatful for having been a member on his team – a wonderful team – during these years.
Whenever we get in touch, I will still call him ‘Chief’  – always 😊”

“One day, unexpectedly, I got very bad news from my doctor, requiring me to undergo surgery. I could not go to work. I spend several hours with Maarten – my manager at the time – on the phone. He listened and arranged things so I had the time I needed personally. He knew – and acted accordingly – that when people feel good and appreciated, they go the extra mile. ”

“Because Busta Move – the largest school in Belgium for breakdance & free running – was expanding so fast, we needed to set-up a new location. It was Maarten who came to me and suggested to gather a team of volunteers to do so and to coordinate this effort.  I am happy to state we have succeeded in a short period of time to turn around an old & dirty barn into an attractive, original, polyvalent and modular free running space. I admire Maarten’s creativity, open-mindedness, collaboration with stakeholders, flexibility, hands-on mentality, scarcity mindset, safety mindset & passion. Thanks to the team’s effort, the children have another great place to train & have fun.”

“End of June 2024, we suddenly took over Busta Move vzw after our founder Michaël Prieels passed away. Soon we realized we needed structure to manage this club with over 500 participants and all different characters in the Board. Structure and coordination of meetings, priorities … structure in chaos in this year of crisis. Maarten suggested to guide us as a coach and as a friend of the Busta Move Family. The way he can bring clarity and peace in our chaos is amazing. When he took over our first big meeting, I was more relaxed and could more easily oversee all things to be done. Why? Well he was very direct but in a gentle way, no aggression but insisting what we want to achieve after this meeting.  He can listen and observe very good and summarize what really needs to be done. Personally, I have learned to questioning myself and others before directing my way of working. There is still a long way to go but with Maarten at our side I hope we can be stronger and more skilled in the way we will grow Bust Move. Thanks Coach.”