Johan Kamphuis
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Helping entrepreneurs to achieve their ambitions
Johan Kamphuis knows what’s important in the world of the entrepreneur. Sales and profit were often a topic of discussion at home when he was growing up; his parents owned a DIY store. He has been working at ING since 1998, always for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customers.
“It’s largely about networking, networking and more networking – that’s such an important part of my job. You have to get out there and keep yourself and the bank visible. So I spend a lot of time visiting customers, attending all kinds of networking events and you can regularly find me at the PEC Zwolle football stadium. Football matches are a particularly great opportunity for me to speak to customers and advisors. Those kinds of activities always take place outside of office hours so you have to be someone who enjoys – and is good at – corporate socialising. And I love it.”
What matters is the entrepreneur, not the industry
“My customers are companies with an annual revenue of up to 20 milion euros, across all sectors, in the Zwolle/Deventer region. Personally I have a bit of a soft spot for construction and manufacturing, probably because of my parents’ business and my first job. But I can get along with any client, and ultimately it’s the entrepreneurs that matter, not the industry they’re in. How do they see themselves and their companies, what are their ambitions, do they play a hands-on role or are they ‘just’ the financier? I always arrange to meet them on their business premises, because I want to see how the company looks and how the processes are set up. That’s important if I’m to provide the right advice on matters such as transcations, investment loans and topical issues such as improving the company’s sustainability, for example.”
Creative and headstrong
“While my customers are very diverse, they all share a passion for business. They are creative and headstrong people who have the courage to take risks. Otherwise they wouldn’t be entrepreneurs. All those different characters and their goals mean that no two days and no two conversations are the same. I love that unpredictability, and I also enjoy having to be quick to adapt, to ‘tune in’ to each entrepreneur’s specific situation. Interesting discussions energise me and so too does closing a great deal, one which helps the customer to build their business just as they envisaged – to achieve their ambitions. Helping people move forwards and making them happy makes me happy too.”
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About Johan
Johan obtained a degree in business economics in Utrecht, worked as Assistant Formula Manager at Hubo DIY stores and then joined the Dutch Institute for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. He has been working at ING since 1998, always in commercial roles for SME customers. He enjoys doing DIY in and around the house, is a keen road cyclist and is a korfball referee. He also loves music, reading, cooking and dining with friends. Johan is married and has two children.