The idea for GeefeenBoompje.nl It all started when Ester and her husband Remko went on a visit to the nursery. Remko told about the cherry tree that he had received from his grandparents when he was born. “He was always extremely proud of it. It really was his tree,” says Ester. “I immediately thought: what a special gift. A tree grows with you and keeps reminding you of a person or an important moment.”
A gift that continues to grow
Ester was working in the hospitality industry at the time and was pregnant with their eldest daughter. “I had been wanting to move to West Friesland, where I come from,” Ester says. She saw the arrival of their first child as a beautiful opportunity to change things up. The couple moved from Rotterdam to Westwoud, near Hoorn. There, in 2008, Ester started a webshop with a small assortment of trees, packaged as gifts and with a story attached. “Each tree species has its own symbolism,” explains Ester. “With that, you give someone a gift that expresses what you wish for that person. Think of strength, love, happiness, or a new beginning. And you give someone a reminder of a special event, such as a wedding, the birth of a child, or a new home.”
Living and working in one
Eight years ago, Remko decided to leave his career in the international business world and fully commit to GeefeenBoompje.nl. Together they bought a larger property in Westwoud, with enough space for further growth. The company is located on the same premises as their home. This way, entrepreneurship is literally intertwined with family life. A familiar situation for Ester, who grew up in a family of growers. Ester: “We work long hours, but we are always there for the children when needed.”
The impact of Corona
The coronavirus period became an unexpected stress test. Because congresses, weddings and events were cancelled on a large scale, the cancellations flooded in. “We really had sleepless nights from that,” Ester recalls. But soon things turned for the better. Companies found ways to stay in touch with remote workers and sent mass messages of appreciation. The demand for the trees exploded. Remko: “That sudden growth made it clear where our processes were no longer meeting the mark. The order processing, software, routing and packaging department had to be redesigned. In addition, we added staff. The team now consists of fourteen people, supplemented by temporary workers during the busy end-of-year period.” The expansion of the team made it necessary for Ester to learn something new: letting go. “That was really difficult for me. In the beginning, everything had to be in my head. Now everyone has their own responsibility and I know that the team can work perfectly without me.”
Focusing on growth
In 2024, GeefeenBoompje.nl won the NHN Business Award in the SME category. A strategic session that was part of the award prompted the entrepreneurs to think. Remko: “You know there’s much more potential for growth, but because of the hype, we didn’t get around to focusing on that. In the strategy session, they learned about GO!NH Scaling Up program. We participated in that project. At GO!NH, Ester and Remko worked on a scalable business model. Jorn Eiting from Liempt, Business Developer at ROM InWest, became their mentor. Almost weekly, they discussed the progress, dilemmas, and new opportunities. ”That extra pair of eyes really helped us,“ Remko says. ”Jorn always asked the right questions: is this really essential and is this the direction we want to go? That continuous process kept us focused.“
Making choices
The guidance from the GO!NH program And the coaching provided by Jorn yielded important insights. The analysis of the customer data revealed that the greatest growth potential lies with business customers. Ester: “That’s why we are now consciously choosing a number of promising sectors in that market, including financial services and construction. In those sectors, there are natural moments throughout the year to give a tree, for example when closing a mortgage or when a home is completed. We have now focused on these areas. We have a clear plan for where we want to go and how we should achieve it. And we measure whether it works.” Remko adds: “In the past, we were more reactive. Each customer was a unique case; we tackled everything on a case-by-case basis. Now we know that if you want to grow strategically, you have to make strategic choices and work more data-driven.”
Keep learning
GeefeenBoompje.nl is now active in Belgium, France and Denmark as well. That was also a learning experience. There, Ester and Remko discovered that a successful Dutch concept cannot simply be copied. Ester: “Culture, communication and price perception differ per country. In France, for example, it is almost scandalous to give a gift of 25 euros for a wedding or a birth. You have to adjust your prices accordingly. To create sales abroad, you really need a completely different strategy. Therefore, further international expansion is not on the agenda for now. We are focusing on the Netherlands and Belgium for the time being and that’s fine.” Remko adds: “Entrepreneurship is not just about more turnover. We were already growing, but now we are growing strategically.” Ester and Remko still do not feel ‘educated’; sparring remains important. Remko concludes: “I still think from time to time: I should call Jorn, I want to hear his opinion on this.” I actually have to pick up that contact again.”
