'You can't stop
your thoughts.
But you can stop
believing them.'

Jan van Setten is a highly sought-after speaker and bestselling author. He provides insights and inspiration in the areas of (personal) leadership, customer focus, and organizational change.

Jan delivers more than 150 lectures and workshops per year. The audience is guaranteed to be on the edge of their seats. No one leaves the room without gaining a new insight or idea, and a concrete action plan.

Speaker

Jan is one of the most sought-after Dutch speakers. Through his lectures and workshops, Jan reaches thousands of people, both domestically and internationally, in an inspiring way, with a dose of humor and energy.

Bestselling Author

All of Jan’s books have been in the Dutch Bestseller Management Top 3. ‘Hoe Krijg Ik Ze Zover’ even led the bestseller list for a year. This book got now translated in 2024 and is available under the title ‘The Stairway To Commitment’.

Experience

With his practical experience as a commercial and general manager at companies like Nestlé and Alcoa, educational background (MBA), and the best ideas from great thinkers, Jan consistently delivers applicable eye-openers.

Jan through the years...

Rotterdam South

Jan was born in Gouda and grew up in Rotterdam South. Here he learned the Rotterdam way of getting things done: actions speak louder than words.

From Spreadsheet Knight to (Account) Manager

After completing his pre-university education, Jan began his professional life as a 'spreadsheet knight' at Moret and Limperg (now Ernst & Young). This was not an immediate match: at the time, it was more about ticking boxes than igniting sparks. Jan continued on his path and found his passion in the commercial field.

Management Positions

He started working at companies like Nestlé and Alcoa, earned his MBA at the company's expense, and gained extensive experience in commercial and general management roles. Meanwhile, he was increasingly asked to inspire and motivate various teams, both internally and externally. This led Jan to the speaking profession, from which he drew more and more energy.

Freedom Fighter

After building various companies from Europe to Russia, Jan founded along with three other ‘freedom fighters’ in 2000 the Business Innovation Group for coaching, training, and consultancy. This was a form of positive aggression against the loss of joy, integrity, and results in the management world.

Speaker

He built his career as a speaker and author in the fields of entrepreneurship, customer orientation, (personal) leadership, and organizational change. Through his lectures and workshops, Jan has now reached tens of thousands of people in an inspiring manner, with a dose of humor and energy.

Bestselling Author

In 2010 Jan's first book 'Hoe Krijg Ik Ze Zover?' (now also translated to English) was published and immediately entered the number 1 spot on Managementboek.nl. His second book, 'De Klantenfluisteraar', was already in the top 10 of best-selling books during pre-order. His third book, 'Leven Is Verwarrend Eenvoudig', was released in early 2018, followed by his fourth book, 'Weet Wat Je Zegt', in 2020. Annually, thousands of copies fly off the shelves. He is currently working on his fifth book...

Top Rated

The immense joy Jan finds in inspiring people is fortunately mutual. People rate Jan with an average score of 9.0! At Denkproducties, he has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top-rated speakers.

Family Business

'Jan van Setten' has since grown into a vibrant family business. Together with his daughters and many wonderful freelancers, Jan continues to have the mission of helping people take optimal control for a more successful and beautiful (business) life. Not just through lectures, but also (especially) afterward. Through platforms like social media and the Growth Accelerator: an innovative way to maximize your development with great enjoyment.

Inspire your organization

Book a keynote by Jan for employees, a lecture for clients, or a brainstorming session with the Management Team. Full of energy and inspiration.