About me

From 'Treasure hunter' to Growth Coach

Fred's Journey

A Sense of Adventure Ignited

At the age of 7, fueled by a desire for exploration, I ran away from home after a teacher pulled my hair. Although my adventure was short-lived, it sparked a lifelong passion for venturing into the unknown. As I grew older, my interest in diverse cultures, art, and travel deepened, leading me to pursue studies in cultural heritage with a specialization in the conservation of shipwrecks.

Embarking on an International Career

After extensive training and internships, I began my international career at the Institute for Nautical Archaeology in Turkey. As a young department head at the age of 28, I led my first team. Seeking new challenges, I then moved to Scotland, where I worked in a private company as a project manager and further honed my skills through management studies.

Establishing My Own Company

In 2007, I took a leap of faith and established my own company, Holmes Heritage Consultation & Conservation Services. Through this venture, I worked as a project manager in various countries such as the UK, China, the USA, and Singapore, engaging in exciting international heritage projects. These experiences allowed me to travel the world, explore breathtaking landscapes, and immerse myself in diverse cultures.

Navigating the 7 Seas of Experience

During those bustling years, I constantly moved from one project to another, often spending months at sea. The diversity of my work spanned strategy development, project planning, policy implementation, training, research, scientific analysis, and business development. These deep-dives into different areas and collaborations with professionals from various backgrounds taught me the essence of cross-disciplinary work, multiculturalism, and stepping outside of my comfort zone.

Seeking New Challenges

In 2017, the unforeseen occurred—the international projects I had dedicated myself to came to a sudden halt. Legal battles ensued, investors withdrew, and the best projects were discontinued. The dream job I had built was no longer feasible, and I found myself at a crossroads, searching for a new direction filled with the same sense of adventure.

Discovering the Power of Team Dynamics

Through my experiences on long sea projects and interactions with people from diverse cultures, I gained invaluable insights into team formation and leadership in high-pressure environments. The ability to form a cohesive team quickly and effectively is paramount when you're in the middle of the ocean, where every decision can make or break the success of the mission. I delved into understanding what it takes to foster teamwork, build connections, maintain a positive working atmosphere, navigate challenging circumstances, and communicate effectively. These experiences allowed me to learn not only about others but also about myself, especially when I stepped out of my comfort zone during long solo hikes.

Unveiling the Limitations of Traditional Training Approaches

Throughout my journey, I discovered that traditional training approaches often fall short. The one-size-fits-all model lacks quality and fails to align with individual goals. Many participants find themselves questioning the purpose of their participation, and the content often fails to stick in the long term. Real growth and transformation, I realized, happen when we step outside our comfort zones and tap into our inner strengths.

A New Direction: Empowering Inner Strengths

Motivated by this realization, I decided to leverage my accumulated knowledge and experience to train and coach individuals. I immersed myself in courses, explored different systems and structures, and ultimately discovered a training program focused on inner strengths and drives. Today, my driving force lies in bringing out the inner strength within people, empowering them to reach their fullest potential.

In conclusion, my journey from treasure hunter to growth coach has been an adventurous and transformative one. Through my diverse experiences, interactions with people from different backgrounds, and stepping outside my comfort zone, I have come to understand the power of effective team dynamics and the limitations of traditional training approaches. Now, my mission is to guide individuals in unlocking their inner strengths and driving their personal and professional growth.

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TESTIMONIALS

ELLEN DRIESEN - HR DIRECTOR RANDSTAD
Management Team training
Luzern area - Switzerland

We asked Fred to organize a team day that would teach our management team something and make them again more self aware but would also bring fun. Fred succeeded in this with flying colors. He provided something for everyone by bringing together the physical, intellectual and game elements in an excellent way. However, what struck me the most is his creativity to bring everything together into a meaningful whole.

DANIEL AUMER - ICT DIRECTOR RANDSTAD
Management Team training
Luzern area - Switzerland

We had a great Team Building day with our Management Team in a good mix of play, mental and physical activities. Fred is a great mentor to support us to bring us to the next level in our Team

KERSTIN LEHNERT - MARKETING MANAGER RANDSTAD
Management Team training
Luzern area - Switzerland

Ambiance was very supportive, we were made at ease, it was great fun

KJELL COLSOUL - MANAGING DIRECTOR, BANANAS
Customised Edition
Belgium

Your personal business profile gives you very interesting and useful insights into your behavior in different situations. You get to know your drives and motivators. You also get a clear picture of how they influence your leadership style and what the impact is on your team members. Insight into these patterns will help your further personal development and will make you grow as a leader!

STEFAAN DE GEEST - HEAD OF OPERATIONS AT WORDLINE
Customised Edition
Belgium

I work in a Fintech environment and interact with a lot of expert profiles on a daily basis. As a generalist profile I sometimes had difficulties in connecting with these people. The Management Drives training gave me better insights into my own and other peoples drives and how to make the bridge. Fred did an excellent job in explaining the model and my personal profile in a concise & clear manner! As a result I better understand thought patterns and can anticipate more.

KRISTOF ALBRECHT - KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER B2B SAMSUNG BENELUX
Arctic Survival +
Jukkasjärvi

The ArrowHead concept is unique and well-thought-out. Individual profiles are made clear and the various leadership drives are clarified with practical experiences. The combination of the training and the "artic survival" is ideal to translate "theory" into "practice". You get the chance to try out everything yourself and spend the night outside in a self-built shelter. This unique experience makes your team stronger.

VEERLE VLASSCHAERT -FREELANCE CLINICAL RESEARCH PROFESSIONAL
Arctic Survival +
Jukkasjärvi

Individual profiles gave me new and clear insights into my own drives and those of my colleagues. After a quick course on how to make fire on snow and navigation exercises with map and compass you find the place where you will build your own survival shelter. During this time you could see the different drives of everyone in action! Cooking your own food under the Northern Lights and realizing that you will spend the night outside at minus 18 were my highlights. This experience certainly count in terms of "out of the comfort zone". You realize that you had an unforgettable experience with your team. One that will be remembered in the office for a long time.