Best Product Built with n8n - ElevenLabs Worldwide Hackathon
Awarded by ElevenLabs / n8n
View details About
Hi, I'm Guido👋
I build communities that matter to the business, not just to the community itself.
Where many optimize for engagement metrics, I design systems that translate developer and customer intelligence into product strategy, reduce support costs, and create competitive moats built on trust rather than lock-in.
I've done this from zero multiple times. My psychology background helps me understand why technical users behave the way they do and to design interventions that actually work.
The Psychology Edge
Why This Approach Works
My cognitive psychology background shapes how I approach community building. I understand why developers and technical users behave the way they do (or know how to figure it out), which lets me design interventions that actually work.
Where others ask "how do we get more people?" I ask "why would someone stay, contribute, and advocate?"
Designing onboarding that turns newcomers into contributors
Understanding the psychology of first impressions and commitment escalation.
Creating participation structures that tap into intrinsic motivation
Building systems that reward genuine engagement over vanity metrics.
Building feedback mechanisms that surface real sentiment
Distinguishing signal from noise in community interactions.
Understanding the difference between activity and engagement
Measuring what actually matters for community health and business value.
Data-Driven, Not Just Relational
My experimentation background (running 500+ A/B tests at companies like Randstad and JDE) taught me to measure what matters and prove what's actually working. This makes me a different kind of community leader: one who thinks strategically and analytically, not just relationally.
Awards & Nominations
Experimentation Culture Awards 2020 - Individual Winner
Awarded by Experimentation Culture Awards
View details CRO Personality of the Year 2020 (Nominated)
Nominated by Digital Elite Group
Community Manager of the Day
Awarded by My Community Manager (mycmgr.com)
Magento X.commerce Community Builder Award
Awarded by eBay / John Donahoe
The Backstory
How I Got Here
Before community strategy, there was competitive swimming. I spent my early years training for national and European championships: learning discipline, competition, and the value of showing up consistently. That chapter ended in 2004, and a new one began.
To answer a common question right out of the gate: Yes, the X in my name is not just there for decorative reasons: my second name is Xavier!
The Athletic Years
I was born in 1982 in Zwolle, in the Netherlands. I lived in Hattem, Tiel, Amersfoort, Utrecht, Breukelen (yes, Brooklyn), Hoofddorp, Amsterdam and now Ouderkerk aan de Amstel (a suburb of Amsterdam). Until 2004, I spent most of my time swimming: training for national and European championships. That chapter taught me discipline, competition, and the value of showing up consistently.
University & Psychology
I studied Applied Cognitive Psychology at the University of Utrecht. I was board member of the Student Group of Social Sciences (SGS) in 2006/2007. This foundation in psychology became the lens through which I understand community dynamics, user behavior, and what actually motivates people to participate and contribute.
Career Journey
My career has bridged psychology and technology: from running 500+ experiments at companies like Randstad and JDE, to building community functions at major platforms. Each role reinforced the same insight: understanding why people behave the way they do is the foundation for building systems that actually work. Whether optimizing conversions or growing developer ecosystems, the principles remain the same.
"Guido knows his area of expertise and wants to create long-term and meaningful optimization teams and culture in organizations."
"Conversion rate optimization, psychology, leadership, and business are just a few of the topics he's spoken to at the highest level."
"Guido consistently brought energy and openness, making it easy to connect on both professional topics and personal interests like AI and podcasting. He also excelled at connecting people across business and technology, turning community exchanges into actionable collaboration. Guido showed real leadership without ever being my manager, creating alignment and momentum simply by bringing people together."
"I saw first-hand how the initiatives of his team not only strengthened customer and partner engagement but also directly shaped product direction and organizational growth. Guido has a rare ability to translate community insights into tangible business intelligence and vice versa bring business closer to the community."
What's Next
Need help and want to collaborate?
I'm exploring community leadership opportunities at companies with momentum. Where technical ecosystems can become genuine growth engines.
Particularly interested in open source, AI, automation and privacy-focused organizations.
Gallery
Me at work
