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, and to the people in them.
Where many optimize for engagement metrics, I turn what developers and customers tell us into product strategy. That tends to lower support costs and build the kind of trust that keeps people around, without locking them in.
I've done this from zero multiple times. My psychology background taught me you can't reliably predict how technical users will behave, so I design community work as small experiments and pay attention to what they actually do.
that's me 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 isn't just there for decorative reasons. My second name is Xavier!
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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.
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University & psychology
View my LinkedIn profileI 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.
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Career journey
Credentials, awards & articlesMy 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: you can't reliably predict why people behave the way they do, so you build systems that test assumptions instead of trusting them. Whether optimizing conversions or growing developer ecosystems, the principle stays the same.
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
kind words
What my colleagues say
Recommendation excerpts written by colleagues on LinkedIn
"Guido is a thought leader in community building and developer relations. Any company serious about building an ecosystem should talk to him."
"What stands out most is his ability to balance strong opinions with genuine psychological safety."
"He delivered results that mattered: developer feedback shaped our product roadmap, engineering teams connected directly with external developers, and our community became stronger after each challenge."
"Guido is an excellent public speaker who gives his audience practical tips on how to create a company culture that embraces evidence-based decision making."
behind the scenes
Me at work
What's next
Need help and want to collaborate?
I'm taking on 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.
Work with me Connect with me
Let's connect
I share thoughts on community building, developer ecosystems, and the psychology behind what makes people contribute.