CrossBreeze originates from the vision of its two founders: Willem Otten and Harmen Wessels. We would like to introduce you to the faces behind CrossBreeze. Today, it is the pragmatic and inspiring Willem who likes to provide you with clarity regarding technology, but confuses you with his humor.
Inspiring and programming; that’s Willem!
Willem’s roots lie in Zevenaar, where he grew up with a passion for basketball. In adulthood, he is married and has two children who are active in the local football club. His love for ball sports has therefore now been converted into giving football training to children. For Willem, it is not so much about the game itself, but mainly about inspiring children and making them believe that they can do it. In high school, he found his own ability in programming. Willem: “At school you could take extra lessons, including programming. I really enjoyed doing this. This is why I also started studying computer science. I became acquainted with different types of software development: from building websites to ERP.”
Why do the same thing 100 times?
After his studies, Willem came into contact with model-driven development. Willem: “I have always believed that you don’t have to do everything by hand, so this approach immediately appealed to me.” And Willem was not the only one with this vision. At one of his employers, his path crossed with Harmen, who believes in model-driven development just as much as Willem does. Because why would you do the same thing 100 times if you can automate it? In combination with the drive to start something yourself, CrossBreeze was created. Willem: “As an entrepreneur, I can share my vision and I have more freedom to decide for myself which customers I work for. I really missed that with my employers.”
Automation versus craftsmanship
In addition to his passion for technology and entrepreneurship, Willem also has a passion for brewing beer. A hobby whose working method is the opposite of what he does at CrossBreeze. Willem: “I actually like to brew beer by hand as much as possible. Of course you can automate this process, but in this case I get pleasure from doing all the steps myself. As far as I’m concerned, the best of both worlds.”
Pragmatic with humor
Willem is characterised by his dry humour, which he shows in both his personal and professional life. Willem: “I like it when people doubt whether it is serious or a joke. Then the joke is a success for me.” In collaboration with Harmen, it is noticeable that Willem prefers pragmatism and quick decision-making, while Harmen is a bit more of a perfectionist and seeks technical depth. Willem: “Harmen and I complement each other very well in that respect. Together we are the backbone of CrossBreeze. In the future, I would like to expand our services to more product development, so that we can also serve companies with our software. In addition, I want to focus more on our proposition and marketing, even though my interest always remains in technology.”
Want to know more about Willem, his vision and working methods? Then contact him! He will be happy to tell you more about the vision and working methods of CrossBreeze.
