Getting an inside look can be a great way to learn more about a company. Today, the spotlight is on our Marketing Manager, Sjaak.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who is Sjaak, what do you do at Watter, and what is your life like outside of Watter?
My name is Sjaak Hummel. I am a Marketing Manager, but I also oversee some other tasks, such as IT, recruitment, and project management. I live together with my wife Marieke and our two sons, Moritz and Lukas, in a beautiful town called Roden. On the weekends, I enjoy playing football while also coaching my son’s football team. I also like sports such as tennis, padel, and squash. At Watter we have a group that can occasionally be found on the padel court together, but we should do that more often.
As for my personality, I think I have a positive attitude. I try not to dwell on the past, but rather move forward. And I do like a little humor in the workplace. It makes working together much more fun!
I also like going on vacation with my family. With the two boys we are bound to the school vacations, but we often make use of them. For example, we have been going to Texel in May, we often go camping during the summer vacations, and we try to visit a place with sun, sea and beaches during the autumn vacations. The last two years that was in Turkey.
How long have you been working here, and how did you end up at Watter?
I have been working at Watter for four years now. Initially, I came in contact with a recruitment agency, but that was for a different vacancy. After the recruiter got to know me a little better, she suggested another job offer that would suit me perfectly. That turned out to be a job at Watter. Before Watter, I worked mainly as a Digital Marketing Manager in various marketing agencies.
How would you describe your colleagues and the atmosphere at Watter?
Professional, curious, hard-working, focused, but also with enough time for fun. I think we are all on the same page and that works very well. We are a relatively small team, so it is important that everyone works together towards a common goal. And to be honest, we do that very well at Watter. People are willing to do what it takes to achieve this goal. It’s not always just the tasks listed in your job description - for example, I myself can sometimes be found in the warehouse preparing shipments.
What I really appreciate at Watter is that if you have a good idea supported by data and good arguments, there is always an opportunity to try it out and experiment. I think this keeps the whole team motivated, as there are many opportunities for personal growth.
Which tasks make you feel energized and excited?
Tasks related to digital marketing, whether it’s Google Ads, SEO, or LinkedIn ads. I believe in the synergy of all digital marketing channels. I also enjoy talking to our customers and getting feedback from them, or approaching potential clients in a more sales-oriented role. I feel energized when I see the results of the hard work we’ve been doing as a team. The improved quality of the leads we’re generating is a great example of that.
What is the best memory you’ve created at Watter?
All the company outings are great fun! Around Christmas, we always have a bigger outing with an activity and a nice dinner (and some drinks, of course). Go-karting last year was absolutely fun and really competitive. But the bouldering this year was also fantastic. There is a lot of laughter and a lot of fun!
How do you see the future of Watter?
Very bright. Everything we have done in the recent years has prepared us for more traction in our desired target markets, including internationally. We just need to keep pushing and get the snowball rolling a little more, and then things can happen very quickly.