Our founders

Companies are built and run by people. And the most successful brands are run by those who live, breathe and believe in the company’s values. Selfa and Esther have seen firsthand the power of gathering people around company values, building tribes invested in collective goals and cementing the company’s vision for the future through events.

However, having worked in the industry for a collective 35 years, Selfa and Esther identified an issue. Great speakers doing meaningful work and influencing change are hard to come by. 

This was a lightbulb moment for the duo. They had the idea to create a speaker community of changemakers, train them and equip them with the skills they need to share their stories with large audiences. And that’s exactly what they did.

Selfa Verlaat 

Selfa has worked as an events producer for over ten years, organising international events for brands like Nike, Toms and Heineken. She believes in leveraging the power of brand storytelling to create immersive and impactful event experiences, considering everything from venue choice, speaker lineup, catering style to all the minute details. “I know how to set the scene, how to create the perfect environment and how to put together an event program that leaves a lasting impact on attendees.” In 2017, Selfa started her own micro-festival called Campfire Stories, which brings people together for a weekend of workshops, talks, outdoor fun and great food. Today, Selfa has carved out a niche for herself, orchestrating events with a keen focus on sustainability, facilitating brands to create incredible event experiences while minimising their environmental impact.
More about Selfa.

Esther Brokke

For the past 20 years, Esther has worked as a presentation coach, supporting speakers to become charismatic storytellers who connect with their audiences and deliver impactful presentations to large audiences. She has worked with business leaders and teams from brands such as Nike, Rabobank, VFCompany, Vans, Booking.com, Puma, Heineken and AGP as well as worked with the Dutch Royal Family, national TV presenters and prolific international athletes. Prior to being a presentation coach, Esther worked for the Dutch National Opera, trained lawyers in communication techniques, directed stadium pop concerts and curated large corporate events. Esther believes that everyone has a story to tell and that stories have the power to connect us with one another as well as shared visions and collective goals.
More about Esther.