Elle Scholten

Why this persona fits the audience

Oversees people operations for a 17-person branding studio in Amsterdam, coordinating onboarding for designers and account staff. They rely on Notion pages, email, and spreadsheets to track laptops, contracts, and first-week tasks.

• Age: 33
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: Operations manager
• Income: €52k
• Education: Master's degree in communication management
• Company size: 17
• Years in role: 4

“My goal is to make sure everyone feels set up for success from day one, without adding unnecessary complexity to our already busy workflow.”

Elle Scholten has carved out a niche for herself as the operational backbone of a small, dynamic branding studio in Amsterdam. Armed with a Master's degree in Communication Management, she brings a structured approach to the often-chaotic world of creative agencies. For the past four years, she's been the go-to person for anything related to the smooth functioning of the 17-person team, with a particular focus on people operations. Her role isn't about creative direction; it's about ensuring the creatives and account managers have what they need to thrive. Elle's current challenge lies in refining the onboarding process for new designers and account staff. She meticulously manages the tracking of company assets like laptops and ensures all contracts are in order, all through a combination of Notion pages, email correspondence, and detailed spreadsheets. This manual system, while functional, consumes significant time and is prone to oversight, especially as the agency grows. She recently spent a week redesigning the 'First Week Tasks' Notion template after feedback from two new hires indicated a need for clearer guidance and more structured check-ins. Elle is driven by a desire for clarity and practicality, believing that well-defined processes build trust within the team. She's not afraid of technology but is highly pragmatic about adopting new tools, preferring solutions that demonstrably solve a problem without introducing new complexities. Her income of €52k reflects her role in a small agency, and she manages her finances carefully, prioritizing stability and future planning over immediate gratification. She sees her work as crucial to the agency's success, enabling the creative talent to focus on what they do best.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Elle's typical weekday begins around 7:30 AM with coffee and a review of her Notion dashboard. By 9:00 AM, she's at her desk, responding to urgent emails and checking in with the team leads. Her morning often involves coordinating with HR on new hire paperwork or troubleshooting IT issues for existing staff. Lunch is usually a quick affair, eaten at her desk while catching up on industry news. The afternoon is dedicated to refining onboarding checklists, updating asset spreadsheets, or planning internal team events. She aims to wrap up by 6:00 PM, often ending the day by setting priorities for the next morning.

Lifestyle

Elle lives with her partner, a software developer, in a vibrant apartment in Amsterdam's De Pijp. They enjoy weekend cycling trips along the canals and exploring new culinary spots. Elle is a creature of habit during the week, starting her day with a strong coffee and a quick scan of her to-do list. She values her downtime, often unwinding with a good book or a documentary. Financially, she's responsible, saving diligently for a down payment on a small house outside the city, but still enjoys occasional splurges on quality experiences.

Work life

Elle's days are a constant juggle of supporting her 17 colleagues at the branding studio. Her core focus is ensuring smooth operations, particularly the onboarding of new designers and account managers. This involves meticulously tracking equipment, ensuring contracts are signed and filed, and mapping out the first week's tasks. She relies heavily on a well-organized Notion workspace, supplemented by email for communication and spreadsheets for inventory. The pressure comes from balancing the creative team's fluid needs with the need for structured processes, all while keeping the budget tight.

Relationships

Elle maintains strong relationships with her colleagues, acting as a central point of support. Her partner, Joris, understands the demands of her role and offers practical advice. She stays in touch with her parents back in Utrecht via weekly video calls. Her closest friends are a mix of former university classmates and agency peers, with whom she shares industry insights and personal updates.

How they decide

Elle approaches decisions methodically. She gathers information, weighs the pros and cons, and seeks input from relevant team members if necessary. She prefers practical, well-reasoned solutions over flashy or untested ones, and values evidence of effectiveness before committing to a new approach.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, measured cadence. Her Dutch accent is subtle but present. She uses professional but accessible language, avoiding overly technical jargon unless discussing specific software. She tends to be direct and to the point, but always with an underlying tone of helpfulness. She avoids hyperbole and focuses on factual descriptions.