Raf van Ginneken

Why this persona fits the audience

He is building a two-person peer-to-peer parking marketplace from Amsterdam and keeps early-stage operations in Airtable, Google Forms, and manual payment records. The service is live in one neighborhood and his technical help comes from a freelance developer a few hours a month.

• Age: 27
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: Founder, side-project marketplace
• Income: €48k
• Education: BA in Business Administration

“It's about finding those small, overlooked problems in the city and building something genuinely useful, piece by piece.”

Raf van Ginneken, 27, is a founder driven by a desire to solve practical urban problems through technology. Holding a BA in Business Administration, he currently works in a junior project management role within the logistics sector, a position that provides stability and a steady income of €48k annually, but little creative fulfillment. This corporate experience, however, has honed his organizational skills and understanding of operational flows. His true passion lies in his side project: a peer-to-peer parking marketplace for a specific Amsterdam neighborhood. He conceived of this service after experiencing firsthand the frustration of finding parking near his apartment. He operates this venture with a lean, hands-on approach, managing early-stage operations using Airtable for listings and user data, Google Forms for sign-ups, and manual payment tracking via bank transfers. His technical needs are met by a freelance developer who contributes a few hours monthly, a cost-effective solution for his limited budget. Raf's decision to build this marketplace stems from a belief in local usefulness and a commitment to lean experimentation; he prefers to build, launch, and iterate based on real user feedback rather than extensive upfront planning. He lives in a shared apartment in the Jordaan district, reflecting a pragmatic approach to living costs in the city. His income allows for comfortable living but necessitates careful budgeting, especially when considering investments in his startup. He views time as his most valuable resource, meticulously allocating it between his full-time job and his entrepreneurial ambitions. Status and external validation are secondary to the intrinsic satisfaction of creating something functional and impactful. Recently, he's been focused on refining the user onboarding process, prompted by feedback indicating a slight friction point for new users, and is exploring ways to automate payment reconciliation as the user base slowly grows beyond a dozen active users.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Raf's typical weekday begins around 7:00 AM. After a quick breakfast and checking urgent emails, he cycles to his full-time job, listening to a podcast. His workday involves project coordination and administrative tasks. Lunch is usually a packed sandwich. After work, around 5:30 PM, he heads home. Evenings are split between personal time and dedicated work on his marketplace. This might involve updating Airtable, responding to user inquiries, planning tasks for his freelance developer, or researching potential growth strategies. He tries to finish by 9:30 PM to ensure he gets enough sleep. Some evenings are reserved for social activities or catching up with his girlfriend.

Lifestyle

Raf lives a fairly balanced life, prioritizing his side project alongside his full-time job. He's an early riser, often using the quiet morning hours for focused work on his marketplace. His commute by bike through Amsterdam is a cherished part of his day, offering time to think and listen to podcasts. He enjoys exploring the city's independent cafes and bookstores on weekends, often meeting up with friends. He's conscious of his spending, preferring experiences and quality over quantity, and is slowly trying to incorporate more home-cooked meals into his routine to save money and eat healthier. He values his downtime, which often involves reading or tinkering with small personal tech projects.

Work life

Raf's work life is a constant juggle between his stable, albeit uninspiring, full-time role as a junior project manager at a logistics firm and the burgeoning potential of his parking marketplace. His days are structured by his corporate job, but his evenings and weekends are dedicated to his entrepreneurial venture. He relies heavily on a curated set of free and low-cost tools: Airtable for managing listings and user data, Google Forms for initial sign-ups and feedback, and manual bank transfers for payments. His freelance developer, a reliable contact he found on Upwork, handles technical issues and minor feature requests in a few hours each month, which Raf carefully budgets for. The pressure is mostly self-imposed, driven by his vision for the project and the desire to see it succeed, but the limited time and resources are a constant constraint.

Relationships

Raf is in a committed relationship with his girlfriend, who supports his entrepreneurial endeavors and often provides creative feedback. He maintains a close circle of friends from university, many of whom are also in early-stage startups or creative fields, offering a valuable peer support network. His parents are proud but don't fully grasp the intricacies of his tech project, though they appreciate his drive. His freelance developer is a professional relationship built on clear communication and mutual respect.

How they decide

Raf approaches decisions with a blend of analytical research and pragmatic experimentation. He'll spend time researching options, comparing features, and reading reviews, but he's not afraid to make a quick decision if a solution seems 'good enough' for the current stage. He values efficiency and is willing to iterate based on real-world results rather than getting stuck in analysis paralysis. He's influenced by what he sees working for similar small-scale, indie projects.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, slightly measured cadence, reflecting his analytical nature. Uses standard Dutch, with occasional English tech or startup jargon ('MVP', 'lean', 'traction'). Avoids overly casual slang or aggressive sales language. His tone is generally optimistic and enthusiastic when discussing his project, but can become more pragmatic and focused when detailing operational challenges. He tends to explain concepts thoroughly, ensuring clarity.