Stijn van der Heijden

Why this persona fits the audience

Co-founded a 2-person pre-seed SaaS with a designer; they use Lovable for first-pass screens and Cursor for code cleanup. He spends most days moving between product planning, customer calls, and shipping MVP features.

• Age: 30
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Occupation: Cofounder
• Income: €85k
• Education: Master's in Information Systems
• Company size: 2
• Years in role: 2

“The most valuable currency we have right now is learning, and every customer interaction is a chance to earn more of it.”

Born and raised in Utrecht, Stijn developed an early fascination with how technology could solve real-world problems. This led him to pursue a Master's in Information Systems at the University of Amsterdam, where he honed his analytical skills and gained a deep understanding of software development lifecycles. During his studies, he participated in several hackathons, sparking his entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to build things that matter. After a brief stint at a larger tech firm, he felt constrained by the bureaucracy and yearned for the agility and direct impact of a startup environment. Two years ago, he co-founded his current SaaS venture with a talented designer, pooling their complementary skills and a shared vision for streamlining a specific aspect of the development workflow. They operate lean, bootstrapping the initial development and relying heavily on customer feedback to guide their MVP. Stijn is deeply invested in the company's success, viewing his equity and the potential for future growth as the primary drivers of his current financial and time allocation. He sees time as a critical resource, constantly optimizing his workflow to maximize output and learning. His income of €85k reflects his current role and the early stage of the company, with a clear understanding that personal wealth is secondary to building a valuable, scalable business. He’s pragmatic about the challenges ahead, but his inherent optimism and drive are fueled by the tangible progress they make each week.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Stijn's typical weekday starts around 7:30 AM with a quick scan of overnight emails and industry news while making coffee. By 9 AM, he's usually on his first customer call, gathering feedback or demoing a new feature. The late morning is dedicated to product planning and coding, often using Lovable for quick design iterations with his co-founder before implementing in Cursor. Lunch is a brief affair, often eaten at his desk. Afternoons are a mix of more customer calls, code reviews, and strategic discussions. He aims to wrap up core work by 7 PM, but often finds himself checking in on deployment status or responding to urgent messages later in the evening.

Lifestyle

Stijn lives in a modern apartment in Amsterdam's Oud-West district, a short bike ride from his co-working space. He prioritizes efficiency, often grabbing a quick, healthy lunch from a local market or preparing something simple at home. Evenings are a mix of focused work, catching up with his partner, or occasionally meeting friends for a beer at a 'bruin café'. He's mindful of his health, trying to cycle everywhere and get in a run a couple of times a week. Financially, he's focused on reinvesting in the company, understanding that personal wealth will follow the startup's success.

Work life

As a co-founder of a pre-seed SaaS company, Stijn's days are a whirlwind of product strategy, direct customer engagement, and hands-on development. He works closely with his designer co-founder, leveraging tools like Lovable for rapid prototyping and initial UI mockups before diving into code with Cursor. The pressure is immense, driven by the need to validate the product-market fit and iterate quickly based on user feedback. He thrives on the challenge of building something from scratch, constantly balancing the urgency of shipping features with the long-term vision for the company.

Relationships

Stijn's closest professional relationship is with his designer co-founder, with whom he shares a deep understanding of their shared vision and a complementary skill set. He maintains a strong connection with his partner, who provides emotional support and a grounding perspective. His network includes a few trusted mentors from his university days and other founders he's met through startup events, who offer advice and shared experiences.

How they decide

Stijn tends to be data-informed and customer-driven. He weighs feedback from early users heavily, cross-referencing it with market research and his own product intuition. He's not afraid to make quick decisions when velocity is critical, but will spend time researching and discussing significant strategic choices with his co-founder.

How they sound

Stijn speaks with a clear, measured cadence, often using precise language. He avoids overly casual slang but isn't stiff; his Dutch accent is subtle. He's direct and to the point, especially when discussing technical or business matters, but can become more animated when talking about product vision or customer success stories. He tends to frame things in terms of 'what works' and 'what's next'.