mission

Giving people a sense of being briefly lifted into another world – this was my mission when in the late 1970s I set up business in the historical river town of Woudrichem. Enjoying my work and inspiring co-workers: stimulating them to try their wings and go for it.

Imagination outweighs knowledge. All you can envisage is real.

Pioneering, I stood at the cradle of a relatively unexplored area. By now, events organisation has grown into an official discipline. As a special acknowledgement for my merits in the events business, I was awarded the ‘Gouden Giraffe’ award for ‘personality’.

Translating the imagination into tangible concepts
Adding dimensions to emotions and settings,
Which thus remain engraved in memory.

Thinking in total concepts and taking the initial ideas of my clients beyond conceivability were the main starting points. Time, surroundings, aim, and the target group provided the cornerstones. Overall direction was important. And so, without ever really making a conscious decision about it, I was gradually setting up a full-service events company with divisions in stage design, entertainment, catering, location, and communication strategies.

Making up your mind, making the right choice –
But what is the right choice?
Profusion provokes.

From the start, the company I ran was unusual and very special. It grew fast, not in the least because of the singularity and enthusiasm of collaborators and clients. ‘Anything goes’ was our guiding mantra; the sky was the limit. Monumental dilapidated buildings were acquired, restored, and fitted in style. I have always been attracted by designing, developing, and conceptual thinking; and doing the utmost to put all ideas into practise. This was the distinguishing factor.

Raising expectations is a craft –
Surpassing them an art.

Apart from the success in business, there was the quest for myself, for being more attentive to the moments of quality in life, for allowing myself ample time for everything I cherish. I did not want to be swallowed up by work or die in harness – the harness of success. And so, after more than 24 years, I decided to part from my company. In 1996, at the crossroads of ever more successful achievements and with my enterprise being among the best-known, most wonderful, and most talked-about in the field, I made the conscious decision to switch tracks.

The past is history, the future a question, and the moment right now is a gift.

There’s a lot more room in my present way of life. I very deliberately look for a fair balance between life and work, with ample space for contributing to society and acquiring greater spiritual and philosophical depth; generally enjoying the things I encounter during my life’s journey.

Exceptional achievements are based on passion and inner need.

Work and my contribution to society

My work can’t be easily pigeonholed, which is what I like about it. I love out-of-the-box thinking and am always looking for new incentives and fresh challenges. Here’s a summary of my activities:

Made in Mind. A company devoted to concept development and advice in the world of events and the leisure industry.
Marc van Laere Producties. Here, I am permanently involved in my capacity to inspire and render advice.
Ethiopia. My travels to this country have left me hooked. I published a book of photos expressing the vigour and vulnerability of this fascinating country: Ethiopië - Kracht en Kwetsbaarheid (an English edition is in the making). Partly because of this, I am involved in various projects there.
Contribution to society. I believe in contributing to society by making available my know-how, creativity, and network for the business world, associations, and NGOs. This includes for instance thinking up and working out ideas; or coaching processes of change. I am frequently asked to sit on boards and juries.

Obstacles and restrictions are the incentive to my creativity.

passion

Apart from my work, I enjoy doing a number of activities, each a source of inspiration.

The arts. Photography, sculpture, and sketching are the art forms suited to express my urge to create.
Travel. Getting to know other countries and different cultures.
Gardens. Inking in the gardens that surround my home, the place where I love to live and work.
Sports. Spinning, squash, running, and bicycling. Doing these sports have not only led to a healthy mind but also to partaking in marathons and undertaking long bicycle hikes in different places in the world.

The road you take is important, but so are the traces you leave behind.