Connect with DAFT entrepreneurs in the Netherlands

We'd like to feature some DAFT business stories. Interested? Reach out to hello@daftconnect.com.

There's now a clickable map of our DAFT businesses here and on the directory page to make it easier to find businesses close to you. If you haven't already added your business listing, please do! Making it also made me wonder – are there DAFTers out there in the Dutch Caribbean?

We added some favorites to the Recommend Resources sidebar. NotJustBikes and Buncharted were very persuasive YouTube channels when I was in my research phase, and Taylor Zdruli has a great DAFT guide. We could use more though, especially for current DAFTers. Favorite iTalki or Preply teachers? Expat groups? Event newsletters? If any resources have been helpful to you, please share.

Growing up in upstate New York, forests and mountains were everywhere, you could step outside and be in the woods within minutes. Moving to the Netherlands has been a different kind of adventure. If I want a real forest walk now, it’s an hour + drive to Garderen. Not better, not worse—just a new way of experiencing nature. For those of you who moved from the US to the Netherlands, what’s something in your environment that feels completely different now?

Jonathan S. I also lived in the woods in my last two years in the US. We loved our property. But every errand we ran involved getting in our car, tightening our kids into car seats, getting tailgated down country highways, passing roadkill, ending at a huge paved parking lot... I feel much more connected to my environment now that we're walking or biking everywhere. My kids love the different birds, especially the Egyptian geese, and how many playgrounds there are. Also love the way public spaces encourage loitering. They recently installed these concrete sofas in Maastricht that I now see people hanging out on. It's a big contrast to the US making spaces un-lingerable.more

A culture-shock moment for me was my accountants wanting to meet me and my family for lunch. What else has been unexpected about doing business here?

Hadn't seen a cigarette machine in ages until this one at De jongens van de Branding, Maastricht.

Welcome to the DAFTConnect wall! How is everyone doing with their business? With Dutch life or move preparations? We're working on adding more content and features for current or aspiring DAFTers. Our primary goals are: 1. To provide networking and connection opportunities for fellow DAFTers to support each other. 2. To create a more structured, searchable platform for repetitive DAFT discussions, i.e. Do I really need a makelaar? Can anyone recommend an accountant? BV or ZZP? etc. I'm excited to be in Maastricht and looking forward to hearing how others are doing. Met vriendelijke groet!