New Kid(s) on the Block: Lenn Philip Poetiray and Tom Nieuwenhuis

In 'New Kids on the Block', MASTERS talks to entrepreneurs who decided to start their own business at a young age. They have courage, are young and have great ambitions. According to Founder Lenn Philip Poetiray, investing in business and personal well-being is more important than ever. He founded DOMÍN together with Tom Nieuwenhuis. An exclusive members club for like-minded gentlemen on the Zuidas in - in their own words - the most beautiful building in the Netherlands.  

More than three years ago, Lenn and Tom recognized the fact that the Netherlands lacked an inspiring place where like-minded gentlemen from the top segment could meet informally throughout the week in peace and quiet for business, personal care and special events. Anything but unusual in foreign metropolises, but strangely enough it is here. High time to create an environment that offers various relevant pillars for men who are often the center of attention. This is where DOMÍN was born, whose name is derived from the Latin domus and dominus. With this exclusive members club for men - in fact a business club plus - they offer various experiences at home and abroad with their partners, they have a beautiful lounge with bar for (networking) work, there is a handy concierge service and there, very important, high-quality facilities specialized in premium personal care for men.

What is your personal USP?

Lenn: “Modesty adorns man, but at gunpoint I must say that my conceptual thinking, rational ingenuity and flexibility by definition help me move forward. This helps to recognize opportunities, contributes to creating and concretizing the creative and makes it easier to connect. In addition, thanks to my background in communications & marketing, I can translate this to different types of people.”

Tom: “I think I can relate well with people from different backgrounds. For example, I worked at ING, but also in the world of urban music. Two completely different worlds. Where others may not be able to see links between one target group and another, I often see them. That's what I enjoy doing the most: connecting people. This was also one of the reasons for setting up DOMÍN. Creating connections and stringing together networks.”  

What can the older generation of entrepreneurs learn from you?

Lenn: “Let me first say that I can still mainly learn from the older generation of entrepreneurs. That said, when talking to entrepreneurs who have been active for decades, I notice a certain tension regarding the current zeitgeist. Employing the youngest generations in 2023 requires a different approach than twenty or thirty years ago. More than ever, the boss's ability to put things into perspective and flexibility is being called upon. Am I a fan of that development? Not that, but I do realize that you cannot stop this development. Certainly not all at once. So I make sure that I am flexible enough to deal with this spirit of the times and I like to immerse myself in my fellow human beings.”  

Tom: “I agree with the changing spirit of the times. What I especially notice is that everything is happening much faster now. In my opinion, it used to be much more difficult to become an entrepreneur. A business plan was thought out much further and all risks were extensively analyzed. It is now more about daring and taking action: taking the risk and going for it. It works this way for me too, you either have to commit fully to something or you don't. This is also necessary with our concept, because we want to break a taboo. You have to be 100% behind the concept in order to be able to market it.” 

“DOMÍN is in fact a connector and facilitator”

Who is your mentor or source of inspiration in the field of entrepreneurship?

Lenn: “I get my knowledge and inspiration from countless sources and my ears and eyes are always alert. Still, I have to say that my father has always been my greatest source of inspiration. Although, as a lieutenant colonel of the Marines, he may not be an entrepreneur on paper, his profession pre-eminently requires a top-level entrepreneurial spirit. His contribution to the Special Forces, such as Commander BBE, or his role as Deputy Chief of Staff Operations MINUSMA, or the 'Mali mission', require a particularly extensive set of skills on a cognitive, emotional and physical level. You can imagine that I learned a lot from him. He is particularly modest about this. For example, I only recently discovered – during a speech by a colleague of his – that he was a prominent figure in the development of MARSOF.”

Tom: "I couldn't really describe one person as a specific teacher or source of inspiration. I learn from many different people and get a lot from books, series, YouTube and mainly many conversations with people. From all these sources I then try to take what is relevant, new or motivating for me. The great thing about DOMÍN is that entrepreneurs from different industries are members or visit us. Despite the differences, you discover that they all face the same types of challenges. We learn a lot by sparring with them and seeing how they deal with it.”

What is your motto or quote?

Lenn: “I don't have a specific mantra, but I am a believer in the idea seize the day. Thinking ahead is necessary as an entrepreneur, but a little opportunism can make you very happy.”

Tom: "Your Network is your Net Worth. In my opinion, network is very important in both private and business areas.” 

What is the biggest entrepreneurial risk you have taken so far?

Tom: "The biggest entrepreneurial risk I have taken so far is setting up DOMÍN. The idea arose during my time at ING. It was only three years ago that Lenn and I started making the plan concrete. It took three years of time, money and energy. During this period we had to find the right location, partners and each other. There was also corona in between for two years. That's quite a long time to have to sit on your hands. So it has taken a lot of perseverance to be where we are now. In addition, the concept itself also entails risks. It's unique, so it hasn't proven itself yet.”

Lenn: “Just like Tom, that is DOMÍN for me. The idea arose before the corona period, which naturally influenced the entire process. It took much longer than expected. However, it was also a blessing in a way, as the mandatory waiting time gave us the opportunity to settle in the most beautiful building in the Netherlands; TheValley.” 

What is DOMÍN's success formula?

Lenn: “Let me first say that we only consider DOMÍN a modest success when we enter the next phase, namely expansion in the form of a location outside Amsterdam. What should lead to this success is the fact that we have various pillars that are very attractive to our target group. On the one hand, there is the salon-clinic with a perfect range of treatments, tailored to the wishes of the members. This is all about representation, care and relaxation at a high level, in a very pleasant environment. An important aspect of well-being, in which the modern man who operates at a top level should absolutely invest. A tip of the veil, gentlemen from sports come here for hair removal, artists to curb excessive sweating and captains of industry for a well-deserved massage. A big advantage, you no longer have to go into the city center for all this. This of course contributes enormously to the time efficiency that our members appreciate so much. 

On the other hand, we have a inspiring lounge, decorated with Molteni, Brand van Egmond and recognizable art, where members are welcome every day to work, meet and have lunch. Take a nourishing and relaxing treatment, work on your laptop in the lounge while you have a... luxury eat a sandwich and then take the Uber to the center for your appointment. Ideal for those who do not have an office in Amsterdam, nor live here, but who have to be here regularly. This lounge is also the setting for great events focused on networking, in which we naturally play a proactive role. An example of such an event? Worth mentioning is our exclusive tasting with Clase Azul. Our members think it's great, because you don't see that very often in the Netherlands.

Finally, we also have several partners from the luxury ecosystem with which we bring our members into contact. DOMÍN is in fact a connector and facilitator.” 

Where will you be in 3 years?

Tom: “It is important that anyone who has to perform at top level, whether in the boardroom, the football stadium or the studio, recognizes that investing in this business and personal well-being, which is actually one for these people, is essential. Hopefully, in 3 years' time, members will conclude that we have played a great role in this. In addition, as mentioned, there is a drive for expansion. However, this can only come to fruition if we continue to succeed in bringing the right people together and keeping all our pillars at high quality. For example, we now notice that many young, very successful entrepreneurs with an adventurous spirit naturally come to us. We certainly do not position ourselves as a business club for young entrepreneurs, but we do embrace these developments. It is also nice to introduce the older top figures who come here to this group. It brings about a different dynamic. If we are still doing this successfully in three years' time, then we are by definition doing something right. And yes, ideally spread over several places.”