With Dopper, Merijn Everaarts introduced the world to his solution against single-use plastic. The iconic water bottle has become an indispensable part of many households. But no – right – water is too deep for the entrepreneur; he continues his mission with the establishment of coworking space Oceans and plant-based restaurant Mama Gaia. MASTERS discussed his commitment to a more sustainable future, his 'shower moment' and sabbatical: 'I was actually going to be away for three months, which ended up being a year and a half.'

When did you start with Dopper? 

'The idea for it arose in 2009 double in a nice way Indian Summer Day in October. I originally come from the catering and events industry and during my work I became aware of excessive plastic waste. The impact of plastic waste became even clearer during a walk on the beach in Bloemendaal, where I saw that the waste was not being cleaned up adequately. The inspiration to find a sustainable solution was further fueled by watching a documentary about plastic pollution on television. This led to the idea to start a movement against single-use plastics and to promote tap water. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that people pay for bottled mineral water, while the tastiest water in the Netherlands simply comes from the tap.'

So you figured out the problem, when did the solution come? 

'I was affiliated with one Creative hub in Haarlem. I pitched the idea here to create one movement to start against single-use plastic and for tap water. The enthusiasm was great and someone suggested making a bottle. So we went to work and designed a bottle. This one just turned out to be very ugly... In 2010 we organized a design competition that we managed to draw attention to through a flash mob. The video went completely viral. The design competition, which resulted in many entries, made me realize that there was real potential in the idea. I then started looking for a producer and we managed to raise €110.000 through crowdfunding to get the project off the ground. We intensively involved our supporters in the making of the bottle for three quarters of a year.'

Did you ever expect it to be such a success?

'No not at all. At the time, I aimed to sell 350.000 units in my entire life, but that number has now grown to about 2 million per year... I have believed every day for at least three years: "No one will order tomorrow." To be honest, I still think that sometimes. But people keep ordering anyway. The goal has never been to sell as many bottles as possible. Once the problem is solved, everyone will simply have a durable water bottle with a ten-year warranty. But there are still people in this world who do not yet have a Dopper, or a sustainable water bottle. In addition, there can of course be several Doppers in someone's life. Although I do feel guilty if it remains unused in a drawer; So you can return them to the store where you bought them, they will then be returned to us and we can make new ones.'

“I still can't wrap my head around the fact that people pay for bottled mineral water, while the tastiest water in the Netherlands just comes from the tap”

 

Which countries have already been 'stunned'?

'We now sell in 100 countries and are serious about our mission to reduce plastic waste. But our focus is mainly on Europe. We adhere to the Olympic cycle, so at the moment the emphasis is on France.' 

The focus was once outside Europe, but this almost went wrong around 2014... 

'I learned a lot during those years. I was very focused on increasing sales and less on cash flow. And with offices in San Francisco and Hong Kong, costs were high. The prices there are much higher than in the Netherlands, and Dopper was also in a starting market, so if you want to be at eye level in stores, you have to pay a lot for it. My family also suffered from the situation; I was away from home a lot, which ultimately took its toll on my relationship. All these factors played a role at the same time, leading to an intense period in which I encountered myself. Several people warned me that year that the company was going in the wrong direction. Fortunately I had a 'shower moment' as they call it in time. I came to the realization that I couldn't do it any longer. We finally made the decision and decided to change course. It was a rescue, although it took a lot of energy.'

What do you do differently now?

'We are now using a strategy in which we expand step by step to new countries, even down to city level. Our current plan covers four years in which we work with three different scenarios per year. The first scenario is a worst-case scenario, where we can still survive, albeit with drastic measures. The second scenario is financially focused, where we aim for breakeven. But of course we focus on the third; the commercial scenario, in which we strive for growth and profitability. We have actually all built in parameters to prevent Dopper from going under. This is also how we close per quarter. This way we can evaluate our performance every quarter and adjust our plan based on the financial situation. This allows us, for example, to opt for – dare I say it – an extra activation Gare du Nord if we turn out to have money left over. Furthermore, we have adapted our corporate structure to a bottom-up approach, where everyone in the team has clear tasks and takes responsibility for Dopper's success. Communication and collaboration are essential, allowing us to better anticipate challenges and celebrate successes together.' 

“I can't handle pity very well”

You took a sabbatical in 2022, but in retrospect this was actually a period of burnout. What stopped you from being open about this in your environment?

'I can't handle pity very well, even when other people don't feel well. I grew up in the catering industry, where the motto don't talk, just clean applies. There is no such thing as being sick. So I thought, “I don't need pity and if I show weakness, maybe my employees will too.” I was also afraid that I would get a lot of well-intentioned advice and I didn't want to hear that. I wanted to solve it myself. When I said I was taking a sabbatical, I received reactions like: "It's great that you are doing this for yourself." I preferred to hear that at the time, especially because I just felt really bad.' 

What do you think was the last straw?

'I think this was when employees pointed out to me that I was micromanaging. This is only in my nature, because I started out this way. I wanted everything exactly the way I wanted it. Fortunately, I have learned over the years that the more I outsource tasks, the better the company thrives and the better the employees function within their own functions. Instead of always being on top of things and telling them what needs to be done differently, I have discovered that it works better if I give employees their own responsibilities. If you want things to be different, you just have to do it yourself. During COVID I started my other business, a coworking space, Oceans, with a vegan restaurant, Mama Gaia. When we finally opened, I was immediately on top of it, to the frustration of the employees. Luckily they spoke to me about it. And if they hadn't, I could see it on their faces... Then I realized I literally had to get away, get away from the restaurant, because I was there every day."

“Then I realized that I literally had to leave, away from the restaurant”

 

Do you have any tips for other entrepreneurs to recognize burnout more quickly?

'For me it was fatigue. I came home exhausted every time and went to bed at eight o'clock. I think it's more personal to recognize that you're just not feeling well. Furthermore, well-intentioned advice is well-intentioned for a reason. I have often ignored them, but I would advise you to listen to them anyway.'

What changed after your sabbatical? 

'I was actually going to be away for three months, which ended up being a year and a half. Mama Gaia and Oceans performed well. However, the waste problem has hardly diminished in those 14 years. But that battle is being fought by a fantastic new team, I was able to let it go. This gave me the space to discover that I get a lot of energy from inspiring people. Encouraging people to do what I did: identify the problem in the world and do something about it. We are in a transition, but a lot needs to be done. I especially hope to inspire entrepreneurs, but also managers and employees, to take responsibility and tackle the problem. That could be in any area. If you work in the hospital, it may involve medicines. If you work in the furniture industry, it could be about making furniture without harmful substances, and so on. You can make a difference in every area by making more sustainable choices, with a view to the future of your children and our planet. I like to help entrepreneurs with this in one-on-one sessions, and I also like to stand on different stages to inspire and enthuse people to take action.'