In our Friday Five, we ask five questions to our special guest. The Silver Lining? There isn’t one. We range from a look behind the business scenes to insights into our guest’s personality. From MobieTrain employees to beloved customers or topic experts, anything goes. Sometimes sweet as pie, sometimes razor-sharp, always with the aim of learning from each other.
Today’s Guest: Johan Dek-Hölzken
Johan Dek-Hölzken is the Chief Product & Technology Officer at MobieTrain.
In this interview, you’ll discover how Johan would describe MobieTrain as a person, how his mind works like a Miro board, and the life events that have shaped him. And what about the stories behind his Komt Goed and bird tattoos? Jonathan Livingston Seagull might just hold the answer.
1. If the MobieTrain platform was a person, what would its personality be like?
As MobieTrain’s Chief Product & Technology Officer, Johan knows the platform better than anyone. So, it seemed like a great idea to kick off the interview with this abstract comparison.
“That’s a fun but tough first question, ha-ha! I think MobieTrain would be someone who speaks his/her mind honestly, without a hidden agenda. So, in one way, (s)he would be an authentic, ‘what you see is what you get’ kind of person.”
“But at the same time, like an onion, you would find layers to peel back. At first glance, you might think you know MobieTrain through and through, but as you dig deeper, you’re pleasantly surprised by a more introverted side. MobieTrain would be someone you appreciate more and more as you got to know him/her, constantly uncovering interesting things you didn’t expect.”
“I think MobieTrain would be a funny person you can always rely on.”
And now that we’re making comparisons—what kind of song would MobieTrain be?
“Hmm…wauw – If MobieTrain was a song, I think it would be a Lady Gaga pop song: Funky, diverse and young. Popular, but still unique! It would have a more youthful energy, unlike the older vibes you might get from jazz, for example. Maybe a bit more on the safe side too —so not as explicit as a rap song.”
2. Now let’s get back to you, Johan! What is the most unexpected source of inspiration for you?
“Honestly, inspiration comes naturally in my role. As the head of MobieTrain’s Product & Technology team, I’m right there at the heart of the company. I’m always talking to customers, my colleagues, reading articles about the market, and keeping an eye on our competitors… there’s always new information coming my way.”
Johan links his thought process to a Miro board. “My brain works like a whiteboard—I’m constantly puzzling with new thoughts and trying to organise them. When I talk to people, I store all those little bits of information in a mental drawer, so to speak. But it’s only when I step away from the computer, or go for a walk with my dog Toet, that I can see the whole puzzle and make sense of everything. The key is to get away from all the distraction of emails, Slack messages.”
That’s totally true – you receive input and inspiration all the time. Do you enjoy processing such a flood of information? I think it would drive a lot of people mad.
“As long as I have moments to create peace and order, I love it. I think my brain needs that constant stream of new information. If it stopped, I would probably start looking for new things to challenge myself—like starting new projects at home, or learning a new language. My brain would keep working in the same way.”
Being able to process so much information sounds like a gift. “It may sound strange, but when my brain is puzzling, I feel relaxed. When I’m driving three hours from my home in the Netherlands to our HQ in Genk, that’s a perfect time for me to work through things. It’s not something I actively switch on—it just happens when my mind slips into this organisational mode. It’s a constant state of mind that works really well for me.”
“My brain works like a whiteboard—I’m constantly puzzling things out and trying to organise them.”
Can you turn that mindset off after working hours, or before bed? Doesn’t it become exhausting?
“I can barely turn it off. It’s always there, both in my professional and personal life. I’m constantly analysing conversations, positioning myself on various topics, and preparing for future situations. I do sometimes wish I could relax more, and just enjoy nature when I’m walking, for example. That’s difficult for me. I’m trying, but it will never be my default mode.”
Do you find reading or watching TV helps to slow your mind?
“It does help. I read a lot, especially on holiday, but it takes time to get into the right mindset. The first few days, I have to be patient with myself and avoid getting distracted after just a couple of pages. Once I get going, it becomes easier and easier to focus.”
The same goes for reality TV, which Johan calls a massage for his brain. “It’s interesting enough to hold my attention, but not complex enough to create mental workload. Reality TV is my escape—at least for an hour.”
3. Is there a hobby, passion, or experience that has shaped you as a person?
“Yes there is! I worked in hospitality for a long time—as a waiter, behind the bar, and in the kitchen. I managed a food truck in Milan and worked at a restaurant in Aruba. That type of work definitely shaped the way I approach my job today.”
“People underestimate the skills needed in hospitality. You need to maintain a constant overview of what’s happening, communicate with everyone, and manage logistics. Stress management is key—you can never panic because that doesn’t help anyone. Breathe in, breathe out, and take a step back. I think everyone could benefit from that experience—it’s good for your work mentality.”
For Johan, it was also about the satisfaction of working with friends. “It was incredibly busy, but we were all so organised. My friends and I didn’t even need to talk—we could just look at each other from opposite sides of the bar and instantly understand each other. That feeling of being in control gives me a lot of satisfaction and is still something that I constantly try to achieve in my current jobs as well.”
But it’s a very hard job, isn’t it?
“Absolutely. I learned not to settle too quickly. If I achieve something, I can easily think I’m done, but I always challenge myself—asking, is this really the best I can do? Then I push myself one step further. I find myself doing the same at MobieTrain. The first solution is rarely the best one. It was the same with kickboxing or other gym workouts—people tend to underestimate themselves. You can always go further than you think.”
“I think everyone could benefit from a hospitality working experience—it’s good for your work mentality.”
Does that gives you peace of mind as well?
“It does. But it’s also about life events that shape you. It could be a severe trauma, like losing a loved one, or something wonderful, like having a baby. These moments make you realise there’s so much more to life than just work, helping you to put things in perspective. The challenges you go through make you feel that you can handle other problems.”
“I mean, if things go wrong, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll always find a solution. That’s why I never panic, and I don’t take ourselves or life too seriously. In many situations, you can ask yourself: What’s the worst that can happen?”
4. What’s the funniest or craziest thing that’s happened to you at MobieTrain?
Johan is also well known at MobieTrain for his beautiful tattoos with stories behind each one. One in particular was inked during MobieTrain’s team-building weekend in Portugal in 2023.
“Let me tell you the story of this particular tattoo, haha! We have a very ambitious roadmap because we’re constantly trying to deliver new value. But product development isn’t a science—it’s engineering. The product is always changing and we’re dealing with certain expectations on the business side and building solutions on the other. Things can go wrong, and unexpected situations come up, so there’s always a bit of tension.”
“In 2022, we would always end our meetings with the Dutch expression ‘Komt goed,’ which means ‘Everything will be all right.’ It became a running joke because we would often say it with a tremble in our voices, but in the end everything always worked out. It became our team motto. And a lot of the members in the product & technology team already had tattoos, so we thought, why not get a ‘Komt goed’ tattoo? And that’s exactly what we did during our team-building trip in Portugal.”
“Komt goed became our team motto, so we thought, why not get a tattoo? That’s what we did during our team-building in Portugal.”
5. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
“I think it’s all about self-acceptance. Don’t try to change who you are to fit what others expect of you. Realise that your weaknesses are also your strengths. Trust yourself.”
He points to the tattoo sleeve on his arm, full of birds, inspired by the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull. “Jonathan is a seagull, and for most seagulls, the only purpose of flying is to catch food. But Jonathan wants more—he experiments with flying higher and faster. When it works out, his flock rejects him because they think he’s shaming them by being different.”
“But Jonathan finds freedom because he doesn’t let others or the fact of being a seagull define him. It’s a metaphor for life—don’t let society or others dictate who you should be. Be yourself and experience freedom. Be more like Jonathan.”
Do you want to read more MobieTrain articles and Friday Five interviews? Check our blog: https://www.mobietrain.com/blog/.