Personal Message

Creativity is as personal as it gets. When you’re happy, you create better. That’s human capital—a resource we all have, but not everyone knows how to nurture. All it takes is belief, being heard, and a work environment that doesn’t eat you alive to ignite that inner fire.


Look around: favelas transformed with cable cars, bringing hope to streets that once felt forgotten. Performances that pull emotions out of spectators who didn’t even know they had them. Fashion brands building cult-like cultures with followers who’d die for the mission. Or urban designs that don’t just map streets—they create community and connection.

This is what happens when creative thinking is given space to breathe. It doesn’t just make things pretty—it drives economies, strengthens cultures, and sparks social evolution. It’s the lifeblood of innovation, education, problem-solving, and pushing boundaries. But only when it’s done right.

The Netherlands is on the global creative map—exports in design, architecture, and digital innovation prove that. But here’s the kicker: stress is killing us. Literally. 11 million workdays are lost yearly because people can’t take the pressure anymore. Long-term absenteeism? Mental health is the usual suspect.

Now imagine if even a fraction of those hours were reclaimed in the creative industries. How much happier, more productive, and impactful could we be? How much more could we do—not just for ourselves, but for future generations?

Let’s get real: the world doesn’t need more brands chasing profits at all costs or creatives burning out in a system designed to chew them up and spit them out. We need clarity, communication, and a human-centred way of doing things.

Too many brilliant minds are shackled by outdated systems, greed, or the inability to communicate their value. And that’s the tragedy. You can’t control who buys into your vision, but you can control how you tell your story. Your narrative is your power—the difference between being ignored and inspiring change.

We’ve wasted enough. Burnouts, missed opportunities, failed dreams—it’s too much to count. It’s time to stop the bleeding. Your career, brand, and happiness are all about making smarter bets with your time, money, and energy. But that’s no small feat.

That’s where Don’t Waste I comes in. We’re here to champion human capital, helping people and businesses tell their stories, connect with the world, and find their potential. Because when communication works, it doesn’t just solve problems—it changes lives. It fuels industries that can shape future generations' culture, economy, and society.

Communication isn’t just a tool; it’s a weapon. It is a way to rewrite the rules, reshape your world, and turn potential into something tangible. I’m not here to put Band-Aids on broken systems. I’m here to help build cultures, strategies, and ecosystems that inspire lasting change.

We must start designing systems that lift people instead of grinding them down. That’s how we build a better world. And if you’re in, so am I.

Don’t waste your time. Don’t waste your 'I'.


Bastiaan van der Sluis