With a customized strategic acquisition plan, Wijnhof was able to embark on a new growth path. What started as a pragmatic experiment led to structural expansion and a new sense of entrepreneurship.
Ten years ago, Stephan Wijnhof started his business from a rented garage box, with no more than one customer and thousands of plastic cutlery that he packed himself. In the first few weeks, he and his partner worked from early morning until midnight. The move to its own warehouse brought a little more peace of mind and space for expansion - staff was added and the company grew with it. Nevertheless, further growth proved to be a challenge: acquisition remained structurally inadequate.
“Acquiring new customers remained structural,” says Stephan. “We were full of surgery and had young children at home. Setting up an active sales team was not financially and practically feasible.” Nevertheless, Stephan felt there was more to it.
The change came from an unexpected source: in 2024, Stephan received a call from Roderick van Esdoorn de Vries. But outsourcing an acquisition campaign felt like a big step for Wijnhof. “It sounded like a great story, but also exciting,” says Stephan. “Such an outsourcing to acquisition was, especially back then, a major cost for a small entrepreneur like me.”
Nevertheless, the first contact lingered. “When Roderick called again at the end of 2024 with a lighter version of their service, we decided to try it anyway. The idea that they could approach our target group in a targeted manner appealed to me. The expectation was modest: if we were to get one customer out of it, it would already have been successful.”
The results of the campaign were not long in coming. “Within a short time, my LinkedIn network grew from 150 to over 800 connections,” says Stephan. “That had an immediate effect: I came into contact with companies that I would never have approached myself. Thanks to Roderick's broad industry knowledge, we received leads from unexpected angles. He thought along with us about opportunities that we didn't see ourselves.”
While the acquisition campaign provided quality leads, following them up turned out to be a learning process for Stephan. “I found it difficult to convert leads into appointments over the phone. When Roderick shared recordings of his own conversations, I immediately heard the difference: his question was much more open. That helped me improve my approach.”
The cooperation with Esdoorn de Vries is experienced by Wijnhof as transparent and involved. “Every week, I receive a clear report with the results. I know exactly what's happening.” Roderick thinks along with you strategically, while Tom ensures that the implementation runs smoothly. “That works very well.”
“For me, it really feels like I've had an extra colleague,” he concludes. “One that not only understands what it's doing, but also thinks along with you about where you want to go.”
The impact of the campaign goes beyond just new customers. “Two companies want to outsource their internal work to us. If that continues, we will have long-term customers and we will even need to review our internal processes. But that's exactly the direction I want to grow in.”
Stephan recommends that other entrepreneurs talk to Esdoorn de Vries. “For small companies, it may feel like a big step, but it's well worth the investment. The great thing is: you can flexibly adjust, pause or scale up the campaign. That gives grip and space.”
The collaboration not only brought leads, but also renewed entrepreneurial spirit. “I'm now looking at market opportunities from a broader perspective. The leads we have received ensure that we first need to optimize our business operations before we can continue to grow. And that was exactly the goal we started with.”
For now, Wijnhof has plenty of work to do, but Stephan does not rule out a sequel. “As soon as we are ready for the next growth phase, we will definitely knock on the door again. Roderick's knowledge and involvement are of great value in this.”
