From Student to Changemaker
By Ashley Huang
Starting a business is never easy. Doing so while navigating university, teaching on the side and overcoming academic challenges requires extraordinary determination. Yet, Martijn van Ginneken, the ambitious founder of Up Yourself, has successfully taken on this challenge. His journey is a compelling story of perseverance, adaptability, and turning obstacles into opportunities.
At only 23 years old, Martijn van Ginneken is already making waves in the world of education and entrepreneurship. Born and raised in the Netherlands, a passion for learning has always driven him and by the time he was 19, his entrepreneurial mindset had already taken shape, leading him to launch his first business. His breakthrough moment came while teaching a Professional Development course to first-year university students, he noticed a glaring problem: many students, despite their academic potential, lacked essential skills like time management, discipline, and emotional intelligence. These gaps often led to high dropout rates, even among bright students. Determined to bridge this gap, Martijn realized, the solution wasn’t to fix the problem at the university level, it was to address it earlier. High school students needed to be equipped with these skills before they even set foot on campus. This insight became the foundation of Up Yourself, a company dedicated to teaching emotional intelligence and other critical soft skills to high schoolers. Through a unique blend of interactive videos, workbooks and engaging workshops, UpYourself provides a dynamic learning engagement that fosters personal growth. The program is provided directly to professors, who receive comprehensive guides to integrate these crucial skills into their curriculum and developmental lessons.
Starting a business isn’t a straight road, it is full of twists, turns and unexpected bumps. Martijn quickly discovered this when he and his team registered Up Yourself as a BV, thinking it was the right move, only to realize the financial obligations were overwhelming without steady revenue. It was a tough wake-up call, but one that taught them invaluable lessons. And then came another challenge, their first product didn’t land as expected. Instead of getting discouraged, they took the feedback, reworked their approach, and shifted their focus and resources toward a specialized course on emotional intelligence. That pivot changed everything, proving that adaptability is one of the most valuable skills in entrepreneurship.
Going through these early struggles, Martijn realized something crucial: entrepreneurship isn’t a solo journey. The right people and strong partnerships can make all the difference in turning challenges into opportunities.
From the very beginning, Martijn knew he couldn’t do it all alone. While he had the vision and passion, he needed someone who could complement his skill set and helped transform his idea on paper effectively. That’s when he partnered with Dario, his co-founder, whose strengths in operations and detail-oriented execution balanced Martijn’s big-picture thinking. Together, they formed a dynamic duo that accelerated the growth of Up Yourself. Martijn’s first piece of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is clear: “Try to find a co-founder as soon as possible, because together you can do way more than alone”. He believes that having a co-founder is about more than just dividing tasks, it’s about bringing in new perspectives, complementing each other’s strengths, and having someone to navigate the highs and lows of turning a vision into a reality journey.
When asked what advice he would give to young entrepreneurs, Martijn’s response was straightforward: “Just start. The most crucial advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to take the first step. While the learning process may be challenging, it will also be the fastest and most authentic way to gain experience” he declared.
At the heart of it all, Up Yourself is more than just a business, it’s a mission to empower students with the skills they need to succeed in life. With a strong team, a clear vision, and a passion for education, Martijn van Ginneken is proving that young entrepreneurs can make a meaningful impact.
Martijn’s journey is far from over, it is just the beginning. As he continues to shape the future of education and entrepreneurship, his story serves as a testament to his success. Everyone at ECE Students wishes him the best of luck and looks forward to seeing where his passion and determination take him next.
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