Rianne Meijerman on the Tough Moments That Became Valuable Lessons

Rianne Meijerman has built a career that bridges the boardroom and the startup scene, sometimes in the same week. With no corporate role models growing up, she learned leadership the old-fashioned way: by jumping in, messing up, learning fast, and doing better next time.

After years in the corporate world at A.S. Watson and Philips, she made the leap to Hypersolid, a tech and brand experience company specializing in digital transformations. Here, she brings her real-world wisdom and hands-on mindset to ideally other visionary companies that are not afraid to rethink how they do business today.

She believes in showing up as your full self, listening more than talking (most days), and finding joy and humor in the hard work of building teams and businesses.

Tough? Yes. Kind? Also. Allergic to buzzwords? Absolutely. It is show, don’t tell.

She recently sat down with LBB to look back on her early lessons in leadership in moving to France, learning in high pressure situations and why growth rarely comes without discomfort…

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Rianne> Well, that started pretty early with the leadership of ‘self’. I felt this when I moved to France alone to study, barely speaking the language at the time. After coming out of a buzzing student life, it felt isolating at times and even confrontational. I couldn’t hide behind familiarity or the comfort of knowing my surroundings and the people.

But I was on a mission to learn French, and that purpose kept me going. I had to find my way, stay disciplined, and learn how to motivate myself from within when things felt rough (specifically on the numerous occasions when I felt misunderstood or was not able to express myself simply because I did not master the language well enough).

This is where I learned that growth rarely comes without discomfort, and things certainly won’t always go smoothly. That’s when it is all about staying the course, especially when no one’s cheering for you. Self-motivation is built when you push forward without applause.

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?

Rianne> I have always paid close attention to how people made me feel. The ones I admired most gave me the space to grow but were there when it really mattered. They didn’t micromanage. They trusted me, even in high-pressure situations. And when things weren’t going well, they told me the truth with honesty and respect. That kind of feedback turned tough moments into valuable lessons.

I have also learned that creating a supportive environment doesn’t mean lowering the bar. I like to win. I am driven to deliver results and impact, ideally fast. Patience isn’t my strongest trait, so finding the balance between pushing for outcomes and giving people the freedom to get there in their own way is something I actively work on.

What I never want to be is a lone warrior chasing success just for myself. I believe in growing together, not competing within. I love a good stage moment now and then, but I don’t need to be the one in the spotlight. At heart, I am a team player.

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

Rianne> I once led a high-stakes marketing transformation, a big change program with a lot depending on it. On paper, we delivered. The KPIs were ticked off, the timeline was met. But something was missing. The people weren’t truly on board.

I had focused too much on the plan, the pressure, and the deadlines, and not enough on what was going on in the hearts and minds.

Looking back, I was leading with my head, not the whole human. I assumed the “why” behind the change was obvious to everyone. It wasn’t. There wasn’t enough time built in to sit with the teams, listen, and bring them along. That classic advice, “Go slow to go fast,” didn’t happen. And I paid the price in connection and engagement.

One moment that stuck with me was presenting to a room full of people and being met with silence. Back then, I took it as an agreement. It was not. I’ve since learned that silence can mean resistance, the kind that sits quietly and slows everything down later.

The biggest risk for any leader is losing touch with the team. So now, I try to move with urgency, yes, but also with presence. Be someone people want to talk to. Be open to help. Listen more. And never stop building connections, that’s what really makes change stick.

LBB> When it comes to ‘leadership’ as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?

Rianne> Some bits you might have already in you, like curiosity or empathy, but most of it is learned. That learning can start at any moment in your life, and it never stops. I wasn’t born in a family where people studied or moved high up the corporate ladder. I learned it by watching others later in my professional life. Then doing it badly, then slightly better, then better again.

The key is being open to learning and not taking yourself too seriously. Leadership is a skill you refine, not a badge you earn once.

Since joining Hypersolid after my time at Philips, I have been learning all over again, and I love it. The passion and drive that founders Schalk Stalman and Nik Nieuwenhuijs bring is seriously inspiring. That entrepreneurial mindset, dream big and make it happen, is contagious. Ask me again in a year what I’ve learned… I have a feeling the list will be long.

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LBB> Have you ever felt like you’ve failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?

Rianne> Like many leaders, I have had moments where the fear of failure crept in. People are counting on you to make the right calls. One example that still stays with me was hiring someone into a key leadership role on my team. On paper, they looked like the perfect fit. But fairly early on, it became clear that something was not working. This person was not the best fit for the role, did not match the culture, and the team reporting to them started to lose energy and trust. I had not caught this during the interview process, unfortunately.

I waited too long to act. I kept hoping it would improve, thinking maybe I could coach it through or that things just needed more time. But in hindsight, that hesitation did more harm than good. Not just to the individual, but to the wider team. It slowed us down and gave a signal to the team that “underperformance” was acceptable.

What I have learned is that failure comes in many forms, and avoiding a tough decision is one of them. But I’ve also learned not to dwell on it. You reflect, adjust, and move forward.

And most importantly, you keep listening to your teams. They will tell you, directly or indirectly, what you need to know.

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there?

Rianne> I am a big believer in being open, but I also think timing and tone matter. Being authentic doesn’t mean saying everything that pops into your head. It is about being honest in a way that helps, not harms. Especially when things get tough, people don’t need drama. They need calm, clarity, and a bit of perspective. That’s what I try to bring.

Over the years, I have also learned to share a bit more of who I am outside of work. I used to think I had to keep my personal life completely separate if I wanted to be taken seriously as a leader. I thought being private was the “professional” thing to do.

But I’ve changed my view. Opening up a little more, in a way that suits me, has actually made my work relationships stronger. People feel more comfortable coming to me with all kinds of things. It has helped build trust and connection, and that makes a real difference in how we work together.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills, did you have a mentor? And on the flip side, do you mentor others?

Rianne> I have had many formal and even more informal mentors throughout my career. I’m personally not the type of person who learns most from coaching or mentor sessions. Some of my best lessons came from watching what not to do. And from taking action, trying out ideas, and see what happens.

Now, I mentor others. My style is less about giving advice and more about listening, reflecting, and challenging. I try to hold up a mirror rather than hand out a manual.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Rianne> First, I breathe. Then I get very practical: What are we aiming for? What does success look like? What’s in our control and what’s not? How do we keep people engaged? I’ve learned that silence creates fear, so it is better to overcommunicate. Even a “we don’t know yet” is more comforting than vagueness.

I’ve also learned to ask for help in the areas where it is needed. You are not and should not be leading alone, and you cannot assume that others simply know where you need support. So being open about that can feel quite liberating.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritized diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Rianne> Diversity and inclusion should not be a separate topic anymore. It should simply be part of how we work. Different perspectives lead to better ideas, smarter decisions, and stronger teams. It's not about ticking boxes. It's about creating a space where people feel safe to speak up and contribute.

That said, this work is never truly ‘done’. I am very aware that my own biases can sneak in, and I will not always get it right. So, I try to stay conscious of that and keep checking myself.

In our company, we’ve had awareness sessions to help open up this conversation with our leadership teams. For me, it starts with small, everyday actions, making each other aware, and being willing to improve. One helpful lens for me is looking at how new recruits from different backgrounds settle in. Do they feel heard? Are their ideas picked up? I try to make time to reflect with them after onboarding and look at what we can do better.

A recent example we spoke about with our leadership team is how we noticed that in our lunch area, the same groups of people often sit together. That’s natural, but it can make it harder for new colleagues to connect. We had a good, open discussion about this. Should we be more intentional about mingling and mixing things up? As leaders, should we be role modeling that behavior during breaks too? It’s a small thing, but those informal moments can really shape whether someone feels like they belong.

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with remote and hybrid work?

Rianne> Culture is the invisible glue that holds everything together. Without it, even the best strategies fall apart. That’s one of the reasons I prefer working from our offices or at client locations. It helps keep that connection alive. At Hypersolid, we benefit from having a strong founder-led culture which is rooted in technology, design, and innovation. Our clients have always seen us as the team that brings bold ideas for leaders who are ready to transform their companies. As we scale our organization, it is key to preserve these aspects of that entrepreneurial culture and that we keep on anchoring it in decision-making and communication. Structures and leadership may evolve, yet we are consciously nurturing the cultural DNA of our founders. Growth should not come at the cost of what made Hypersolid great in the first place.

Of course, hybrid work is a hot and related topic. Preserving the culture and connecting people is simply easier when we spend time together in our offices. Finding the right balance isn’t easy, and we’re working through that ourselves. Ideally, we want people to spend most of their time either at a client’s site or in one of our offices. That’s why we recently announced that we expect more in-person presence again.

Being around people has its own value. Ideas often pop up during lunch or in those casual hallway chats. And let’s not forget how much we learn just by observing others, especially early in our careers. Watching how people handle team discussions, make decisions, and navigate challenges teaches you a lot. If I’m not in the room, I lose out on those moments, and so do the people who might be learning from me.

We’re keeping the dialogue open, especially for people dealing with personal situations that make being in the office difficult. At the same time, we’re improving our spaces based on feedback. For example, some of our development teams told us they would love to work from the office more often, but they need more quiet areas to focus without constant distractions. That’s on us to fix, so work in progress.

LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?

Rianne> Real people, honest feedback, and a good dose of humour. That’s what helps keep things real (and keeps us sane).

Lately, I have been revisiting something that’s really stuck with me: ‘The Self-Determination Theory’ by Ryan and Deci. In a time where everything seems to be changing faster than ever, the core of what motivates people matters more than ever.

We all need to feel a sense of autonomy, to feel capable in what we do, and to feel genuinely connected to others (as per the theory ☺). But those things can be hard to hold onto in today’s work environment.

That’s why I believe it’s so important for companies to create the kind of culture where people feel supported to keep learning, adapting, and growing. Motivation and creativity aren’t just buzzwords; they are what help people (and businesses) thrive.

And for those of us in leadership roles, it’s about creating the right conditions. Helping people feel safe and encouraged to try new things. Making space for growth, not just output.

For example, at Hypersolid with breakthrough innovation in our DNA, our founders have always ensured that proper budget and time allocation go to the Innovation Lab, a semi-independent team that can focus on experimentation and idea generation free from standard briefs or KPIs. When companies scale and spreadsheets take over, you often see these budgets being the first on the list to be cut (since output is hard to measure). Not at Hypersolid! A great example to make exploration and innovation core to your culture, it’s simply non-negotiable.