Arkadi Koluntz is one of the owners of Leidse Taxi Centrale (LTC), a private taxi service that operates a small fleet of vans and luxury sedans in the Leiden area. Calm and philosophical, Arkadi doesn’t particularly enjoy driving. But he does enjoy interacting with customers, and he spends much of his time behind the wheel listening to their stories and thinking about life and his role as a kind of confidant to his customers. Arkadi, 33, lives in Leiden with his wife and two young children.

From drinkable breakfast cereals and frozen vegetables to soft drinks and cheese in a squeeze-bottle, Wim Blom has helped develop a wide range of food products. Wim has worked with several Dutch food product companies since 1988, including Quaker Oats, Honig Merkartikelen, HAK, Leerdammer Company, Iglo and Heemskerk Fresh Convenience. He is currently a project manager with Vrumona, a Heineken subsidiary that produces soft drinks and sparkling waters – though he will be moving on later this year. In recent years, Wim has worked as an independent contractor, and is growing accustomed to the risks and rewards of living without a “normal steady job.” In his spare time, Wim is also developing innovative products in fields other than food. Wim, 53, lives in Warmond with his wife and two children.