Scholarship student Johan Baalbaki about his journey to Nyenrode
Born to a family full of entrepreneurs, from the time he was a child John Baalbaki was already determined to follow in the footsteps of his role model: his father. Inspired by his father’s entrepreneurial spirit, Johan worked his way through middle school and high school, eventually going on to earn his higher professional education (HBO) diploma. Now a scholarship through Stichting Nyenrode Fonds (SNF or Nyenrode Fund) has made it possible for Johan to take the next step: pursuing a BSc in Business Administration at Nyenrode. Here he talks about leadership, perseverance and the importance of setbacks for success.
Johan’s career began at the age of six when he and his twin brother sold Christmas decorations in the neighborhood. 'Come on', the young entrepreneur said to his twin. 'We’re going to sell something.' He sourced the floral foam from his father’s business and cut the roses off of bushes himself. Even back then, he could hardly sit still and always liked to stay busy. 'I wasn’t much of a reader', he says. 'I wanted to play football.'