Toine Rodenburg is an experienced international investor and entrepreneur with a knack for spotting trends and opportunities. He has been a driving force behind online innovation since the initial dot-com boom in the late Nineteen Nineties. Originally from Amsterdam, he has held business in several locations around the world over the years, including Curacao and Miami, although he currently resides in Lisbon, Portugal.
In nowadays, Toine Rodenburg is best often known as the co-founder of MyMalls, a premium online delivery service serving the Caribbean, Canadian, and Latin American markets. Rodenburg’s vision for a seamless, streamlined international shipping service has led MyMalls to turn into a leading fashion and electronics e-commerce platform, selling over a thousand brands worldwide.
A keen traveler, Toine Rodenburg believes that the experiences he gained from learning the nuances of various cultures have shaped his approach to business and opened his mind to recent possibilities.
________
Q: MyMalls has grown significantly under your leadership. To what do you attribute this success?
Toine Rodenburg: It’s a combination of two basic elements. First, the idea behind the enterprise was sound. There are many people in Canada, the Caribbean, and Central and South America who wish to buy certain products but cannot without a US or European shipping address. MyMalls offers a easy solution to this problem, with low price and little inconvenience.
Secondly, we have an incredible team working for us. Without them, our success wouldn’t be possible. Our team is incredibly dedicated and brings a number of skills and expertise to the table. They are an modern and flexible group, at all times willing to go the extra mile to supply our customers with the absolute best service. From our customer support staff to our logistics experts who manage the complexities of shipping, each member plays an essential role and it is only right and proper to recognise their contribution.
Q: What strategies do you employ to keep up strong business relationships with your partners and stakeholders?
Toine Rodenburg: In addition to creating sure the business is on solid ground and consistently profitable—which is a big a part of maintaining our business relationships—I make sure that we engage our partners, suppliers, and shippers on a want level, not a need level. You attempt to go a little beyond what’s expected of them to make their lives easier—whether that’s through easier channels of communication, in-person office visits, lunch meetings, anything that lets you gain a more personal understanding of how they like to operate. These strategies for creating authentic connections are just as essential internally.
Q: How do you employ technology to remain competitive?
Toine Rodenburg: MyMalls is an e-commerce company. We use advanced logistics software to streamline our shipping processes, ensuring fast and efficient delivery of our packages. We rely on data analytics to know customer behavior, which allows us to more effectively tailor our services and marketing strategies. We are at all times looking for improvements in our processes, including our systems. We wish to optimize our efficiency, improve our customer experience, and remain competitive in our market.
Q: What do you do to maintain up with the latest trends and innovations in the technology and e-commerce sectors?
Toine Rodenburg: I read a lot. I follow industry and trade publications. I’m at all times talking to colleagues inside and outside the company, exchanging insights and advice on perspectives we hadn’t considered. I have conferences on my schedule where I can network and learn about recent opportunities and innovations. That’s a part of the joy of business, having to stay awake up to now with information and skills.
Q: You mentioned that your travels have influenced your online business philosophy. How has it shaped your approach to entrepreneurship?
Toine Rodenburg: Travel has shaped my philosophy, broadening my understanding of the human experience and its vast expressions. So it has shaped my perspective as a person. But as an entrepreneur, it has opened up opportunities that I might never have considered or had access to. Some have worked out thoroughly, some not at all, and that is to be expected. But going through the strategy of evaluating the diversity of business opportunities and markets – that is what taught me the importance of adaptation and open-mindedness, very essential qualities to cultivate in the business world and in our own lives.