Joost Rigter
Entrepreneur & Expert in Change
Until the age of 26, Joost Rigter could see. Today he only sees 0.8 percent. A rare eye disease made Joost almost blind within ten years. It meant a complete turnaround, nothing would be the same anymore.
"A unique, but very recognisable story about change."
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After high school Joost joined the Hotel School "Ter Duinen" in Belgium in order to realise his ultimate dream of having his own restaurant. This was followed by a course at the Haarlem Business School, in order to perfect entrepreneurship. However, all his ambitious plans are disrupted, when he is diagnosed with the progressive eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. This disease causes him to gradually lose sight of his eyesight; Now, after 15 years, Joost has only minimal vision. Is life less beautiful now? Absolutely not, says Joost. He made living with a disability a positive thing and did this by focusing on his talents, the right mindset and just getting back to work. Joost has since founded three companies, and that restaurant has also arrived - Bar Wisse in Amsterdam East, which he runs together with his partner.
WHAT he OFFERS YOU
How do you deal with change? How do you find light in the dark? How do courage, humour, acceptance and self-confidence ensure that obstacles are actually much smaller than they seem? Joost takes you with him during his lecture and shows you in a quite literal sense. Joost Rigter's vision is an eye-opener, his lectures an experience and a source of inspiration.