I got bullied at school—not just by students, but by teachers!

As a dyslexic kid from the Netherlands, I was told that English would be out of reach. 

Learning French, English, and German on top of Dutch and my local dialect felt like a setup for failure.

I remember the struggle of complex grammar lessons in English - something I felt I at least should master - each term felt like a brick wall. 

When I was twelve, I had to repeat a year, supposedly to “catch up” in all those languages.

They focused on what I couldn’t do.

From the age of 12 until 16, they told me every at every end term:

“Rob, you will never pass our national exams on this level. You don’t have the reading nor writing skills.’’ 

It drained my motivation until I stopped caring.

But that struggle also sparked something in me. 

Rather than giving up, I began to embrace what I was good at. 

I abandoned the traditional path and learned English - and a lot of other courses which I was supposed to learn by reading - through real conversations, connecting with people.

Today, I:

→ travel the globe, confidently using a language they once said I’d never master 

→ run a successful international business, guiding schools across five continents

→ speak at conferences, schools, and teacher academies worldwide, sharing my journey and insights

Today, I am ……. proof that dyslexia didn’t limit me — it pushed me to find my own way to learn and excel.

And now, this approach is helping others discover their paths to success.

Tip: 

Pursue what you’re passionate about, even if it seems unconventional. Mastery often comes not from fitting in but from standing out.

"Dive into what you love, and you’ll find strengths where you once saw obstacles."