About Us
Where international strategy meets local execution
Your experienced guide for entering and growing in the Dutch & Benelux markets.
Expanding internationally brings unique challenges: cultural differences, unknown channels, new competitors and unfamiliar customer expectations. Companies need someone on the ground who understands both worlds.
That is what Market Expansion Partner delivers.
We combine senior strategy, cultural insight and hands-on execution with 20+ years of experience in international marketing, communication and growth roles.
Strengths:
- Netherlands & Benelux market entry and expansion
- go-to-market execution
- strategic communication & localisation
- PR & media relations (NL)
- partnership & retail development
- entrepreneurship & business building
Senior Market Entry & Expansion Lead
Janet Schouten
Janet is a senior market entry and expansion strategist with over 15 years of international experience across the Netherlands, Benelux and wider Europe. She helps international companies successfully enter, position and scale within the Dutch market — combining strategic clarity with strong local execution.
Her background spans corporate leadership and entrepreneurship, giving her a deep understanding of what it truly takes to build sustainable growth in a new market. She has founded and scaled multiple companies herself, which allows her to approach expansion not just from a marketing perspective, but from a business-building mindset.
Janet is known for her pragmatic approach, commercial sharpness and ability to translate strategy into measurable results. As a mother of two and a natural connector, she values long-term partnerships built on trust, clarity and shared ambition..
Strengths:
- culture & communication strategy
- leadership alignment
- organisational growth
- project & change management
- cross-cultural collaboration
- founder experience & team building
Senior Strategy, Culture & Growth Lead
Loes Heijmans
Loes brings deep expertise in communication, culture, leadership and organisational growth, built across years of working with international companies expanding their products and businesses into new markets.
After her corporate career, she founded a successful consultancy in marketing, communication and project management, helping organisations transform, scale and adapt to cultural differences.
Together with Janet, she co-founded Freelance Masters, later leading its merger and acquisition into IKONS. Her entrepreneurial experience gives her a sharp understanding of what organisations need to build strong teams, trust and alignment — especially when entering the Dutch market, where culture and communication play a decisive role.
Loes has travelled extensively, has a broad network of experts and giving her a natural sensitivity for cultural nuance and human behaviour. This global perspective strengthens her ability to help international companies navigate Dutch business culture, communicate effectively, align internal teams and build trust with stakeholders in the Netherlands & Benelux.
Team
Expertise backed by a trusted team
While Janet and Loes set the strategic direction and ensure senior oversight, execution is supported by a trusted network of specialists across marketing, PR, sales, legal, finance, localisation and project management.
This blended model allows international companies to benefit from founder-level expertise while gaining the capacity, focus and flexibility needed for successful expansion into the Netherlands and Benelux markets.