Meet the Members:
Friends & Foes
We are all human beings. We work together in an elegant way, with a certain joie de vivre. Fosbury & Sons – what’s in a name – is the work of more than one individual. The synergy is within us: some of our Members are also our business partners and vice versa. Now is the time to put a spotlight on our Members! We talk to Gijs of Friends & Foes. A beloved member of Fosbury & Sons Prinsengracht.
About Friends & Foes
We are Pascalle van der Kroef, Rogier Heijning and Gijs de Beus. A little over a year ago we started Friends & Foes, a creative brand agency. We help brands grow with brand strategy and creativity. Our approach is based on the principles of great stories. We like to say we help brands become Hero Brands, brands that don’t just stand for something, but also really fight against something. Our clients include FMO (the Dutch development bank), ABN AMRO, BitesWeLove (a healthy snack start-up), Huispedia (a real estate start-up), Kanzi apples and Nedvang. Besides working for clients, we are also working on our own initiatives Dutch Circular Design, Wasteboards (skateboards from recycled plastic bottle caps) and one supersecret special COVID-related project that will soon see the light of day.
Why Fosbury & Sons?
"We looked around for our own space, but nothing really felt right. When we looked at other co-working spaces we thought we would be confined to our own office too much. At Fosbury & Sons we liked the idea that we could make use of the whole building and have beautiful meeting rooms to meet with clients and business partners. The Board Room has become our go-to room for new business pitches.
When we first started, we worked from a very comfortable hotel lobby and thought to ourselves: wouldn’t it be great if we had an office that had the same feel to it? That’s how we ended up at Fosbury & Sons. We moved in in February, just before COVID-19. It’s been hard work keeping the business going over the past months, but Prinsengracht has been a real safe haven during this period."
What do you like most about Prinsengracht?
"The balcony! We even bought a comfortable deck chair for it. It hardly feels like work when you’re sitting there. And of course, the super helpful Fozzies, the food and the relaxed atmosphere in the garden."
What is your favorite working spot at Fosbury & Sons?
"We have several. To get work done together, our own suite. For writing, the top floor near a window with a canal view. For winning new business, the Board Room and the best workshopping spot (so far) is the Class Room, also on the top floor."