As a teenager, Daniël Siahaya was already fascinated by technology. “When the internet was just starting to take off, my dad bought a temporary subscription to World Online through Dixons,” he laughs. “You got a little box with a CD-ROM, a username, and a password for 24 guilders. That gave you 24 hours of internet access.”
When the internet bundle ran out, the young Siahaya set out to investigate. “I started scanning IP address ranges in the Netherlands and found open PCs with usernames and passwords. I had a whole list of internet subscriptions, which allowed me to keep
browse. It taught me that technology is full of possibilities and that there are always alternative ways to solve problems. And why should I limit myself to what others say is possible? Why always follow the beaten path?’
From frustration to innovation
After years as a consultant at a number of large companies, where he had to adapt to what he calls the “suit-and-tie culture,” Siahaya decided to strike out on his own. The decision wasn’t entirely driven by positive reasons. “It stemmed from frustration,” he says. “At many of the companies where I worked, I simply didn’t understand certain decisions.”
“I was young and faced with men who were more articulate than I was. When I saw problems coming, I didn’t dare to act on them. Often, things turned out just as I had predicted, and I still had to solve them myself. So
sewed "I actually did it twice."
Asking annoying questions every now and then
That experience motivated him to do things differently with his company:
high-end tech consultants
HeadFWD. “I’ve actually channeled all my frustrations into preventing the same problems I encountered,” says Siahaya. “At HeadFWD, we give technical talent both the tools and the mandate to make a difference. With that core belief, we help organizations reach the next level.”
>The company now works with a wide range of organizations: Bol.com, KLM, Schiphol, Booking, Rabobank, ING, and Deloitte. “We set ourselves apart by providing people who are not only technically very skilled but also understand the business. We also aren’t afraid to ask tough questions, which gets organizations thinking.”
Saying "No"
“If I don’t believe in it, I want to be able to say no,” says Siahaya. That firm stance quickly proved its worth. On his first assignment as a freelancer, he was asked to build a startup. “It had to be cheaper, so I offered to do it for just under half the price, with fewer features. When the client chose a competitor who was willing to do it for a quarter of my price, I refused to compete.”
In the end, given the project’s feasibility, that turned out to be a smart choice. “I later heard that the project had fallen through,” says Siahaya. “For me personally, this was a pivotal moment: it confirmed that I had a good grasp of both the potential and the scope of a project. By saying no, we sometimes help clients more—even if it doesn’t always feel that way to them at first.”
“Last year, too, I had to disappoint a major client by telling them we couldn’t take on the project because the technical foundation wasn’t solid enough to build on. Conversations like that aren’t fun—and can sometimes be painful—but they’re the right ones to have.”
Growth Through Authenticity
HeadFWD’s approach to employee development is as unconventional as it is effective. “If you asked our staff, they’d probably say that I see more potential in them than they see in themselves,” says Siahaya. “But I also tell people during job interviews: I’m going to ask a lot of annoying questions. If you’re willing to be vulnerable enough to face them, then you can grow.”
Siahaya deliberately challenges his people to step out of their comfort zones. “There are always things you run away from, but that’s exactly where growth lies. If someone says they want a different job, I ask: ‘Will that solve the problem?’ Often, people want to run away because something is difficult. But maybe you should stay and find a different way to deal with that situation.”
Culture as a differentiator
HeadFWD’s headquarters in B. Amsterdam reflects Siahaya’s vision for corporate culture. “We started here when B. Amsterdam was still in its infancy,” he says. “We’ve moved five times within the complex, which says a lot about its flexibility.”
“The location also aligns with our vision for work culture,” Siahaya adds. “Ten years ago, developers were, so to speak, shoved into a cubicle. We deliberately chose this creative environment. When developers walk in here, they feel the energy of a creative environment.”
Navigating Rapid Change
The tech sector faces unprecedented challenges, particularly due to the rise of AI. Siahaya sees this primarily as an opportunity. “We’re moving toward a world where everything can happen really fast, especially because of AI. You shouldn’t view that as a threat, but as something we need to embrace. We’ve seen innovations like this before—think of the printing press, the steam engine, or even social media. You can’t stop this technology; you have to find a way to deal with it.”
The key, according to Siahaya, is a certain agility, especially in the technological realm. “Most companies these days are IT companies: IT has become the primary process. But that doesn’t mean IT companies are run the right way. If your IT isn’t in order, you can’t change direction quickly enough. In this day and age, you’ll get left behind. We now live in a world where companies can be worth a billion with only ten people on the payroll. That’s only possible if you know how to use technology the right way.’
Personal Growth as the Key to Success
For Siahaya, growth also has a personal dimension. “You come face to face with your own patterns and have to look at yourself in the mirror,” says Siahaya. That can be quite painful at times, but people don’t talk about it enough. Often, the entrepreneur himself is the limiting factor for the business. “You want the organization to eventually become less dependent on your own time and capacity. That’s difficult for any entrepreneur, but if it works out, I’ll be able to focus even more on my own projects.”
Looking to the future, Siahaya sees his company as
thought leader in the industry. “We want to become a niche player that excels at a number of things that are important to large corporations. We don’t need to be the biggest, but we do want to be a group of specialists capable of handling the tough work. We’ve always been in the fastest-moving industry, but now things are moving at an absurd pace. What we were doing two years ago no longer works. You have to constantly adapt. A one-minute lead can make the difference between winning and losing.”
