Good evening, 👋🏼I'm Joost, freelance Product Designer

And before this, I was Lead Designer at Frank Energie, where I worked on the expansion into the Belgian market and the design of Frank 2.0.

And before that, I spent my days pushing pixels at Reversed Digital, crafting digital work for a wide range of clients, including GASSAN, Viesus and Maykers.

And before that, I worked as a Designer at Valtech, contributing to the digital transformation of PON and some of its biggest brands, including Volkswagen, SEAT and Škoda.

And before that, I was coding at Valtech for clients like Bouwcenter, Beerwulf and PON. It didn't take long before I was itching to get back to design. Oh, and I also spent some time as a Scrum Master.

And before that, I picked up a few freelance design gigs while I was studying — a great way to experiment with tools like Sketch and Principle, and gain hands-on experience.

And before that — and at the same time — I studied Communication & Multimedia Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Utrecht. I learned how to turn myself into an Avatar in Photoshop (yes, the blue one from the movie), built mini games in JavaScript, and fell in love with UX.

And before that, I was building email templates in old-school HTML at e-Village, now Team ITG. Not exactly anyone's idea of a good time. Luckily, I occasionally got to design one as well. In Photoshop, of course. Sigh.

And before that, I took a web design course during my gap year. Suddenly I could make things myself, and a whole new world opened up.

And before that, I learned the hard way that you can't just not show up for work at Albert Heijn. Your colleagues are the ones left dealing with it, and the store certainly doesn't restock itself. In my defense, I was deep in the throes of puberty. I still cringe thinking about it.

And before that, I did VWO Pre University Education at LRC in Utrecht. My economics teacher told me I'd never pass his class. I went on to score a solid seven on the final exam anyway. It still feels like a win: over myself, and over that asshole.

And before that, I never dared join the drama classes at primary school. Then, to everyone's surprise, mine most of all, I applied and auditioned for one of the lead roles in the final school musical. I got the part, was absolutely terrified, but gave a convincing performance as Mr Draaisma (so I've been told).

And before that, I was born in Nieuwegein.

And before that, my parents met. Funny enough, their parents had known each other for years, but they only found out later.

And before that, in 1878, Aletta Jacobs became the first female doctor in the Netherlands, after successfully completing her university studies.

And before that, in 1595, the microscope was invented by Zacharias Janssen — not Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, as many people assume. He did play an important role in improving it, though.

And before that, until around the year 400, the Rhine — which runs right through the Netherlands — marked the border of the Roman Empire.

And before that, dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

And before that? Just one great big void, I suppose...