Bridging Gaps & Building Bonds | Communication Consultant for Executives, HR Leaders & DEI Directors | Creating a Culture of Connection, Inclusion & Belonging | Available for Coaching | Training | Speaking |

People need to feel seen and heard.

Communication is critical.

Wrong doesn't cut it. 

You gotta get it right. 

Sometimes you need another opinion. You need a new perspective. You need a different point of view.

Let's get real: There are times when you need an outsider to drive your inside game.

Figuring out what to say and how to say it is a beast, especially when it comes to successful messaging because effective communication can be a real pain in the rump.

Discovering the best way to communicate with your crew, captivate your clients, and connect with the world that exists outside of your organization (as well as your personal thought bubble) can feel like a mind-numbing maze, especially with regard to equity, inclusion, and belonging in the digital age. 

This is where I come in to help.

With the mind of a scientist, the heart of coach, and the spirit of a savvy strategist, I talk the talk and walk the walk in ways that will take your business or personal communication project to the next level.

Through customized workshops, presentations, and consulting sessions, I’ll help you discover what works and doesn’t work for your unique situation. 

A master educator and recognized expert in message development for ethical team building, diverse leadership presence, and inclusive audience engagement, I have been coaching on the art and science of communication for 20+ years. 

I have worked with corporations, higher education institutions, and I’ve even had the distinct privilege to work with homeless women who are survivors of sexual abuse—one of the greatest honors in my life.

If you could use an honest perspective, then please reach out today. I can’t wait to hear your story and help you come up with original strategies and savvy solutions that work for you.

At this point, that voice in your head is asking:

"Why should we work together?"

"What does Dr. J. offer that's unique?"

Answer:

I have an intuitive grasp of the obvious.

I'm a peripheral visionary, which means I see stuff off-to-the-side.

I don't have an ebook to offer you, and I don't have a content template to tempt you, because my vision board was burned at the stake...by my mom.

You might be thinking: "Was that a joke?"

Yeah, a bad one.

But what I do is no joke...

I'm in the business of belonging by connecting people, one conversation at a time. 

I've developed a simple sauce that has helped over 18,897 people connect in the moments that matter most.

I'm available for coaching, workshops, and talks.

If you could use a helpful perspective that works, then reach out today.

Dr. J. Rodríguez, Ph.D. 💬💥

Maartje Bakker

Deel

Helping companies hire, pay, manage, and develop global teams from a single platform.

Sales Development Representative - Enterprise

Space to Think

I’m a coach, mentor, and thought partner to successful women who want more from their careers and lives — more clarity, confidence, fulfillment, freedom, purpose, and income. 
Work with me through 1:1 coaching, the self-paced video course to land your next fulfilling role, or join our online community of fierce, professional women with big dreams and open hearts.

Career Coach guiding High-Achieving international women to deeper joy, freedom, & purpose at work

The Career Podcast for High-Achieving professional women who want to love life & work again. Episodes range from strategic tips to reflective topics to ponder on while you drive, cook, or work out.

Podcast Host - The Unconventional Career Coach Podcast

The Global Sisterhood of high-achieving women building happier, healthier, and wealthier careers — together. This is where ambition meets belonging, strategy meets soul, and no one has to do it all alone. 
We have a seat with your name on it.

Community Founder - Space to Think

Ava Laurénne Bride

After working on my own for almost 3 years, I missed having colleagues and wanted a new challenge. I attended a fashion show of a Couture Bridal Boutique and fell in love with their mission to empower women to feel their most confident, beautiful selves on their wedding day. Since then, I achieved top team performance with a 69% close rate, double the industry standard, while securing the highest number of deals won, all while working part-time. I generated a high-value pipeline by boosting Facebook DM inquiries 1,500% and engagement 4,600%, adding 37K net followers in 12 months through targeted, strategic content, directly fueling qualified sales appointments. I actively coach team members, developing top-performing reps and elevating overall team conversion rates.

Bridal Sales Representative

I interviewed for my dream job in dirty cycling gear, in an Airbnb on a borrowed laptop in the middle of Germany, riding my bicycle from Amsterdam to Berlin. It ticked all the boxes, landing the role of Innovation Consultant, working with the latest technologies and the coolest Fortune 500 companies with A-player colleagues. I excelled, grew, climbed, and was shocked to find out that it did not bring me the joy I hoped for. Wasn't this the vision I had always seen for myself? I navigated the confusion to find out that I wanted to do more of what I loved most about my work: supporting the women in my team to be & feel their best in work & life. I founded Space To Think, the international career coaching business that fights the patriarchy by building happier, healthier, and wealthier careers for professional women all over the world. The adventure began.

Innovation Consultant & Team Lead

Dutch Students for Entrepreneurship

"You would make a great president, why don't you apply?" brought me to lead the Dutch national student organisation for entrepreneurship. Leading a fully remote team of full-time students to grow a nation-wide organisation during a pandemic, while graduating, stretched me to grow in countless ways. While the tangible results we created were something to be proud of, the personal growth that I was able to facilitate within the team is what stayed with me the most. A whirlwind of a time.

President of the Board

Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft

Taking every chance I got to develop my leadership skills, teaching, and speaking abilities, I taught and mentored Bachelor students alongside professors. The harshest crowd you'll ever get, teaches you how to facilitate engagement and keep the room focussed on you. Without knowing, I was gearing up to be a speaker & mentor to many more.

Design Didactics Intern & Teaching Assistant

Applied Drone Innovations B.V.

Things weren't quite adventurous enough behind university desks and my bottomless ambition brought me to the startup world. I dove into product development, sales, and became the face of the company within 5 days on the job. Pitching our startup on international stages and national television showed me I could rule a room with a mic in my hand. My entrepreneurial fire was lit - but I longed to feel more connected to the purpose of my work.

User Experience Designer

Hi! I’m Maartje (March-uh) and I am committed to help millions of people work for the best companies all over the world. 

At Deel, I connect companies with their forever people platform.

At Space to Think, I coach successful professional women in Leadership, Tech, Sales, Entrepreneurship, and Finance to stress less, achieve more, and feel their best.

🟠 About you:

* You’ve climbed the career ladder, but don’t feel the satisfaction you expected.
* You’re feeling burnt out, exhausted, and quietly asking: “Is this really it until retirement?”
* Your relationships are suffering, and you feel disconnected from your intuition.
* You’re done chasing the carrot - you crave purpose, freedom, and joy in your every day life.

🟠 About us:

* I won’t linger on the past like a therapist; we’ll move you forward with truth and precision.
* I'll hold space for the conversations you never dared to have, not even with your partner.
* I’ll be your sparring partner, safe space, mirror, brainstorm buddy, and sounding board.
* I’ll challenge your thinking, expand your vision, and help you shift fast - in ways that last.

🟠 About me:

* I’ve uprooted my life from Amsterdam to the USA, attaining a blend of European and American values that make me passionate about growing professionally while having a healthy, grounded life.
* I left a successful corporate tech career to build a purpose-driven business that fights the patriarchy by elevating women's careers.
* I spent 2 years as a nomad, moving from place to place, seeing the world, and not delaying my dreams till retirement.
* I’ve invested in continuous education to master the coaching skills that make the difference between comforting conversations and breakthrough moments that create lasting transformation.

🟠 About the process:

The coaching process is tailored to your individual needs, blending psychology, coaching, and mentoring.

Working with me is not linear. 
It is a unique journey that reignites your love for life & work.
It rediscovers your own power and worth.
You let go of what no longer fits. 
You reconnect with yourself, your people, and your purpose.

If you're ready to dive into the work that elevates your career, health, and joy for life, message me.

Career Coach

🟡 Where I help successful, overworked women pivot their careers so they can feel free, independent, and joyful.
🟡 My clients land their dream jobs, get promoted, start businesses, found startups, become freelancers, turn digital nomads, and find careers that light them up.

Don’t mind if I DO celebrate being one of the top performers for the Enterprise SDR team at Deel for January AND February!!! 

Couldn’t be in a better place to do so. Buenos Aires has been stunning and magical and I might never leave. 

Here’s to continuing the work in March - because consistency is the way. 

Dial, prospect, repeat🫡 
Think like a detective 🕵️‍♀️ 
Focus on conversations 💬 


(Oh and take breaks. Don’t forget about that part).

Maartje Bakker  

Helping Enterprise Leaders Solve the Puzzle of Global Hiring & Payroll @ Deel | Career Coach | 🇳🇱Dutch in the US | 🎧 Podcast Host |

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I was the top sales rep in a bridal shop without ever having been a bride. 

I didn’t know anything about dresses, fabrics, or designers. 

But I do know how to morphe myself into a new culture. 

I sold because I learned the bride’s language. 

I matched their energy, values, and spoke to their fears. 

If you can make someone feel so understood and seen, the ‘yes’ comes naturally. 

Right now I’m learning the language of HR and Payroll leaders. 

Which ‘languages’ do you speak fluently?

How to set yourself up for a great week on Sundays:

Choose what you need!

Paint all afternoon. 
Check your calendar for the week. 
Bake some cookies. 
Clean your house. 
Check your emails. 
Read a fantasy romance book. 

You perform better when you’re rested, and rest looks different for everyone. 

PS. What does your perfect Sunday look like to have a great week?

Finishing February at 160% of quota because…..

🏝️ I took a long weekend at the beach, deleting all work apps from my phone. 

📞 I focus on what I can control: prospect, dial, repeat. I call every day. Non negotiable. 

✨ I pay attention to my energy. If I’m too tired my cold calls suck. So take a nap or go to yoga, then try again. 

💓 I didn’t try to do this job alone! Get in Nooks with your colleagues, reach out on Slack. Stay connected while being remote. 

Now off to Argentina for the week! ✈️

March started with my birthday in Buenos Aires and a very sick few days when I got back home. 

But we’re so back. 

And my March reminders are here to take me through the end of Q1. 

Finish strong in March. Set up for a great April. 

(Also tell me your work mantras because you can never have too many)

If you copied your talk track from a top performer and it’s not working, listen up 👇 

No, you don’t need to talk slower or lower your tone. 

The talk track needs to match YOUR VIBE. 

I am a very direct person. A fluffy talk track doesn’t work for me.

“Hey Ann, this is Maartje from Deel. To be completely transparent, this is a cold call about global HR over at ABC company. Mind if I take half a minute of your time?”

I’ve experimented with different tracks for 5 months and this is what feels most like me. 

Know your vibe, match your words to it, and adjust as you learn what works!

I get paid to be rejected. 

(if you're new to the SDR role, this post will help)

In my first months at Deel I put that post-it on my monitor, and it helped me through the transition from bridal & coaching into the SDR role.

If you're used to selling 4/5 wedding dresses every workday, calling 100 people without booking a single meeting is BRUTAL.

I couldn't use the same measure of success.

Now that I am 5 months in, I know the math that get's me to quota.

I literally get paid to go through a lot of rejections, before I get to one 'yes'.

And the more you practice, the fewer calls it takes to book that meeting.

But it will never be 5 calls, 4 meetings booked.

So if you're coming from a very different career, make sure you adjust your internal measure of success. 

You got this ;)

PS. What do you wish you knew when you started as an SDR?

Cheers to me because someone just thanked me for being the one non-cringe creator on LinkedIn. 

I’ve peaked.

Highly recommend following Meghann Misiak 🔮 as well, my personal favorite non-cringe LinkedIn creator :)  


Xoxo from Buenos Aires

You're okay.

This is the job.

Just a few 'no's' to get warmed up.

You're okay.

Everything is okay. 

You're safe.

Keep going.

You're doing your job right.

This is part of it.

You're okay.


xoxo just another SDR navigating the bodily responses to being rejected 15 times before 9 am on a Friday.

Let's freaking go 🤘

Instead of wishing her a happy women’s day, how about a venmo to close the pay gap?

taplio

The Battle

Dr. J. Rodríguez, Ph.D. 💬💥

Maartje Bakker

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taplio

The Battle

Dr. J. Rodríguez, Ph.D. 💬💥

Maartje Bakker

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Maartje Bakker's LinkedIn Performance

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