Full circle
`I experienced the whole selling period as exciting and loads
of fun. It was very businesslike and structured, which I enjoyed.
Emotions? No, really only when I had to make the announcement
to my staff. I never saw the company as my baby or my life's
work.'Since then, Van der Sprong has not started up any new
businesses, but his days are fuller than before.
`My wife and I spend four months a year in Sankt Anton in Austria.
I became a ski instructor and put on my skis every day to take
to the slopes with my wife or a group for some really wild skiing.'
A lot of time also goes into sailing, practicing the accordion and
setting up a health centre in the village.
I never regretted the sale for a single second
`The picture I had in my head from the beginning turned out to
be quite accurate. I did not make myself indispensable, and the
company has shown strong growth since the sale. The only thing
I sometimes miss now is an intellectual challenge, so I'm think-
ing about going back to work at the university as a volunteer.'
The career of the research scientist who started up his own lab
has almost come full circle.
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