When Eksteen de Waal first began searching for a business address in the Netherlands, he wasn’t necessarily looking for a coworking space. He wasn’t drawn to the idea of hot-desking alongside strangers or attending networking events. What he needed was practical: a registered address for his business, separate from his home.
That need led him to De Kamer, and more specifically, to Kamer 52.
At the time, Eksteen’s focus was clear. Using his home address for business meant exposing himself to risks: spam mail, identity theft, and a blurred boundary between private and professional life. He wanted to avoid that. Like many entrepreneurs, he turned to Google, searching for business registration addresses. That’s when he found De Kamer, a space that, at first glance, seemed to offer exactly what he needed.
Finding the right location
Kamer 52, located on the iconic Keizersgracht in Amsterdam, wasn’t just a functional solution; it also held an aesthetic and symbolic appeal. The building itself, a historic canal house with marble floors and a 17th-century staircase worn down by centuries of footsteps, offered more than just an address. It told a story. For Eksteen, location mattered. An address in a prestigious area signalled professionalism and credibility to clients and partners. As he puts it, “Perception counts whether we like it or not.”
It wasn’t just the location that piqued his interest. What Eksteen found in Kamer 52 was a space that fit the way he worked. As a digital entrepreneur who travels frequently, he didn’t need a daily desk or the buzz of a traditional coworking community. His team is spread across the globe: a virtual assistant and IT specialist in South Africa, a graphic designer in Romania, and collaborators in the UK and the Netherlands. The flexibility to work and run a business remotely was essential.
De Kamer provided exactly that. Through Kamer 52, Eksteen had a professional business address, the option to host meetings when necessary, and practical services like mail handling. The building’s accessibility features, such as a lift for visitors with mobility needs, were also a thoughtful touch. And behind it all was Jeannine van der Linden, who managed the space with a balance of professionalism and warmth. Jeannine’s exceptional due diligence ensured that no individuals involved in unlawful activity could gain access, safeguarding the reputation of all businesses operating there.
The power of trusted connections
Eksteen describes his relationship with Jeannine as a trusted connection in an often-disconnected world. While he appreciated having someone like Jeannine to reach out to when he needed a recommendation of services, whether it was for a tax advisor, or relocation services for a friend. In fact, it was Eksteen who introduced fellow business owners to Jeannine’s services, recognising the value of building a supportive network.
This kind of network-building has been a theme throughout Eksteen’s career. His company, Exponentially Me, was born out of a lifelong curiosity about human behaviour and connection, shaped in part by his experiences growing up in apartheid-era South Africa. As a man with black friends, he often found himself on the margins of his community, an outsider navigating complex social dynamics. Those early experiences sparked questions that have stayed with him: Why can people be so kind and so cruel in the same breath? How can we better understand and navigate conflict?
Eksteen’s journey began in IT, where his background in computer science gave him a strong foundation in process and structure, which brings clarity to the often-messy world of human behaviour. Driven by a deep interest in how people connect, he has continuously explored the psychology, neurobiology, and evolutionary psychology of relationships and communication. Later, earning an MBA in the Netherlands added a business and leadership lens to his understanding, allowing him to see how well-managed relationships contribute to healthier teams and better outcomes. These insights laid the groundwork for Exponentially Me, a company focused on helping people and organisations connect, collaborate, and resolve differences effectively.
From conflict to connection
Finding the right working environment has always been about aligning context with purpose. Coworking spaces provide a specific context, he notes, are often marketed as vibrant hubs for collaboration, filled with events and networking opportunities. And for some entrepreneurs, especially those in the early stages of building a team, this model can be invaluable. The social interaction, the accountability of shared goals, the spark of creative energy in a room full of peers, it’s exactly what some entrepreneurs need.
Eksteen values different things. Kamer 52 provided a space that matched his way of working; flexible, supportive, and free from a one-size-fits-all approach. It highlights the idea that there is no single definition of a ‘good’ coworking space. Some people thrive on the energy of shared ideas and spontaneous collaboration. Others prefer the calm reliability of a well-managed environment where practical needs are met and lowkey support is always present.
He believes that spaces like Kamer 52 offer something that’s often overlooked: flexibility. The freedom to build a business on your own terms, to work remotely while still having a home base, to connect with people when it’s meaningful rather than mandatory. This in a world where the lines between work and life are increasingly blurred, flexibility is more important than ever.
Kamer 52 is more than just a coworking space, it is a practical solution that became part of Eksteen’s larger story. An exploration of navigating cultures, building bridges, and running a business that helps others do the same.
