CHAPTER 4: CREATING ROOMRACCOON

Entry 16: From Engineer & Hotelier to CEO & CPO

“Mistakes are part of the journey—fail fast, learn faster, and keep pushing forward.”

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Contents

Chapter 1: The Big Decision - Buying a Hotel

Chapter 2: First Days as a Hotelier

Chapter 3: Seasons of Growth

Chapter 4: Creating RoomRaccoon

Chapter 5: Handing Over the Keys (To Success)

INSIDE THE GAZE

Smarter Hotel Management with RoomRaccoon

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Adjusting to my role as Chief Product Officer (CPO) felt like slipping into my favorite pair of shoes—comfortable and perfectly suited.

My experience as a hotelier had already shaped my passion for crafting seamless, customer-focused experiences. At RoomRaccoon, this translates into designing intuitive products that simplify life for hoteliers.

For Tymen, the shift from engineer to CEO was different. Trading coding for company building meant stepping out of the weeds and into the bigger picture—leading a growing team, driving collaboration, and scaling the business internationally. 

By immersing himself in startup retreats and devouring management books, Tymen gained the skills to evolve into a strategic business leader.

Together, this synergy—me leading the product and Tymen building the company—has driven RoomRaccoon’s success. Our complementary strengths have helped us grow, adapt, and continuously push both ourselves and the business forward.

IMG: Nadja and Tymen at RoomRaccoon’s Breda office

Advice for prospective business owners

  1. Launch early and iterate

Speed is crucial—get a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to market quickly to validate the concept and secure early revenue.

  1. Focus on customer feedback

Build on real-world input rather than assumptions, allowing the product to evolve based on actual needs and pain points.

  1. Fail fast and learn

Embrace mistakes as part of the growth process, adapting swiftly and effectively for continuous improvement.

IMG: Nadja presenting RoomRaccoon’s Product Roadmap at the 2022 Check-in Event, showcasing exciting innovations for the future.

What the future holds for RoomRaccoon

We’re incredibly excited about RoomRaccoon's future.

Our vision is to tap into innovative demand creation, going beyond simply meeting current needs to drive innovation that transforms hotel operations in ways hoteliers never imagined.

Of course, growth is always top of mind. But for us, it’s not just about adding more customers—it’s about building a diverse, international team that shares our vision and drives the business forward. 

Innovation and expansion go hand in hand, and we’re just getting started.

IMG: Nadja and Tymen celebrating RoomRaccoon’s 2024 acquisition of Lobbi PMS, marking the occasion with their new team members – cheers!

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