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Esther Kersten
CEO & Founder ImpactX
Professional Background
Esther Kersten is an entrepreneurial and enthusiastic professional with a rich career dedicated to strategy and sustainability. With a robust track record in integrating sustainability into strategic business development, product innovation, and evolving business models, Esther embodies a passion for fostering an environment where empowerment flourishes. She fervently believes in nurturing a culture that encourages individuals to be the change they wish to see in the world, highlighting the essence of collective growth and fun in the journey towards creating a sustainable future.
For Esther, sustainability extends beyond a professional endeavor; it is a promise made to her children, ensuring they inherit a world adept at managing the implications of climate change. She is committed to instilling hope and collaboration, believing that as parents and mentors, we have the responsibility to prepare future generations to tackle the challenges of sustainability collaboratively. Her work encompasses strategic thinking, innovation in sustainability, new business development, and inclusive empowerment—a driving force behind her professional pursuits.
Esther’s career is marked by her previous roles at Vanderlande, where she served in various capacities from Global Sustainability Officer to Director of Strategy and Sustainability. Her tenure at Vanderlande has honed her skills in sustainable business development, project leadership, and operational strategy, enabling her to lead transformative initiatives critical to corporate sustainability efforts. Beyond leading teams, Esther's previous roles spanned several noteworthy organizations, where she held positions aimed at driving impactful sustainable practices and corporate responsibility.
Education and Achievements
Esther's educational background features a comprehensive academic foundation that underscores her expertise in strategic management and sustainability. She earned her Doctoraal degree in Strategic Management and a Master's degree in Logistics and Operations Management at the esteemed Tilburg University, which equipped her with the analytical and strategic skills necessary for navigating complex business environments. Additionally, she pursued Cross-Cultural Management and Human Resource Development studies at Macquarie University, underscoring her commitment to understanding diverse workplace dynamics and fostering inclusive practices.
Her academic journey began at Raayland College Venray, where her interests in management and operational strategy first developed. This solid educational grounding not only shaped her theoretical understanding of strategic management but also prepared her for real-world challenges, ultimately leading to her influential professional roles.
Esther’s professional journey is complemented by her active participation in advising future leaders. As a member of the Advisory Board for the Fontys School of Business and Communication at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Esther contributes her insights to help mold the future of business education, reflecting her dedication to empowering young professionals in sustainability and strategy.
Key Professional Roles and Contributions
Throughout her distinguished career, Esther Kersten has held a variety of pivotal roles that showcase her expertise in sustainability and business strategy. Notably, as the Global Sustainability Officer at Vanderlande, she oversaw the company's global sustainability initiatives, guiding strategic vision and environmental responsibility across diverse operational domains. In her role as Director of Strategy and Sustainability for the same organization, she played a crucial part in steering strategic direction while embedding sustainable practices within the company's framework.
Before her prominent roles at Vanderlande, Esther’s journey included several impactful positions—from being a Sustainable Business Development leader to serving as a CSR Officer at Glocal Discovery, where she engaged with community-based initiatives aimed at promoting social responsibility. Additionally, her time as a Sustainability Consultant and Senior Sustainability Incubator at the International Centre for Sustainable Excellence reflected her capacity to drive innovation and implement actionable sustainability strategies in various contexts.
Her early professional experiences, including her role as Ambassador Partnership with the World Food Programme at DSM and as a Sourcing Analyst, provided her with extensive exposure to the integration of sustainable practices within corporate methodologies, further amplifying her advocacy for corporate social responsibility. Esther started her career with foundational experiences at Deloitte Consulting, laying the groundwork for her impressive journey in sustainability and strategy.
Notable Achievements
Esther's commitment to sustainability is evident in her ability to transform strategic thought into impactful actions. Her notable achievements include leading pivotal projects that directly contributed to enhancing corporate sustainability efforts while advocating for inclusivity in empowerment within organizations. Her leadership at Vanderlande helped to establish notable sustainability benchmarks and a commitment to create systems that actively engage in sustainable practices, making significant strides towards a more responsible corporate landscape.
Moreover, Esther’s involvement in mentorship through her advisory role at Fontys University not only signifies her dedication to nurturing the next generation of professionals but also highlights her commitment to nurturing a sustainable mindset within future business leaders. Her holistic approach to strategy and sustainability development reflects her belief in the synergy between these elements as essential drivers of success and innovation.
In conclusion, Esther Kersten is not just a sustainability professional; she is a visionary leader dedicated to crafting a better tomorrow through inclusive empowerment, strategic innovation, and collaborative efforts toward sustainability. Her journey, marked by a strong educational foundation, impactful professional roles, and a passion for nurturing future generations, positions her as a key influencer in advancing sustainable strategies within the business sphere.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
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- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.
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