Simon de Raadt – The Fulfillment Guy

Who is Simon

A decade in China.
A life rebuilt.

Simon de Raadt is a Dutch entrepreneur, speaker, investor, and mentor. He spent ten years living and working in China, helping build a cross-border logistics business from zero to €170M annual turnover.

After losing control of that business, Simon went through a personal and professional transformation that led to one clear realisation: most people build successful businesses, but few build successful lives.

You are not your business.
You are the business.

That insight became The Raadt Way™ — a philosophy for ambitious people who want to create a lasting fulfilled life without sacrificing who they are in the process.

€170M Business scaled

10 Years in China

5+ Businesses owned

The Journey

Five phases that
shaped the philosophy

01

Ambition

Grew up in a modest Dutch family with a strong work ethic and a dream of living in China.

02

The China Dream

Moved to China with a backpack. Built a successful international career and scaled a €170M logistics business.

03

Collapse

Lost control of the business. Experienced identity loss and realised self-worth had become dangerously tied to business results.

04

Transformation

Rebuilt life differently — focused on ownership, leverage, and purpose. Created The Raadt Way™.

05

Legacy

Now mentoring entrepreneurs, speaking on stage, and building long-term impact through the philosophy he lived.

Watch Simon share his story and philosophy

Published Works

Co-authored books
by Simon

Simon has contributed to international publications on thought leadership, logistics, and cross-border business.

International Bestseller

The World's Thought Leaders

Motivated By The World's Thought Leaders Behind The Scenes
Cuilan (Kristy) Guo & contributors · 2025

Simon contributed a full chapter sharing his personal life lessons — from growing up in the Netherlands to building a €170M logistics business in China. A raw, honest account of ambition, failure, reinvention, and finding a fulfilled life on his own terms.

View on Amazon →

Wiley–IEEE Press

The Digital Transformation of Logistics

Demystifying Impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Mac Sullivan & Johannes Kern · 2021

A landmark industry publication exploring how digitalisation is reshaping global logistics. Simon contributed his expertise in cross-border e-commerce and China supply chain operations to this comprehensive guide for logistics professionals and business leaders.

View on Amazon →

The Problem

When you are your business,
you need an identity upgrade.

Most ambitious people unknowingly tie their entire sense of self to their business. When the business wins, they feel worthy. When it struggles, they fall apart. Their identity has become the business — and that is a dangerous place to live.

An identity upgrade is not therapy. It is a strategic re-anchoring — separating who you are from what you do, so you can lead from strength instead of fear, make decisions from clarity instead of ego, and build a fulfilled life that lasts.

Before

— Your mood follows your revenue
— You can't switch off
— Losing the business feels like losing yourself
— Decisions are driven by fear of failure
— Success still doesn't feel like enough

After the upgrade

→ Your identity is stable regardless of results
→ You lead with presence and clarity
→ You own the business — it doesn't own you
→ Decisions are made from confidence, not survival
→ Life feels fulfilled — and sustainable

The Framework

The Raadt Way™
The 5 V's

Five interconnected principles that form the foundation of a sustainable, meaningful fulfilled life.

01

Verbinding

Connection

Reconnect with yourself, your relationships, your purpose, and the life you are building. Many ambitious people become disconnected while pursuing achievement.

02

Vertrouwen

Trust

Build trust in yourself, your decisions, your abilities, and your future. Move from fear-driven decisions toward confident, grounded action.

03

Vervulling

Fulfillment

Create a life that feels genuinely fulfilling — not just money, status, or achievement, but meaning, depth, and a life truly worth living.

04

Vitaliteit

Vitality

Protect your physical health, energy, and wellbeing. Success should enhance your life, not destroy it.

05

Vermogen

Wealth & Capability

Build ownership, leverage, assets, and freedom. Money is a tool, not an identity. Success comes from becoming valuable.

Work Together

How Simon
can help you

Three ways to engage — each built on the same philosophy, applied to your specific context.

Strategic Mentorship

For ambitious entrepreneurs, operators and business leaders who want to build a fulfilled life on their terms — without losing themselves in the process. Combining real-world business experience with deeper strategic and personal reflection, The Raadt Way™ helps you move from reactive operator to grounded strategic player.

Enquire →

Public Speaking

Thought-provoking keynotes on ambition, identity, business and living a fulfilled life. Simon combines real stories from building and rebuilding businesses across Europe and China with powerful reflections that challenge audiences to rethink what a fulfilled life truly means.

Book Simon →

Strategic Advisory

For selected ecommerce, logistics and cross-border businesses seeking long-term growth, leverage and operational clarity. Drawing from years of experience scaling international businesses, Simon helps founders and leadership teams navigate complexity with a broader strategic perspective.

Learn More →

What Clients Say

Real outcomes,
real people

Simon has a unique ability to connect business challenges directly to your inner world, allowing conversations to go far beyond surface-level strategy while creating a space that feels both personal and genuinely grounded in wanting the best for you. Since starting the mentorship, I've become much calmer, more grounded, and gained a much clearer perspective on both my business and the long-term life I want to build.

Mentorship Client

Before working with Simon, my business controlled my life. Through his mentorship I became far more present, aware of my internal patterns, and intentional about how I spend my time. The impact on both my relationships and overall wellbeing has been significant.

Mentorship Client

The Core Idea

You Are
The Business

Most people think "I own a business." Simon believes you are the business. Every person manages sales, marketing, finance, operations, relationships, and growth. Your most valuable asset is yourself. Success becomes sustainable when you invest in your own growth and value.

Sales Your income

Marketing Your visibility

Finance Your money

Operations Your time

Relationships Your network

Get in Touch

Ready to build
a fulfilled life on your terms?

Whether you're interested in mentorship, booking Simon to speak, or exploring a strategic advisory relationship — the first step is a conversation.

Simon works with a limited number of people at any given time to ensure full focus and genuine impact.

Build a fulfilled lifeon your terms

A decade in China.A life rebuilt.

Five phases thatshaped the philosophy