Interview with Erik van Laar, CEO of Smizer
Since April 2024, Erik van Laar has been at the helm of Smizer, a rapidly growing ecosystem of local Managed Service Providers. Smizer acts as a platform within the ecosystem and supports the companies within the group in delivering their services to customers. We talk to Erik about his vision, the role of IT in a changing world and why building at Smizer is never “finished.
Smizer is not a traditional IT company. What makes your approach different?
“Many companies in our industry look primarily at technology. We start with people. At Smizer, we believe that IT should not be an end in itself, but a means that moves people and businesses forward. Technology has become lightning fast and complex – that can be intimidating. We want to close that gap. Not by simplifying everything, but by making it understandable. Human. In service of the customer’s ambitions.
Real progress is made only when people, processes and technology are in balance. If you only focus on tools, but do not include your people or your processes are not right, you lose energy and effectiveness. At Smizer we therefore always look integrally: how does an organization really work, where are the bottlenecks, and how can we use technology in a way that suits the people who work with it? Only then will you make sustainable progress.”
You position Smizer as a movement. What do you mean by that?
“We deliberately build without an end point. Where others steer for growth to finish – for a sale, an acquisition, an exit – we steer for sustainable development. Smizer is not a sprint. It is a journey. An organization that keeps moving, learning and adapting. Because let’s face it: the world is constantly changing. What works well today may be obsolete tomorrow. You have to be equipped for that.”
What does that require of your organization?
“A different way of looking at things. We don’t think in projects that need to be completed, but in directions in which we want to develop. That requires curiosity, adaptability and leadership that provides space. That’s why we invest a lot in our people. Our first strategic pillar is not for nothing: ‘Our people central’. Growth always starts there.”
That approach – focused on sustainable development – provides a powerful basis for various forms of value creation. For investors, in the medium term, we realize scale, structure and strategic coherence: elements that represent immediate value at a future exit. But this is not done at the expense of the long term. On the contrary. By investing in our people, processes and customer relationships now, we are building a foundation that will remain strong even after an exit. In this way we not only create returns for the investor, but also lasting value for the people and customers who bear Smizer.
Specifically, what does that mean for customers?
“Within our ecosystem, we jointly build IT solutions that are logically structured, understandable in price and easy to use for employees. Those solutions are offered locally by our MSPs – Smizer makes sure they emerge, get it right and keep evolving. But technology alone is not enough. Our portfolio is designed to fit within the client’s work processes and to be workable for the people who use it. Because technology only delivers value if it is in harmony with how people work and how processes are set up. This is why adoption takes an increasingly important place in our service portfolio – so that new solutions are actually embraced, understood and utilized.”
Smizer consists of multiple local MSPs. How do you keep them connected?
“Each company within Smizer has its own face, its own rhythm, its own team. And that is precisely what is powerful. We believe in local ownership, because that is where customer trust is created. But we do connect those companies through a shared vision, common principles and the platform that Smizer offers. We do not do this top-down, but through what we call DOOP: Dare, Development, Infinity and Fun. These are not rules, but guidelines. A compass that leaves room for difference, but ensures consistency.”
And how does that align with your strategy?
“Our long-term strategy rests on three pillars: people-centric, a complete portfolio of services, and growth through collaboration. With the second point – our portfolio – it is important that we look not only at what is technologically possible, but also at what is needed organizationally and humanly. Linking technology smartly to existing processes and choosing the right pace for implementation creates room for real growth.”
And what if new investors come in or ownership structures change?
“That’s part of growth. But for us that’s not an end point, at most an intermediate stop. It does not change Smizer’s vision. We continue to build. With partners who recognize themselves in our course. Everything we do is focused on continuity, on building on. We are not an end station. We are a place where people and companies continue to grow.”
Finally, what is your personal motivation in this story?
“I believe in building with attention. Not everything has to be done quickly. By slowing down now and then, you can see more clearly what really matters. For me, Smizer is a place where I can work every day with people who want to look beyond the issues of the day. Who want to build together something sustainable, meaningful and infinitely moving. That gives energy.”
Smizer. Without haste. Without an end point. With a clear goal.
We steer not for the fastest growth, but for the right one. We believe in autonomy and connection. In structure ánd space. And we believe that the right growth occurs when people, processes and technology are in balance. Not whether to digitize, but how. Not either investing in people, but in the tools and structures that really strengthen them.
Smizer is the platform within a living ecosystem of companies.
A place where people can get ahead.
Where entrepreneurs grow at their own pace.
And where customers are helped with solutions that really work.
