Welcome to my digital mind
A living archive. A journail. A lab. A breadcrumb trail for the curious, the creative, and maybe even my kids someday.
This isn’t just a portfolio of work. It’s where I think out loud as an ambivert. Where podcasts, articles, reflections, and occasional storytelling experiments live alongside product ideas and future blueprints. It’s a space where paradoxes breathe: structure meets chaos, legacy adapts through change—from rethinking how I work to how I show up for my kids—and personal reflections sit beside product strategy.
Human Product Manager, AI Storyteller
Hi, my name’s Mike van Zandwijk. Online, I go by MikevZ or MetaMike—and sometimes by pseudonyms like Mike Veezy and Mikel Sablo. I’m currently a Product Manager in Data & AI at a Dutch Managed Services Provider, focusing on AI Exploration, Data Security, and User Adoption.
Before product management, I was a consultant—and in many ways, I still am. I approach every challenge through the lens of service: How can I help someone thrive? And how can we shape that into something repeatable, scalable, and meaningful?
My career spans from helpdesk support (yep, been there) to CTO-level strategy, from innovation labs to storytelling. I’ve worked at Microsoft, turned down ventures that lacked alignment—not just in vision but in values—and prototyped more futures than I’ve published. Some of those include internal AI bots and CV³, a framework that blends corporate, charitable, and community value into something we all are: citizens of our planet Earth.
Loving Father, Husband & Human Spirit
Outside of work, my most important roles are at home. I’m a husband to Ruth, a brilliant human rights lawyer and the best sparring partner I could ask for. I’m a father of six—three daughters and three sons—ranging in age from 7 to 24. That alone adds meaning to everything I write here.
Some of them live with us, like my youngest, who still brings unicorn drawings to the dinner table. Others have moved on, carving their own paths. I respect that deeply, even if I sometimes miss the chaos of a full house. All of them, I hope, will one day find something here—useful, funny, or simply human.
Family is both my anchor and my why. In the morning chaos of making breakfast while answering Teams messages, the evening walks where my daughter asks about the stars, or the late-night talks with my teenage sons about their dreams and doubts—those are the moments that ground me more than any job title ever could.
I’m also a son. My parents are still around, in their seventies—a daily reminder that life isn’t infinite, which is exactly why it matters.
Voice. Vision. Vulnerability.
This is where professional meets personal. Where I reflect on AI, ethics, identity, and legacy. Where musings too raw for PowerPoint and too honest for LinkedIn finally have a home.
It’s a place where DJing (yes, I mix tracks sometimes) sits beside deep dives into tech. Where a Carl Sagan quote might sneak into a post about Microsoft Copilot. Where a framework for metaverse maturity might be followed by a bedtime question from my daughter.
I don’t fear being erased. I just believe some thoughts deserve to be captured before they vanish—for my children, for my future self, maybe even for you.
Whether you’re here for inspiration, alignment, or just to see what the inside of someone else’s mind looks like—welcome. You’ve officially stepped into Mike’s Mind. Feel free to explore, connect, or just think alongside me.
Follow along and subscribe if something resonates or drop me a note:
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📧 Email: [email protected]
💼 LinkedIn: Mike van Zandwijk
📱 Call Mike on +31613141018
🕊️ Twitter/X: @MikevZ