English version of the Gerard Cok interview by Peter Brouwer.

1. Gerard Cok
Interview by Peter Brouwer
During a networking-event I, Peter Brouwer, CEO of Betapress,
was asked to do an interview with another great entrepreneur and
vice versa.
The setup would be, as it were, a double-interview. Consequently
it wouldn't take long for me to be teamed up with Gerard Cok,
and now, a couple of months later, I have the honors to meet him
in person and I rapidly lapse into the role of journalist.
It never came to that double-interview, since this man had more
than enough to tell, and soon it became obvious that we share a
common passion.
My first question was inevitably the grand opening-question, but
I wanted to know who I had sitting in front of me. Gerard Cok,
yes, but who is that man really? A majestic Gentleman with
nicely combed back hair introduces himself. Immediately he
debarks informing me about his career and quickly I see that the
man sitting in front of me is a genuine entrepreneur. Via Real
Estate he ended up in the erotic branch. It started with buying
a couple of stores, expanded towards the acquisition of some
wholesalers and ended up with PABO. Of course this didn't happen
overnight, it is linked to a long story on which i get
elaborately and wholeheartedly briefed.
My curiosity about his business side is hard to suppress, but i
know that I have to get to his passion, and after a few
questions I end up at 'Sailing'. Yes, sailing is one of his
passions, he thinks. It's absolutely a delight to feel the
freedom on the waters.' But when he really looks deep into his
heart, Gerard knows that enterprising is another true passion of
his, and soon we are talking further about 'his business and
his way of' working.
So actually his work is his passion. Great! Let's continue a bit
further down that lane, I think to myself. Gerard's passion is
surely enterprising but more definitely the preciseness he
establishes in doing so. If you do something, better do it good.
Buying a shop and consequently waiting for customers to come is
by definition sheer nonsense. Further on Gerard describes the
shifty image that shops like 'Christine le Duc' had. 'We had to

2. work immensely hard to lever the image of those shops. The whole
erotic industry had a shifty image anyway, which is a pity,
since most of the enterprises that operate within the erotic
brach are very trustful'.
'I always tried my best to avoid shifty publicity and a bad
image.' When I look at Gerard's Office I think he succeeded
pretty well in doing so. Lot's of other companies could follow
this example.
Let's get back to the sailing. What is actually the comparison
between sailing and entrepreneurship? Gerard starts smiling with
this question. Being a descent man he replies that it is all
about foreseeing. Enterprising is foreseeing, and actually so is
sailing. You start by verifying which equipment you will need on
your trip, you check the weather report and provide the
sufficient and able manpower. This similar to what you do in
enterprising, and if you finally have prepared everything to the
last detail, then there is that 'rush'.
'The intensity that you live through with this, that is what I
would call a true passion' I can but confirm this feeling. I
also take great pleasure in my work and everything that has to
do with it. The interviews has clearly put me to thinking, and I
also can confirm that it is my passion to work. Sounds dull, but
Gerard and I know that it works on a totally different level.
Gerard continues enthusiastically. 'But I also enjoy myself a
lot within the real estate market, Also here the prescient look
and a careful approach counts.
Furthermore it is of great importance to gather people around
you whom you can trust. Eastern Europe for instance I find very
pleasant to do business in. If you consider how things were
there 10 years ago, and how everything is today, you can't but
notice a enormous progression. In addition to this you get to
deal with totally different procedures and it feels great being
able to implement your way of working there. These locals often
have the skills, but lack in financial reach. To be able to give
young people this way a chance, is great. And also in the
Netherlands I like to putt through this approach. Somebody who
invests a great deal of time and shows potential, this I will
vouch for!

3. The burning question what Gerard would do if it didn't have
anything to do with real estate or erotica, makes him frown… Het
first thing he says is that he will never have an empty diary.
But suppose that the miracle happens, he would still do
something work related. Although he wouldn't consider it as
being work. Gerard would go visit houses and buildings to which
he is currently not getting to.
As a final question I am very curious about what Gerard would do
if it had nothing to do with erotica or real estate. Even here
he answers quickly and surprising. He would focus on the
agricultural sector. I can't suppress being amazed. Throughout
the interview all answers where ones I could emphasize with, but
a farmer's life is the last thing I would suit for him. Luckily,
it only takes a breath and Gerard starts explaining that he
wouldn't start wearing peasant clothes and working the land with
the wheelbarrow. Off course he is not talking about a
conventional farm, but it would be interesting to by this way
start delivering alternative fuels. In the short run it wouldn't
yield much, but according to him, you need to see everything in
the longer term. Ah, Also here foresight rules.
After talking an hour and a half I made an important conclusion:
Gerard Cok is a calm man who chooses his words carefully, knows
exactly what he wants to say, and has a clear goal in mind. He
motivates people and has a sweet-spot for Eastern Europe. And
his passion: That is Enterprising, and by this I mean
Entrepreneurship in any form whatsoever. His passion for
Business made his biggest hobby possible: Sailing.