KOP's Advisory Board as mirror for growth: Peter vd Mark

Healthy growth starts with personal leadership

At KOP, growth isn’t just about numbers. It’s about people.

CEO Marius Bos has made it his mission to keep evolving. Both as a leader and with his company. For years now, he’s invited critical mentorship into his journey. One of those mentors is Peter van der Mark, today a trusted member of KOP’s Advisory Board.

“Growth always starts with recognizing your weaknesses. As an entrepreneur, you have to reinvent yourself in every phase. Especially by focusing on the tough spots.”

Marius Bos, CEO KOP

That mindset defines Marius. He doesn’t want KOP to grow for growth’s sake. His vision is to scale responsibly, sustainably, and in a way that creates lasting value for clients.
“We want to be the best, not the biggest,” he says. “Though secretly, yes, we do want to grow. But only in a way that truly fits who we are.”

From control to trust

Self-reflection takes honesty and guts. Guts to confront your own habits, to face a mirror, and hardest of all, to make space for others. That’s where Peter plays a crucial role.

“During our very first talk in 2019, Marius admitted: I need help. Not every entrepreneur says that out loud. But that vulnerability is the foundation for personal growth,” Peter recalls.

Using the Birkman method, Marius and his leadership team gained deep insights into their motivations, expectations, and stress behaviors. For Marius, the biggest lesson was learning to let go. A natural drive for control (let's be honest: which is common among entrepreneurs) needed to shift into trust.

“It was scary at first,” Peter says. “Would the team leaders make all the calls, and would he lose control? But by giving responsibility, he also gave trust. And that opened the door to ownership.”

Soon, team profiles were shared openly. Conversations flowed. And a culture emerged where collaboration wasn’t a “trick,” but a precondition for growth.

From crisis to course

Then came covid. With trade shows -KOP’s core business- at a standstill, Marius refused to sit idle. He founded Dutch Luxury Garden Concepts, bringing high-end outdoor living to life.

It was a bold pivot. And one that transformed the company. “Suddenly, we were running two businesses, with different markets, clients, and rhythms. That demanded a new way of working. And a new role for me as entrepreneur.”

The shift forced him to rethink his leadership again. “I realized: if we want both businesses to thrive, I need a structural sounding board.”

That realization gave birth to KOP’s Advisory Board, with Peter and Ron Nap as key players. Marius: “Peter makes me hit the brakes when I need to. Ron? He’s the one stepping on the gas. Together, they create the balance every entrepreneur needs.”

From left to right: Peter van der Mark, Marius Bos and Ron Nap

The power of an Advisory Board

The Board now guards the course: Are we growing in line with KOP’s values? Is the entrepreneur staying out of the weeds? Is there space for creativity to flourish?

Peter puts it simply: “I don’t hand out orders. I show Marius the consequences of choices. Many entrepreneurs make themselves too needed. And that limits the whole company. I often ask: Do you want to be the winner, or the coach of winners? Once you start coaching, your people grow. And so do you.”

Trust and forward vision

Marius credits Peter’s influence with reshaping his leadership. “He makes me reflect, but also keeps things dynamic. I’ve grown as a leader. More forward-looking, more people-focused. A warmer person.”

Looking ahead, Peter sees an even more independent team, with Marius operating at a healthy distance: “My hope is that one day, he can step away for months, and the business keeps running. That’s when you know the company no longer depends on you. It carries your vision forward as a team.”

And that’s the goal. As Marius says:
“Peter and Ron truly stand beside me as an entrepreneur. Together with our management team, we’re building a future where we’re not only known for quality, but also for strength and market position.

That’s not just a dream. It’s a mission.”