De GeneratieJam
Father and son on one stage: from generational complaint to generational strength
Step into the world of Richard and Joris de Hoop. Father and son, born in 1961 and 1997. A borderline case between boomer and Gen X alongside a borderline case between millennial and Gen Z. Together they embody exactly what every organisation struggles with. Since 1991, Richard has founded four companies, sold two, witnessed one spectacular failure, and has been speaking on stages at home and abroad since 1995. Joris built a stage career in musical theatre, with productions such as Soldier of Orange and Kiss of the Spider Woman. Now they join forces in De GeneratieJam: a musical keynote in which they debunk generational divides and show how to move from labels to talent. With music as a metaphor, because jamming can only be done together.
Biography
Richard de Hoop: entrepreneur and speaker since 1995
Richard de Hoop (1961) is an entrepreneur, author and professional speaker. Since 1991, he has founded four companies: two of which he sold successfully, one failed miserably — so he knows from experience what it means to enjoy failure. Since 1995 he has been speaking domestically and internationally about collaboration and resilience, with over 2,500 performances to date. He is involved with Team Heartbeats and serves as a "no-sweat partner" with the Speakersclub.
Joris de Hoop: actor, singer and creator
Joris de Hoop (1997) studied at the Fontys Academy of Fine and Performing Arts and built a broad stage career in musical theatre. He performed in leading Dutch and international productions, including Soldier of Orange – the Musical, Rubens, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Verliefd op Ibiza. Those years on stage shaped his sense of timing, authenticity and connection with diverse audiences.
Together: from A to Son
GeneratieJam was born when a father and son realized they could not only discuss the subject, but were the subject themselves. During the creative process, Richard experienced firsthand what intergenerational collaboration truly demands. Beyond the keynote, they produce the podcast "De Generatie Jam – van A tot Zoon," in which two generations engage in conversation with each other and with inspiring guests about collaboration, bridging differences, and understanding each other better.
Substantiated and swinging
As with all his keynotes, Richard never takes shortcuts: scientific insights are combined with practical tips from more than 35 years of entrepreneurship and the experiences of hundreds of organizations. Joris adds creativity, music and theatrical translation power to the mix. The result is an interactive session in which generational themes become stories that stick, including a generation quiz and live music.
Expertise
Intergenerational Collaboration
Five generations on one work floor is now the rule rather than the exception, and the reflex is to point out the differences. Richard and Joris turn that around: they don't focus on age but on talent and ambition. What does someone have to offer, where does their ambition lie, and which combination yields the most? This shifts the conversation from what people think of each other to what they can achieve together.
Debunking Generation Myths
Much is claimed about generations and little is substantiated. The internet is full of criteria that, upon closer inspection, have no basis whatsoever. Richard and Joris are happy to tackle these claims, showing which differences are actually demonstrable and which are primarily repeated because they sound appealing. This makes the session pleasantly sobering.
Music as a Metaphor for Collaboration
An orchestra works because everyone knows when they play classical and when they improvise. Richard and Joris don't use that metaphor as decoration but as a thinking framework: when do you follow the score, when do you deviate, and how do you recognize the moment when the team needs to jam instead of execute?
Trust, empathy and room to fail
The preconditions that make collaboration truly work. Empathy as a skill — putting yourself in someone else's shoes without absorbing or judging their feelings. And "creative space": the place where teams are allowed to explore, experiment, and fail. Without that space, every good intention about collaboration gets stuck at the first setback.
Themes
Generations in the Workplace
From turntable to smartphone. How different mindsets and backgrounds come together to form one functioning team, without age being the starting point.
Debunking Stereotypes
There's quite a bit of unsubstantiated and overgeneralized generational talk circulating on the internet. Richard and Joris are happy to debunk it, and go in search of what actually holds up.
Collaborating on the basis of trust
Results don't come from labels, but from smart collaboration. It's about focusing on talent and ambition instead of birth year.
Resilience and the Joy of Failure
How to create space to try and fail. About "messy space" where teams search for solutions together without mistakes being held against them.
Empathy as a Tool
The ability to put yourself in someone else's thoughts and emotions, without taking them on or judging them. And why this is a skill in the workplace, not a character trait.
Reverse mentoring and knowledge sharing
Best practices for generations to learn structurally from each other, with reverse mentoring and communities of practice as concrete working formats.
Why De
They are the subject
A boomer and a Gen Z'er standing together on stage don't talk about the generational divide – they demonstrate it. That makes the abstract subject immediately tangible for the audience.
35 years of entrepreneurship as foundation
Richard built four companies, sold two of them, and saw one fail. His story comes from the practice of profit and loss, not from a theoretical model.
More than 2,500 performances
Richard has been speaking at home and abroad since 1995. You can tell from his experience: he knows how to read a room, keep it engaged, and turn it at just the right moment.
Theatrical quality
Joris trained at the Fontys Academy of Fine and Performing Arts and performed in productions such as Soldier of Orange. His timing and stage presence elevate the session beyond an ordinary keynote.
Science and tips that work
The content is grounded in scientific insights and translated into practical tools. No opinions about generations, but what is actually known about them.
Interactive and swinging
Music, a generation quiz and live interaction make the session an experience. The audience isn't just listening—they're participating. Exactly the point the keynote makes.
Talks
De GeneratieJam
Reviews
“Anyone who asks themselves questions about connecting generations. Make sure you see Richard de Hoop and his son Joris at work! Also definitely go if you're interested in the boxes different generations are pushed into… They know how to deal with that 🙂”
“With music as a metaphor, the tone was set both literally and figuratively. Jam more! That means: really listen, give each other space, dare to move along together, and work towards harmony.”
“Last Tuesday at the IB/KC congress, we enjoyed your energy, humor and spot-on remarks! Father and son, different generations but the same source of inspiration.”
