About us
The people behind INSIEME
In the investment world, the focus is often first on the person, then the project. At INSIEME, we flip this notion, placing our excitement on the 'project' - not just the literal tents at our campsite, but more importantly, the community we're building together. INSIEME, which means 'together' in Italian, is the heart of our project, with the power of collective efforts driving us. While we may be the face of this initiative, it's the indispensable support from everyone around us that forms the true essence of INSIEME. In Chapter 9 of the business plan (‘Team’), we delve into the INSIEME team. Yet, we think it's crucial for you to get an idea of who we are and what drives us.
Ciao! Sono Sandra
33 years old. I grew up in Deventer, surrounded by a loving family with two parents, a younger brother, and a sister. My career began during my high school years, when I had a part-time job at the Mercure Hotel. There, I discovered my passion for hospitality and the joy of caring for people. This inspired me to choose the Middle-level Hotel Management School, where I harbored the ambition to successfully complete the Higher Hotel Management School and eventually become the General Manager of a hotel.
After completing my first degree, I chose to attend the Hotelschool in Maastricht, where I quickly met Remi. 10 years later, Remi proposed to me at the Hotelschool, and we are looking forward to our wedding, which we would love to celebrate at our own campground. I completed my final internship at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, working in the events department.
My professional journey began in the hotel industry, at the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam, where I worked in the events department. Later, I explored the business world as a Senior Relationship Manager at the postal company Sandd, where I could combine my passion for working with people with a new environment.
During a long journey through Australia in 2019, the idea of starting a campground emerged. We both love nature, adventure, and making people happy. Upon returning to the Netherlands, Covid-19 brought challenges in finding a job. Eventually, I got in touch with my former employer, who had started a new concept called De Lokalist. There, I could continue my passion for food & drink and working with people.
Within the business world, I have honed my skills in planning, goal-oriented thinking, organization, and communication at various levels. Proactivity and the ability to connect are essential in my approach. Personal qualities that I am pleased with and that I also want to leverage as an entrepreneur include helpfulness, perseverance, empathy, reliability, caring nature, enthusiasm, adventurousness, and the ability to make others shine.
Now we are on the verge of embarking on a new adventure: a naturist campsite in Italy. This is an opportunity to close the circle, not as a General Manager of a hotel, but of a campground 😉
Ciao! Sono Remi
30 years old. Born and raised in the picturesque Breukelen on the Vecht, I grew up in a warm family with a younger sister. My parents still live in Breukelen, while my sister has settled in bustling Amsterdam. My love for hospitality started at a young age, from assisting with catering at parties to tapping beers in the local pub and working my first restaurant jobs in Breukelen.
So, it was no surprise that I chose to pursue a bachelor's degree at the Hotelschool in Maastricht, where I quickly met the love of my life (as you can probably guess), and we have been together for almost twelve years now. I made the most out of my time at the Hotelschool, whether it was my membership in the Herendispuut Upper Ten, my internship at the Intercontinental in Shanghai, China, organizing numerous events for the student association Amphitryon, or my role in the bar committee. I completed my studies with an internship at EME Hospitality Concepts, where I was partly responsible for the Holland Pavilion at the World Expo in Milan – my first experience with the country I would later fall head over heels in love with.
After completing my studies, I had the opportunity to study at Nyenrode Business Universiteit in Breukelen, a long-cherished dream that became a reality thanks to some generous benefactors. My time at Nyenrode was intense: it was a matter of hard work, but also of hard play. There, I learned how to integrate theory and practice at an academic level. My bachelor's and master's degrees led me to my first job as a Management Trainee at KLM, where I worked on four different projects across various departments over two years. I also underwent an intensive personal development process, which led me to realize that the corporate ladder was not for me. After two years at KLM, the urge to explore grew too strong, so Sandra and I decided to spread our wings and embark on our world journey.
During that year, we traveled extensively and worked for several months at a hotel (Sandra in the restaurant and I in the bar) in Noosa. Upon returning home, a period of searching for what I/we really wanted began (if KLM wasn't the right choice, then what was?). After a fantastic and enlightening time at the startup De Lokalist (winner of the ABN Retail Newcomer Awards), I worked at startup OrgX as a consultant before becoming a freelance project manager. But as you can probably guess by now, that wasn't my calling either. Office life in the Netherlands isn't for me; it's time to start a business. My heart lies in being outdoors, caring for people, serving delicious food and drinks, and ensuring that both young and old can enjoy themselves at our campground.
With my background as a business consultant and extensive experience in hospitality, including cooking and cocktail making, I bring a unique perspective to our adventure. Our shared passion for hospitality, nature, food & drink, and our hotel school roots led to a shared dream: establishing a naturist campground in beautiful Italy.
From dream to reality...
After our education and several years of work, we noticed that our jobs didn't bring the fulfillment we had hoped for. This restlessness led to the decision in 2019 to quit our jobs and embark on a world trip. This journey was filled with a year of adventure, work, and life in Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand. During this trip, we realized that the traditional career path in the Netherlands was not our future.
Instead, we dreamed of a life closer to nature, full of hospitality and culinary delights. After some introspection, it became clear to us: we want to start a naturist campsite. Naturism has long provided us with relaxation and enjoyment, a perfect escape from the daily grind. For us, naturism is more than just being naked; it's a way of life that embraces freedom, respect, and a deep connection with nature. These values are what we want to share at our campsite where everyone, whether new or experienced, feels welcome, seen, and respected.
Our search for the perfect site for the campsite began as early as 2021. Initially, we were considering locations in France, Spain, and Italy. We embarked on exploratory trips to different countries, and upon arriving in Italy, it became immediately apparent. We fell in love with this fantastic country, and we set our sights entirely on it. “Il Bel Paese” Set, as the Italians affectionately call it. Additionally, we also see a wonderful market opportunity in Italy, where the supply of naturist campsites is limited.
In early 2022, we made the decision: why wait to realize our dream? We halted our search for a house in the Netherlands, enlisted the help of a real estate agent, began working on our business plan, and Remi started as a freelancer. However, it proved challenging to take real steps from the Netherlands. In 2023, we made a bold decision: we resigned from our jobs and departed for Italy in March to fully immerse ourselves in exploring the culture, the different regions, and potential camping locations. Tuscany, Umbria, and the Marche were our preferences. Eventually, we found a potential site on the Tuscan coast just below Livorno. You can read more about it on this website.
This journey, from discovery to the realization of our dream, is an incredible adventure. We aim to share our passion for naturism, hospitality, and Italian life. Our goal is to create a place where everyone can experience a connection with nature, relax, and enjoy all the beauty that Italy has to offer.
Together, we are building our dream: a naturist campsite where freedom, nature, and the good life come together.