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Mariska Kesteloo
Founder Word of MICE - B2B influencer marketing / International speaker / Author
Professional Background
Mariska Kesteloo is an accomplished multifaceted professional who has made significant strides in the meetings and events industry. As the passionate founder of Word of MICE, she has positioned herself as a leading influencer in B2B marketing for event professionals, content creators, and suppliers such as hotels and convention bureaus. With a robust focus on creating and nurturing long-term relationships aligned with the strategic goals of her clients, Mariska has cultivated a reputation for being a dynamic engine of growth and connection within her field.
Her company, Word of MICE, thrives on the principle of pairing local professionals with the right tools to enhance their visibility and resonance with their target audience. Mariska's expertise lies in recognizing and deploying the ideal event professionals for the specific needs of a region or industry participant. Her approach emphasizes not only the initiation of campaigns but also their execution and the analysis of results, ensuring comprehensive support for her clients throughout the entire process.
Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, Mariska is a highly sought-after international speaker and author, known for her ability to convey complex insights about B2B influencer marketing. She has traveled across the globe to provide presentations and workshops, sharing her knowledge and experiences with audiences eager to learn about the evolving landscape of influencer partnerships. Mariska’s passion for empowering others through education and connection is palpable, as she advocates for innovative marketing strategies tailored to the unique demands of the meeting and events industry.
Education and Achievements
Mariska Kesteloo's educational background is diverse and impressive, providing her with the thorough foundational knowledge necessary to excel in the tourism and event management sectors. She attended MTRO Middelbaar Toeristisch en Recreatief Onderwijs and further pursued studies in various specialized fields. Notably, she completed a Postgraduate in Business Event Management at Artevelde Hogeschool in Ghent, equipping her with advanced skills in managing events effectively.
Her commitment to education extended to Incoming Tourism (MTB) at NHTV Internationale Hogeschool Breda, reinforcing her expertise in the tourism sector, which is crucial for her current role within the meetings and events industry.
In addition to her formal education, Mariska's professional journey includes numerous leadership positions which underscore her authority and influence. As the Past President of MPI Belgium Chapter, she played a crucial role in steering the organization towards its goal of supporting professionals in the events industry. Her tenure included significant contributions as the Executive Director and VP of Education at MPI Belgium, where she ensured that members had access to educational resources and professional development opportunities.
Personal Mission
Mariska's passion for her work is paralleled by her heartfelt mission to honor the legacy of her late husband, Christophe, who passed away in 2021 after a battle with a brain tumor. In light of this personal journey, Mariska has embarked on a mission to provide support and resources for brain tumor patients and their families. She intends to share the message of hope and positivity that they maintained throughout this challenging time, creating a profound impact on those encountering similar circumstances.
To articulate her experiences and the insights gained during this time, Mariska authored a book currently available in Dutch, with plans for a subsequent volume release scheduled for 2022. Inspired by her passionate advocacy, she aims to conduct presentations for caregivers, medical professionals, and advocacy organizations, offering them a perspective that blends empathy with practical information.
Mariska’s working philosophies revolve around informed action and community engagement. She seeks connections with bookstores for potential book-signing events and presentations, hoping to broaden the reach of her message and gather support for related associations such as Zindividu. Her gratitude for any assistance in these endeavors resonates through her communication, further underscoring her commitment to community and support.
Community Involvement and Industry Engagement
In addition to her artistic work and educational pursuits, Mariska Kesteloo has demonstrated a commitment to industry engagement and community involvement. Her role as a past Advisory Board Member at World MICE Day illustrates her dedication to promoting the importance of the events industry on a global scale.
Through organizations like Netwerk Ondernemen vzw, Mariska has contributed her expertise in managing events and creating synergies among various stakeholders, enabling opportunities for collaboration and networking. Her early experiences as a tour leader and sales event manager have equipped her with practical insights into the operational intricacies of the tourism sector, which she expertly translates into her current endeavors.
With each interaction and opportunity to educate, Mariska further solidifies her commitment to fostering connections within her community, promoting the power of collaboration amidst the complexities of the events landscape.
Conclusion
In summary, Mariska Kesteloo exemplifies a blend of passion, resilience, and ingenuity. As the founder of Word of MICE, she is not only a pivotal figure in the B2B influencer marketing sphere but also a compassionate advocate for those affected by brain tumors. Her extensive education, professional experiences, and community-focused mission illustrate her unwavering dedication to empowering others through knowledge, connections, and meaningful support. Whether through her impactful presentations, insightful workshops, or heartfelt written works, Mariska continues to inspire many, forging a brighter path for the future of the events industry and beyond.
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Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
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Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Mesh takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Mesh encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Mesh work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Mesh is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Mesh is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Mesh is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Mesh offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Mesh offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Mesh for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Mesh accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Mesh offers extensive integration capabilities. Mesh introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Mesh supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Mesh also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Mesh's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Mesh has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Mesh a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Mesh's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Mesh's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Mesh has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Mesh's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Mesh as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Mesh eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.