If you’ve ever visited a casino, there’s a good chance you’ve set foot in one of Eric Olders’ locations. JVH Gaming & Entertainment Group operates 86 casinos throughout the Netherlands under the Jack’s Casino, Flash Casinos, and Flamingo Casino brands. These days, they can also be visited online via JACKS.NL. Over the past 17 years, Eric has built a substantial business as CEO. But the beginning of their history goes back much further.

Tripled

“This year marks the company’s 65th anniversary,” said Eric. “Founder Jac van Ham started out in his mother’s barn in 1958. He imported a few jukeboxes and pinball machines, and that’s how it all began.” JVH Gaming & Entertainment Group grew over the years, and since 2006, when Eric took the helm, the company has tripled in size and revenue. Through organic growth, new locations, and acquisitions, they expanded from 32 to 86 casinos. With the addition of an online division, revenue increased by another half in a short period of time. Although Eric achieved business success, he knew he had to find a way to stay sharp. Otherwise, he would fall into the same trap that so many other entrepreneurs had fallen into.

The pitfall of success

“I see people becoming very unhappy once they’ve achieved what they set out to achieve,” Eric says. “They then try to build something new based on their old identity, which often feels very hollow. If you enter a new phase and fail to reposition yourself on the playing field, you’re setting yourself up for frustration and unhappiness.”

As far as Eric is concerned, a leader is constantly developing. That’s important for his own well-being, but certainly also for the people around him. “I feel I owe it to myself, those around me, and my organization to continually reinvent myself,” Eric says. “I’m hungry and eager to seek out new opportunities, but once you’ve successfully built up a number of things, you run the risk of getting stuck in the way you’ve been doing things for years. The formula for success then becomes your pitfall.”

Pause to move forward more effectively

In 2020, Eric sought practical help in reinventing himself so that he could continually rebuild his business. Through a business contact, he came into contact with Straight-Line Leadership. Since 1986, the organization has been offering business leaders tools for developing powerful leadership skills and personal effectiveness. Eric: “Rick Polman from Van der Valk Hotel Eindhoven introduced me to them. I attended one of their sessions, and what they did really resonated with me. A key part of it revolves around becoming aware of how you approach situations, people, and yourself. As a busy entrepreneur, you’re always moving forward at full speed, but it’s precisely by pausing that you can move forward more effectively.”

A truly beautiful setting

Eric joined the Straight-Line Leadership Mentorship program. This brought him into a select group of like-minded entrepreneurs and CEOs. Leaders who asked him tough questions. “I was getting in my own way in all sorts of ways,” Eric begins. “Maybe people had opinions about it, but no one ever talked to me about it. I think a lot of business leaders can relate to that. Your employees aren’t likely to bring it up, and when your partner calls you out on it, you don’t always want to hear it,” he says with a laugh.

His membership provides an environment where he and other leaders challenge one another and offer honest feedback. As a result, he is now able to see things he wasn’t aware of before. “I also find brainstorming with each other very meaningful,” he adds. “I learn a lot by listening to where others are struggling. Sometimes I recognize myself in their struggles, and sometimes I’m able to help someone else move forward.”

Golden Rules

As a result, Eric has now managed to streamline certain processes: “With the guidance of a Straight-Line Coach, we worked with the team to develop golden rules for more effective meetings. They’re working really well. I’ve also delegated a number of tasks, such as preparing and running the executive board meetings. I’ve started observing more, rather than intervening.”

Here’s another example: Eric has become more disciplined when it comes to making and keeping commitments. “At work, but also at home. Before, when I’d tell my kids, ‘I’ll be there to help you in an hour,’ they’d think, ‘Yeah, right.’ Because I often didn’t follow through on that promise. Now I know how important it is to be reliable.”

Landslide

Since Eric joined the membership program, he has opened two new locations and launched the online division of his organization, JOI Gaming, in Malta. The move to online was a major development, but it was within his existing company that he was able to make the greatest impact with what he learned. Eric explains: “With JOI Gaming, I launched an entirely new company, which made it easier to position myself differently. The challenge lay with JVH Gaming Group, where I’ve been CEO for years, but where the environment is incredibly volatile.”

In 2020, the gaming industry underwent a seismic shift. “COVID-19 created a challenging but fascinating period,” says Eric. The skills he developed during his tenure helped him provide strong leadership in that unpredictable environment. “Trust and transparency played a major role. As a leader, I had to stay calm, make the right decisions, and, above all, give people a clear sense of the direction we were heading.”

Leadership in a volatile world

The pandemic brought turbulent times, but even now his company finds itself in unpredictable waters. Eric: “Before COVID-19, our industry was very stable. Now there’s always a certain degree of volatility, uncertainty, and complexity. This is due, in part, to changing needs and evolving laws and regulations. The question is: how do I establish a renewed vision, knowing that the business will never be the same again? Straight-Line Leadership helps me break that down and make it tangible for myself. Our entire sector is currently in uncharted territory, but the difference will be made by those who rise above this, establish a new vision, and act consistently on it. I strive to be one of them.”