Van Hees Strategic Advisory

Education & Guidance: The Missing Foundation in Top Talent Mentorship

Within traditional professional football, personal education and 360-degree guidance remain severely overlooked. Driven by bureaucratic patterns, there is still a taboo surrounding psychological support and individual coaching off the pitch. At Van Hees Strategic Advisory, we maintain a radically different vision: what happens between the ears determines the results on and off the field. We do not believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. We build people, where happiness, health, peace of mind, overview, and the realization of personal goals are central.
Our Key Areas of Guidance

1. Financial Literacy & Wealth Building

Young talents often encounter large sums of money at an early age without the fundamental knowledge of how an economy works. This lack of financial education explains why many athletes face difficulties after their careers. Business Structure: We bring structure to the monthly income stream by setting up a corporate/holding structure, ensuring a solid legal and financial foundation is established.

From Income to Wealth: We teach footballers what money actually is, how they can protect their capital, and how to invest it wisely for a worry-free future. Financial peace translates directly into better performance on the pitch. Furthermore, a player is automatically prepared for life after football; the "black hole" following an active career is thus prevented. Managing money and overseeing investments is a daily activity — and when you know what you are doing, it is incredibly rewarding. It provides overview, control, confidence, and tranquility. Financial literacy ensures lasting behavioral change. Large sums of money without knowledge are irresponsible, dangerous, and cause unrest. Ask yourself: how many footballers dare to openly admit they have no understanding of money? Essentially, none. They shouldn't have to, but it underlines how crucial proper education is.

2. Psychological Guidance & The Power of the Scar

Professional footballers live in a bubble where they are idolized — until things go wrong. One wrong decision, changing behavior due to sudden wealth, or a mental scar can damage a career. Consequently, not only market value evaporates, but income as well. It is of great importance that footballers have an external sounding board: a confidant from the outside who keeps a weekly finger on the pulse. What is going on in the player's mind? What problems or questions are they carrying? These are essential questions that are rarely asked. Unfortunately, wealth, fame, and attention often attract the wrong people. This derails lives and comes at the expense of performance. At Van Hees Strategic Advisory, we prefer prevention over cure.

Working with Unpolished Talent: We consciously enjoy working with players who have suffered a dent or a scar, or face behavioral and psychological challenges. The football world often quickly distances itself from these types of players — a regrettable situation. No one is perfect. Often these scars do not even arise from their own mistakes, but from a person's background or significant events, such as the loss of a parent. Everyone deserves someone they can be completely open and honest with. With us, we are available 24/7 for a player if necessary. From experience, we know that people who have been damaged are often capable of extreme performances. People deserve a second, and sometimes a third chance. We love to see people succeed in life.

Analysis and Resolution: Our experts analyze the psychology of the player and build a custom model where peace, mental balance, and the right focus prevail. Unbiased Sounding Board: We offer players, coaches, and executives an independent and non-judgmental sounding board outside the club environment.

 

3. The Utility of Free Time, Nutrition & Physical Health

Professional sports provide a lot of free time outside of training sessions. This is exactly the period where the greatest gains can be made in personal development and happiness. Meaningful Engagement: From learning economic principles to personal development and practicing complementary sports. Physical Optimization: Our experts guide athletes in customized nutrition, recovery, and physical loading to maximize the performance curve.

 

Guidance for Former Professional Footballers & Life After Football

Our expertise does not stop when the boots are hung up; we also focus explicitly on the intensive guidance of former professional footballers. Many athletes fall into a deep black hole after their active career. The familiar daily rhythm disappears overnight, along with the weekly match tension, dressing room dynamics, and the stimuli inherent to top-level sport. These are intense, but certainly not impossible to replace. At Van Hees Strategic Advisory, we offer bespoke expertise for former pros to navigate this transition successfully. Whether a player is in the middle of the transition or has been searching for the right direction for years: we help in rediscovering identity and passion, restructuring daily life, preserving wealth, and building a meaningful second life after football.

 

Our Conviction

Footballers, coaches, and sports executives are people first. By educating them, protecting them from the pitfalls of big money, and empowering them mentally and physically, we ensure that they not only perform better but, above all, are happier and sustainably successful.