Meet A Lab member Jongens van de Bar
A Lab is a place for creators, entrepreneurs, and organizations that like to do things a little differently. Jongens van de Bar fits right in.
What started in 2018 with a food truck and a group of friends has grown into a community of around 2,000 enthusiastic students working at festivals, music venues, and other unique locations.
Jongens van de Bar doesn't see itself as a traditional temp agency, but as a crew company where friendship, professionalism, and long-term partnerships are at the core. We sat down with them to talk about how it all began, why working with friends is more than just a slogan for them, and what they hope to build within A Lab.
How did Jongens van de Bar come about, and what did you want to do differently compared to a traditional hospitality or temp agency?
“It started in a food truck. Floris and I traveled all over the country with Mr. Hapje, working festival after festival. Organizers kept asking us the same thing: you guys work hard, do you know any other friends who want to help out?
That question led to the birth of Jongens van de Bar on May 24, 2018. It wasn't born from a business plan, but very organically.
That’s why we prefer not to call ourselves a temp agency. That sounds a bit like you’re just sending someone somewhere and hoping for the best. We see ourselves as a crew company. Our crew represents themselves and us to clients with whom we have a genuine connection.
So, we don’t just select our people; we also select our clients. It works both ways: the client is happy with who is working, and the crew is happy with the job.
And the work itself is more than just pulling a shift. You’re at a festival, meeting new people behind the bar, and when you’re done, you might even get to see your favorite artist. For many people starting at eighteen, it’s also a great stepping stone into the events industry.”
Your motto is ‘Working with friends. Performing as professionals.’ What does that mean in practice?
“Working with friends is a real policy for us, not just a catchy slogan. People can sign up in friend groups, join an existing team, or form a new team with people they’ve met through us.
We then make sure that those teams are actually scheduled together: at the same bar, at the same festival. That’s how we try to pass on the experience that Floris and I had ourselves.
‘Performing as professionals’ is the other half, and we take that just as seriously. Hospitality work can be tough, and the days are sometimes long. That’s exactly when you need to show that you’ve mastered your craft.
The fun is why people love coming to work. The craftsmanship is why clients keep asking us back. As far as we’re concerned, the two are not mutually exclusive at all.”
What has changed since the beginning, and what do you want to preserve at all costs?
“Mostly, a lot of friends have joined. That’s actually what we call our people—not employees.”
Our community now consists of about 2,000 enthusiastic students, and we work with around ten regular clients. Our field of work has also expanded. We started out mainly at festivals, but we are now also present in music venues and all sorts of other unique locations. As a result, we have built up much more hospitality expertise as a company.
The biggest challenge of growing is staying personal. The larger you get, the harder it is to truly know everyone.
We use technology for that, including AI. Not to replace personal contact, but specifically to make scheduling more efficient. This leaves us more time to call people, meet them, and maintain real connections.
That is what we want to preserve at all costs. Along with the mentality we started with: getting to know new people and working towards something together.”
Why did you choose A Lab?
“We preferred to surround ourselves with creative initiatives rather than just office units.
Within A Lab, for example, there are parties that help people who are distanced from the labor market find work, partly within festivals and events as well. For us, there is an immediate, direct connection there.
In addition, we enjoy sharing how we work with the people and organizations around us. We believe a creative hub is exactly the place where you encounter companies that want to make a difference in the events industry or are looking for a direct connection with a young target audience.
We would like to play a role in that.”
What do you hope to find or build within A Lab?
“Above all, a fresh perspective on our own work. We hope that the people here will make us look at how we do things differently and that collaborations will emerge from that which benefit both parties.
Conversely, we also hope to inspire others with how we treat our people.
The question we ask ourselves is actually very simple: how can we strengthen each other in a creative and socially responsible way?
Feel free to drop by Lab 2.05.”
