Previously based in Amsterdam, Senior Manager Daniel Lutjens embarked on a long-term relocation to New York, turning a long-held personal dream into a global career step. From cycling along the canals to biking past the Manhattan skyline, Daniel shares the key lessons he learned from relocating abroad. He reflects on experiencing the US business environment, working across time zones, and embracing life in a new city. The move became both professionally rewarding and personally transformative.
Why I chose to move from Amsterdam to New York and how it went
When I joined Simon-Kucher as a working student in the Amsterdam office while completing my Master’s, I felt a great connection with the team and the work they did and decided to apply for a full-time position upon graduation.
Over time, the idea of taking my career abroad became more concrete. From a personal perspective, my wife and I always had the dream of a long-term adventure abroad. Moving to New York was a no-brainer: we are big foodies and love all facets of big-city life, so where better to go than New York? It’s also the perfect base from which to discover all the other areas and aspects of the US: culture, nature, and food.
At the same time, the move was a deliberate professional decision. New York is the business capital of the world. I wanted to experience how business is done here, obtain new perspectives on solving complex projects, and work with new and large-scale US clients.
As part of the Consumer practice, relocating to the US was especially relevant. The US is the largest global consumer market, and our practice here is booming, offering significant opportunities to contribute and continue developing in a highly competitive environment. Interestingly, my first client in the US is one that our Amsterdam office has also supported extensively over the past few years, which really highlights how well cross-border teamwork and knowledge exchange work in practice.
Taking this leap requires support and alignment. If you are proactive and entrepreneurial, Simon-Kucher enables and supports opportunities for personal and professional development. Partners and Central Functions on both sides of the pond have been supporting me. They helped facilitate the transfer, prepared me for the move, and guided me while settling into a vastly different business context. Also, the local teams at the NYC office have been super warm and welcoming.
What changed in my daily life after relocating to the US
There are three things that have changed most in my daily life since I moved to the US:
- Daily commute: As a Dutchman, I still go to work by bike, but I now have the Manhattan skyline as my backdrop, which will (hopefully) never get old.
- Travel and time zones: In the Amsterdam office, my clients were often no further away than a 45-minute drive or train ride. Now, I am working with teams and clients across multiple time zones and states.
- Food: It’s New York! Whatever food you want, you can get the best of the best.
Lessons learned from relocating abroad
The EU and the US are similar but not the same.
- I used to think that the US was just a larger version of Europe.
It really isn’t. Business, culture, and communication are vastly different, and you really need to be adaptive. - Stay connected to your home base.
Staying in frequent contact with my colleagues from the Amsterdam office, both consultants and partners, has really helped me stay conscious of the uniqueness of the experience and the things I am learning along the way. - Communicate openly and clearly.
People in your new environment can help you settle in if they understand your context and experiences. Communicate openly about what goes well and what you struggle with. The team is always ready to help you out. - Integrate and socialize.
Work is only part of life, so make sure you also connect on a personal level with people in your new hometown and office.
What this experience has taught me
Comfort zone has its pros and cons. Getting out of it is sometimes tough, scary, and challenging. But once you’re out, the experience is thrilling, exciting, and invaluable. However, you should make sure you have sufficient support along the way to make the most of it (and be able to enjoy it).
If you have a dream of going abroad, go for it! It will require entrepreneurship to make it happen and adaptation to settle in, but it’s a learning opportunity and a personal experience like no other.