Machiel Kunst

Commander
DISC Type : D

Founder & CEO at Bluebird

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Overview

Machiel is the Founder of Bluebird, a search firm specializing in SaaS & AI talent. A former top-performing SaaS sales leader at SolarWinds, he now helps companies hire elite GTM and tech leaders. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from Utrecht University. People he has worked with describe him as caring, knowledgeable, and an effective mentor.

Outside of work, Machiels life has recently been marked by significant personal milestones. He got married and became a father, events which he notes have put all of his professional achievements into a new perspective.

Unique fact: In a previous role, Machiel was the #1 Account Executive worldwide, achieving 165% of his sales quota.

Personality Overview

Candid & Clear

Strong-Willed

Impact-Driven

They respond better to strong and respectful interactions.  They like to be in a position where they can control the conversation and terms. More than the product, they care about the effectiveness of the product.

Topics They Care About

SaaS Recruitment
As the founder of Bluebird, his core focus is disrupting the recruitment space for SaaS and AI companies by placing GTM and Tech talent within days.
Scaling a Business
He is actively focused on scaling his company, Bluebird, from 30 to 50+ employees by building a strong internal operating system and processes.
Go-to-Market Strategy
His firm specializes in hiring for GTM roles, and his background includes building a company's entire EMEA sales team from the ground up.

Media Appearances

Machiel has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2020
Founder & CEO at Bluebird
7-2025
Operating Partner at Golden Egg Check
12-2018 - 12-2019
Head of Sales, EMEA at FastSpring
1-2016 - 11-2018
Director of Sales at SolarWinds
10-2014 - 12-2015
Account Executive at SolarWinds

Education

2010 - 2013
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Utrecht University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 11 Location : Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands Job Level : Leadership Designation : Founder & CEO at Bluebird
URL has been copied!

Insights For Selling To Machiel

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Speak about competitive differentiation that your product offers
  • When negotiating terms, help them build an impression that they are the ones calling the shots
  • Use phrases like ‘it’s your decision’, ‘strategic impact’ etc.

DONT's

  • Do not hesitate from asking counter questions, just avoid challenging their authority
  • Don’t take too much time in sending them information if they ask for any
  • Don’t be in a rush to invite them for a social meet and greet

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Machiel is

  • Conviction around the impact matters the most to them, followed by a sense of achievement and ROI.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Machiel

  • If they decide not to use your product, they will say no clearly.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Machiel move?

  • They can take decisions very fast if you manage to convince them.
  • Can Machiel take some risk or not?

  • The risks don’t matter much to them.

You And Machiel

Personality Compatibility


Other Bluebird Employees

Explore more public profiles from related professionals at the same organization.

More Profiles

Discover additional public profiles from our index.

Search more profiles

Looking for someone else? Search here for anyone.

Or visit Humantic AI to know more.