Along the way, as the business has grown, so have the partners' families. Bouwman now works four days a week, getting to the office by 10 AM and rarely leaving after 5:30 PM, allowing him plenty of time to spend with his two towheaded sons: Teun, 3, and Boris, 18 months. Another baby is due next month. Duurland recently welcomed a daughter and is relishing his time as a father. And while Meltzer is still single, his attitude toward work has changed dramatically.
"My life used to be about material things and money," he says. "I needed that to deal with the stress. These days, I don't miss that at all. Now, it just gives me pleasure to work. The work itself has become more fun."
Linda Tischler (ltischler@fastcompany.com) is a Fast Company senior writer and an unrepentant tulip maniac. Learn more about TulipWorld on the Web (www.tulipworld.com).
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