A new future for Postzegelblog

Dutch flag Written in: Dutch • Lia Vieveen •
Sometimes you have to make choices in life that are not easy. Over the past few months, I made a very difficult decision: after almost 7 years, I am closing Postzegelblog. The reason is that last year I got the opportunity to fulfill another dream: my own webshop. I was able to www.feelgoodies.nl taking over, and there is plenty of work to be done there (too). But there is also a downside; I can no longer manage to keep all the balls in the air. That is not surprising, of course, but anyway, then you have to choose… Fortunately, I have found someone who not only wants to continue Postzegelblog but, above all, wants to help it grow further! Rob Smit of PostBeeld turned out to be interested in taking over, and after a good conversation, we agreed that he will become the new owner as of January 2, 2013. Because both Rob and I consider it important that the handover takes place as smoothly as possible, I will remain involved and act as the contact person for the authors for the first few months of 2013.

What are the plans?

Postzegelblog will continue to be accessible via www.postzegelblog.nl in the future, but will also be linked to the PostBeeld.com site. Through this collaboration, links to the webshop (www.postbeeld.nl) and the catalogue (www.freestampcatalogue.comlinks to Postzegelblog will be posted, and conversely, links to Postzegelblog will also be shared. This will contribute to mutual visits, and moreover, it will make it easier to rediscover many beautiful older articles. Another very welcome development, in my opinion, is that Postzegelblog articles will henceforth be translated into other languages. PostBeeld already operates in 6 languages ​​(Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian) and employs its own translators who will soon be able to translate Postzegelblog articles as well. This makes a selection of the best articles 'accessible' to the rest of the world. Additionally, PostBeeld has clients all over the world, and there are undoubtedly philatelists among them who also wish to write articles. Such articles can then be translated into Dutch. In short, these are all positive changes that can give stamp collecting a significant boost.

Continue to grow and flourish

I am happy that 'my baby' is in good hands. But also that Postzegelblog can continue to grow and flourish with the efforts of Rob Smit and PostBeeld, and reach even more people. The purpose for which Postzegelblog was originally created—namely, to reach more stamp collectors and inform them about this wonderful hobby—is now becoming even more of a reality. A development we can all be happy about! My thanks go to authors with whom I have built a special bond over the past few years. Every single one of them lovely and special people! Without them and the many articles written by them, the blog could not have existed. My gratitude to them is immeasurable! 2013 will be a year of farewells, but not a goodbye, for the authors, the readers, and the blog are too deep in my heart for that.

22 comments

  1. Postzegelblog is going international and worldwide! Who would have thought. What a wonderful leap! That is only possible because 'our' Postzegelblog has been developed so well by our enthusiastic Lia. I would say: Viva Lia 😉 and good luck with your ongoing developments. I think it would be great fun to have our articles (per author) printed in a printed version as a sort of magazine or booklet. If possible, I would like to cover the costs for my articles.

    To answer

  3. Lia, congratulations on the next step. Life doesn't stand still, so we must move forward! You are moving forward, in a different direction. But fortunately, new horizons are opening up for 'our' stamp blog too. I will faithfully continue sending all my writings to Postzegelblog and leave it up to Rob Smit whether he does anything with them or not. It's nice to see your writings in Italian for a change. Can I submit my German-language columns as well? Lia, good luck, and I hope to speak to you again sometime (e.g., in Apeldoorn or something...). Rob, a warm welcome to the stamp blog family: good luck to you too!

    To answer

  4. Congratulations, Lia, on this step!
    It is also great that the Postzegelblog can continue to develop in this way. Good luck Rob and Lia, and of course, the same to you with your webshop. See you soon.

    To answer

  6. Dear Lia, life is all about making choices and following your heart. Paulo Coelho wrote beautifully: 'No one can escape their heart. That is why it is better to listen to what it says…'. You did that with Postzegelblog, and successfully, and now with your big dream, Feelgoodies. A new future for Postzegelblog and a new future for you! Good luck!!

    To answer

  7. Hi Lia.
    Congratulations on your switch and good luck with your beautiful and interesting online store.
    Regards: Jan.

    To answer

  8. Dear Lia, congratulations on this move! On the other hand, it's a shame that you are stopping. Actually, you can't leave yet, because there is still a stack of missing Collects waiting to be posted on the site 🙂 Don't forget to complete or transfer this action? Good luck!

    To answer

  9. Lia, thank you for our pleasant relationship. You have always emphasized the positive, acting as a role model. That makes me very pleased. I wish you all the best with your new challenge.
    And Rob, welcome to this little world; it will take some getting used to, but then we’ll all be back at it with a bang in philately.

    To answer

  11. Lia, I am glad to have known you personally. You have meant a great deal to philately.
    I hope you don't forget us “bloggers”.
    In any case, I won't do it.

    To answer

  13. Lia, I know it took a long time to weigh the pros and cons, but now the time has really come: Postzegelblog will have to manage without you. I know it wasn't easy to make this decision, and that is only logical. You don't easily let go of something you have worked on with heart and soul for 7 years. I admire what you have built; without you, the philatelic world on the internet would look very different. It is impressive how you have managed to gather such a large and still-growing group of dedicated authors and loyal readers here.

    It is largely thanks to your personal merit that Postzegelblog has grown into a vibrant online community of stamp collectors, and – although I am not a collector myself – I enjoyed visiting (and still enjoy visiting). I have thoroughly enjoyed the daily stream of articles and the often lively discussions. It is great that you also went looking for a successor and that you succeeded in finding someone who wants to expand this further. Naturally, I would like to heartily congratulate Rob on this wonderful addition and wish him much success with all his great future plans for Postzegelblog.

    Lia, I join the others here: thank you for all that beauty, and of course I also wish you just as much success with Feel Goodies. That feels good too…! 🙂

    To answer

  14. Come back,
    Thank you for everything you have done with Postzegelblog for the Dutch philatelist community in general, and our association in particular.
    With your “baby” postzegelblog.nl, you have meaningfully given substance to the direction of stamp collecting today. With the handover to Rob regarding Postbeeld, stamp collecting today will also be just fine.
    We look forward to the future of the collaboration with Postzegelblog with confidence.
    Lia, thank you very much!

    To answer

  15. Lia, I 'rolled' into the stamp world via Postzegelblog, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. True to tradition, I still read your blog every day, and thanks in part to the many authors and readers, after those seven years it has become a source of information for collectors in the Netherlands. Hopefully, even more philatelists will become aware of this excellent medium, and (actually) I am already convinced that this will happen!
    Wishing you the best of luck with Feel Goodies!

    Hugo

    To answer

  16. Good morning,
    I had the opportunity to meet you at the 'Pilgrim Fathers' in 2009. Your enthusiasm certainly contributed to 'the personal stamp' becoming the calling card for our annual Postzegeltotaaldag (on January 27, 2013).
    Many thanks for the inspiring blog; it has grown into a grown-up 'child'.
    You stick to what you know; in the future, many people from the blog will definitely feel good about the next step in its success.
    Good luck with that – also on behalf of the Leiden Association of Stamp Collectors.
    And warm greetings from
    Frans Hemelop

    To answer

  20. Where are the traders' responses? Usually, they are so active on this blog. Are they happy that it will soon be operating under the PostBeeld banner?

    To answer

  22. Dear Lia, thank you so much for many years of gathering, editing, and distributing information about our hobby in words and images. And thank you for providing a space to air our opinions. Sometimes the latter seemed even more important than the article at the top of the page.
    Good luck with your new challenges.

    To answer

Leave a comment

The time at which your response becomes visible may vary by language and take up to 24 hours.

Related Articles

Landslide at PostBeeld

Dutch flag Written in: Dutch • Postzegelblog •

Customers who have known us for a long time know that PostBeeld is a dynamic company where adjustments are continuously being made due to changing visions, the growth of successful activities, and the divestment of less successful ones. That has been the case for 34 years....

Read more
guest post