Getting To Know You: Doménique Wissink, founder of Extra Ibiza

At just 26, Doménique Wissink is redefining what luxury travel looks like. As founder of Extra Ibiza, he has built a fast-growing, high-end travel company that goes far beyond villas and yachts—using psychological insight to curate deeply personalised experiences for discerning clients.

What started as a teenage side hustle has evolved into a business delivering 5,100% growth in just four years, all without external funding. Driven by instinct, creativity, and a refusal to follow the traditional path, Wissink represents a new generation of entrepreneur, one that blends lifestyle, data, and human connection to create something entirely different in the luxury travel space.

What do you currently do at Extra Ibiza?

At Extra Ibiza I focus on building and growing the ecosystem around the company while protecting it’s human and creative soul. On one side that means developing partnerships with yacht owners, villa owners and other asset partners so we can offer a strong portfolio of experiences that are curated and fit our clients desires. On the other side I spend a lot of time on strategy, marketing and brand development, making sure Extra keeps evolving as a platform for curated holidays and experiences in Ibiza and beyond.

A big part of my role is connecting the different pieces of the business. I work with partners, oversee new collaborations, guide the direction of the brand with the team and help shape the long term vision of the company. At the same time I stay close to the day to day reality of the business, whether that is developing new products, improving the sales process or expanding our network, and from time to time hopping back on a client request which still brings me the joy it did when we just started.

Ultimately my job is to keep pushing Extra forward, building the relationships, structure and ideas that allow the company to grow while continuing to work with our excellent team to create memorable experiences for the people who come to Ibiza.

What was the inspiration behind your business?

The inspiration came from a contrast I experienced while living in Switzerland. From the outside everything looked extremely polished and luxurious, but very often it felt a bit hollow. It made me realize that what is presented as luxury is sometimes just a facade. That experience pushed me to rethink what luxury actually means.

For me, real luxury is not about status or appearances. It is about time, curation and the people you share moments with. It is the ability to bring people together, create environments where they can disconnect from the noise and simply enjoy being present with the people they care about. In the end, no matter how successful someone becomes, we all sit around the same table playing Monopoly with family or friends. Those moments are the real luxury.

A big part of the inspiration also came from my girlfriend and partner, Jiel Dassen. Many of the ideas behind Extra grew from conversations between us about creating something of our own. We wanted to build a brand and a company that reflects the way we see the world and allows us to design the kind of life and experiences we believe in. Ibiza gave us the space to turn that vision into reality.

Who do you admire?

I’ve always admired people who build something with their bare hands and refuse to let go of it, no matter how hard it gets. The first people that come to mind are my grandparents. They were incredible business people who gave everything they had to what they were building.

No shortcuts, no illusions, just work, risk and persistence. Hearing those stories growing up left a deep mark on how I think about business.

Beyond that, I’m drawn to people who step completely outside the box and follow their own path, even when it makes others uncomfortable. The people who change industries or create new ones rarely fit neatly into expectations. They tend to be a little stubborn, a ‘little’ rebellious and very convinced of their own vision.

Those kinds of people interest me far more than anyone who simply follows the script. The world moves forward because of the ones who ignore the script altogether.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

Looking back, I would have invested earlier in the right people and in better structure around the team. When you build something from scratch you tend to focus on the idea, the deals and the growth, but the real strength of a company always comes down to the people and how well they are guided. Better onboarding, clearer management and stronger internal systems are things I would prioritize sooner if I could start again.

I would probably also listen more to my partner, Jiel. Having someone close to you who can challenge your thinking and bring a different perspective is incredibly valuable, especially when you are moving fast.

And on a more personal level, I would remind myself more often to be aware of the beautiful moments along the way. When you are building a company it’s easy to always look at the next step and forget to enjoy the journey itself. That said, I’m still only 26, so I like to think I still have plenty of time to make mistakes, learn from them and do things differently many more times.

What defines your way of doing business?

I tend to do business like a rocket. Fast, instinctive and always moving. I like connecting dots, meeting people, spotting opportunities and turning ideas into something real before most people have even finished talking about it.

I’ve never been very good at sitting still or waiting for the “perfect” moment. A lot of my approach is built around momentum. If there’s an opportunity, I’d rather move on it, learn along the way and adjust while flying.

At the core of it all is people. Almost everything in business comes down to relationships, trust and energy. The right conversation at the right moment can open doors you didn’t even know existed. My role is often just to keep that momentum going and keep connecting the right people, ideas and opportunities together.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Find the right partners. Business is rarely a solo journey (Even though we sometimes feel like it), and the people you build with will shape both the outcome and the experience along the way. Surround yourself with people who complement you, challenge you and genuinely enjoy building something together. It has to work both ways, be smart on who you work with and why!

Don’t be afraid to take risks either. Most people wait for certainty, but certainty almost never comes, and when it comes you can be certain it’s too late. If you believe in something, move on it, learn as you go and adjust along the way.

And keep some perspective. We’re literally floating on a rock through space, so the idea that everything has to be perfectly controlled is a bit of an illusion. Take things seriously, but not so seriously that you stop yourself from trying. The biggest regret for most people is usually not the things they did, but the things they never dared to do.