The yes story

The Story of yes rent a car Samos

In 1994, I came to Samos from the Netherlands. I got to know the tourism industry — and met my wife. We travelled a lot and saw many places, but after nine years (so in 2003), the itch started. An idea that had been in my mind for a while began to take shape: starting my own car rental business on Samos. The plan was clear — focus on the airport and make online bookings possible, which at the time was still quite new for local businesses.

So in 2004, it really began. After mountains of paperwork — that’s how it used to be in the old days of Greece — I was finally able to officially register the company, thanks in large part to the help of my friend Jannis Taleporou.

Finding the right name was a real challenge. I spent a long time thinking about it, trying countless options… until I returned to a word I’ve used for years whenever something works out: YES. Three simple letters — but with a powerful meaning. And so, YES Rent a Car – Samos was born.

Part of my vision was that everything should run through our own website. Of course, the big international brands like Avis, Hertz & co. were already operating on Samos and working with online bookings. But a truly local business with its own website? That was rare. Luckily, I had a digital background and could build websites myself — so from day one, I built our site from scratch. And it was a big success.

We started small, with just ten cars and a lot of hands-on work. Family and friends helped wherever they could: washing cars, preparing contracts, picking up guests, delivering vehicles across the island, and collecting them again at night. For a short while, my friend Michael even came over from Mallorca to help — a huge support during those hectic early months.

In 2008, Kordula Kuhn joined us. We had known each other since 1994, and together we formed a strong team for many years. The number of guests kept growing — and so did the fleet. We needed help, and found it in Brigitte Stern, who made sure every car looked spotless. She did her job so well that we soon crowned her our “beauty salon chief.”

And the growth continued. More cars meant more responsibilities. That’s when Nicos Apostolou joined — our Greek jack-of-all-trades. Whether it was logistics, customer service, or emergencies, Nicos was always there. Later, Costa came on board to strengthen our team even further.

Behind the scenes, YES has always remained a true family business. The support of my wife and son has been indispensable from the start — their help, trust, and involvement are the quiet engine behind our success.

We’ve always made a point of investing locally in our fleet. And of course, cars need maintenance. For that, we rely on Jorgos and his garage — a true craftsman who’s been keeping our vehicles in top condition for over 20 years. He always finds a quick solution, and his knowledge is worth gold.

Over the years, the website has evolved a lot, but today it has become something of a standard. YES Rent a Car is now easy to find everywhere, and we’re recommended on many travel websites and platforms. In 2024, we achieved something we’re especially proud of: as the only local car rental company on Samos, we received over 700 five-star Google reviews from our guests.

But it’s never just about business. We’ve always tried to give something back to the community. We support local clubs and initiatives — youth football, volleyball, beach volleyball, Animal Care Samos, The Forgotten Dogs of Samos, and the Streetcats of Samos — all organizations working with heart and soul for the people and animals of this island.

From a dream in 2003 to a leading local business on Samos —
YES Rent a Car is built on hard work, trust, friendship, and a deep love for the island.

And above all, on that one small word that started it all: YES.

Sandy Nieuwenhof