What's a mistake that you're happy you've made?
When I was 16 (way before the internet) I founded a travel-partner agency to connect people from different backgrounds seeking travel companions. After a year, I had to close the agency due to a lack of customers and the confusion some callers had regarding the nature of the “service.” Despite this setback, I gained invaluable insights into sales, communication and people’s needs, solidifying my desire to run a business that helps people.
What do you do to maintain balance in your life?
To maintain balance in my life, I rely on a combination of cycling, meditation, and spending time with good friends. Cycling helps me release stress and stay physically active, while meditation allows me to center my thoughts and cultivate mindfulness. Additionally, having a laugh with friends provides me with energy, even if meeting them results in a lack of sleep!
What can we do to create a great workplace for our colleagues?
Creating a great workplace for our colleagues involves fostering an autonomous, self-regulating team by granting them independence while encouraging open communication and collaboration. This approach empowers individuals to take ownership of their work, bringing out their best and enabling them to achieve high levels of performance.
What motivated you to become an entrepreneur?
Self-employment was almost inevitable for me, being driven by a strong inner desire for autonomy and an almost manic passion for identifying areas that can, no, that have to (!) ;-) be improved or services that are needed to make a positive impact. When I realized how transformative my study abroad experience in Australia had been, and how few students went abroad to Australia from my country, I felt compelled to inspire other students to pursue similar study abroad experiences. From that moment, the decision to take the next steps to start up a student-counselling / recruitment agency was a no-brainer.
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What do you wish you had known 10 years ago?
I always thought that my life can be balanced between personal, business, health, family, finances and love. In that sense how much energy I put in and get back. But with the years, I learned that life is imbalanced by nature. It's still a goal for me and I believe if all parts are some kind of balanced, this speaks of a highly valuable life, but accepting that there will always be a certain imbalance, helped me a lot.
What's the biggest insight you learned in recent years?
It’s always a good idea to be connected to your product – even if you have to deal with high-level topics, always remember the things you offer.
What personal habit helped you accelerate your personal growth?
In one of the hardest times of my life so far, I started journaling for 1-2h on Sundays. Not digital, but with paper and pen. Always answering the same questions related to self, social life and work. This brutally honest and regular reflection once a week helped me identify problems early and iterate fast.
When times are tough, who or what is an anchor for you?
My co-founders are my anchor in work-related topics. Having an environment where failure is welcomed with a helping hand and where weakness is valued as openness, once you are down those people will drag you up.