My role as ‘Business Woman of the Year 2017’ consists of meeting a lot of new people, networking and working on my mission. This mission includes stimulating female entrepreneurship. Last week I had some very delightful gatherings regarding our ‘Doets Pop-Up Container Circus’ with two other top-notch entrepreneurs, in which we joined our strengths. It was wonderful to see the ‘Veuve Clicquot’, the champagne brand sponsoring ‘Business Woman of the Year’, help me to make these mutual events even more festive.
Many people do not know that the ‘widow of Clicquot’ made the champagne brand a great success in 1805, when she 27 years of age, by using marketing, passion and by putting feeling in her product and brand name. Which is why ‘Veuve’ is the sponsor of the ‘Business Woman Award’ in no less than 18 countries worldwide. It is very special considering the nonexistence of official marketing in 1805, the principal however was certainly practiced. This is rightfully inspiring.
I ask all the women I meet at gatherings right now for their stories, their careers and their motivations. I think it is curious that I meet many women my age (45 years) or much younger who put their professional careers to the side. Even though they highly educated, and are mostly together with smart, ambitious, modern men. I am genuinely wondering: is this a luxury problem, a comfortable mode to just quit working? How is this possible? Is it the women, the men, the children, or the environment? Or am I in the wrong environment myself? I simply do not know. Perhaps it would be a good thing to investigate this more thoroughly. The thing which amazes me the most is that knowledge, power and ambition seem to be slipping because of this. It is equally curious that these women do not do any voluntary work. Giving back to people is so satisfactory.
Another thing that astonishes me, is the almost daily question if I still see my kids. Naturally I see them, and for the same amount of time as I did before I became ‘Business Woman of the Year 2017’. Let us leave this disdainful – and in my opinion typically ‘Dutch finger’ – aside and let us focus on change and inspiration. Which is what I do anyway!
PS Only a few days to go for young, female go-getters to sign up for my first, free Young Lady Business Academy. Which will be 5 days, in the week of the 10th of July. See: https://www.elskedoets.nl/ladybusinessacademy/.
Elske Doets
Zakenvrouw van het Jaar 2017
Directeur-eigenaar Jan Doets America Tours
www.elskedoets.nl Twitter @DoetsElske Instagram: elskedoets of www.jandoets.nl/Elske