Have It All
The transition…From 30 degrees to temperatures around freezing point…From relaxation to kind of (a little bit) of chaos….From zen by the pool and partying to deadlines, obligations and commitments…From home in Suriname to home in the Netherlands…
I feel tired and stressed, but at the same time happy and excited, because despite the big load of work, it’s all lots of new amazing things happening, new opportunities & projects and growth!
Coming up the next few months from Wulterkens is a new sport collection,a new fashion collection, andddd something bigger, that I can’t tell just yet….Oh and at the moment we are swamped with the SALE, be sure to check out the Wulterkens website.
In Suriname, in the beginning I was going crazy, there was so much work that I couldn’t do, and I wasn’t used to not doing very much. I realized how much of a workaholic I’ve become, I literally had to kick off and take satisfaction out of only 2-3 hours of working a day.
I spent the remainder time mostly at my mom’s home during the day, at my dad’s home during the evenings, really enjoyed the quality time with my parents. Some days I enjoyed catching up with old friends and there were lots of fun parties. But apart from that, I also spent a lot of time thinking…thinking back on the previous year, what did we accomplish, what did we do wrong, which of the things could we have done better; What do we want to accomplish in 2015, what do we have to change in our current ways to be able to accomplish these goals….etc etc.
I’ve also thought a lot about myself, the woman I’ve become, the kind of woman I want to be; thought about my relationships with my partner, family, friends: Who do I want to spend more or less energy on. How will I incorporate more balance in my life….Is it even possible to create a balance when there is mostly chaos? I’m at this point in my life where I want so much, and I want it all at the same time…is it crazy to think that I can have it all?
I think a lot of people might think I am being too hard on myself…But if I don’t do it Now, when will I….I am 25, with the entire world at my feet, no better time than now to give my all, right?
It shouldn’t be so hard living a fullfilling, happy, content life by managing a continuously growing Brand/business with the ultimate goal to leave a mark and become financially free, while within the next 1,5 year obtaining my Masters degree in Marketing at the University, while also traveling and still enjoying quality time with my soulmate & partner, a selected group of friends and family (I don’t even dare to call that a social life)…oh and also while getting in the best shape ever….Nah, not that hard! Another 24 hours a day would surely be helpful, but oh well..I’ll manage. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but I know it’s going to be worth it.
Being able to accomplish all of this in these prime years, will make a good story for later when I’m old and wrinkly on my Yacht somewhere in the Caribbean. But also being able to inspire others, to show them that it is possible, as long as you’re willing to work.
I am extremely grateful that I have both the vision and the opportunities to be able to do so and I know that with the right attitude and belief in combination with working hard it should be a possibility…I guess time will tell…What do you guys think? Is it possible to have it all?
“Shoot for the moon, cause even if you miss, you will land among the stars’’
Love,
Nadira
My outfit is one of my favorite I wore in Suriname, it’s sexy, but chique and even a bit sporty; kind of J.LO inspired. I first decided to wear a nude lip with my hair half up, but halfway during the shoot I felt like spicing it up with a bit more color and a little wilder, loose hair. Which look is your fave?
Details: Pants: Missguided ; Top: Missguided ; Shoes: Missguided, older collection ; Purse: Zara, older collection ; Lipsticks: Hug me by MAC & Chili by MAC
”…But one idea described her best: she was unstoppable and she took anything she wanted with a smile”
The Cost Of Ambition
First there is an idea, a certain concept, that develops into a vision/ a dream. Then, you start making it more realistic and it becomes a goal. A goal you can accomplish by getting through a certain number of steps.
When you have broken down the goal into a number of steps, then you have each step on its own, that comes with its own challenges and opportunities. And basically the entire process of getting to the next step involves a lot of sacrifice, hard work and capability of dealing with certain set backs that make the way to the next step longer.
Robert Kyosaki says ”The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire, the size of your dream and how you handle dissapointment along the way”.
How you handle dissapointments, hurdles, setbacks, whatever you want to call them, will decide ultimately whether you get through to the next step and eventually to reaching your goal successfully.
The entire path to success is beautiful also, full of learning, growth, changes, sometimes you end up taking other routes that you would never thought you would take the moment you started. It’s an adventure, a roller-coaster. The process itself is very rewarding, if you have the habit of being thankful for each little step towards the right direction.
I believe that it’s not about the destination, which is the ultimate goal you set, but about enjoying and appreciating each step of the journey.
I also believe we constantly re-shape our goals, as soon as we’ve achieved a big part of it, it is very likely that our focus starts to differ, because more things start to become possible than we’ve anticipated on before, so we start moving the boundaries we set in the beginning, and the goal becomes bigger/different along the way, which is a beautiful thing.
However, devoting your life to achieving certain goals, in order to be able to live a certain lifestyle comes with a great cost. It’s simple: You focus on what you want, and you get what you focus on. But with that focus being on a certain goal, you really don’t have time for other things. I’s a cost that not many are willing to pay. See also my previous post on the Value of Time.
The cost I’m talking about:
– Late nights, early mornings (chronic exhaustion)
– Lots of Associates/Business contacts, very few (real) friends (close to no social life).
– You will be misunderstood (including by your family).
– You will be single unless you’re lucky enough to find someone who understands your lifestyle
– People want you to do good but never better than them
All these points basically lead to you doing everything alone.
”’It’s lonely at the top”, a very well known phrase. However, it already starts on the way to the top. You start living a live that people around you don’t understand and at the same time, when they see your success ,they want it too, but have no idea what it takes or they are not willing to work for it/ give up the many things like you are. This is applicable to many things, it doesn’t neccesarily have to be related to business.
The people around you not understanding and not wanting you to do better than them has become very obvious to me multiple times already. For instance on social media, when I post something insignificant, yet recognizable for everyone, I get a lot of likes and response. Yet, when I post something significant, a highlight/milestone for our business, something really cool, the number of likes/comments is 1/4 or half of what I usually get when posting something.
I’m still working on a hypothesis to why that is exactly. Is it too far from their beds, that they can’t relate and therefore don’t give it attention or is it that I’m really surrounded by lots of haters (including family and so called friends) who don’t like to see me doing/achieving big things?
People I’m not acquainted with seem to be happier and more likely to press the Like button.
I don’t tend to give it a lot of attention, because I’m not the kind of person who likes to focus on negativity, but sometimes it is dissapointing. At the same time, it gives me a lot more energy because I love to be able to show (off) that it is possible and I made it happen, when others thought of it to be impossible. Moreover, I do it all for myself, not for anyone else, so I don’t need anyone’s approval or applause. However, I more would like to inspire people to do the same than to have them just hating and not making anything out of their life.
The whole ”not having a social life” part of entrepreneurship is already something I’ve gotten used to. I am very grateful to have my partner in life who is also my partner in Business by my side, which means I am lucky to have someone on the journey to the top, someone who understands everything. I am also very grateful that I have 2 amazing parents and a brother who understand and support me all the way. And apart from a handful of friends, this is where it stops. Which is fine, because I don’t have the time anyway and I don’t do drama, I do Business.
Two big highlights from Wulterkens have been the new Sports-collection that is online now. We have expanded from only Fitness to Running, Bootcamp, Crossfit, Boxing and other similar activities/sports and we are managing to differentiate the brand with statement items in funky colors and with motivating quotes. We are growing very fast, every day more people know the brand and love it, so that’s of course a big deal for us.
We also have a really fun giveaway with stunning Dutch top model Kim Feenstra, who proudly wears our clothing. You can Win her Wulterkens outfit. Only 1 day left to participate in the competition, click here. The complimentary comments about Wulterkens Clothing of all the lovely people that are participating in this giveaway are overwhelming!
So these are 2 big things that bring our brand to yet another (higher) level and another step closer to our goal. I’m extremely proud, because there were many sleepless nights and it is yet a confirmation to us that it is worth it. Hard work pays off, and you don’t just get lucky, you have to create your own luck. I am very grateful for those who recognize the passion and love to work with us.
I wonder if any of you have similar experiences, so feel free to comment and share yours.
Stay Focused, Positive & Passionate.
Love,
Nadira
Outfitdetails
Wulterkens Let’s get Physical Tee
Supertrash Severine Skirt
ZARA Mesh heels (Old collection)
Guess Bag (Old collection)
It Ain’t Over Until I Win
Courage and Persistence. When I think of these 2 words, I think of my dad, my role model and inspiration. A long time ago, he had the courage to leave his job with the government to start up his own consultancy company (Proplan Consultancy, located in Paramaribo, Suriname), because at that time he knew he wouldn’t be able to give his family what he wanted to give them on the salary he was earning.
Because of his decision, I had a careless youth with everything I needed and wanted, but at the same time I wasn’t a spoiled brat. My dad always taught me and my brother to earn what we wanted, whether that was with performing well in school or work (washing the cars, helping around the house or ironing his shirts for 50 cts per shirt hahaha). Things weren’t given to us ‘’just because’’ and I remember finding it frustrating sometimes when a lot of my girlfriends really just got everything they wanted without having to do anything for it.
Today, I am so thankful, because it made me value whatever I got so much more and looking back, I think it was the basis that I needed to go the extra mile today with my business.
The lesson is simple, if you want something, you have to go and get it. In most cases it means that you have to work your ass off to get what you want and most importantly never give up. Success takes time, it has to grow, in the mean time you will probably go through a rollercoaster of ups and downs, but the key is to stay focused on that goal.
To all the young entrepreneurs out there I want to say:
1. It’s not going to be easy, you will fall/fail many/some times, but as Mr. Les Brown says ‘’if you can look up, you can get up’’ and if you get back up again you can learn from it, and give it another go (even if it’s another 1000 go’s). Eventually you will succeed. People might tell you your product is not good enough, especially with clothing, it really depends on taste. But never doubt your product, just take it all in as feedback (there is always some room for improvement).
2. You will meet a lot of people, some of them are genuine, they actually care and want to help you grow. These few are precious, hold on to them and don’t let go.
On the contrary, most of the people you meet will be what we call ‘’Cowboys’’. They shoot a lot of bullets recklessly around them, but none of them are aimed at a specific target. Meaning: they talk a lot, know a little and will not add any value to you or your business. A waste of precious time. Try to develop the skills and intuition to recognize these cowboys to avoid time (and money) wasting.
3. Unfortunately a lot of people, for some reason will want to see you fail and some will even make an effort to make you fail. Why? Well, it still baffles me and I don’t think I will ever completely understand it. In some cases these people might even be close to you (friends/family, which makes it even more disappointing). ‘’People wish you all the success in the world, until you get it’’. The only thing that seems logical is that when you start growing and becoming more and more successful, they want what you have, but at the same time they are not willing to work for it or they might not even realize what you have sacrificed to earn it. “Haters are a leading indicator of Success’’. Don’t let them distract you, it’s not worth the energy, keep your energy focused on your goal.
4. You probably will not have much of a social life, the way to the top is lonely. You will most likely grow apart from the friends you thought were your friends for life. Mainly because you have other priorities and your way of living eventually differs way to much from theirs. Only surround yourself with ‘’quality’’ people, people that support and understand you, and people that can help you get where you want. No need for negative people that don’t understand your journey and don’t make any effort to change their own lives. Let go, or be dragged down.
So yes, there is a lot of sacrifice, a lot of roughness to get through. You have to be strong as a rock. You have to be willing to do the things, others won’t, so you can live a life that others only dream about. You have to be willing to go that extra mile. It’s never crowded going that extra mile, because there are only few who keep it up. But reaching your goals, making those dreams come true…it’s all worth it. Keep your eyes on the prize, work your passion and the people who truly love you will stand by you and cheer for you.
If you want it, fight for it, with all your mind, body & soul. Nothing can keep you from it. It’s not over until you win.
Love,
Nadira
Outfit details: Wulterkens Zee Me T-Shirt (Release the Beast series)
Pants & Blazer: ZARA. Shoes: Colin Stuart.
‘’How you do anything, is how you do everything; Always go full out’’ – Les Brown
‘’It always seems impossible, until it’s done’’ – Nelson Mandela
‘’Most people fail in life because they aim to LOW and hit, instead of aiming to HIGH and lift’’ – Les Brown
‘’It doesn’t matter if it’s a right or wrong decision; It’s about making the decision RIGHT’’ – Richard Tan
‘’There is no passion to be found in playing small – In settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living’’ – Nelson Mandela
A Smooth Sea Never Made a Skilled Sailor
Wave after wave, it’s all coming at us, the good (sometimes even great) and the less good. For a control freak like me (and a perfectionist, yes I’m the perfect disastrous combo), it can be very frustrating at times. One thing I constantly have to remind myself of is to accept all of the things I cannot change and focus my energy on those that I can change.
Looking back, starting our own clothing brand (from scratch, no investors), while the world economy is in a crisis was quite a courageous thing to do…And it hasn’t been easy, we’ve been fighting through every step. However, a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. The fighting is resulting in winning, slowly but surely we are putting our brand Wulterkens on the world map.
I embrace all of the ‘’mistakes’’ we’ve made and the lessons learned from them, I feel I have grown so much as a person within the last 1,5 year. If you don’t fail, you don’t learn. Keep in mind, failure is relative, for instance, it might be just not making the sale you really wanted, not the end of the world.
For everyone following our growth, it seems to go really fast. And perhaps, it is, but in our eyes, because we know how much time and effort we put in and we know our goals, it’s not going fast enough. I see this as positive though, because it keeps us hungry and striving for more, thereby constantly improving and producing a better product.
The fact that it’s not easy is why it’s not for everyone. And the win, will be of so much more value after knowing you have acquired it by giving your all compared to if someone would just give it to you. I think at some point we all realize that it really is about the journey, not so much the destination. Still, the destination is key to keep you on point during the journey.
In the end there is a lot of sacrifice, there will be rejections and you will have to get over your fears (believe in yourself). If you can dream it you can do it. Just have the courage and persistence to follow through. Stay positive, be critical to yourself. Try to be the best version of yourself, constantly striving to be better than the last version of you. Don’t compete with others, you don’t know their story. Create your own opportunities, if they are not presenting themselves.
Most importantly, know you are not alone: 85 % of today’s millionaires started from scratch. A famous Michael Jordan quote: ‘’I’ve failed over and over again and that is why I succeed’’. The famous stories about Walt Disney, J.K. Rowling, Steve Jobs and many others being rejected numerous times before reaching their success, are inspiring to never give up and keep going, keep believing in yourself and your product.
This is really successful business 101 in the tiniest nutshell (I’m sure I also left a lot of important things out, but will cover specific topics in the future). While I’m sharing my lessons learned with you, it is at the same time a note to myself, because for me also, it’s a constant battle. One thing I know for sure: I Can and I Will accomplish anything I set my mind to, I have always before, and I always will. I wish the same for all of you.
Love,
Nadira