Must Reads

dinsdag 30 juni 2015

Blog Challenge day 2

The story of how I became an entrepreneur

I’ll start from the beginning. My passions are acting, poetry, movies, motivational speakers and education. Back in college I always wanted to create my own projects. I wanted to work with young adults and help them to develop their talents. I wanted to bring creativity, education and social problems together by creating theatre shows and workshops. I always had big plans to go around the world and work with other creative and educational organizations. I was so happy when I graduated and received my bachelor as a social worker.


Unfortunately, in that same year was the economical break down for everyone around the world. Almost every job for social workers were stopped and canceled by the government, because of financial problems. After searching for a job in my area for four years I decided to just start with creating my own shows. It was driving me crazy not to be able to put in practice what I had learned in college. It was driving me crazy going to work, giving all my energy in creating someone elses dream while I wanted to work on my own dreams and skills. After a lot of frustration and desires I started creating my own shows with what I had, cause I just had to step out and do something. In 2008 I started with small living room shows and in 2013 I organized a bigger show with a whole team of poets and musicians. We played this in a theatre for the community. The show was named: The Voice of A Woman. I wanted to share the stories of five different women with totally different backgrounds. 5  different stories about the ups and downs and self esteem in a women’s life. It was a great poetry& talk show. The only thing I got stuck with where the financial aspects. Being a creative artist I noticed that there are a lot creative people out there, but they don’t know so much about the business aspects. They know about creativity, but not so much about entrepreneurship. That is one of the reasons I decided to write and keep a blog. Besides being a poet or an actress I want to share helpful info to anyone out there that want to use their talents to work on their own dreams.


I experienced difficulty in being an artist like not having any financial support to do the work. I’m constantly brainstorming for new innovative ways and ideas on how to create shows and workshops that I can sell not only as an artist but also as an entrepreneur. I constantly ask myself where do I see a problem in the creative scene? What could I bring? And I have noticed two things. A lack of cultural diversity in the art scene here in The Netherlands. And a lack of knowledge about entrepreneurship in the creative scene as well in the community of cultural diversity. There is still a too big of a contrast. That is also one of the reasons I started to blog. As a black girl born in the Caribbean, growing up in The Netherlands, loving theatre, acting and poetry I feel I need to share as much of information about entrepreneurship that I known. That is also one of the reasons I decided to start talking about the Journey of a Creative Artist. No makeovers, but the truth.


In September I will be having a few more poetry&talkshows with The Voice of A Woman. I’ve also planned to do a fundraising campaign so that we have the opportunity to perform some more shows in different theatres, schools and community centers. My goal with my shows are to inspire and encourage young ladies and women, to talk about self esteem, faith, dreams and other things we as women all go through but never talk about.


This is the story about my journey on entrepreneurship.

maandag 29 juni 2015

Blog Challenge day 1

Hi Alex,

Love what you are doing for us. You really inspire me in writing and pushing through to fulfill my dreams. I live in The Netherlands, we are a few hours ahead. Here it’s already midnight. I just got home from work and started to write the blog challenge. It is not my best writing cause It’s very hard for me to be focused at this time. My best concentration is usually in the morning. Right now I’m fighting to keep my eyes open so I don’t fall asleep. But I had to, I really had to complete this challenge cause I always want to learn and become better at what I do.

Describe your tribe?
The people I try to connect with are men and women, especially women with big dreams and goals. Women that are not afraid stepping out and putting work into action to fulfill their dreams. I'm talking to women who feel inside their souls that life is more than working a 9 to 5 job. Women who want to get the best out of themselves. Women who are not afraid to step out. I'm talking to women that have a mentality of helping others, women that are not looking down on other people. I'm talking to creative, innovative women that had to fight to get where they are. Women who had to start from the scratch to make it to the top. Women that want to learn how to get to the top. I want to share my stories with everyone, but there is something that really disappoints me, something that I feel that need to be changed I want to see more women in the black community rising up. I don’t just want to see them working as cleaners or doing the dirty work. I still see that too much. They are not all cleaners. Being a black woman rising up in a black community, knowing that there is so much talent and potential among black women I really would like to see more of them rising up and being spotlighted. There is a lack of black female rolmodels. They are out there, but we don’t get to see them on a regular base. So I also speak to women with a cultural divers background.

Why did you choose to focus on serving this group of people?
The reason why I want to serve this group is because I can relate to them. This is the group that inspires me. Everything I do, I had to learn from the scratch. No rich family, no real rolmodels or family members that really went to college. The only rolmodel I really had was my mom. She sometimes had more than 1 job to be able to raise 4 kids and pay the bills. After that there was really nothing left over for any luxury like holidays. Seeing that all around me, I decided that my life was gonna be more than just work and paying bills. When I see a black woman on top it gives me strength to push through. It inspires me, that is what I also want do and be for others. For young girls/ women that want to get more out of life than just living their life working on someone else’s dream. I want to inspire them to get the best out themselves and give them clear tools to use.

What makes you the expert on solving their problems with your product or service?
I know the importance of having rolmodels, I know how it feels wanting to do more, but not knowing where to go or who to ask. I know how it feels not knowing what to ask. I also know how it is to step out and trying it along the way.

What is the one message that you hope these people take away from your blog?
I want people to be inspired after reading my blog. I want them to feel encouraged in following their hearts and digging deeper to discover their God given talents. I want them to feel stronger about themselves. I also want to give them clear tools they can work with after reading my posts. I don’t just want to say follow your heart and believe in your dreams without giving them something they can really put into practice. I want them to leave with something that will bring them a step closer to their dreams.

donderdag 25 juni 2015

Fris Inspiratie Evenenement

The best place to be for people who are reaching for the stars are around other stars. Surround yourself around like minded people to learn, brainstorm and to be inspired. 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”

Kom naar de kick-off van FRIS, jouw event op de zondagmiddag. Laat je inspireren door echte verhalen, live muziek, spoken word en beeldende kunst.


Spoken Word: Ivan Words
Live music: Gery Mendes
Special guest: Carla Nasciment Host: Bellita Carol 


Wanneer: zondag 28 juni 2015 
Tijd: 15:00u - 17:30u, inloop 14:15u
Waar: NIFFO Galerie, Pretorialaan 4B, Rotterdam
Entree: 10 euro

Er is slechts ruimte voor 40 personen, dus om verzekerd te zijn van een plaats, stuur een mailtje naar coachadream@gmail.com.

woensdag 10 juni 2015

Visions, thoughts and dreams!: Why women choose to be entrepreneurs?

Visions, thoughts and dreams!: Why women choose to be entrepreneurs?: We are smart, we are adventurous, we are creative, we are problem solvers, we are helpers, we nurture, we are caretakers and we want t...

Why women choose to be entrepreneurs?



We are smart, we are adventurous, we are creative, we are problem solvers, we are helpers, we nurture, we are caretakers and we want to add something to the world. There are some people out there that are dreamers and some that are doers. Some choose to stay in their comfort zone and some challenge themselves in taking risks. Some that think they don’t have what it takes to be the next world changer or an innovator. But there are some of us out there that have these strong feelings inside knowing that there is more to life than just living life for themselves day after day. There are some people out there that feel that there is greatness inside of them. They know that there is more in life. There are so many differences between us people, but we have one thing in common. We all have greatness inside of us and we all are made for greatness.
The amount of greatness lies in that what you believe about yourself.
Quote from Henry Ford: Wether you think you can or you can’t you are right.


As you may have read in my other articles. I’m a creative artist on a journey to entrepreneurship. I’m always fascinated and inspired by people that have turned their passion into their dream job. I believe the reason so many people get a burn-out or drop out of school is because we are living in a society where you are being formed. You go to school and get a few job options to pick out and that is what you have to become. There is no interest in who you are and what your talents truly are. If you don’t have the personality to hold on to your own passion you will sooner or later find yourself doing something or working in a field that is not completing you. The best organization or managers are those that invest and truly want to see you grow in your capacities. They know that when you perform at your best, in that what you have been called to do, you will be a major asset to the organization. This is one of the success of Apple. They work with all kinds of creative people and invest in their capacities. Unfortunately, there are a lot of organizations that haven’t discovered this key of success yet.


The meaning of entrepreneurship
Let’s start with the definition of an entrepreneur: Individuals that have idea’s for products and/or services that they turn into a working business. In earlier times this term was reserved for men. Women were there to help in business only if it was necessary. In many cases, they were trying to avoid poverty or filling in the loss of a spouse. Women have always been in business, they just never got public credits for their efforts. And even today we women in The Netherlands has an income that is 18,6% lower than men doing the same work and for the same amount of working hours.  


The reason why women choose for a career as an entrepreneur
They are creative, problem solvers, they have lots of ideas, but there is no place or room for their idea’s or creativity in the organization they work. There are no jobs for them out there that meets up with their potentials. That’s why they choose to take control of their own professional destiny. Other reasons besides pursuing a passion are, freedom, flexible work schedule, self- sufficiency, personal satisfaction, personal development and financial independence. Especially in today’s economy, nothing is for sure. Today you can be the manager of a team, tomorrow you can be laid off for someone younger and cheaper.
There are female entrepreneurs in all businesses. You have them in management, finance, sales, art, science, technical services, healthcare, social assistance and more. The participation of female entrepreneurs varies in high and low percentages around the world. As in Zambia 40% of women are engaged in entrepreneurship while Pakistan only has 1% women in entrepreneurship. Latin American/ Carribean economy has shown a percentage of 15% women engaged in entrepreneurship. Europe, Asia and Israel have low rates of 5%.


You have an idea and now what?
What I always say to people with a passion or an idea. Surround yourself with the people who are already in the field of what you are doing. Research on the internet with google about what is already going on and what is still missing. Read books and don’t forget to write your vision down. Make a business plan, put your idea’s on paper is the first step of making it practical.
Go to business events or seminars. If that step is too challenging for you, I definitely suggest you to do it. But other suggestions are online seminars or Skype events. Prepare your questions and your pitch for attending to such events. Your Pitch is a short sale/presentation of your business idea. I have been reading a book of Donald Trump. The way to success. He suggests, practice to be able to present your pitch in three minutes. Only say what is absolutely necessary.


Click the link for an example of how a business plan should look like.
Dutch version: http://www.ondernemersplein.nl/ondernemen/bedrijf-starten/een-ondernemingsplan-maken/

I’m a huge fan of Dummies. For international business plans go to: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/business-plans-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html


And if you want to visit, events to learn more about female entrepreneurship, you should definitely check out Women, Inc on: http://www.womeninc.nl/agenda/
They also helped me promoting my poetry show: The Voice of A woman in 2013. So if you need support in promotion I recommend Women Inc. They organize all kinds of events and workshops. On 25th of June they have a workshop on how to negotiate. A business skill that women don’t use very often comparing to men. So I already marked this date in my agenda. Another interesting event for female entrepreneurs is organized by Superladies: http://www.nlsupervrouwen.nl/#home
Remember, you don’t have to be an entrepreneur yet to visit events or seminars like these. You go out to network, to be inspired and to learn from others.


Last but not least, something I’m also learning, take a step no matter how small. Invest in yourself, don’t be afraid to fall and don’t beat yourself on the head if things aren’t going as fast or the way you expected them to go. Push through, one step at a time. Practice makes perfect.


If you have any other suggestions, tips, advice, experiences feel free to share your story. If you want to inspire someone out there feel free to share my post. Love to hear from you.


Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Nadira

zondag 7 juni 2015

A packed bag

The sun rise and kisses her face. Songs of birds dancing to the rhythm of her heartbeat. Today is the
day, the day she waited so long for, the day she waited a lifetime for.

Too many heartbeats passed away. Time flew by with no returing page. Fear of the unknown kept her hostage, day by day. Until one day life hit her in the face of reality. Today is given, but no one knows what tomorrow will bring. For too long she died away in her own lie, living the dreams of someone else. Cause of fear, fear of the unknown.

A packed bag
Rich, full of historical memories
Has been greeting me at my front door
More than eternal days ago
Waiting to be picked up


I didn’t see
An attached note with a plan for me
About life’s purpose and its meaning


A written story that needed to be unfold
There was a place she had to go
A journey to be walked
A mission to complete
A voice needed to be shared


No Idea?
Where the road was heading to
How to walk the walk
And spread the voice
She told me not to worry
To just pick her up
And trust the road of her walk


It wasn’t her first time,
She had led many others before
In a time with no black and female rights
She led slaves from darkness into light
From Egypt into the desert
From the desert into the promise land
She inherent keys to all secret places
Shining in the back of her memories
Never afraid to walk into the unknown
She had her Godly guidance
All she ever needed to know


A packed back
Rich, full of historical memories
Enriched with generational dreams and visions
With voices of Kings and Queens
Where Nations rising up living the true meaning of its creed
And all humanity has equal rights
With no distinguishing of colors
Full with phenomenal beauties reflecting the inside
Dressing up with dignity and pride
Like diamonds in the sky
Waiting to be revealed
To be the head
The cover of a world leading magazine


This packed bag
Rich, full of historical memories has been waiting days and nighttimes
For someone like you
A unique master of artwork with a dream with a voice
With a leap of faith to pick her up
To walk her out
Like or Kings and Queens back in the days
With boldness, unashamed
Wanting to make a difference, wanting to make a change
Someone who faces fear and flaws
Someone who is able, perfectly and wonderfully made to design and create
New rich, voices and memories for our future days. There is a packed bag, rich, full of historical memories waiting at your front door!

I would like to hear the stories of your bag, feel free to share what you are planning to pack your bag with?

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Nadira

vrijdag 5 juni 2015

Visions, thoughts and dreams!: The Last Word Festival

Visions, thoughts and dreams!: The Last Word Festival: Vandaag is het zover.  Vandaag spelen we met PUNT! RE/CON/NECT OP THE LAST WORD FESTIVAL ‘Een nieuw begin, in verbinding met alles wat...

The Last Word Festival

Vandaag is het zover. 
Vandaag spelen we met PUNT! RE/CON/NECT OP THE LAST WORD FESTIVAL
‘Een nieuw begin, in verbinding met alles wat er is. Maar wat als jouw persoonlijke blik op hoe de wereld zou moeten zijn, niet is wat je ziet?
Wat is dan de betekenis van RECONNECT?’
Producent: Krater Art & Community
Begeleiding & eindregie: Milone Reigman
Begeleiding & Choreografie: Enver Liesdek & Carl Refos
Techniek: Ingeborg Slaats
Cast: Nadira Jansen, Eva Cordu, Marlin Singer, Gershwin Bonevacia, Mwana Ellis , Cherelva Menig, Merci Maduro Tsk, Quincy Hendriks, Jason de Vries
THE LAST WORD FESTIVAL
Locatie: Theater Zuidplein, Zuidplein 60-64, 3083 CW Rotterdam
Aanvang: 18.15 uur/ kleine zaal

dinsdag 2 juni 2015

Visions, thoughts and dreams!: Successful Black Female Entrepreneurs

Visions, thoughts and dreams!: Successful Black Female Entrepreneurs: Full enthusiasm I picked up the magazine FAB. A magazine about female entrepreneurs in The Netherlands. Strong, brave and wise women with...

Successful Black Female Entrepreneurs

Full enthusiasm I picked up the magazine FAB. A magazine about female entrepreneurs in The Netherlands. Strong, brave and wise women with courage that started their own businesses. They left their comfort zone of working for a boss from 9 to 5 to start their own career. How great, how wonderful. I love to read these stories to inspire myself. As I turned the pages I saw all kinds of beautiful women passing by. I saw single women, married women, housewives all kinds of women with different backgrounds. I continued and went through the pages to look for a woman just like me. I turned the pages to look for cultural diversity. I looked, and looked until I finished the whole magazine. I got to the last page of the magazine and I couldn't find her. I couldn't find none of the women that represent every day women in the culturally diverse society we are living in today. I was very disappointed cause all I saw were the same women, page after page. But not one looked like women I see every time I step outside my door. Not one woman that looked like the Surinamese, Antillean, Cape Verdean, African, Dominican, Portugese women I know. I'm disappointed how is it possible that I didn't see 1 black female entrepreneur in the magazine. I'm so disappointed because I know that they are out there. These women are great in fashion, they are great in cosmetics, great in designing, great in finance, great in management, great in coaching, great in music. But they are not being portrayed in the media at all. Not here in The Netherlands where I live. Why are these women being covered as a secret to be forgotten?


Why do I have to go to an international magazine to read and see more about black female entrepreneurs. There are many, many black successful female entrepreneurs out here in The Netherlands. But they are not given any platform to share their story so they can be a role model for the ladies out here. I want to see and hear more about black female entrepreneurs I can relate to. Women who made it from the scratch. Women who haven't had mommy and daddy with a business of their own. I want to hear the stories of cultural diverse women who had to fight their way through to learn about businesses, to learn how to adapt into an unfamiliar culture cause they never been taught how to talk or how to negotiate with a CEO. I want to see and hear more of these stories. How did they climb up on that ladder, what steps did they took. What obstacles did they faced when they tried to be somebody in a world where no one knew their names.
I want to hear stories about women who didn't have any money in the bank and still managed to start her own business. All around the world, there are black female entrepreneurs making it. I was very happy I was able to turn into a magazine like the O' magazine or Essence to read about success stories of black female entrepreneurs but very disappointed I couldn't find it in a Dutch magazine.

I love to hear stories about women like Oprah and Lisa Nichols, women who had to deal with life and face their reality. Knowing that if they wanted a change they had to step out and change their whole surroundings. Their thoughts, their thinking and the people they hung out with.
I'm still disappointed that it's hard to find success stories of black successful women in The Netherlands. We live in 2015 and it shouldn't be like that. We still have to fight to be seen, to get a platform to share our stories. So I went on the internet and did some google research about black female entrepreneurs. And I found some amazing stories, that need to be shared. Stories to inspire every day women. Women from all cultures.
I have a short example: You may have never heard about it, I didn't until 2005. It was the year I went to the states with one of my dear friends Melissa van Hetten. Also a very inspiring and creative woman. We stayed in New York in Harlem and she introduced me to a beauty line and store called Carol's Daughter.
I was in 7th heaven when I stepped into the store. She told me about Carol's Daughter being introduced on The Oprah Winfrey Show and that it was used and supported by celebrities like Mary. J Blidge, Jada Pinket, Will Smith and Jay Z. We stepped into this amazing store on that day in October I immediately fell in love with the smell of all the products. Being a perfume lover, I couldn't resist to buy the perfume of Carol's Daughter. A sweet almond flavor. The women behind the brand is Lisa Price. She started making hair products in her Brooklyn, New York kitchen with just 100$. Today her homemade beauty line is a multi million dollar business. Unfortunately, I have to fly to the states or order it online if I want to buy a product from Carol's Daughter. Not that I don't like that, cause everybody that knows me, knows how much I'm in love with the states.
Madame C.J. Walker
(Hair/Scalp Products)
United States first self-made black female millionaire


























There are more stories of black female entrepreneurs who made it. Starting from the scratch. These stories I want to see and hear more of. While I was researching I found 20 success stories of black female entrepreneurs I wanted to share. Click the link. http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/09/22/20-success-stories-of-black-female-entrepreneurs-you-may-not-know/

Definitely worth reading to inspire yourself and those around you. I know that there are many young ladies out there that want to dream big, that want to achieve more than where they came from but have never been in contact of what is possible. They have never seen ordinary people just like them making it. They never had role models, I believe it's very important to know what is possible to be able to dream about that possibility. If you have never seen success or prosperity how else are you gonna know what success is or how prosperity looks like. If you have never seen beauty how else are you gonna dream and have a vision about beauty.
To the world out there, to publishers, to producers, to the whole media industry here in The Netherlands there are many successful black women out there. Open your eyes and you'll see rich, successful colors all around you.