In the world in which I move, there are not many rolling entrepreneurs. There are no soccer cards of entrepreneurs in wheelchairs to be saved, nor is a poster of Annemarie de Vries-Postma for sale at the local toy store or supermarket. While she is a great role model for me. I got to know her in 2006 because I participated in a television program. She publicly supported my wayward entrepreneurial path, for which I am grateful to this day.
When I was growing up, the challenge was not so much being limited, but the limited mode of education. It was simply assumed in those days that if you had a congenital disability , you were going to be packing gum at the sheltered workshop. Well, I can tell you: that was not in the cards for me, because I really have the motor skills of a dead horse. Apologies to all the dead horses among us.
I have now been running my company Ictoria for two years. With it I provide professional graphic design and IT mediation services together with people with physical and mental challenges.
With my colleague Yirka, I was at an event for entrepreneurs in a building with a huge staircase leading to the room where a lecture was being held. Through someone in our network, we were referred to the elevator and still got to where we needed to be.
If Madam's face could be monetized, I would have more annual sales than a large multinational company.
As the afternoon drew to a close, I found myself in an animated conversation with a fellow entrepreneur. The conversation offers opportunities to make connections to help even more people with disabilities find employment. Then we are rudely interrupted by one of the organizers who provided the venue. I am summoned to accompany him to the elevator. When I indicate that we are still in conversation, the lady in question says, “Yes, this really has to be done now because the elevator can only be used when accompanied.” I give my card to the person I was talking to and apologize for rudely interrupting our conversation.
As my colleague and I stand in the elevator car with the lady who literally rushed us into the elevator, she begins a little conversation. About how she is very open-minded and that she puts her fellow man first. Such a typical “I’m-good-and-come-in-heaven” talk. Then the lady asks, “Did the boss just let you take a day off?” My colleague doesn’t trust her ears and asks, “What are you saying?” To which the woman in question repeats her question.
Now I don’t believe in the concept of a boss, so I would never say this otherwise, but for this lady I gladly make an exception: “I am the boss,” I say dryly.
If the lady’s face could be expressed in money, I would have more annual sales than a large multinational company. In that elevator, my colleague and I straightened out the worldview a bit and we had a nice drink to that.
Read the original article here: https://wijrollen.nl/blog/mag-je-zomaar-een-dagje-weg-van-de-baas/
