Nadia van den Heuvel (43) owns multimedia company Ictoria as well as company Xtoria: a place where people with a perceived distance from the labour market can develop and move on to other companies. This time, Nadia talks about the importance of networking, and she gives an insight into how they do it at Xtoria.
As an entrepreneur in a wheelchair, I have learned a lot about running a social enterprise and supporting people with a distance to the labour market. I have compiled these insights into 5 concrete points and want to share them with you for inspiration. Now that the new year has started and you might have set yourself some nice goals. But also just if you enjoy taking a look in our ‘Ictoria kitchen’, and how we apply the lessons learned in everyday life.
Insight 1: motivation and persistence
An important starting point is having motivation and perseverance. Whether it’s finding your ideal job, working on your health or picking up a new hobby. The first step is to take your own initiative and think beforehand about what you want to achieve and in what way. That goal is the starting point of your motivation. With perseverance, you hold on powerfully to achieve your goal, provided of course it is achievable. For me, motivation and perseverance means going for every opportunity. For instance, I keep asking questions until I have an answer. But even if I face setbacks or something like a longer travel time, for example, I don’t turn my hand to that.
Insight 2: breaking a cycle
Through my work, I have learnt that not everyone has the same experiences and challenges. Everyone experiences the world from their own perspective and therefore reacts differently to changes, challenges, stress and setbacks. With this insight, it is crucial not to judge someone and their situation. What is nicer is to open up and learn to listen sincerely in the process. If you are stuck in a certain situation yourself, it is nothing to be ashamed of. Try talking to someone about it and be open to help offered. That way, cycles can be broken. If you want to read more about the experiences of people stuck in a cycle of years of counselling, the book ‘The day Peter slammed the door’ is highly recommended. A fellow job coach tipped me off about it.
Insight 3: make a difference yourself
Being able to make a difference in something sounds very ‘grand’. Yet it is easier than you think. Whether it’s making a difference in something in a private situation or in your work. For instance, is something not going the way you hope? Take responsibility in that and see how you can change the situation. At Ictoria, we try to make a difference ourselves with ‘sustainable purchasing’. That means giving vulnerable groups in the labour market a chance by creating more employment opportunities for people in vulnerable positions. In our view, everyone deserves a chance at work, regardless of their situation.
Insight 4: learn to say ‘no’
Being able to say ‘No’ is a healthy and powerful way to set boundaries for yourself. It may sound simple, but by consciously saying ‘no’, you say ‘yes’ to yourself. This allows you to decide where to focus your energy and how to organise your day.
For me, this is also an area where I can still grow. If someone is waiting at my doorstep on the folding chair, I am often tempted to help. For me, people always take precedence over business value. It would be a great relief if I no longer have to worry about money. Thus, everyone has a different reason for saying ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’. The important thing is to be aware of this and not to automatically say ‘yes’ to everything.
Insight 5: doing that which energises you Inclusion entrepreneurship as the norm
‘Doing something that makes you happy’. That sounds so simple and actually it is. For example, it could be in work that makes you happy or surrounding yourself with people you enjoy being with. Doing things that energise you can help you feel happier. Personally, I get a lot of energy from inclusive business and making an impact on a large scale. To me, inclusive leadership means we all put our egos in a disabled parking space and do what we do best. My greatest ambition is to achieve beautiful systemic change through collaboration with inclusive business as the norm.
Finally, what I have learned in all these years is that wanting to achieve your goals comes with trial and error. Even if sometimes you have a very clear picture of how you want to do something. It can be a challenging journey. But the important thing is: keep trying and don’t just give up. And above all: believe in your own strength!
