Tag: women wednesday

Woman Wednesday: Ivana

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Q and A with Ivana, Croatia, Europe

“Your vision of your business is going to guide you to where you want to go, but your energy of excitement and joy is going to make it a success.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: My name is Ivana Bosnjak and I have been a digital Entrepreneur since 2007. I am going to share a little story with you and what are the two most important elements you need to have to build a successful online business. I love business. I love marketing and sales and have been doing it for so many years. Having said this, while I am great at business, I am a big fan of Law of Attraction, energy, work, and how we attract things. I currently help people with knowledge and expertise build a business they love by attracting their ideal clients to them. My programs can take someone who is unknown to popular, seeked-out experts in as little as 4 weeks.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: Having said this, I come from very humble beginnings. I migrated to the United States back in 1997 with just $100 dollars in my pocket. Without parents, without any support at 18. Prior to that, at the age of 12, I’ve lived through a very bad war at home, and the US offered a fresh start. Within 3 years, I was already making a name for myself selling Real Estate.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Over the years, I’ve built multiple businesses while a lot of people focus on numbers and growth. For me, it has always been aligning with my goals, making sure I am making a difference in the world and that is what pushed me to make those successful.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: For me, feminism = women power. I didn’t know how much we are undervalued as females until I was a part of a very male-dominated industry. I really had my work cut out for me to make myself stand out. Some people tend to tell me, Ivana, you are a powerful woman. I’ve raised two kids on my own since they were three and five while building multiple businesses online. While it was not always easy, I am proud of them and the businesses I’ve created over the years.

MORE FROM IVANA: The journey of an entrepreneur is not easy. I’ve experienced ups and downs in my business. I’ve had product launches that did not go as planned, but I never gave up. It took me a while to master my skills. And now I can share with others exactly what works. My experience has shown me the two elements you need to have to build a successful business. Your vision of your business is going to guide you to where you want to go, but your energy of excitement and joy is going to make it a success.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

Connect with me, click here.

Comment below!

Woman Wednesday: Jaycel

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Q and A with Jaycel from Papua New Guinea, living in England, UK

“I remember one of my uncles discouraged me to take up law as he believed it was a male’s profession. I did not let that crush my spirit and dream of becoming a lawyer. I proved him wrong.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I love helping people in whatever ways I possibly can and reading and watching inspirational or motivational quotes or videos, gardening, cooking and baking. Family time is important to me. I love spending time with my husband and my three-year-old son, my family, my extended families. I like discovering new adventures and traveling! I am an outdoorsy person, so I just love nature because it makes me feel refreshed and helps me think clearly. I have a career in law, but I was always passionate about venturing into the entrepreneurial world. I guess my profession aligns with my interest of helping people. I wanted something that I could do from the comfort of my own home, which is what I’m currently working on. I mentor and teach people to work online.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I was the second born of six children. Since my elder brother was adopted, I was seen as the older one and looked out for my other four siblings. Our parents were average hard-working people who sacrificed a lot. They did not have so much money, but they had enough to make sure there was food on the table, enough to buy our necessities, and enough to put us all to school. What they really wanted was for us to get a better education and excel in life. Seeing how much my parents had sacrificed really pushed me to study hard and do well in my primary school days to high school and eventually to university. I was fortunate to be selected to university amongst the top students around the country and completed my bachelor of law degree (LLB). Coming from a society where women were seen as inferior due to cultural and ethnic beliefs, I really wanted be the voice of the voiceless and prove that women can take up any role in the society. I remember one of my uncles discouraged me to take up law as he believed it was a male’s profession. I did not let that crush my spirit and dream of becoming a lawyer. I proved him wrong. My parents, especially my mum, had the greatest impact on my life. She pushed forward in life no matter what obstacle she encountered. She always believed in me even when sometimes I did not believe in myself.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: The most valuable thing I’ve learned is to never trust anyone but yourself. I’ve watched people go from being someone I loved, trusted, and looked up to…to being people I never speak to or even want to talk to ever again. I’ve experienced so much deceit, lies, manipulation, and disgusting behavior from people I thought I knew and cared about; it broke my heart. I had experienced the worst relationship in the past to being conned and deceived by my own friends whom I trusted. That’s why I’ve learned not to ever trust anyone but myself. I’ve faced so many challenges in life. I’ve learned that life can be messy and painful sometimes, but always learn to be focus on what you can learn from these moments and become stronger and smarter. That’s the only way to keep forward. Do not let other people’s negativity or opinions discourage you from what you truly want in life. You can conquer anything! You just have to have that self-confidence to deal with whatever life throws at you. You are responsible for yourself and no one else is. Always be yourself. If you want to be happy, you go to work for it.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: To me, feminism means standing up for yourself and for the voiceless. It’s about empowering other women about anything really. It’s about women being accepted and recognized in leadership roles and given the same or equal treatment and respect.

MORE FROM JAYCEL: I’ve paused my career for a while to concentrate on my online business. I mentor and teach people especially moms to set up their own online business.

To connect with me, click here.

Website

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂 Comment below!

Woman Wednesday: Kate B., Travel

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Q and A with Kate Bittle from Myersville, Maryland

“There are always affordable places to move to in each country.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: After over five years of living abroad, I’m finally coming home! A lot of people ask how I made a life of traveling; well, I’m finally here to provide you with some answers. I’ve been lucky enough to live three years in Vietnam and two years in Portugal as well as travel to twelve different countries along the way. But the real question is: how? Especially for me as a recent graduate with the inevitable loan crisis that hangs over many of us. I know I’m not alone here. My goal is to help people travel around the world by presenting traveling opportunities and ideas for young solo travelers.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I never would have guessed that I would spend five years abroad after arriving for my first solo trip in Vietnam. As a child, I grew up taking summer family vacations in the states, which consisted of long car rides while being picked on by my older siblings (Yes, I am the youngest child). During my junior/senior year of university, I tried to study abroad, but that’s when they told me that I would have to be taking general education or what we call “freshman year classes.” WHY DIDN’T THEY TEACH ME THIS THE FIRST DAY? This pretty much meant that I would be traveling abroad for school and paying this extra semester to not excel in my education at all. NONE, so I decided against that idea. After graduation, I was ready for an adventure, but I couldn’t figure out where to start. That’s until I decided to send a message to my friend who was living abroad in Korea. She asked if I wanted to join them living in Vietnam. It seemed crazy to head to a new place without a job and very little savings, but of course, I said yes. This was the best decision I’ve ever made. I didn’t grow up knowing I wanted to travel, but traveling made me realize my dreams.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Today, I will be your travel guide and try to sum up everything I’ve learned in the last five years. To even start traveling, you must envision where you’d like to be and the lifestyle that you want to achieve. There are opportunities all around the world, so stop and do research about all your ideal travel destinations. Next, there are different opportunities presented in each destination. From my experience, teaching English in Vietnam is an amazing opportunity but not as much in Portugal. Look at the job market in each area or secure a remote job before you leave. Travel research will become your new best friend.

The third thing I would like to share is that there are always affordable places to move to in each country. Don’t overpay to travel; if you want a nice and expensive resort, then hell yeah, go for it. But if you’re a solo traveler like me, then book the hostels, find the shared apartments, and make new friends. I once lived in a five-bedroom shared house in Vietnam which had its own private pool and a six-bedroom shared apartment in Portugal right near the city center. My flatmates at one point were from Poland, Brazil, France, Canada, Portugal, Tunisia, Czech Republic, Italy, and the USA. Make new friends and learn about each culture! That’s a part of traveling! My last tip for today is if you put yourself out there, doors will keep opening for you. Okay, let’s pause for a minute, do you know anyone who is traveling? Have you asked them what they’re doing? New people recommend new ideas and before you know it, your life is filled with new traveling opportunities.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism means the freedom to do whatever you want as a woman and to be an equal. This topic is brought up a lot when traveling. Here’s just some food for thought: Do women of different race get the same opportunity to travel and work in each county? Of course not, but as we push for equality in the workplace, we hope the world will change its views. Also, do women have the same safety as men while traveling? Of course not, but as we push for the non-objectification of women, we hope the world can be a safer place.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂 Comment below!

Woman Wednesday: Fabi

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Q and A with Fabi from Caracas, Venezuela, living in Miami, Florida

“I believe that the most impactful thing a business can do is get massive clarity on their brand message.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: The things I am most passionate about are my business and my family. I am a mom of 3 little girls (6, 2, and 4 months), and I love spending time with them and my family. In terms of my business, I am EXTREMELY passionate about what I do. I love my clients and showing up, giving value each and every day.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I actually had quite a unique childhood. I am from Venezuela, but I spent my childhood travelling all over the world. My dad worked in a multi-national company and they moved us around every 2 years. I lived in Brazil, Venezuela, Spain, the US, and India and traveled extensively through each of the different continents. This DEFINITELY was super impactful for me because it allowed me to learn to adapt to different cultures, which is something I believe I do every day when I work with my clients. I believe I’m adapting to their cultures and personalities as well. It has also given me a truly broad perspective on the world.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: I have tried all the marketing tactics and strategies you could ever imagine. I believe that the most impactful thing a business can do is get massive clarity on their brand message. What this means is understanding who they are, who their audience is, and the outcome they deliver for them. When you know this in your gut, it allows you to show up with magnetism to all that you do. You attract people in a different way because it means you are able to make deep connections with your audience.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: I have always believed deeply in equality and it’s one thing I have always stood for. I don’t live in a traditional household. I am the primary breadwinner for my family, I have 3 daughters, and my husband works for me. I want my daughters to see that anything is possible for them as well.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂 Comment below!

Woman Wednesday: Maura

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Q and A with Maura from Venice, Italy, living in Raeford, North Carolina

“It is pointless to regret the past as we cannot change it. All we can do is understand that it is a piece to the puzzle.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am quite eclectic in my interests, but I have always loved art in all its forms. In Italy, I had a band, and I have sung for several years and considered photography a hobby for a long time. I have always been fascinated by street photography because its extemporaneity freezes reality in a limbo between what the photographer sees and what it really is. When I moved to the US, I did not have the chance to go back to music right away, but the urge to create was very powerful. I started painting portraits and had my first exhibition at the Art Walkabout of Fayetteville, NC. My craft then eventually evolved into digital drawing, portrait photography, and now I am mixing all these skills I have learned into a mixed media style.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up in Italy, not too far from Venice. I studied languages in high school and then graduated in psychology in college. Art run in my family blood: my younger brother is a very talented illustrator, my uncle a painter, and my grandfather used to play the organ, teach music, and was also painting oil landscapes as a hobby. I remember being fascinated by the smell of the oil colors. He was very creative.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: I was not exactly a straight A-student growing up as I have always focused more on the subjects I loved the most and struggled to focus on the rest. I have often felt that I could not 100% fit anywhere and like I was an underachiever. That made me very insecure for several years, and I think that it limited me in many ways. I have come to realize now how much power our mindset has over what we can achieve. I am saying this because I want people to understand that our past mistakes and insecurities are part of our evolution as individuals as long as we learn from them. It is pointless to regret the past as we cannot change it. All we can do is understand that it is a piece to the puzzle.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism to me means equality. To quote Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “Everyone should be a feminist.” Our value as individuals should not depend on our gender. It is important to keep pointing out that there is still a gender inequality that affects women. This is why we call it feminism, and we do not talk about human rights in general.

MORE FROM MAURA: I am currently working on a mixed media exhibition. The subjects are all women of various racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds and various lifestyles, experience, and interests. My goal is to help all women to find the confidence and the love for themselves—regardless of their appearance. I want to fight the concept that we need to fit a stereotypical idea of beauty to appreciate ourselves and feel beautiful. As soon as I started sharing my idea, I have received wide support from other women. I think it is amazing to see how we can work together to elevate each other. It revives your faith in people.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂 Comment below!

Article on Maura, click here.