Successful women give tips for business start-ups

Monika van Leyen and her "Kids cooking studio"

Monika van Leyen

In 2005, Monika van Leyen founded the Kids cooking studio in Düsseldorf. It shows children over the age of four what healthy eating means and goes shopping with them on the market. Children should not only understand what constitutes good food, but also to get involved in a group. "Eating together builds trust and the children feel good, even locked children start to open and exchange on their own," says Monika van Leyen.

After studying psychology, van Leyen initially worked with adults in psychosomatic medicine. But soon she realized that she would rather care for children, and switched to children's oncology. There she got insights into the everyday life and the food culture of children. Seeing that many children eat alone in front of the TV made her sit up and take notice. The idea for "Kids cooking studio" was born.



Monika van Leyens Tip: Be available

"I've found it's important to be reachable to customers by phone and virtually quickly, and they hardly forgive you if you respond too slowly to their requests.

In addition, support from the partner is important. For me she was missing at the beginning of my business idea. Mastering the new challenge and the private balancing act was hardly possible. Today I have a new partner by my side and a good accountant. The result is absolutely positive. "

Michaela Hansen and her agency "Granny Aupair"

Michaela Hansen



The leap into self-employment can always dare - even with 48 years. That proves Michaela Hansen. In 2009 she founded Granny Aupair. The agency provides women 50 plus as an au pair abroad. Over the past five years, 500 "Grannys" have traveled to 40 countries.

The idea for this had the quadruple grandmother in front of the TV. She saw a documentary about young au pairs and wondered why this offer does not exist for older women too. Four years after its founding, Michaela Hansen already has nine employees. Her business idea has received several awards, including from the Federal Government's initiative "Germany? Land of Ideas" and as state winner Hamburg with the KfW Award.

Michaela Hansen's Tip: Leave the comfort zone

"It's hard to get started with Granny Aupair I've entered uncharted territory as there was no such agency anywhere in the world, it was a real challenge, you're leaving your comfort zone and you need courage, and my proven motto will help me: One step leads to the other, every step, every encounter with new people takes me further, you just have to run, even at the risk of falling on your nose in between, while being open, alert and confident yourself and others. So: eyes open and through! "



Eva Vollmer and her winery

Eva Vollmer

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Starting a business can also mean taking over and reorganizing a family business. This is how winemaker Eva Vollmer did it. In 2007, she took over her father's winery and modernized it. She now produces organic wines and is proud to be one of the first women to run a German winery.

In addition, she has a second foothold: As a doctorate oenologist she teaches at the University of Geisenheim and represents the university at congresses in Italy, France and Switzerland. Just as they do many founders - they pursue several ways in parallel.

The motto of Eva Vollmer: "Stay authentic!" She has learned that naturalness matters best. "If I have to go directly from the vineyard to a wine tasting with customers, it can sometimes happen that I appear in rubber boots," says the winemaker.

Eva Vollmer's tip: pursue your own vision

"The important thing is that you think through your vision in advance, the crazier the ideas sound, the better it will be at the end." The image of the future may also be put on paper, it will always serve as a model and motivational tool the next few years for a life of independence.

Absolutely professional and private goals should be formulated. Family and family planning are included, if desired. On paper, it initially looks like it will never work in time. But it works! Maybe one should do without new offspring in the intensive start-up period, ie in the first one or two years. But founders do not have to put off the family wish forever: That still has to be achieved, I want to achieve that, that must happen - then comes family? Not correct! I firmly believe that everything can be done at the same time, if you want. My daughter Klara is now 4 months old and is in the vineyard, in the cellar, during wine tasting and during excursions.Even the strongest and most courageous power women need the backing of the family. Only then is self-employment fulfilling, successful and successful. "

Insa Riske and her boutique for ecological fashion

Fair fashion - fair consumption. This is important to Insa Riske and her business partner Mechthild Schilmöller. With their boutique Maygreen in Hamburg they want to offer a contact point for this concept. There is only fashion from designers who specialize in fair and ecological fashion.

The business partners got to know each other through their children - in kindergarten. "Both of us were looking for fair and ecological fashion, which is also acceptable in the job, but in Hamburg we could not find a shop with elegant eco-fashion," says Insa Riske. So the idea came to the boutique. Meanwhile, they work together for the fifth year and have a regular clientele.

Insa Riskes Tip: Get support and be able to differentiate

"Get support from professionals Use every opportunity to get information Contact other founders Most are very helpful The Chamber of Commerce is also available to provide advice on funding Foundations, so do a lot of research and build contacts.

The flip side of the support is that everyone wants to know and have a say. This is meant to be nice, but can also be exhausting. That is why it is important not to be irritated and to keep your nerves. The reference to a specialist, with whom one speaks through everything, helps. "

5 Women Entrepreneurs Share Their Secrets To Success | Refinery29 (March 2024).



Business start-up, career tip, Hamburg, trust, Dusseldorf, job, career, women, start-up, self-employment