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Hi, I’m Estelle, a born and bred South African who now calls the glorious city of Amsterdam home, where I am a mother, business owner and mentor.

 

How did I end up calling the Netherlands home?

 

Leaving South Africa in 1998, the plan was to travel for a few months and then head home. Six months in however, an opportunity knocked on my UK door and I started a long and very interesting career in HR with Enron Europe in London.

 

Since leaving Enron at the end of 2001, I have worked in the IT, banking and finance industries and was nominated for a Woman in Tech Award in 2017.

 

Start-ups are where I’ve honed my craft, specifically at Cloudreach. When I started, the cloud technology company employed around 22 employees, which I helped grow to international levels with more than 18 offices globally, 25 different nationalities and speaking over 30 languages.

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From a young age, I’ve had an entrepreneurial mindset. What started with a dream of owning a bed & breakfast evolved into an interest in business, which I enjoyed more than entertaining random travellers and baking cakes.

 

In 2010 it was time for me to take stock of my life - up until then I was only been thinking about my career. I’d had no time to figure out what I actually wanted from life and what really made me happy. I took a year off to travel solo, spending time in Tanzania, Kenya, India, China, Indonesia (to name but a few)…the journey was incredible.

 

What does taking a sabbatical and being the oldest backpacker in the tribe have to do with business, you may ask?

 

Not only did I learn a lot about myself, but I also learnt a huge amount about people, cultures and dealing with the unpredictable. I enjoy challenging the status quo, taking risks and trying something which at first seems impossible. Whether it is taking a gap year later than the stereotypical age of 18, or trying to change the way people work and think to include more diversity in the workspace.

 

Now I am a mother firstly but also a business woman. Like most in my situation I feel the pressure to excel in both. Is it possible to have a true work-life balance - no.  There is no such thing, as it is more of a balancing act than a peaceful equilibrium. However, a more realistic ideal is accepting the fact that on some days the scale tips more to the one side than the other. It is your choice as to how you want to manage that.   

 

20-plus-years of experience led me to where I am today - still building my dream.  I have now laid the foundations for Stellar People, my “HR consultancy with a twist”.  I hope that my understanding of the nuances of start-up and SME culture, along with the necessity of finding the right balance to be successful, will make me and my business a good partner for young, ambitious and growing companies.

 

Working with people is one of my favourite aspects of business, which is why Stellar People was a natural evolution for me. I am a firm believer in mentoring and leadership through mentoring and coaching. It’s something that starts already at a very young age, between parent and child, siblings, teachers and influential figures.

 

Why should that network support stop once we’re adults?

 

I have a daughter who, at the age of five already displays her mother’s stubborn genes and sense of adventure.  My wish for her is to always remain brave, curious and adventurous, because it is not about the destination but the journey.

 

It is through the power of discovery that people can take that leap of faith to make their wildest dreams a reality…