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Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Angela van Hoeven, CEO of The Wise Boutique, located in Castle Rock, CO, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

The Wise Boutique is a new opportunity that invites entrepreneurs of all sorts to create an online boutique on the wisest of online platforms easily. In only three days, from start to finish, your own Wise Boutique is optimized, systemized, and ready to market your products or services to the world effectively digitally. Our Masterclasses teach management and marketing strategy from the best, world-class leaders. Complete beginners, who want to start selling and scaling immediately, are welcome. Established techies and online sales veterans will deeply appreciate the opportunities for immediate scale in the form of tools, technology, templates, training, partnership, and support.

Tell us about yourself

As the Founder and Creator of The Wise Boutique, I am delighted to introduce myself! I’ve been a world-traveling Senior Business Executive for many years in one of the world's biggest and most powerful companies. I used to advise the largest global conglomerates – now, I teach women and women-owned businesses to work from home and do business excellently. I am also a mama of two amazing teen daughters, a wife to my beloved husband, and we love horses, dogs, cats, people, and lots of sports. We are survivors of Lyme Disease and cancers. I am a 9-11 survivor. I am American inside and out and am so happy to be back after traveling a few years halfway around the world. I am also Dutch.

One day I asked, “How can one woman balance all that life has to offer, such as a real career with its time commitments and challenges, and have the energy and focus for the other parts of life - the parts that bring purpose, meaning, fulfillment, and joy?” My daughters and I are out to change the world so that we can each balance work with life and achieve our hopes and dreams.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I stopped working in a company because I needed to work from home to be with my kids and sick husband. When I finally reached the pivotal point of starting my own business, I started with one single objective: To build and create what I wish I had had years ago and what I want my daughters to have now.

So, I found web developers, read the best books, took more courses, and interviewed and studied all kinds of experts and people who have ‘achieved success.’ Found the secret tools and formulas and built a platform with EVERYTHING WE NEED to sell, network, and market effectively. After that, I created Masterclasses with step-by-step technical training to master the management and marketing of an online boutique in a sustainable long-term way.

The financial cost of all the expert time invested in the masterclasses and platform could have built houses. Now it is finished so that we can each build a house.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

My easy answer is: Time. While working in a large company, I had tried with all my heart and strength to do everything I thought I had to - like long, intense days in an office, fighting for promotions, and not seeing my kids, husband, or friends. Neglecting my body. Continually re-organizing schedules to ‘make time’ for kids, husband, and school. Church volunteer positions with more responsibilities. Playdates, house repairs and car repairs. The dog peed in the house. No sleep. AND my husband STILL had to pay for everything, even though I was working SO hard! There was never enough time.

Now that I have my own company, I create hours by locking myself in my car or even a bathroom or closet to finish projects.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Get your family onboard. If you have a spouse or kids, let them know that entrepreneurial success is a journey and takes a tribe. Tribe starts at home.
Locate mentors who you admire and accept their support. Only be careful about WHO you ask, and always challenge their responses to make sure they have your business purpose at heart!
Make sure you are headed in the right direction and want it bad enough before you begin. People always talk about ‘following your passions’ and ‘doing what you love,’ but figuring out what your purpose in business and life BEFORE you begin will help you through the long nights when your family is at a party without you.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://thewiseboutique.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WisestBoutique
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheWiseBoutique
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wise-boutique/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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