Angelique Slob
Being an entrepreneur often means that work and life start to blend together. Monday isn’t the same as when we worked for another company. Starting a new week isn’t dreadful, but instead exciting and a new opportunity to push our businesses further.
Angelique Slob founded Hello Monday Club to help people “Say Hello to Monday” — read on to see exactly what this means.
Hustle Amsterdam (HA): Where are you from? And what brings you to Amsterdam?
Angelique Slob (AS): I’m from The Netherlands, where I lived in a country side town for many years. Five years ago I left on a one way cruise to Brazil, where I lived in Salvador de Bahia for six months. I returned by cruise to Lisbon. Ever since I’ve been dividing my time in Salvador, Lisbon, and Amsterdam has become my new base in The Netherlands.
HA: Tell me about your business? What is your mission?
AS: I am on a mission to help people Say Hello to Monday. For over 15 years my mission has been to create human-centered, results driven and freedom centered organisations. First in my roles as a corporate HR executive in multinationals, and over the past few years as an independent consultant. In 2018 I started Hello Monday Club, a boutique consultancy that specialises in supporting tech companies shaping the future of work and embracing new management paradigms.
HA: How are you handling our new “normal” due to the coronavirus outbreak? What impact has it had on your business? How has the transition to working remotely been for you? Are you being strict with a routine or taking it day-by-day?
AS: Embracing new ways of working is my mission and core-expertise, so with Hello Monday I help companies look over the horizon and support them with their long-term vision, strategies and roadmap for a new and sustainable organisation.For me personally: I have been working remotely for over five years now since Hello Monday Club accommodates clients from all over the world. I’m used to it and now that the rest of the world has gone remote as well, things have become easier for me. More conferences are now online, enabling me to spread my message and network much easier.
HA: Why Hello Monday Club? What brought you to become a Future of Work Catalyst?
AS: Hello Monday stands for a new way of looking at the world of work — where work is an integrated part of your overall life, where you can develop yourself and find connection and where you can thrive. A world where you can make an impact through work, and where work is shaped around individual needs, and where you can work where and when you want. I have always worked with organizations as part of the leadership team and helped to translate the overall company strategy to People and Organization strategies. Therefore, I now work with leadership teams on developing their organizational design and development strategies as a Future of Work Catalyst and People and Culture Strategist.We specialise in working with innovative tech companies because of my background as an organizational sociologist. Seven years ago I finished my Master Thesis on The Most Effective Organisational Context for Knowledge Workers, and that has become the academic foundation of the work we do at Hello Monday Club.
HA: What is the current state of Hello Monday Club? Do you have six and 12-month goals for your business?
AS: Many companies are now faced with a strategic question: what does our company look like in three, or 12 months? How will we handle a return to the office (or not!) after the steep learning curve of a forced distributed set up? What is the right choice for us, also since we might face a recession and possible cost savings?
Our goals for next six to 12 months is to support more and more companies with shaping their vision and strategies with our innovative and effective online programs.
HA: What kind of obstacles do you face in your company? How do you handle them?
AS: The main obstacle is to meet the right clients from around the world. We work with companies that are ahead of the curve and that are willing to invest in their organizational development — it’s a small niche. For now, I focus on building my network, creating content and spreading my message at events around the world. Another challenge is growth, I work closely with clients but as a small company there are a lot of other things to do. And, practising what I preach, I believe in following one’s energy rather than “hustling” so my time to focus on marketing and sales stays limited — I’m looking into outsourcing more but also that is an ongoing process.
HA: What has been your most successful moment so far? And how do you celebrate your wins?
AS: Recently, I designed an online program “Leading in a Changed World” for a high-profile brand and that was received very very well. In three thought-provoking, empowering sessions we made managers think more strategically about their own role, identify opportunities, and embrace new ways of working. It’s a great program and this will be on the market for other companies as well. I love to celebrate my wins with a nice wining and dining session in a very good restaurant, a short trip or even buying myself a nice gift. Recognizing and celebrating your wins is really important, it makes you realise how far you have come and it attracts even more success!
HA: How have you accomplished what you have? Did you go to business school? Did you wing it? Fake it till you make it? Get really lucky?
AS: Although I have extensive experience and background as an HR manager plus a solid academic background, building your own consulting business is a league of its own. It requires knowing how to deliver your services and how to package them for the market. To create a marketing and sales strategy that works, you have to have a great understanding of your market, where you add value, and how the specific sales processes work.
I learned by doing, by making tons of mistakes, and talking to many many people.
Now, I am at the point that I have found my niche, I understand the market, I have built some name for myself and brand awareness, and of course, a strong and relevant network!
HA: Did you fundraise for your business? If so, tell me about your experience.
AS: No, although I might do that in a later stage.
HA: How big is your team? And where are your team members located?
A: Till now, it’s mostly me as both the face of the business and working with clients. I do have some support for social media, marketing and other tasks that I (sometimes) outsource. Also, I have a few Hello Monday brand ambassadors — people that align strongly with our mission. They sometimes volunteer, share content and we do a lot of mentoring and skill sharing. The people associated with Hello Monday are located all over the world.
HA: Do you have a favorite motivational quote?
AS: Let’s Say Hello to Monday (obviously haha).
HA: What 3 tips would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? What do you wish you had known before you started?
AS:
Get solid advice, especially in the beginning, from people that understand your specific industry, niche, services or product (and ignore everybody else!).
Don’t underestimate the power of a good and professional branding and outsource this if it is not your profession.
Think about what kind of company you want to build from the beginning. Decide if you want a remote -first set-up before you hire your first team.
BONUS: Get to know your potential clients, co-create with them. And build real relationships with people in your industry. It will pay off!
HA: How would you describe your working style?
AS: A mixture of planning and laissez-faire. I do set goals and plan my tasks, but I also recognise a need for creativity, new ideas, and refreshing moments that are essential as well. I used to be a Project Manager and I find that when I work on projects with others, I am better in planning and time-management than when I work alone. I think the biggest win here is to understand that both needs are equally valid, and most important is to focus on finding the right balance.
HA: When you’re not working on Hello Monday Club — where can we find you?
AS: I am most likely practising my capoeira skills, relaxing on the beach, reading a book on my sofa or my hammock, or meeting people in a good restaurant or a cool bar.
HA: How do you find work-life balance while being an entrepreneur?
AS: In the first years, I mixed work and life a lot, I had no fixed working times and an endless to-do list, which led to a feeling of overwhelm and not too much mindspace for other things that are important in life. I now have a more balanced work schedule, I am more used to combining travel and work, and I am deliberately dis-connecting from work — with the goal to have a 28/30 hour workweek. My working schedules are not fixed, and they also depend on where in the world I am and with my own rhythm.
HA: What is your passion?
AS: I love to travel and study people, culture and the way they organise themselves.
HA: What inspires you most about Amsterdam? Do you have any favorite spots to work or hangout?
AS: What I love about Amsterdam is the international vibe and of course, it’s a beautiful city.
This year I came back to Amsterdam during the COVID lockdown — I worked a lot from home at first but later I rented a flex office at Bij JP. I was living close to Westerpark, and I spent time there to relax, train or to visit one of the cool bars.
HA: Anything else you’d like to add?
AS: At Hello Monday Club, we love to connect and share our vision with like minded people. If you are interested, please sign up here to join the Hello Monday Club and receive our magazine with updates, content and articles about the Future of Work.
