Shenin Lebrun

Hard work pays off because good things come to those who hustle. Shenin Lebrun of Hustle & Heart Consultancy knows exactly what that means. Shenin is a mindset and business coach who strives to empower female entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. 

Read on to learn more about Shenin, her business, her thoughts on racism and equality, and her tips for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Hustle Amsterdam (HA): Where are you from? And what brings you to Amsterdam?

Shenin Lebrun (SL): I was born and raised in Amsterdam but my parents are from Suriname. They both came to the Netherlands to study. 

HA: Tell me about Hustle & Heart Consultancy? What is your mission?

SL: Our mission is to empower female entrepreneurs to embrace the hustle mentality by giving them the confidence, knowledge, and tools to become unstoppable in realizing their dreams and growing their businesses.

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? 

SL: It took a couple of weeks for the new “normal” to normalize. Hustle & Heart Consultancy is my side hustle. I work full-time for Nike as the marketplace development director EMEA. 

I am also a mother of a 1.5 year old. My biggest challenge was taking care of our daughter while working from home. This was really stressful and took a lot of energy, so I spent less time on Hustle & Heart Consultancy at first. I usually put energy into Hustle & Heart Consultancy in the evenings. 

When it came to Hustle & Heart Consultancy, most of my coaching was done face-to-face. Due to COVID-19, I had to look into the possibility of online coaching. In the beginning, I had my doubts, but online coaching has worked out surprisingly well. It was an easy transition and I managed to deliver the same quality of coaching as I did in person. Early on in the lockdown, I brought structure and routine to my days, which has helped me to be more productive. 

HA: What’s something you want to share or say about what's happening right now in the United States? About racism? About equality?

SL: What an intense week. I am completely mentally and physically exhausted. It was also a beautiful week and a hopeful week. Many friends and colleagues have reached out to me to say how sorry they are about the situation, how it concerns them and they asked what they can do. The question I often ask back is: What are you willing to do? ⁠

One thing everyone should do: SPEAK UP in your own circle. When you hear a racist comment from a mother in the schoolyard, SPEAK UP!  That one uncle who always makes racist comments at family parties, SPEAK UP! Maybe even your parents who occasionally say something racist, SPEAK UP! 

I also have to make my voice heard more often. I saw certain racist expressions or actions as “part of life,” but those times are over. The following also applies to myself: I need to SPEAK UP! 

Finally, this time feels like a tipping point, although I still don't know why. Is it because the coronavirus had us all stuck at home when this happened that everyone has seen the injustice of George Floyd? I don’t know. But, ⁠hopefully this is indeed the beginning of change for the better.

Let's all get comfortable with this uncomfortable situation TOGETHER.

HA: Why Hustle & Heart Consultancy? What brought you to the business coaching world?

SL: I started Hustle & Heart Consultancy in 2018. Prior to registering the company, I was often approached by many female entrepreneurs and start-ups with questions or requests for my advice. It was both fulfilling and gratifying to witness their successes (partially due to my “unofficial” consulting). Seeing them grow, gaining confidence, and thus thriving gave me a lot of satisfaction. 

The hustle in Hustle & Heart is about having an absolute “JUST DO IT” mentality. A mentality that lets you take action by converting your dreams into a plan with clear steps. 

 Heart stands for the passion we put in everything we do. I do my work out of love and with an eye for detail. I take the time to understand your vision and what drives you. And that’s exactly the aim of my hustling methodology: to boost your courage, confidence, and perseverance to go for it.

HA: What is the current state of Hustle & Heart Consultancy? Do you have six and 12-month goals for your business? 

SL: In six months I would like to kick off my first Mastermind. The Hustle Mastermind is a six-month networking program for ambitious female entrepreneurs who like to share their passion for their business, but also their personal developments, with other like-minded women. The goal of the Mastermind is to inspire, challenge, and encourage one another to dream big and make our dreams come true. In 12 months, I hope to be ready to finally take that leap of becoming a full-time entrepreneur!

HA: What kind of obstacles do you face in your company? How do you handle them?

SL: My biggest challenge is the competition; more specifically, standing out amongst the many business coaches. My solution is staying authentic, being clear on my competitive advantage, and never forgetting the wealth of experience I have to offer other female entrepreneurs. 

HA: What has been your most successful moment so far? And how do you celebrate your wins? 

SL: I have had so many small and big successes from delivering inspirational summits, meeting and often exceeding expectations of my clients, or just contributing to cool events as a panel member or keynote speaker. I celebrate each success with the team. I never accomplish my successes alone.

HA: How have you accomplished what you have? Did you go to business school? Did you wing it? Fake it ‘til you make it? Get really lucky? 

SL: It’s the combination of book smarts and street smarts. I studied international business and management. Immediately after university, I landed my first job at Nike EHQ, and I am still working for this amazing company. In my 17 years at Nike, I have had various roles in merchandising, product development, brand, and retail sales which has left me with a wealth of experience.

 I also have lots of street smarts, and the “JUST DO IT” mentality sits in my DNA. I often sell first, create later, and when needed, I fake it ‘til I make it. Luck has never played any part.

HA: How big is your team? And where are your team members located? 

SL: My Hustle & Heart team consists of a powerful combination of freelance experts. 

I work with brand strategists, marketing communication specialists, web-design builders and online marketing specialists — most of whom are located in Amsterdam. They have the knowledge necessary for the optimal development of a business. Every customer is different and has specific needs. That is why I determine, in partnership with the customer and my team, which qualities of the Hustle & Heart team is needed.

“Good things come to those who hustle”

HA: Do you have a favorite motivational quote? 

SL: “Good things come to those who hustle” is our philosophy.

HA: What 3 tips would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? 

SL: 

Tip 1: Start before you’re ready. Procrastination is a dream killer! You can always wait until you think you are ready, but let's be honest, when are you ever really ready? Dreams are there to be realized; it is what drives people and ensures your development as a person. So instead of waiting for the right moment or "feeling ready," challenge yourself to develop the better “you.”

Tip 2: Continue a course of action even when faced with difficulties. Being a female entrepreneur is hard. You will face many obstacles. Don’t quit!

Tip 3: Success is no accident. It’s hard work. And as you work harder and hustle more, you will develop ways to work smarter. 

HA: What do you wish you had known before you started? 

SL: Surround yourself with people that help you excel. It doesn’t have to be a one woman show. Working together will help you go far, and it’s usually more fun as well.

HA: How would you describe your working style? 

SL: This is what people have said about me:

“Shenin lives what she propagates: JUST DO IT!” 

“Shenin is a woman who moves toward her goals in a calm but decisive way.” 

“Shenin is an empathetic, no-bullshit business coach.”

“Shenin gave me confidence and always creates a safe space.”

HA: When you’re not working on Hustle & Heart Consultancy — where can we find you? 

SL: With my family spending quality time together or with my long-time friends, chatting and laughing. My favorite me-time activity is getting a massage or going to the spa.

HA: How do you find work-life balance while being an entrepreneur? 

SL: I found out the hard way how important having balance is. 

Eight years ago, my father passed away unexpectedly. My father and I were very close. You could say I was a typical daddy’s girl. He passed away on the evening of Thursday, April 5th. That week, I was so busy with work that I didn’t speak to him at all. We usually spoke everyday or every other day. I went by his house on Friday morning because he didn’t answer his phone the evening before. I will never forget that day, or that period, when I was “too” busy to pick up the phone to check in on my parents. I found him deceased in his apartment. This was my hardest lesson and I will never make that mistake again. After that period, I paced myself and my life. 

I balance working hard with quality time with the family and my girlfriends. At least once a month, I get a massage. I love going to the spa and listening to audiobooks.

HA: What is your passion? 

SL: I have various passions, but my biggest passion is creating concepts for TV series and films. My first idea made it to the cinema in 2017. That’s me on the right, with a big smile on my face, very proud at the premiere of my movie “Alles voor elkaar.” With no background in TV & film and only a dream, the movie is now available on Netflix and Videoland. That’s why I’m 100% certain that “good things come to those who hustle.

HA: What inspires you most about Amsterdam? Do you have any favorite spots to work or hang out? 

SL: I love the diverse people, the atmosphere and the busy-ness. I love spots like Zoku, Moustaqbel Amsterdam as the perfect meeting location with a good cause, Karaat Amsterdam to have a nice dinner or Conservatorium Spa for ultimate relaxation. 

HA: Anything else you’d like to add?

SL: Being a hustler is not only complimentary but a necessity to achieve success. At Hustle & Heart Consultancy, we believe that every successful startup, team, and corporation needs a hustler. The art of a hustler is not simple. It’s a variety of different attributes which makes a hustler an outstanding professional and the key to many organizational successes and growth. 

Download my workbook, How to Become a Hustler in Business (in Dutch) for tips on how to develop these skills.

Follow Hustle & Heart Consultancy on LinkedIn, follow Shenin on Instagram @hustleandheartconsultancy, and give them a “like” on Facebook.