Sjaña Holloway

Many of us crave creating positive changes in our lives, and Sjaña Holloway can help us find a more joyfully-lived lifestyle through her company, E.T.P. Enterprise. 

As a psychologist, consultant, coach, and mental health counselor, Sjaña uses all her skills to help others with self-exploration and self-expansion.

Read on to learn more about Sjaña’s business and how the COVID-19 outbreak changed it overnight.

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

Sjaña Holloway (SH): I’m originally from New York City. I first came to the Netherlands to study at Leiden University and then returned to complete a PhD at TU/eindhoven. After graduation, I moved to Amsterdam in 2015 and started working. In 2018, I started my own company as a side gig that’s now my main gig.

HA: Tell me about your business? What is your mission? 

SH: E.T.P. Enterprise has four services: counseling, coaching, consulting, and a walk-and-talk.  The mission is to help co-create positive change for English-speaking individuals 18+ while they are living and working abroad.

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?

SH: Well, COVID-19 changed everything overnight. I went from designing workshops for organizations, universities, and individuals to having zero clients in a matter of days.

My work with clients usually involves physical proximity, observation, and face-to-face interactions, or so I thought. The impact of coronavirus made the transition to online and remote work happen quicker, with much less planning, and has made my physical office in some ways obsolete. This transition to online and remote work has opened my eyes to the necessity of being more agile in a niche market and also made me aware of some new possibilities I had not seen before. 

I’m somewhat structured with my work day. Either mapping out new possibilities of my business, reaching out to new clients, or doing nothing. Being at home left me over-cleaning, organizing, and it also let me see I have direct sun on my balcony for three hours. Sun in the Netherlands is not to be taken for granted, so I would enjoy those three hours and do nothing. I gave myself space to be creative, rethink, recharge, and reach out to friends and colleagues for help in the areas I had no expertise in, and I learned a lot. Which for me, is always a good thing.

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

In the last few weeks, many people of color, in particular, people identified within the Black & African diaspora and our allies are feeling the strain on our collective mental health. 

There has been a resounding, "we are fed up." Fed up with our lives and our bodies being so easily taken from this world. It was also a time when allies really showed up and, as a collective, have been in the streets and holding those who are decision-makers and in positions of power to make judicial and legislative changes around the globe. All of these events are unfolding amid a world pandemic.  

I have had several individuals and corporate clients ask me what to do, how can we be allies? How can we create space for a conversation within their organizations? My answer has been, "you need to educate yourself!" I come at this from the perspective of a mental health professional who is actively working as a mental health counselor, a coach, and consulting on the design of better mental health and organizational systems. I have found the most important things to address are bridging the communication gaps in discussions around racism. Racism, as well as other "isms," affect everyone, and to rectify them, begins with education.

A place to start in my own social and business circles is with Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility. Next, a thoughtful list of books An Essential Anti-Racist List by Hayley Maitland. Lastly, if you have children and young people in your lives, An age-by-age guide to talking to your kids about racism by Motherly is a great place to start. There is more, and there is a lot for people to do to catch up. I encourage everyone who does not identify as a person of color to read at minimum two books, educate yourself about the people around you, and thoughtfully engage in conversations from there.

HA: Why E.T.P. Enterprise ? What brought you to counseling, coaching, and consulting?

SH: In my MSc I was focused on a hospital restructuring project and the health of nurses. My PhD was focused on a corporate M&A and post-merger integration project, and the focus was on designing thoughtful attrition. I created some instruments from these experiences and had some positive outcomes at the alpha and beta testing level. In the end, counseling, coaching, and consulting is a natural fit for me as a polymath. My experience in Education, Training, and Psychology (E.T.P.) is how I decided to put all of my expertise and experience together.

HA: What is the current state of E.T.P. Enterprise? Do you have six and 12-month goals for your business? 

SH: I have actually had to rethink my original plans and I let them all go. The current goal is to continue creating possibilities in the Netherlands, the Benelux, and the U.S. What that will look like is unknown to me at this time.

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

SH: My biggest obstacle has been finding new clients in this pandemic. However, like water is always going to find ground, I am always looking for solutions. I am glad that things are working in the present moment and this is where I keep my attention and stay open to new possibilities.

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

SH: One of my most successful moments is forthcoming. I am working on a mid-size corporate project that is a dream project for me. However, due to confidentiality agreements, I’m unable to boast. Being discreet is a big part of what I do. Although, I do keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge to share because it’s always important to celebrate, acknowledge, and appreciate successes.

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? 

SH: I have worked very hard in a work and university context. In order to create new knowledge for my PhD, it took a lot of energy and creativity was expended. I have also had a healthy work experience in New York City as a hospital consultant. It’s been hard work, plain and simple.

HA: How big is your team?

SH: At this time, I am the team. However, I am always looking for other people to partner with when I have larger projects.

HA: Do you have a favorite motivational quote? 

SH: My 99-year-old grandfather said, “Life is long, and if you can, do what you love. Don’t be afraid of your mistakes, own them, learn from them, and keep moving.”

“You will never know it all, so ask questions.”

HA: What 3 tips would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? What do you wish you had known before you started? 

SH: 

1. Be comfortable with unknowns.

2. You will never know it all, so ask questions.

3. Keep learning from your mistakes.

HA: How would you describe your working style? 

SH: I’m a bit of a generalist who uses soft-skill management, complexity, and design thinking to manage work situations. It can be a challenge to have so few boundaries and I can be misunderstood if you don’t know me.

HA: When you’re not working on E.T.P. Enterprise — where can we find you? 

SH: At the gym, in the sauna, at the beach, and out with friends.

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

SH: I find it exciting and scary at times. I am very conscious about keeping myself balanced and observing my own challenges. In doing so, I can better assist clients who are generally having to process similar issues.

HA: What is your passion? 

SH: I love cooking with friends and family. 

I’m also proactive in the preservation of the oceans and waterways, having fresh food and community gardens, and supporting independent artists (e.g. musicians, dancers, painters…).

These are all the things that give me a great deal of joy. I always find ways of participating in my passions and via organizations like, The Ocean Cleanup, Plastic Whale, NRDC, Mamacash, and Natuurmonumenten. I find ways to add my 2 cents.

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

SH: I’m inspired by the architecture and canals of Amsterdam. I love going to any roof terrace and bar in the city W Lounge is definitely a great place to enjoy the city and meet people.

Connect with Sjaña on LinkedIn here.