I am grateful to all the supporters of ARIDAN who have backed this sole-ownership venture and given it a chance. Surprisingly, many who have walked the talk come from other industries and some don’t even live in Curaçao.
It’s remarkable to receive support from people outside your immediate circle and those in other countries who remember you and your work ethic.
The journey is tough, but others make it seem easy with their constant advice: you need to do this, you need to do that, you need to change yourself, blah, blah, blah. Reflecting on the journey so far, here are some key lessons I have learned:
TAKE YOUR TIME; IT’S OKAY TO DISCOVER YOUR PATH AT YOUR OWN PACE
It’s okay to discover your path at your own pace. It’s different for everyone. Some find it early in life due to fewer obstacles, while others must overcome challenges first. Once you find it, your time becomes valuable—use it productively and meaningfully.
Don’t waste it on unnecessary meetings and unfruitful networking, instead talk to people (your peers) who also found their path. Keep focusing on your journey.
IT’S OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY
At times, you might question your choices and feel uncertain. This is something everyone faces in their own way, and it’s perfectly normal. When these moments happen, it’s important to reach out for guidance from people who can help you stay focused.
Look for a mentor, and if one person doesn’t respond, don’t be discouraged—just reach out to someone else. Things will eventually work out as long as you keep moving forward.
MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE YOU MEET
Maintain good relationships with the people you meet, without undervaluing or overvaluing them based on their job positions. Become an ally by being attentive, be kind, and be humble. Opportunities can often come from unexpected allies.
BEWARE OF WOLVES IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING
It’s nice to share ideas but be cautious about sharing too much. Sometimes it’s better to keep things to yourself until they are completely fulfilled.
DON’T EXPECT OTHERS TO SHARE YOUR VALUES
It’s especially disheartening to experience backstabbing or dishonesty from those you expected to be the seasoned professionals in the room. Don’t lower your standards to theirs. It’s difficult sometimes but always lead by example—you never know who might be inspired to adopt your values.
CONSIDER CHANGING YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Meet people outside your circle or industry. As you venture into new territories you may find unexpected opportunities to grow.
ONLY A FEW DARE TO “WALK THE TALK”
Certain events in the last 5 years exposed how all those who claim to be rebels were just followers of the empire (Star Wars reference). Rebels stood out for using their critical thinking skills, asking difficult questions, and showing their integrity.
As a consequence, many lost their jobs and businesses. Some decided to move forward finding new career options or rebuilding their businesses which created new job opportunities. Try to follow their example.
DON’T BE A VICTIM
In these times, where it’s fashionable for people to blame their situation on everything but themselves, it’s inspiring and encouraging to see innovators and builders take action to find opportunities and create new businesses, instead of sitting in a corner lamenting their losses and complaining. Try to follow their example.
DON’T BE QUICK TO JUDGE
Social media has conditioned us to form quick judgments based on a short statement, a snippet of a conversation, or a brief video clip. This habit hinders our ability to understand each other truly.
Strive to see the whole picture, which often requires extra effort, such as understanding the context of a statement, reading the full report, listening to the entire conversation, or watching the complete video.
AN EMPLOYEE CONTRACT IS PREFERABLE OVER A FREELANCE CONTRACT
Despite the global popularity of freelancing, most local companies still prefer hiring employees part-time (uitzendkracht) or full-time over hiring a freelancer part-time or full-time. Don’t Panic. Be Patient. Always keep trying—opportunities may come from unexpected places.
COLLABORATION IS A CHALLENGE
Most local companies in the public and private sectors prefer to operate their business in their way but there are great benefits when you collaborate. Learn from those who managed to work together successfully.
More than often much time is spent on the planning phase and less on the implementation phase. Find those companies led by people with a “Can Do” attitude ready to take action and get things done.
LEARN TO BE FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE
The execution of projects and assignments sometimes rarely goes as planned. This can be challenging for someone who likes to plan, but it’s necessary to adjust and adapt to survive.
IF YOU HAVE LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE
Make the most of what you have. If life gives you lemons, turn them into lemonade and sell it. If you have any leftovers, get creative and turn it into frozen lemon cups to sell the next day. In other words, find ways to use your resources to your advantage.
MOST VALUABLE LESSONS (SO FAR)
The most valuable lessons I’ve learned are to engage with people who believe in the “plan–do–check–act” cycle, share similar work ethics, rely on yourself to make things work, be prepared for financial challenges, practice careful planning and flexibility and embrace resilience and adaptability. Above all, be authentic and genuine.
Engage with People Who Share Your Work Ethic – Connect with those who believe in the “plan–do–check–act” cycle and have similar work ethics.
Rely on Yourself – Take responsibility for making things work and trust in your capabilities.
Be Prepared for Financial Challenges – Understand the challenges of receiving small payments from abroad and the significant impact bank fees and taxes have on small businesses. These financial hurdles can be daunting, often eating into profits and making it difficult to sustain operations. It’s crucial to have personal savings and reduce personal debt.
Practice Careful Planning and Flexibility – Navigate through challenges by planning carefully, being flexible, and managing expenses effectively.
Embrace Resilience and Adaptability – Every obstacle provides a lesson in resilience and adaptability, making the journey rewarding.
Be Authentic and Genuine – In today’s world, you don’t need to change your character to find business opportunities. Keep a continuous learning mentality and focus on being the best at what you do. It may seem that the loudest voices and pretenders dominate, but let your work and actions speak for themselves.
Opportunities Often Arise from Unexpected Places – Don’t underestimate the power of being genuine; sometimes, the quietest efforts lead to the greatest opportunities.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m still learning on the job and will continue to do so, committed to growing and improving every day. Your belief fuels the desire to continue to provide support that matters.
Even though these lessons might sound familiar to others, I’ve found that real-life practice is the most effective way to learn and gain experience. Some people only highlight the perfect aspects of their journey, making it seem effortless. However, every journey is unique with its ups and downs, and it’s okay to be different and make mistakes.
Learn from your journey, keep moving forward, keep fighting.
Thank you for reading!
Best regards,
Nadira, Founder ARIDAN
