For International Women’s day We would like to Celebrate our role models. We have asked ‘Oldstrom Women’ who are inspirational and women that we are proud of here at Oldstrom to answer a few questions! As women we are sometimes too modest and don’t take compliments! So we have Decided to turn this around and shine some light on some of the strong, beautiful and talented Oldstrom Women!
Lisa de Vries
- Lune Active -
What have you started doing the past year that has had a huge impact on your life?
I have been focusing a lot more on self-care and self-love. Being an entrepreneur can be quite stressful and time-consuming, so it is important to take care of yourself and your body. This is also what LUNE Active is all about.
How does it feel being a Women in the Fashion Industry running a successful business along side 2 other strong women?
Of course, it feels amazing, and you get a lot of credits for that daily. I hear a lot of the time how strong we are to have managed to be here; 3 ‘women’ running this business but I strongly believe there is no difference in men and women, it's about motivation, passion, and personality for me.
Why Activewear? Is this a passion that has turned into a career?
I was actually telling people 10 years ago that I would have my own activewear brand. Which was like a man on the moon idea. Little did I know I would stumble upon an amazing spirit like Ashley who wanted the same thing! There is something about activewear that makes you feel feminine, sexy, and just powerful. It's the total package.
What are you most proud of as a woman both in your personal and business life?
I think what I am most proud of is kindness in both personal and business life. The softer, feminine side of me is something that I cherish. I don’t ever want to be that cold or hard businesswoman; I believe there is another way. I do need to toughen up a bit sometimes, Ashley says ;)
Have you felt that gender has brought any challenges? How have you overcome and grown from these?
I have actually never experienced that. But I think with being the youngest of 5 kids in the family and being the only girl; I am just not that sensitive for that. In my family, I might have been the youngest, might have been the only girl, but I was (and still am) the boss
Do you have any female role models who inspire you?
It might sound cliché, but that would be my mother. Being the kick-ass entrepreneur that she is! She is a typical powerhouse in a business mainly ruled by men with attitude. She is fierce, but everything she does, she does with love.
What future advice would you give for women around the world?
Don’t think you will make it by screaming the loudest and think you need to copy the male behavior to join the game. Always stay very true to yourself and acknowledge your feminine side as your strong armor and take advantage of it sometimes. Most of all, be kind to yourself and others, keep your spirit high and positive, as you will attract the same.
Ashley Samuel
- Lune Active -
What have you started doing the past year that has had a huge impact on your life?
I have been an entrepreneur since I was 21 years old. Always have been the type to run and keep running. Chasing my goals and never stop was something I lived by. Last year I decided it was time to take a little step back. To bring more structure into my working schedules and to take a little time to self reflect. Doing things more consciously and doing it following a planning has helped me both personally and in my business.
How does it feel being a Women in the Fashion Industry running your own successful business?
I have not known anything else to be honest. For me it has always been normal to be running my own business, and it has always felt great. No matter if you are a man or a woman, having something that is your own and see it grow with every little step is just amazing.
Why Activewear? Is this a passion that has turned into a career?
Activewear and being active has been my life since i started professional soccer wheel was young. I have been personal trainer and ran my own gym. Besides motivating girls and women to have a healthy lifestyle and be in perfect shape I missed styling them to look the part also. Lune Active was the perfect answer to that.
What are you most proud of as a woman both in your personal and business life?
I am proud of my discipline and creativity. Those two things also are key in my business and personal life. I set my goals creatively and have the discipline to achieve them.
Have you felt that gender has brought any challenges? How have you overcome and grown from these?
Not at all. I have played soccer for 7 years and have been around men a lot while doing so. I have never felt any difference between men and women. But that doesnt mean I am so very proud to be a female entrepreneur.
Do you have any female role models who inspire you?
I dont specifically have 1 female that inspires me, for me all female entrepreneurs are examples for me. It does not matter how big your company is, how high of a profit you make or how famous you are. Power women who achieve having a succesful company and for example also have a family and are fit and healthy, are major inspirations to me.
What future advice would you give for women around the world?
“Make your life work for you—you can have a fulfilling career and be an amazing mother.”
Ros-Mari Gaundal
- BRGN -
Have you started doing anything in the past year that has had a huge impact on your life and changed your perspective on life?
I have started to practice mindfulness, and that has really had a positive impact on my life.
How does it feel being a Women in the Fashion Industry running your own successful business?
In everyday life, I am not focusing on gender. My aim is to do the best I can and want everyone else around me to do the same. If we are able to do that, and pull in the same direction, we can make great things happen, regardless of our gender. That said, I know we are very lucky being born in Norway, where we have come a long way with gender equality.
Why BRGN and Rainwear?
The idea started with Karine and me moving to Bergen from Eastern part of Norway. There´s a big difference in terms of rainy days and downpour on the East and West coast of Norway. At that time, we didn´t know each other. We met at work and became colleagues and friends. One day walking up mount Fløyen in Bergen, I asked Karine if she knew any rainwear that could stand the Bergen weather, without looking like a typical raincoat. Karine admitted that it was hard to find a raincoat that she liked. So, we decided to take the problem into our own hands.
What are you most proud of as a woman both in your personal and business life?
I am proud of Karine and myself, because we dared to follow our dream. And also, as women, that we have managed to balance having kids and starting up a busines at the same time.
Have you felt that gender has brought any challenges? How have you overcome and grown from these?
I believe that one can do whatever regardless of gender. At the same time, I also know that everyone else does not believe the same, and that there of course are obstacles just because we are born as girls. Some also feel threatened by powerful women going their own way. I guess that what I have learned is to focus on your goal, don´t lose sight even if people are telling you that you can´t reach it. Focus on proving them wrong. Most problems are solvable, and there are many solutions to a problem. I try not to focus on obstacles or negativity and believe that to focus on how you meet the negativity and obstacles is the best way of overcoming them.
Do you have any female role models who inspire you?
Hard working women in general inspire me, what their work consists of or where they work is not important. But the eagerness to work, and deliver a good result is always inspiring.
What future advice would you give for women around the world?
Don’t focus on limitations, use your energy to look for the solution.
Dea Kudibal
- Founder -
What have you started doing the past year that has had a huge impact on your life?
The most significant thing that I have started doing the past year is to walk in the forest every day. I walk 6-10 km in the nature no matter how the weather is. Most of the time I do a lot of phone call-meetings during my walks, and lately I have also started listening to audio books which I really enjoy.
How does it feel being a Women in the Fashion Industry running your own successful business?
Being a woman running my fashion business makes me really happy. I started the Dea Kudibal company 18 years ago and I still look forward every day to go to work.
What are you most proud of as a woman both in your personal and business life?
What makes me most proud and grateful is that I have Good people around me. I have reached a point in life where I am very aware of what energy the people, I surround me with have. I believe that relationships – both professional and private relations have to be positive and that both parties want the best for each other.
Have you felt that gender has brought any challenges? Maybe, I am naïve, but I have not felt that gender has been a challenge to my career. I think that in the fashion business, people are used to women in managing positions and in general Denmark has a high level of equality in the workplaces.
Do you have any female role models who inspire you?
My female role-models are the women in the Dea Kudibal Company. They are amazing specialists within their fields, and I respect them a lot and they inspire me with their professionalism and enthusiasm. I have always loved Oprah Winfrey who is fantastic businesswoman, but also a fantastic philanthropist who makes a difference for so many people.
What future advice would you give for women around the world?
To Believe in yourself and if you have an idea - GO FOR IT! Many women I have met on my way are so afraid to make mistakes and I think that this a huge challenge. Half of the success, if you want to obtain something, is to get started
So get Going and don’t be afraid of making mistakes. You will only learn from them. Many, especially younger women, I meet are very concerned about not making mistakes. I think this is really a pity, as we all learn so much from making mistakes - and it also proves that we are DOING something!
Caroline Svedbom
- Founder -
What have you started doing the past year that has had a huge impact on your life?
I have started to have “me time” and invest in enjoying being in the present. I also try to have at least 1 day each week as “creative” day. I think we fill our brains with so much information so sometimes we need a checkout from our devices and just be in now.
How does it feel being a Women in the Industry running your own successful Jewellery business?
It feels amazing to be able to work with my passion and what I love most, my customers and my team gives me so much inspiration and I’m proud to be a woman who believes in my dreams.
What are you most proud of as a woman both in your personal and business life?
To fulfil my dreams, never stop dreaming and visualizing. I'm a dreamer and that's probably made me where I am today. When it comes to my business life, I’m most proud of to make woman around the world happy when they wear my design. To see my company, grow from a dream, without any loan, only a big passion and to give people both in Greece and here in Sweden work. I’m also proud of that I take nothing for granted and always stay humble - to my customers, my team and all around me.
Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur?
I think I've always been curious. My passion for jewellery is genuine and even if I were to have a much smaller business in scale, I would love it just as much as now. I think it's an important part that it's not the “size” itself, it's the love of what you do. So being an entrepreneur is also about seeing opportunities.
Where does your creativity come from?
I get my creativity from all the beauty around us. It can be nature; from people I meet in everyday life or from a trip. Usually, I get inspiration from seeing an outfit and the desire to "complement" it with jewellery. For example, matching a nice green dress with jewellery in the same crystal colour, then you have the look! I love to mix and match, to have fun with jewellery. My design should give joy and happiness in the woman's life and give your everyday outfit that extra glam!
Have you felt that gender has brought any challenges? How have you overcome and grown from these?
Absolutely not, I rather think that people are incredibly supportive and give us incredible much love, from both genders. I think it has become different today than it was before.
Do you have any female role models who inspire you?
I have many women that I admire - who do what they love and stand up for their opinions and make the world a better place.
What future advice would you give for women around the world?
Never regret a day in your life - good days give you happiness and bad days give you experience. Follow your dreams and always stay humble, and don’t forget to have fun and smile.
Happy International Women’s Day!
Love,
Team Oldstrom