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Female freelancers find connection to the northern network: “Working at home can be lonely”

by News Room
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A Nordic women’s network where every “business friend” is in the spotlight and connected with other freelancers. That’s what the Ella club mainly aims for. The initiator is Carina Roemers. “Working at home can be lonely. With our meetings, you can spar and feel supported.”

The seeds of the Ella Society were planted in Curaçao about a year and a half ago. Carina Roemers (38) from Burdaard participated in an entrepreneur conference there with two hundred others. Guru addressed the group on stage. There was time left at the end and the audience could ask him questions.

“What happened then was beautiful,” says Roemers. “Someone asked the guru something, someone else in the room answered, followed by an answer from a third person. Then the penny dropped for me: there is so much information in such a space. We don’t just get on the podium. So great, such a guru, but you can learn so much more from the group.”

That’s why Roemers wanted to join forces with entrepreneurs. He did this himself with Aisha Krako-Bransen and Sonja Schaafsma-Brakema, with whom he founded the Ella Society. The Big Network Show starts March 6.

After enjoying a glass of prosecco, the members look forward to an extensive program. There will be a DJ, a lecture and a performance tour. However, don’t shake everyone’s hand awkwardly, Roemers emphasizes. The icebreaker is a minute-long interview with your neighbor. “It’s a network show, after all.”

Such a program is once every six weeks. Every three weeks there is one in a smaller format. Then it revolves around a theme. “Think single moms who are entrepreneurs, or a meeting for members interested in spirituality.”

Sometimes lonely

Roemers is also an entrepreneur. She presents, educates and works as a wedding planner. On the latter: “It’s fun to go to those parties. A lot of things happen. But when I write a speech like that, I sit alone at my desk for hours. It can be lonely sometimes.” He also hears this voice from other self-employed people. “It’s also nice to be able to spar with someone and feel supported. Because that’s sometimes missing when you work alone.”

There is also a dedicated web application. This includes member information and their social media profiles. “That way you can ask each other questions, recommend someone else, or meet someone to work somewhere together.”

Only for women

The online portal remains closed to men. “Not because we’re so feminist. But I’ve also been involved in other business associations, and you can see that there’s a certain tension there.” The interest in each other is often not limited to the work area, he says. “And we don’t want the ‘hunting’ to interfere with the business. It’s meant for business friends.”

The meetings are mainly in Groningen and Leeuwarden. Annual membership costs 450 euros and every (female) entrepreneur can register. “At first we wanted to organize it for the Frisians and the people of Groningen, but then Drenthe heard. We then decided that everyone is welcome.” The counter now has almost a hundred entrepreneurs from seven different provinces. “And then we have to start. Isn’t that crazy?”

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