Fuzia is a dynamic and robust organization that empowers women and has a community of 4.5 million people around the world, as well as 50,000 active contributors.

The goal of Four Columns is to empower women to lead balanced lives in the 21st century. Women empowerment is not a buzzword in Western society anymore. However, here are some scary statistics :

Globally, 750 million women and girls were married before the age of 18 and at least 200 million women and girls in 30 countries have undergone FGM. The rates of girls between 15-19 who are subjected to FGM  in the 30 countries where the practice is concentrated have dropped from 1 in 2 girls in 2000 to 1 in 3 girls by 2017. In 18 countries, husbands can legally prevent their wives from working; in 39 countries, daughters and sons do not have equal inheritance rights; and 49 countries lack laws protecting women from domestic violence. One in five women and girls, including 19 percent of women and girls aged 15 to 49, have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner within the last 12 months. Yet, 49 countries have no laws that specifically protect women from such violence.

Shraddha Varma and Riya Sinha are game-changers in the women empowerment landscape. They are the founders of Fuzia, which is a creative community driven by women all around the globe. The mission is not only to empower creative individuals but also to work towards women’s empowerment and gender equality.  They focus on shattering the glass ceiling, forming relationships, and creating change.

I wanted to know something unique about the founders. Shraddha Varma in all her humility says ‘Aside from being a management expert, an experienced marketer, and an ambitious entrepreneur, I’m a keen learner and a creative thinker with decent communication and leadership skills. I believe that economic freedom is necessary for women to be able to break out from patriarchal, pseudo-liberal patriarchal structures. In addition to leading Fuzia’s global marketing and operations as a Co-founder, I’m also a full-time mentor to my team in diverse cultural activities! Being a firm believer in gender equality, we have together driven a million women to represent their largest untapped talent pool! My notion is to reach out to every single woman to stay empowered in the challenging world from every minute to minute. Our organization, Fuzia intuitively influences global women to assist one another to grow, live their interests, chase their aspirations, and create their own identity, thereby promoting gender equality, feminism, and empowerment.’ 

Riya Sinha tells me ‘As an 11-year-old school student at Palo Alto High School in California, I was curiously intrigued with the intention of Fuzia for women, by Women. I’m currently in my second year at UC Berkeley, California, and work part-time for Fuzia. I’m mainly focused on initiatives like Fuzia’s public relations that is supported via television as videos and interviews with notable women and partnerships with other companies.’

Shraddha Varma talks about Fuzia and its various initiatives.

What was the motivation behind starting Fuzia? Did the success of it come as a surprise?

Fuzia sparkled up with a conviction for us to enlighten the stereotypical minds of society. Riya Sinha and I bonded over a cause of uplifting our sister women and defeating our mutual frustration at all orientations! At 11, when most of us were worrying about how our freshman year at high school would be, Riya Sinha had authored a book. Her short novel “Runaway Twins” at a local bookstore in Palo Alto destined a short fan moment when a kid came running to her and exclaimed that Riya’s book had inspired her to write and create; that she wanted to become a writer as well.

This incident laid the founding bricks of what Fuzia is today. I joined Fuzia in 2015 and am relentlessly devoted to empowering women worldwide. The small writing club, at the present, is an independent international online space for women to create and connect globally that I seamlessly manage.

We have reached significant milestones during the last five years. Over a year, we achieved 1 million users and supporters on social media. For our users, we launched a high-tech user-friendly app that marks the precise version of the Fuzia website. We have even received honors from prestigious organizations, such as the Women Economic Forum’s “Iconic Teen Entrepreneur and Innovator” award. Fuzia now has a community of 4.5 million people around the world, as well as 50,000 active contributors.

Empowering women through the fusion of cultures and ideas is your mission. Talk to me more about this?

Fuzia believes that talent shared is talent fostered, thus the outcomes are numerous campaigns and contests where women from all over the world participate and express themselves. They are also given training and employment opportunities in areas of their interests and expertise. At Fuzia, we broadly collaborate with our in-house talents and experts, including social media influencers, entrepreneurs, and inspirational women, to host interactive live sessions where women can have their questions answered and receive the training they need to launch their own businesses.

With the potential that many women possess, we ensure them to have economic assistance and opportunity in a variety of ways. Consequently, we indulge in preparing the individuals with their extraordinary skills tuned in such a way that benefits both the organization and its users financially. Our zeal of organizing a variety of interviews with strong women who share their inspiring experiences on Fuzia TV assists other global women to break free from their shells.

Empowerment is a new concept in many cultures where patriarchy, misogyny, and two levels of citizenship are hegemonic. What have been some of the challenges you have faced on the journey of Fuzia?

Fuzia as a community has always kept its focus on being a cultural organization that is gender inclusive. We strongly believe that gender inclusion is not just restricted to peripheral equality but also facilitates the breakdown of the very unconscious bias. We’ve tried and made our platform open to every individual, be it men, women, or people of other genders. Anyone who supports the cause of women empowerment, feminism, equality, and mutual support/upliftment has to be of our deciding interest. Fuzia also believes that true ‘Empowerment’ is incomplete without people of all genders supporting it. Therefore, we highly support and encourage gender inclusion, which as a concept transcends mere equality.

In North America, women are outperforming men in every area. There are more women in universities and in many careers. Do you see this happening in India?

The majority of men in India emphasize that women are befitted to being homemakers than at the workspace. They show fewer interests to encourage women who are striving to become a better version of themselves. This created a wall of hindrance for many men to participate in women’s empowerment. The patriarchal system also holds back men who care about the cause and want to empower women.

But this situation is gradually changing as we see many women breaking through barriers to live their dreams. A successful woman as a homemaker is also a multifaceted professional in every field establishing herself with ground-breaking achievements. Women have effortlessly proved to accomplish things that even men fail to do. This strong setback is emerging from both the rural and urban backgrounds embarking on the real adventure of women across her unending hurdles.

Walk me through what areas that women need to be empowered?

Women in the modern world stay super dynamic to dust off their routine starting from domestic chores to the documentation at the workplace. Many other women are silently enduring their pains as a part of their existence. Discriminations, failures, false hopes, negativities, character assassinations, and many more are dragging them to the dome of darkness. Taking this forward, Fuzia anchored firm affirmations in every woman to surpass the series of discouragements.

The Fuziaties testimonials evidenced that a larger introvert community has benefited the most from what Fuzia offers to every single woman in the world. Women empowerment needs to be focused on women’s sense of self-worth, their right to have and determine choices, and get unlimited access to opportunities and resources. More importantly, enriching their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just social and economic order, nationally and internationally.

Help me understand how men can empower women in their lives?

Fuzia believes that men can act as allies to women by showing support for the women’s empowerment movement. They can increase their share in domestic work and family responsibilities. They need to promote gender equality when fighting for women’s access to jobs, rights, and opportunities. Men need to understand and listen to the unhidden voices of women and truly give a solid secure space for them to unleash their inner potential. Genuinely appreciating their best efforts will encourage them to perform even better at home and in the workplace. We must also understand that women’s lives would be much easier with a supportive and attentive partner by accepting their scars and making women feel worthy about who they are.

Talk to me about the cities you are from? I want to know the food scene and why should one visit them? (You can take Mumbai and Delhi).

I am heading from Mumbai, a city that never sleeps and is beautifully located in the mid-western part of India. With a population of over 18 million people, Mumbai is popularly known as the “jewel in India’s crown” is a merging pot of religions, customs, food, and thriving trade. Mumbai’s cultural diversity can be reflected in the city’s gastronomic diversity, which includes street food with Muslim, Gujarati, South Indian, Parsi, and Maharashtrian influences. Dishes with these flavors, colors ,and textures burst in your tongue without breaking the bank. If you’re a foodie, you’re in luck if you’re in Mumbai because there are so many great spots to munch over street cuisine!

The other city I can’t skip bringing up is Delhi, the country’s perennially intriguing capital, that works as a magnet, drawing visitors from all over the world. The city has its distinct charm and diverse culture that encompasses all of India. The city is proud of its rich history and possesses many well-preserved historical monuments. With its vibrant and bustling marketplaces, Delhi is also a shopper’s delight. Delhi is also known as the cuisine capital of the world, with a cornucopia of delectable street food such as parathas, chaat, butter chicken, kebabs, chole bhature, biryani, nihari with a slew of contemporary eateries. One of the things that keeps the Delhi culinary scene alive is street food. Eating on the streets of Delhi is a crash course in the city’s history and culture, which is unparalleled in its richness.

The post Fuzia: Shattering the glass ceiling for women appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

I am excited to interview Nora Dunn. In 2006, Nora sold her financial planning practice in Toronto, Canada, and all her belongings to head for the adventure of a lifetime. She hit the road in early 2007, and over the next 12 years, traveled slowly through over 60 countries and five continents. Through these travel experiences, she learned that full-time travel doesn’t have to cost as much as we would suspect. Nora volunteered in trade for free accommodation – and stayed in some pretty damn nice places.  In fact, through these adventures, she coined the term financially sustainable travel. It’s not about budget travel, nor is it about being environmentally sustainable. It’s about making money successfully, spending money smartly, and managing it wisely – all in the arena of lifestyle travel. These three pillars form the foundation of this website. She is the original travel blogger before the industry was even formed. She has appeared in every magazine and website that is out there.

Nora, I love your blog as I love traveling, so tell me a little about you?

Thanks, Jerry! I love traveling too; so much so, in fact, that I decided to make it a lifestyle. In 2006, I sold everything I owned (including a busy financial planning practice) to embrace a life-long dream of “cracking the code” of various countries and cultures around the world; something I realized wasn’t possible with limited-duration vacations. I hit the road in early 2007 and traveled full-time for 12 years. I now have a home base in Toronto Canada, and I continue to travel for about half of each year.

How did the idea of Professional Hobo come about? What is it all about? What is unique about it? Who is your audience and why should we read it?

When I first started traveling full-time, I didn’t yet have a career as a digital content publisher (ie: travel writer, blogger, vlogger, and online jack of many trades). My initial adventures included taking the train across Canada and then spending a few months with some extended family in Edmonton. While there, I attended some local Rotary meetings (I’m a long-standing Rotarian and love attending Rotary meetings while I travel to meet locals I’d otherwise never meet, and Rotary became quite instrumental in future years when I was affected by some natural disasters….long story). But having sold everything and quit my career, I didn’t know how to answer the inevitable question of “what do you do?”. As a way of making fun of my proverbial homelessness and wanting to add a professional edge to it, I said: “I’m a Professional Hobo”. It stuck!

While blogging wasn’t an official industry at the time (blogs were still considered online journals), I had a blog for personal reasons, and thus named it The Professional Hobo. As the years progressed and my website developed, the name The Professional Hobo became more and more apt for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the overarching theme of the site is How to Travel Full-Time in a Financially Sustainable Way  – ie: how to be a professional homeless person!

My audience includes people who are interested in long-term or full-time travel and want to know the logistics of how to do it (from packing your bags to arranging your finances and more), as well as armchair adventurers who enjoy my (at times brutally) honest accounts of life on the road and cultural explorations.

Everyone I know is becoming a travel blogger. You have been doing this for more than a decade. Is it really a glam job or a lot of work?

My initial instinct, when asked this question, is to rail on about how travel blogging isn’t anywhere near as glamorous as it may seem. But let’s get it right – it allows me to travel the world full-time, and I sometimes get some amazing travel experiences for free in exchange for writing about them.

That said, in my experience, the biggest misconception about travel blogging is that it’s easy. Instant fame. Full-time vacation. SO wrong!

I regularly get emails from people who plan to take big trips and want to start a travel blog so they can get sponsorships and travel for free. In many cases, these people are emailing me as little as a few weeks in advance of their departure. I find it insulting that people think it’s that easy because it debases all the hard work – the years of blood, sweat, and tears – that I’ve poured into my online business.

Travel blogging is not easy. It takes months (if not years) of full-time hours with little to no pay to set up a website, optimize it, develop content, publish it, market it, etc, etc, etc. I’m considered a “pioneer” in the travel blog industry because there was no such industry when I started blogging. Today, a new travel blog is born every 38 seconds, so the competition is fierce. If you think the world is going to flock to your website and travel providers are going to give you stuff for free simply because you have a little online real estate, think again. Blogging is a bonafide business, requiring a diverse set of skills, an equal balance of passion and business sense, and a ton of work.

I was made all the more aware of how difficult working online, in general, can be when a friend decided to start an online business…..and failed miserably. The “X-factor” that not everybody considers when getting into a digital nomad lifestyle is that it requires a heroic dose of self-discipline. Not everybody has what it takes to sit down in front of a computer and work without a clock to punch, much less with some delightful new destination on the front doorstep waiting to be discovered.

This brings me to the last misconception about travel blogging and lifestyle travel as a digital nomad; it’s not a vacation. I work full-time, regardless of my location. Thus, if I spend two weeks at a destination, I’m going to see a whole lot less than somebody who is there on vacation for the same two weeks, touring around daily. This is one (of many) reasons why slow travel is the way to go when considering travel as a full-time lifestyle; the pace is completely different.

I have been dying to ask you this but does it get lonely on the road. You also talk about finding love on the road…walk me through that experience?

I’ve had a pretty kaleidoscopic collection of travel experiences in terms of the company I’ve kept. I traveled with long and short-term romantic partners, friends, tv crews, and a whole lotta time solo too.

While it’s natural to be concerned about loneliness on the road, it’s really not an issue. I mean, it depends on your travel style and also your personality, but on the whole, I’ve found that it’s actually easier to meet people on the road as a solo traveler than as part of a couple.

As for love on the road, well, I’ll let you read all about my romantic experiences here.

Honestly, can one make a living being a full-time travel blogger? What are the challenges? I Like that you are transparent by posting your annual income.

The short answer is yes, you can make a living as a full-time travel blogger. The reality is that not everybody has (or rather, understands) what it takes. While technically anybody can do it (if they’re willing to learn and practice the skills required), not everybody is suited for it. I’d make a really bad car mechanic, even if I went to school for it; my brain just doesn’t work in mechanical and special ways that are required for the job. The same goes for blogging; aside from the fundamental requirement of being a half-decent writer, you also need marketing, SEO, publishing, and other skill sets. It’s just not everybody’s forte.

Challenges to travel blogging as a career include the requirement for self-motivation, managing work-life balance (consistently my biggest struggle), adapting to a volatile and ever-changing industry, and dealing with a huge amount of competition. Many of these are the same challenges that any entrepreneur would face.

I publish my annual income and expense reports because when I started tracking my expenses I surprised even myself at how inexpensive full-time travel can be. I wanted to show the world that it can actually cost less to travel full-time than to live in one place! And then I wanted to show the world with my income reports that it’s possible to earn enough money online to support the lifestyle. I coined the term “financially sustainable travel” not as a synonym to “budget travel”, but rather as an open-ended equation that requires earning money successfully, spending it wisely, and balancing these two aspects so you can travel as long as you wish.

I have some colleagues who earn seven figures a year; their full-time travel lifestyle will look very different from other colleagues who are earning in the low five-figure range. Regardless of income and expenses, if you are spending within your means, you’re traveling in a financially sustainable way. It’s all about choice.

Name me some safe countries for women traveling alone? Also, give my female audience some advice on things to do and not to do?

This is a really subjective question. I’m relatively brave in terms of traveling alone as a woman, and yet, there are places I’d be nervous to visit alone. For example, I’m not big on going to countries where women’s rights are virtually non-existent (which includes, to my own surprise, Morocco). And yet, I have plenty of female friends who have gone there solo and loved it.

I’m also not a big fan of going solo to places where I’m an overtly visible minority. And yet, I visited places like India and Sri Lanka, lived in the Caribbean for two years, and lived in Peru for two years; in all those places (and many more) I stood out like a sore thumb.

So, rather than name specifically safe countries or unsafe countries for solo female travel, I’d rather suggest that women go where they’re comfortable going. As you garner travel experience, you’ll likely get braver and braver about where you’re willing to go. If you really want to visit a destination but are worried about doing it alone, then book yourself on a tour. You’ll get a whole set of experiences you wouldn’t likely have the chance to have if you were on your own, and it’s easy and enjoyable to be with a group.

We have a lot in common but you also were in the financial services industry. I am sure that has helped you with budgeting and staying within your income.

Absolutely; my inner financial planner is always there, balancing the books. But there are lots of tools available to help people who aren’t as financially literate as I am. It takes work, and a willingness to evaluate your circumstances and make changes as necessary. Not everybody is willing to critically evaluate their financial situation and make decisions accordingly. I’ve known more than one travel companion who simply ran out of money on the road because they weren’t willing to make the spending sacrifices required for their situation.

It probably also helps that I’m a minimalist and frugal, possibly to a fault. It’s a throwback to my “starving artist” days when I was a professional actor/singer/dancer. Knowing how to get by on very little money is a skill that serves me well. Though it frustrates some people around me when I deliberate ad nauseam before making large purchases, even when I can afford it. Old habits die hard!

You are in every newspaper and channel. What are some plans and goals for 2020?

That’s a great question. I have a few exciting things in store for 2020, including expanding my speaking opportunities; I’m regularly asked to speak at travel and financial conferences, and I’m developing content for broader audiences as well. I also have designs on writing a book (or three), and I’m always ready for another tv producer to invite me to host a show (I’ve filmed a few tv shows in my years on the road, and in a former life I used to work in the tv industry as a producer and host).

There are other possibilities on my radar, but I’ll keep them to myself until they develop further.

If I had a choice, I would send you to Mars on the mission. Name me something you want to take with you and why?

Gosh. I’m often asked what items I insist on traveling with, but that assumes I’m still on planet Earth! (My zero-waste kit is an example of something that I always have whenever I leave the house). But Mars is another matter. I dunno. Any answer I can think of sounds boring. Like, it’s a long trip. I’ll want a notebook so I can record my experiences, and some books loaded onto my Kindle for the long journey. See? Boring. Perhaps this is the dark side of my being so utterly practical. Haha!

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An important quote to empower your daughter by Amy Tenney.

‘The world needs strong women. Women who will lift and build others, who will love and be loved. Women who live bravely, bother tender and fierce. Women of indomitable will.’

Jean had been accepted as an intern for 8 weeks in a nonprofit in another city. It was the first day of her work and I was dropping her off at the train station. It was a two-hour ride to another city. She would work from Tuesday to Saturday and be living with someone.

My heart was in my mouth. As I came back to the car, my wife was crying. She was scared.

Jean was confident, excited, and looking forward to this new adventure. She is only 17.

It is 2021. There is a tectonic shift away from patriarchy. Women are detaching themselves from stereotypes and creating their own unique path to success, happiness, and existence on their terms. The question I have for parents. Are you ready to support and empower your daughter as she navigates the 21^st century?

Here I lay down some words of advice on how we can empower our daughters, build confidence, create healthy self-esteem and cultivate motivation. An empowered daughter is secure in herself, takes action, makes positive choices about her life, and does positive things for other people. She thinks critically about her environment, expresses her feelings, and acknowledges the feeling of others.

I want Jean to be unique, self-reliant, fearless, and confident that she can achieve whatever she sets her mind to. Remember your daughter is barraged by the media that is all about her looks and weight. This negative message is a hindrance to her achieving her destiny. The stimuli damage their self-esteem and make them feel inadequate. As a parent, you need to compliment her ethics, values, morals, ideals, and talents not just looks.

‘Character. Intelligence. Strength. Style. That makes beauty.’ – Diane Von Furstenberg

Empower your daughter by loving her unconditionally

I love Jean unconditionally. I give her hugs and am affectionate toward her. I always tell her ‘I love you.’ Since the beginning, I have always made time for her. I went to her graduation, dance practices, volleyball games, and date nights. We always spend quality time playing games, watching movies, and talking. One area where I needed to get better was talking to her rather than lecturing her. It is important for parents to love their daughters unconditionally and not based on performance.

Be authentic and vulnerable with her

Try being human, real, vulnerable, and authentic around your daughter. Humans make mistakes. Admit your own weaknesses and mistakes. Communicate what you learned from those mistakes. Your daughter will make mistakes. Let her know it is part of life.

Stick to your promises

Never say you will be somewhere or take her somewhere if you will not be there. Just be open and direct about your schedule. It will help her not be disappointed.

Empower your daughter with encouragement and less discipline

Discipline is important. However, it needs to be done with love, encouragement, and focus on the outcome of discipline. If your daughter is always late or is not telling the truth, then you need to deal with it. Talk openly about how you overcame obstacles and challenges and how it was the discipline that got you through. Talk about her being late is a lack of respect for other people and how her actions impact other people.

Do not live your life through your daughter

Your daughter is unique. She was born at a different time. The biggest mistake you can make is living your life and dreams through her. This will create bitterness and anger in her. You have to find out what she is passionate about. Match her skills, and strengths with her activities. The biggest gift you can give your daughter is to allow her to be herself. It was important for her to make constructive choices about her life.

I love soccer and swimming and wanted Jean to do that. At age 4 she said she loves art and dancing. She has been doing that for thirteen years. She has thrived in expressing herself.

Do not shove your culture down her throat

If you were born in another country, it is important that you appreciate why you moved and the positive aspects of the new country. Introduce your culture to her, but also let her embrace the new culture also.

Empower your daughter by asking for her opinion

‘No one can make you feel inferior without your consent’ – Eleanor Roosevelt

As your daughter becomes a teenager she will become aware of herself, her feeling, and her thoughts. She is wired to communicate. It is a season of so much physical and emotional change surrounded by social media. It is a delicate time of being insecure. Talk to her about her opinions on different issues and listen to understand.

Help her to have healthy boundaries

I told Jean early on that she does not have to be liked by everyone or become the most popular only to lose herself. She needs to be aware of her feelings, emotions and not agree to something that goes against her ethics and moral values. This is very important otherwise you are setting her up to be codependent.

She needs to move past her comfort zone

‘I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story. I will.’ – Amy Schumer

In order for your daughter to grow, she needs to get out of her comfort zone. She should be encouraged to take risks and follow her passions. We can learn a lot from them.

She needs to be exposed to strong female role models

One of the things I did like about the internship was that not only was she working with women from Montreal and Paris but she would be trained by women from Hamilton, Ottawa, Newmarket, Halifax, and from the States. She saw female leaders in action. She participated in many activities where she was valued and it increased her sense of self and confidence.

Identify values that are important to the family

Jean knows that it is important to have meals together, spend quality time together, and also have times where we sit and talk. She knows our family values.

Travel with her

I have taken Jean to Cuba, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama Canal, Belize, Honduras, New York, Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa, and Frankfurt. The exposure is great for her as she sees different cultures, food, and ways of doing things. It opens her mind.

Volunteer as a family

‘People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But, people will never forget how you made them feel.’ – Maya Angelou

Jean has volunteered with me in Cuba in visiting schools and homes. In Toronto, she helped me greet people for a non-profit center. This is bonding time to show her that there is more to life than social media and that a lot of good can come out of volunteering.

Do not solve her problems

The goal is to create an independent, empowered woman and not a co-dependant. Your daughter needs to solve her own problems and issues. This will help her develop coping skills and strategies to deal with situations in life. There may be times when you disagree with your daughter but it gives her a sense of control and she needs to take responsibility for her decisions.

It is ok to disagree

‘The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.’ – Albert Einstein

When you raise an independent, empowered girl, it also means you have to live with her. She has to stand up for herself and learn how to do it in the future. She needs to stick with her convictions and not be a people or crowd-pleaser.

Know the difference between glamour sex and healthy sex

At some point, you have to talk to your daughter about sex. She needs to be aware of it. Also, the difference between sex in the media and in real life. She needs to know the difference between sex in the movies and what sex is in a loving caring relationship with emotions, feelings, intimacy, and unconditional love.

Help her to appreciate food

It is important to give your daughter fresh and healthy food. She will appreciate fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, salads, fresh meats, and dairy. Keep fast and processed food away from her.

The importance of money

You do not want your daughter to go to college or university and have no clue about money. From an early age, I taught Jean what is debit and credit. I taught her how money works. A few months back, she sat down with my financial adviser at the bank who gave her the basics of a savings account, checking account, mutual funds, credit card, and how to save money. Your daughter needs to respect money.

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I admire stay-at-home-moms. They have one of the most important jobs in the world. William Wallace, in his famous poem, talks about the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. Do we give enough credit to stay-at-home moms?  Do we give enough credit to moms? T.D. Jake talks about the influence a mother has on her child. She understands her child’s language and sets the garden for the child to grow, flourish, and become empowered.

Charlotte Petit Noble is a business coach, blogger, and podcaster. She is on a mission to empower stay-at-home moms to start and grow a profitable online business in 90 days or less with ease, clarity, and confidence without sacrificing their uniqueness and family life in the process. I like a lot of things that Charlotte stands for in her personal and professional life. I ask her a little about herself and the qualities one needs to be an entrepreneur.

Charlotte, please explain when you say ‘I promote simple and intentional living, working with passion’?

Less is more. For a long time, I made things complicated in my life, but since I came to the U.S. ten years ago, I decided to explore another way of living: simple and more intentional. I stopped comparing myself to others and became more mindful of my thoughts and actions. I always believed in the power of my mind, and that the Universe has my back, but I really never uncovered the ins and outs until I came to the U.S. and had no other choice. My slate was clean, and no one knew me yet. I chose to make the most of it.

In a way, my subconscious prepared me to become a mom someday.

When you become a mom, you have no more time for fluff. Suddenly, time accelerates, and you realize that life is short. Too short to waste your time and energy on things that do not serve your body, mind, and soul. My way of overcoming the fear of missing out with my family and my business, toward my goals. Living with passion allows me to be present and avoid all distractions that a highly connected mom has during one day.

I set boundaries and I keep my promises to others but, most importantly to myself.

Parisian food is important to you. Talk to me about food in your family?

Believe it or not, food has never been a big concern of mine. But what’s true is that I make the time to choose and cook products that will make my family healthy, energized, and happy.

I cook a little bit pretty much every day; I like fresh products. COVID-19 makes it challenging to go grocery shopping every two days, but we found a way that works for us. On Friday, my husband goes to the store, and I cook during the weekend for the rest of the week. I batch so I can keep things under control during the weekdays when I have less time to do so.

I am not a typical French in the sense that I don’t eat cheese, no meat either, and no bread at all. My husband and son do, though, and I am happy to cook for them.

Was moving to LA challenging? What do you like about LA?

I love challenges. When we moved to LA 10 years ago, I did not speak English at all. It was enough of a challenge for me to accept to follow my husband.

I had to quit my corporate job, but that was easy as I felt like I could not grow anymore there.

My plan was to learn English and look for another corporate job that will satisfy my ambition. Nothing happened the way I planned, although I did learn English and fell in love with the language. I did not even think that I could love English that much.

The biggest challenge came right after I knew how to speak English: the job hunt! See I had a wife visa that did not allow me to be hired. Bummer! So I fight. I fight to be hired and find the company that will give me a visa. The Universe had other plans for me, and I followed them.

I became my own boss and started an online business. I freelanced a lot at first. Then I build several businesses. I even went back to school and became a hairstylist. I had big successes and huge failures. I am grateful for all of them because I would not be where I am, who I am, and with who I am without all these experiences.

I see the family is important to you. I want to know about your family and what are some of the important things to keep family together and engaged?

I have known my husband for the past 19 years. We met when I was 16. We have been married for the past 8 years and had our first baby last year in 2019. I said “first baby” because we want more.

Since we met, our love for each other has never stopped growing. It is exponential. We are good people in general, but together we are great. We are a great team that keeps expanding.

One of the things I think keeps us together is that we don’t talk about our work. We support each other when needed. We celebrate our successes. We respect each other decisions, but when we are together, we choose to leave the work hassle out of the house.

We decide to be together to be present for one another. Work is work and when we are together we make the most of it.

I am the one who brings everyone together at home. I am pretty darn proud of it. I am the number one support for our son during the weekdays, which allows me to watch him grow, and that’s the most awesome show I’ve ever watched.

Routines are a big part of our life. I believe I could not do it all without our rituals. It’s like dancing around our life. Routine makes it simpler and easier for us to enjoy each other presence.

I am a big believer in empowering women with their finances. Talk to me a little about this concept?

Absolutely agree with your statement. I believe most women have limiting beliefs and blocks when it comes to money. Depending on your education, there are still beliefs that hold women back from making the money they deserve.

Money and finances are a big part of how we, as women, feel about ourselves. It has a huge impact on our ability to feel confident and overcome the imposter syndrome that holds most of us back to accomplish more and earn more.

Money has become the number one way for most of us to feel recognized.

Owning a business involves work. What are some of the qualities one should have to be successful in online business?

Flexibility is my number one tip. Chaos will happen, no matter what. Controlling what we can’t control is a huge mistake. It drains our energy down, and it makes us unhappy. The only way out of it is to go with the flow and enjoy the process along the way. We all come from the same place, and we all go to the same destination.

Time-management is my number two, and even more when you are a mom. That’s one of my favorite topics. I believe that you don’t need to work crazy hours to build a successful business, and I want all moms to know it. Anything is possible with a little organization, dedication, and of course, passion.

Last but not least, focus. Celebrate others’ successes, but keep moving forward toward your own goals. It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon. Your uniqueness makes the road you take unique. Get inspired by others, but never compare your pace and successes to others. This will save you time, energy, and headaches.

How has marriage and motherhood changed your life?

Totally for the best. I am becoming my best version, thanks to my marriage and motherhood. I explore new awesome things in my life, thanks to my husband and my son.

Love has become exponential and life has been much more fun and interesting since marriage and motherhood happened.

My marriage and motherhood have made me complete. It is not just about me anymore. It’s about finding harmony, dancing under the rain, and loving being wet.

It is messy and chaotic sometimes but I love our mess and chaos. Overall that’s my best way to live my life.

I want to know how you define woman empowerment?

To me, woman empowerment is allowing every woman on Earth to live their life fully. It’s to allow them to be themselves and follow their wildest dreams knowing that anything is possible. Women are resourceful, and they need to know and embrace their superpower.

The post Empowering Stay-at-Home Moms appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Amarilla Nirmala is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Whizz of WeDO5, based in Vienna, Austria. WeDO5 believes in the power of women, especially women who want to make a difference. The focus is on female-led impact start-ups, that not only create businesses that make money but also push the status quo to be more ethical, transparent, and create equal opportunities. They support female entrepreneurs, who are driven to establish long-term business solutions.

WeDO5 contributes to the value chain in the start-up ecosystem through community building. They are the first yes for early-stage Startup-founders and offer support from idea generation to conception until growth and internationalization.

Amarilla has years of experience in executing and developing marketing strategies in the UK and Dubai. I am a big believer in start-ups. It is small businesses that are the growth engine of the economy and that create jobs. I talk to Amy about her life in Vienna and what she wants her legacy to be with female entrepreneurs.

Amy welcome, I want to know a little about you?

Hi, I am Amy; I am an Indonesian living in Austria. I have lived in 4 different countries in the past 12 years. I have 2 kids, and currently am a social entrepreneur. I have several businesses that focus on giving back to the community as a business model. I love cooking, gardening, paddling, and in my spare time, I love to play a tourist in my own city.

Talk to me about your social entrepreneurship and what WeDO5 is all about?

WeDO5 is the new name of KulturenReich (German words for Culturally Rich). We started as a social initiative focusing on immigrant women and Austrian women with migrant backgrounds. Austria is a rich country. Vienna has won the #1 city with the best living quality for several years in a row. However, for many foreigners, they find difficulties in starting their professional life again upon residing in the city. Most of them spend years to fully integrate, mostly because of language capability, and tight competition.

KulturenReich focused on empowering foreign-born women to be professionally successful and financially independent, through various activities such as workshops, focus groups,  and on the job training.

In 2020 we changed our name from KulturenReich to WeDO5, the number 5 stands for the fifth point of SDG by the UN, gender equality. We are now focusing on women impact entrepreneurs, those who aren’t only making money but also giving back to the community.

Help me understand mental health and your group Sahabat Jiwa?

Sahabat Jiwa (means soulmate in Indonesian), is a project that basically started in 2013 by my partner Anya. In 2019 I joined the organization as I believe I need also to give back to Indonesia, my home country. Mental health is a sensitive issue where people with problems receive stigma and often they also don’t realize they have issues. We provide literacy about it, and free consultation for young adult Indonesian people with mostly SES C- and below. The consultants are professionals with license, so even though free of charge but it is reliable. However, we do not accept life-threatening or emergency cases.

I want to know a little about the city you live in, the food and the culture?

I’ve been living (again) in Vienna since 2017. I came here in 2011, but moved to different countries in 2013, came back here in the middle of 2017, and found out the city has been changing quite fast!

Vienna is a classical city with beautiful landmarks and parks everywhere. The size isn’t big but very convenient as many things are easily reachable by public transportation.

What I like about the food here is that we have high standards, from eggs till meat, vegetables till desserts!

We try to buy our food from organic farms, and meat from local Austria as it provides certain standards and quality. We are quite concerned about where we get our food from. Things like how the animals slaughtered, how the chicken that produces eggs, what kind of banana we have, how sustainable the honey is, etc. And I must say that many people here are also thinking the same.

What does women empowerment mean to you and how is the modern Indonesian woman different from a few decades ago?

When people think about Indonesia, they think about the exotic paradise Bali, and it is a Muslim country. The fact is, Indonesia has the biggest Muslim population, but we aren’t a Muslim country. Since I was a child, I grew up reading some powerful and inspiring Indonesian women, such as Christina Martha Tiahahu from Moluccas province, or Cut Nyak Dien from Aceh province who bravely led an army to fight colonialism.

My mother, she was also a career woman, independent but also a loving mother. She worked in a British bank with high responsibility, oftentimes she came home late. But in the morning she was the first who wakes up, prepared stuff for my father and us, the kids. She didn’t have a me-time at all, because she spent her time caring for others.

This isn’t bad but she should have taken good care of her life too! So if we are talking about empowerment in Indonesia, it isn’t about women not getting an education or being forced to marry at a young age (although this is also still some cases in several provinces), but moreover about less judgment to women. Let them choose what they feel right. We still expect women to perfectly manage all aspects of their lives. People still expect women to do everything from cleaning the house and raising the child. Household responsibility needs to be shared. People need to be less judgmental to women who are still single.

Tell me a little about your role as a mentor in micro-entrepreneurs?

Currently, I am also active in Micro Mentor; I am giving free mentorship for micro-entrepreneurs in Indonesia.

My current mentee is an Elementary school teacher who produces brown sugar with low glycemic as an alternative for diabetes people.
I am giving guidance on how he should market his product, from marketing strategy to basic branding knowledge. We have 12 sessions, 1.5 hours per week.

You have a Masters in Design & Brand Management. Are you using it presently?

Yes! It has helped me helping female entrepreneurs market themselves.

How has social media changed your country and life in general?

My private Instagram is basically about things I find amusing. It can be a beautiful pic of Vienna, my plants, everything.

But currently, I am using Quora Indonesia to also share my knowledge about branding and marketing, giving advice and some simple steps about career and education. I believe social media is a powerful tool we can utilize for anything. Selling your products? Creating your professional persona? Building your company’s image? Or getting your 15-minute fame as Andy Warhol said last time.

It all depends on us; we just need to be careful about what kind of image we’d like to be remembered.

For me, my focus in life is about legacy. Surely I won’t win a Nobel prize, but I still can help some women who start their small business, I still can inspire young Indonesian people to decide their career path better, and also making good memories with my kids

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