“A meeting organised by and for women, with the purpose of making visible several successful female entrepreneurs” – this was the objective of the first Women & Success Cocktail Event which took place on April 16.
Organised by the Women & Success team, the event was hosted by Isabel Santos, co-owner of Eco-Lar Interior Design, located at Quatro Estradas, Quarteira.
The guests were welcomed outdoors, with a cocktail offered by Annelies Reugebrink’s Concept Catering, wines from Quinta João Clara, Casa do Campo and Restaurante A Quinta, and a tasting of various cheeses produced by Queijo da Villa, a manufacturer from Vilamoura.
The talk show, presented by life coach Ria van Doorn and coach and therapist Ivone Sousa, co-founders of the Women & Success project, drew attention to the successful stories and vision of four women.
The first speaker, Isabel Santos, co-owner of Eco-Lar since 1994, believes that the success of her business is closely connected to her team who have remained the same for the past 20 years. Isabel gave a positive note by saying that “this year, the interior design market is really picking up”. Her golden tip was: “Don’t be afraid to fail, be like the water; when you find an obstacle, work around it and find different courses.”
Carla Rodrigues, who is an attorney and owner of Algarpalcos – Produção e Logística de Eventos, gave her testimony of how a change of career path, guided by her interest in organising events, led to a successful business. Algarpalcos, based in Loulé, is involved in the production of major events such as the Festival Med, Noite Branca, Festas de Lisboa, International Jazz Festival and the Vale do Lobo Grand Champions.
The third speaker was Natalie Mendes. A civil engineer and owner of Zona A – Projetos de Engenharia, another Loulé-based company that works in the field of engineering projects, energy efficiency and licensing. She says that the biggest challenge her company faces is continuous adaptation to the legislation that is produced in this area.
The last speaker was Valérie Habans, owner of real estate company VH Property & Rentals, which operates in the Golden Triangle (Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Vilamoura). Valérie says she is certain that what differentiates her company from her competitors is her team and their ability to generate empathy with the clients and understanding their needs. She shared her success tip: “Trust the future, stay positive and find the right solution for your customer”.
The participants, around 200, were invited to bring a flower and make a donation in favour of AIPAR – Associação de Proteção à Rapariga e à Família (Faro). Filomena Rosa, president of AIPAR, expressed her gratitude for the €350 raised and invited those present to visit the institution, which currently supports around 200 young women of multiple nationalities, ranging from 12 to 18 years, in situation of extreme deprivation.
Women & Success organises workshops, meetings and events to stimulate women to unleash their potential, enabling them to reach and exceed their goals.
www.riavandoorn.com | www.facebook.com/womenandsuccess
Photo: Organisers of the cocktail event, from left, Isabel Santos, co-owner of Eco-Lar, Valérie Habans, owner of VH Property & Rentals, Carla Rodrigues, owner of Algarpalcos, Ria van Doorn, Awareness Coach for Life and Work, Natalie Mendes, owner of Zona A, and Ivone Sousa, owner of Lugar Seguro
