FROM DIAMONDS, TO PSYCHOTHERAPY, TO PANCAKES
Welcome to Ingrid’s story. A journey of resilience, persistence and the incredible power of self-belief and self-leadership.
The early days
Ever since her school days, Ingrid has had a special drive within her. Despite being discouraged from going to university, this setback only strengthened her resolve to succeed and complete a Masters Degree. Ultimately, Ingrid began trading in jewellery, building a successful business in her home city of Antwerp, Belgium. However, after riding the crest of a wave, her world suddenly came crashing down when she was brutally attacked at gunpoint and subsequently hospitalised from the assault. As a result of the attack, Ingrid not only had everything stolen but within a year she had lost everything – her entire business, her personal possessions, her home and ultimately her marriage. All this and still with two small children to provide for.
After a long recovery time, both physically and mentally, Ingrid changed directions and turned inwards to embark on a more reflective and spiritual journey, which led her to become a psychotherapist for 12 years.
Little did she know that her life would change directions yet again.
The pancake empire
After attending an economic conference in Den Haag, where the coming changes and shifts in Europe were discussed, the conference in turn outlined alternative safe-havens around the world – one being New Zealand. Interestingly upon returning home, New Zealand was the only country Ingrid could remember. Around this time, Ingrid’s second husband had developed an automatic pancake making machine that he was demonstrating at at trade show in Dusseldorf and met a baker from New Zealand (an interesting coincidence) who invited them to his home should they ever choose to visit. Which they did in 1999. And as they say, ‘the rest is history’, with very little grasp of the English language, Ingrid and her husband, encouraged by their baker friends suggestion decided to move to New Zealand and build a factory to produce pancakes.
With her husband heading up production, Ingrid focused on HR, sales and marketing thinking she would help for 3-6 months. 15 years later, she was the driving force of Marcels, a multi-million dollar manufacturing business which exported internationally.
Time for a change
After years of hard work, combined with travel and high level responsibilities to Marcels, Ingrid’s life took another turn, this time becoming very ill, and it was during this time that she realised that while everything looked great on the surface, she was not happy and had been working hard for all the wrong reasons. During this time, she realised that she was the one leading the company and doing everything that a CEO did but without the official title.
After assuming the mantle of CEO, Ingrid continued to work diligently and grow the business for a few more years but eventually decided that it was time to resign and finally honour her inner calling and pursue what she truly loved – helping women.
Women Beyond Ordinary
Now Ingrid is sharing what she has learned about what it means to truly lead yourself and others with women around the world, by creating a movement called Women Beyond Ordinary.
Women Beyond Ordinary is all about empowering the next generation of women through coaching and mentoring, drawing on her own life experiences, challenges and triumphs. It is a platform for women to connect, share and learn how to find and strengthen the natural leader within.
Ingrid is the personification of extreme resilience and self belief. Through both professional and personal adversity, she has drawn upon these qualities numerous times not only to overcome failure but to prevail in success. By combining her experience with meditation, visualisation and the harnessed the power of the mind, it is her hope that she can help as many women, world-wide do the same.
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