Do you dare to dream? My 10-year journey in entrepreneurship

This year marks a major milestone for me: ten years of entrepreneurship. As I reflect on this incredible journey, I’m filled with gratitude for everyone who has been part of it. But more than that, I want to share my story with you – not just to celebrate, but to inspire you to ask yourself one powerful question: “Do I dare to dream, and am I living that dream?”

How it all began

Let me take you back to May 16, 2014, a day that started with excitement and ended with life-changing clarity.

I had just bought my dream apartment in Utrecht: a loft in a converted hospital. The keys were finally in my hands, and I couldn’t wait to experience it. I spent the night there with nothing but an airbed, a bottle of wine, and a bag of crisps. It was a moment of pure pride – 42 years old, a single mom, financially independent, with a great job and amazing friends. Life was good.

But that night, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post that stopped me in my tracks. My former colleague and mentor, Aad, had passed away.

Aad was a wise and gentle soul who had once asked me a question I couldn’t shake: “Do you dare to dream, and are you living that dream?”

As I sat in my empty apartment, his words hit me harder than ever. The truth? I didn’t have an answer.

Defining the dream

In that moment, I grabbed a piece of wallpaper and started writing. What was my dream?

It poured out:

• I wanted to be an international speaker.
• I wanted to help companies become truly customer-centric.
• I wanted adventure and the freedom to see what would happen when I stepped into the unknown.

The path became clear: I would leave my corporate job as a CX leader at KPN and start a new chapter as a speaker and CX entrepreneur.

A question for you

Now, ten years later, I can tell you that daring to dream – and taking action – changed my life. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

So, let me ask you the same question Aad asked me: “Do you dare to dream, and are you living that dream?”

Take a moment to reflect. Grab a piece of paper (or wallpaper if you want ????) and write it down. What is your dream? What’s holding you back?

As a leader, your dream has the potential to inspire your team and transform your organization. So, what’s your vision for 2025? Say it out loud, write it down, and share it.

Dreams are meant to be lived

This life is yours. Don’t let it slip by without daring to dream and taking the steps to make it real. Remember, dreams do come true – but only if you give them a chance.

So, what’s your dream? And more importantly, what will you do to live it?

Until next time, keep spicing up your Customer Experience leadership.

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She’s a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person voor CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. Subscribe to her weekly CX Greetz to stay tuned.