We recently interviewed Loes Daniels, one of the top 100 young self-made millionaires in the Netherlands. She is the founder of award-winning Experiencegift, the parent company of Hotelgift, Flightgift, and Activitygift. She provides some bite-sized insights on ambition, success, and bravery.
Q&A with Loes Daniels
1. What inspired you to start Experiencegift?
Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a successful businesswoman. I had no clue what it meant or what was involved, but I loved the idea of working on challenging cases with intelligent people, climbing the career ladder, traveling, fancy dinners, and nice clothes.
Throughout my studies, I always had this goal in the back of my mind and worked on becoming a successful businesswoman. During high school, I completed courses in mathematics and economics, I studied International Business Administration in Rotterdam and did my master’s in Finance and Investments. After my studies, I began working as a management consultant at Deloitte and EY, the perfect start to learn how business works.
In 2013, I was inspired to start Hotelgift, a gift card for hotels all over the world. I wanted to give a relative a weekend trip to London at a hotel and date of her choice, giving the recipient full flexibility. At the time, this didn’t exist. In The Netherlands, you only had local players with many restrictions (e.g., a few hotels to choose from and mandatory dinner at the hotel). I thought, this can be done better. From day 1, I wanted to make it a big, scalable, and international platform. Therefore, we started with an English website and a global hotel offering. In 2017, we also launched Flightgift, a gift card for flights from all major airlines, and in 2019, Activitygift, a gift card for tourist attractions all over the world. Nowadays, our websites live in 5 languages, 15 currencies, and we sell our gift cards in over 50+ countries.
We’ve grown very rapidly over the past years, and it’s our goal to continue growing at this fast pace to build a unicorn company.
2. What is the bravest thing you’ve done professionally?
The bravest thing I did professionally was leave my secure job at EY to become a full-time entrepreneur at Hotelgift. At EY, I was making a good salary with a clear career path, and excellent benefits. It was a very comfortable position, but the dream of building my own business was there as well. For months, I essentially worked two full-time jobs to get Hotelgift off the ground. There were so many moments of doubt – would this business succeed? Could I support myself financially? Ultimately, the belief in its potential outweighed the fear. Quitting EY was a leap of faith, but it proved to be the best decision I’ve ever made.
3. What is a non-negotiable in your routine that keeps you focused?
Sleep is non-negotiable in my routine. As a female entrepreneur and mom, I wear many hats and face constant demands. Prioritizing sleep allows me to function at my best in most aspects of my life. It allows me to make better decisions and tackle challenges with a clear head. In addition, a good night’s sleep is key for my resilience. Running a business can be stressful and adequate sleep helps me to bounce back from setbacks.
4. What has been your biggest challenge while on this journey?
Besides the daily challenges, there have been two biggest challenges while on this journey. The first challenge was the COVID-19 pandemic, the biggest crisis in the travel industry since World War II. All gift card recipients book their travel (flights, hotels, activities) via our platforms, and suddenly countries closed borders, flights were canceled, hotels closed and a lot of customers didn’t want to travel anymore. We had to reschedule many travel plans, had a huge customer service backlog, worked on cases we never experienced before, and didn’t sell many gift cards from one day to the next – it was unpredictable. Fortunately, Experiencegift navigated this period by strategically reducing marketing costs and focusing on system improvements.
The second challenge was becoming a mom. While it’s been the most beautiful and life-changing event, it’s also presented its own set of medical challenges. Combining this with running a business is not easy and there is no perfect balance, but I’m trying to do both as well as possible.
5. What advice would you give to other businesswomen or female entrepreneurs?
Think big and stay focused. Set ambitious goals for your business. Project where you want to be in 3 years and create a roadmap to get there. Break down your goals into yearly and then quarterly milestones to ensure you’re on track. Set priorities and avoid distractions that don’t directly contribute to your long-term vision. Consistent, focused action on small steps will propel you toward achieving your goals.
6. How do you define success?
I define success as creating something that’s bigger than myself. It’s about building a company with a strong team and a lasting legacy. Success also encompasses meeting my personal goals. My most important goal is to create a loving family and spend quality time with them. In addition, it’s about achieving the financial security to live the life I want, while also having the flexibility and freedom to pursue my passions outside of work.
7. What is the next project or goal you would like to work on?
I’m currently working on a new project called Traingift. It’s a gift card specifically designed for train travel across Europe, with the ultimate goal of expanding it worldwide. It allows giving someone the gift of scenic train journeys, exploring new cultures, while making a more sustainable travel choice. A win-win for the recipient and the environment.
8. What is your favorite book or podcast?
One of my favorite books includes Atomic Habits by James Clear. I’ve been using his habit-building framework to improve my focus and productivity. I also loved the book Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. It’s helped me to be more open in my communication with colleagues.
Follow Loes Daniels on Instagram to learn more about her inspiring journey.
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