JenPEN Creative Studio: March 2016

YOB : Marijke Hoos of Evento Curacao

2:16 PM

I'm excited to share with you a new-comer to the Your Own Boss Club series on the blog. I had the pleasure to meet this lovely lady at a social media workshop they organized last year and I just went to her and asked her if she would be interested to do a little interview for my blog. She said yes and here we are with another awesome and inspirational interview. Let me introduce to you MARIJKE HOOS from EVENTO CURACAO. She's co-partner and co-founder of this event planning business. They officially exist 2 years and even though they have some great event under their name, Marijke says "they don't want to go too big to quick". Let's take a read here.

Evento Curacao, what's the idea behind the name and what is Evento Curacao all about?

We searched worldwide for names in our sector. We even thought about blending our names together, but that wasn't a right fit. One day I was talking to a Spanish speaking person and we we're discussing about events etc. and viola, light bulb appeared: EVENTO (which is event in Spanish) and we added Curacao behind it. One reason to add Curacao, was to put more emphasis that we are located on the island of Curacao and doing and organizing events on this island. Secondly there was already an Evento registered at the Chamber of Commerce.

Evento Curacao is all about organizing events on the island of Curacao. We've done a lot in the downtown neighborhood of Pietermaai District and getting more and more projects to do.

Why did you decide to start a business of your own?

You know, I was always an ambitious person. I kind of find it boring to work for a boss. I was also pretty lucky with my internships turning into steady jobs. These made it possible for me to work in the Netherlands and in England. I had a very good mentor, which I learned a lot from. I also come from an entrepreneurial family. My parents both had their own businesses. So I always had in my mind that I was going to do something on my own. Later I moved to Curacao and became a dive instructor. I moved back to the Netherlands, but I had a great love for the island, so I came back and opportunity knocked on my door and I started the event planning business. We also thought: "if it goes well, well already then. If not, well back to something else'. I'm still young and when you're young you can afford to take this kind of steps in life.

The opportunity came when Pietermaai District asked us to handle their events and social media. Pietermaai District has several restaurants and bars and they needed someone to handle it all. As they as indiviuals didn't have the time to do so their selves. So Pietermaai District is one of our biggest clients.

What are some of the high and low points of starting your own business?

High points:

When more people attend your event then what you really expected to come. Like for example; we organized for the first time a Social Media Week. We thought, if 15 people would attend we would be happy. Eventually 60 people applied and came. So it was a big success for the first time.

Or that we get the chance to work with MOJO, when they organize the International Blue Seas festival in Pietermaai District. We are responsible for the local organization from permits to working with the bars in organizing the drink/food section as well as helping with promotion on the Pietermaai District channels. It's once experience richer every time.

Low points:

In the beginning you have to invest a lot of money and time in your start up, without getting anything back. The fear kicks in when you have to pay the rent end of the month and there isn't a lot on the bank account. Of course negative thoughts creeps into your mind, but we always stayed positive. We even have expanded our team this year with all the exciting new projects coming up.

What is your greatest achievement until now?

That we have managed to put Pietermaai District on the map. It was a neighborhood with great potential but it needed attention in the marketing area. Together with the Pietermaai District members (a program we started), we have established the fact that Pietermaai District is now ON the map and a MUST visit location on Curacao. I'm also proud to say that we've got a new project to realize this December in the downtown of our island, Punda and Otrobanda. MCB Bank turned 100 years this year and we have been asked to organize their year-end celebration event. It's a huge deal and it puts a lot of pressure on us of course, however we are so excited to be the main organizer for this particular event. So if it all goes wrong, we'll be moving to another island (*laughing). But of course it won't go wrong.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I get my inspiration from other people. People give me inspiration and listening to their stories gives me energy, but we also listen to what they want. We also get our inspirations from our own interests. Like my partner Rene (and I) loves food. So we organized and hosted a food festival called "Pietermaai Proeft'. I'm very much into social media, so we organized and hosted the 'Social Media Week Curacao'. We are always looking for events that haven't happened yet on the island. We also talk to people on the island to see what they are missing. Two events are a fact on the island: Kingsday and Pagara. Because of the date change of Kingsday (Queensday turning into Kingsday) we plan to do a Kingsnight (Nacht van Oranje), like they do in the Netherlands. It's now something that will be held for the first time this year. So we are excited for that one.

By talking to people, we've learned that they wanted an event that doesn't include the "drinking" part as much. So we thought up do do a treasure hunt and our 'puzzeltocht' was born. We expected that, 8 cars or so would participate. Eventually they were 23 cars and 10 more on the waiting list. On May 1st we'll do another one this time to different parts of the island.

What advice can you give to those who would like to be part of the YOB club?

Just do it. Just go for it. Don't analyze your situation too much, but you'll need some balls. This isn't easy; otherwise everybody would have been doing it. The most important thing is to choose to do something you really love. Do it with all your heart, otherwise it would just be another boring day at work.

Thank you Marijke for your insight. I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did. Marijke is only 34 years old and she managed to achieve already a lot doing something that really makes her happy.

For more information on Evento Curacao and Pietermaai District, see below:

EVENTO CURACAO

Facebook : /eventocuracao

Website: www.eventocuracao.com

PIETERMAAI DISTRICT

Facebook: /pietermaaidistrict

Instagram: /pietermaaidistrict

Twitter: /pietermaaid

Website: www.pietermaaidistrict.com

Marijke also has an awesome traveling blog: MAHO ENROUTE .

Facebook: /mahoenroute

Instagram: /marijkehoos

Twitter: /mahoenroute

Website: www.mahoenroute.com

Photography by JenPEN Creative Studio

Project 101

Project 101 : Single Cover Art Design

12:36 AM

It's Monday once again and it has been a long time since I had the Monday Blues. It really feels good not to have those anymore. Being your own boss is scary, but as I said before it gives you a freedom to choose which projects would be a great challenge to tackle on. And I got a really awesome one a few weeks back. Beside that I'm working my behind off on a full interior design project for a brand new home, I push this little project in between. It's great to do something totally different sometimes. It challenges you to see how far your creativity can go.

So, as I said, a few weeks back I got asked by a musician, RudeBoy, which is also my awesome cousin, to do a photoshoot with him for his first solo project. He explained what he wanted and we bounced ideas of each other. The shoot is still in the planning, but after going on and on about the shoot, he asked me something totally different: he wanted me to design his cover for his new single, Soltera (which means Single). It's going to be a song about women who are single, but are independent and powerful. Each in their own right. I thought first, this guy must be insane, but I took the challenge. And might I say I really loved doing this.

Here's the final outcome:

He had something simple in mind, but was going to girly girly on me with lots of flowers and stuff. So I told him, let's try to see it from a woman perspective. Women who are single can shine a beauty within that shows the beauty of nature and still be a very strong person. And that is what I wanted to present to him with my design.

I made some drafts first, but already had a clear vision in my head what I wanted to pull together. I looked all over google for an simple image of a woman, which I would use to make this. The flower image (as double expose) was a photo I took last September on my trip in Europe.

Sorry for the collection of iPhone photos taken at night, but these were the draft version. Each time I finished one I took a picture and sent it to him. He totally loved the idea and was sold on the last one. But ofcourse, I don't own that picture of this lady, so I told him I need to take a picture of a "real" woman. So, he quickly got a girl to pose. This was all a family thing here, because this girl is also his cousin (not mine). We did a little session at my house and I made some snaps snaps.

I was so excited for the editing, that I completed the final outcome that same night. But, before that, my cousin asked me for another design. He wanted me to design his logo. He thought if I was doing one thing, I can do another. Thank God this is one of my good pals in the family otherwise I would have run away and don't look back. He was also very encouraging for me to succeed, so that was pretty awesome.

Here's the final outcome of his new logo:

I had to made a few options, where he then can change it up when he wishes on his Facebook page or else where. The first draft of the logo was so wrong in so many ways I didn't even save the draft. For the logo I had to sit and think a bit, as the logo is something will be use forever. The next day this came up in my mind and eventually on my laptop screen. These were immediately loved by him.

With other words, this was a very successful little project and I'm pretty much happy that I took this challenge. Now we'll have to plan the shoot and that concept is also totally awesome. I'm pretty excited for that one.

What do you think of the designs? I hope you love them as much as I do.

House design

Projects 101 : House Design

1:13 AM

Remember last January, I told you guys that I wanted to share more of my projects that I've done on the blog. Well, everything that I've done with my JenPEN Creative Studio will be share now under PROJECTS 101.

Today I wanted to share with you a home design I did a few years back. A young couple with two kids approached me to design their new house for them. They wanted something not bigger than 50m2. That's pretty small, but everything is possible nowadays, especially when you have furniture with double usage. What they really wanted was a big outside area for the kids to play and entertain with family and friends. Because of the size of their property (it wasn't huge), the best thing was to design a house with two levels, a downstairs and an upstairs.

So I came up with OPTION 01:

In this option I made the living room down stairs, which would also be family room for studies and all. But because of this, the children's room was way to small. I mean the kids are young now, eventually they will grow up. I wasn't keen on the idea, cause the couple told me their kids didn't need lots of space. So I made the big porch and kitchen upstairs.

I made a 3D sketch, so they can visualize the design better. They wanted to see an option with a flat roof.

They liked the above design, but wanted to see another possibility. Which was great, because I, myself, wasn't really happen with the lack of space for the kids. So, then came OPTION 02:

Here I created more space in the kid's room and made the kitchen and living room one big space upstairs. I wanted to split the upstairs with the downstairs for privacy. So, there is in this design a separate door to the downstairs area. They can now welcome friends and family to go upstairs without having to go through their private area. Making the porch a bit smaller, wasn't now no big deal. I love the idea to make the porch and living area one big space, so I put sliding doors. The area will be visual more spacious.

Once again a 3D sketch was provided for them to imagine this design better. And they totally loved this one. The porch was now also fully covered. Which was a big good thing, as we live in the Caribbean and we got sun-rays 24/7.

Eventually the project went on a hold. I mean building a completely new house and making it your home is no joke, especially if you have two kids in the game. From my experience, building a home is so much time consuming, you have no life what so ever for at least a year. But it's always fun and amazing to see the end result.

Okay guys, this was one of my projects. Hope you liked it and stay tuned for more awesome projects I've done.

inspiration

Monday Vibe

10:21 AM

inspiration

My own studio space dream

9:58 AM

I've been thinking lately very much about having my own little studio space. I love working from home, but at the same time my bed is way to close at my workspace. Just a door a way. Even though I don't tend to take naps in the afternoon during the week anymore (which i loved to do when working fulltime for someone else), my naps are strictly for the weekends. But the main reason is that I actually love going somewhere to be creative. I feel like my home is my comfort zone and I tend to be solely creative for my own home and not for somebody else. It's kind of weird, but it's true in my little head. For the time being ofcourse I'm working my behind in our home office (sharing it with the hubs). And I'm not rolling in any cash to really rent out a space, but if anybody has a small room, just sitting alone and being empty, just give me a call. Meanwhile, I'm dreaming of my studio space like this:

I would like a space that has huge lofty kind of windows, that will bring lots and lots of natural light in. That way I can make beautiful pictures with the natural light shining in. I would like a space that's in a old building or school or something in that trend. The room would have a little history and it gives the space even more character. I would like to paint it then all white. The floor also, except if it has those beautiful monumental tiles. Love those. As my budget is very low, I'm going to make a desk from an old door and paint the top white. Search in all the right and old places for a vintage or retro looking chairs. Add some new fabric on them to make them all new. I would like a wall shelving to store all my books and add some art prints and accessorizes. Add some baskets with some plants and I'm good to go.

Here are some space inspiration:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

These are all my types of work environment. Having a space outside of my home would be so awesome and I could go wild without having to worry about my husband going bananas up in our home office, because I want to keep changing things up. How about you? Do you have the same dilemma? Would you like to have an none home office? Please share in the comment section below.