Tell us what you’d like us to know about yourself:
My name is Madelène, and I live in Zandvoort in The Netherlands. I am a mother of two kids, a son and a daughter. I always have been a hard worker with many ideas and a bit of restlessness in my character. I feel like I’m currently going through a fundamental transformation. As is the whole world. Not only am I feeling the first signs of menopause, but mentally I have made a significant shift.
Some things are just not that important anymore. In contrast, other things like doing something that really matters to other people now seem way more important. I have always felt the need for a big and passionate life. I would love to inspire people to be less judgemental. Teach people not to have such strong opinions on others and make blindspots that we all have more visible. Walk a mile in somebody else’s shoes… And to just love each other, I refuse to let us be divided. We are all one. Please remember that people! I am a feminist and have been very active in empowering women, both in work, as a speaker, and in my private life.
Tell us about your work?
I always call myself the ‘Business Hippie.’ I do like to earn money and make a profit, but I have planet and people first. I have been an entrepreneur for a long time, 20 years already; I have an event management company that I had to dismantle more or less due to corona. I wanted to make some changes in my career already, and now the pandemic has decided it for me. So currently, I am working on new initiatives and am finding out what more I want to do. I do like to do various things to have multiple ambitions. Some small, some big. Some people call it a lack of focus; I just call it the neverending will to develop and grow, both in my personality and knowledge.
In the part of my company called ‘Moving Women,’ I speak/spoke about topics such as:
Why are women’s sports always undervalued and paid?
Why are ‘women’s jobs’ poorly paid?
What is hidden or unconscious sexism?
How to make it visible?
I organized a lot of events for female entrepreneur clubs such as United Succes and Sisterhood in Business. Together with some female colleagues in events, we started ‘Krachtcentrale’ in 2013. Even in the events business, where you work with primary women, the women were a lot more invisible than in management roles. We wanted to have a positive movement for both men and women that made this more visible. Unfortunately, I did less with these topics since the pandemic and will not continue ‘Moving Women.‘
What can you tell us about love, marriage, and motherhood?
I am currently in a divorce, so this is not an easy question for me. I do really love to love and love intensely when I do. I never really saw the importance of marriage, nor have I felt the need to get married, but I did it anyway at 42, and I regret it. Maybe having one partner for life is a bit overrated?
I became a mother relatively late, at 37 and 41. I love my kids a lot, but I do not always find motherhood easy. A big taboo in my experience, because you should feel lucky if you have kids, or that is what they say. But it takes a lot of work, sacrifice, and patience… especially with a special needs kid. A lot. As a woman, you don’t really know what you are signing up for untill you are in the midst of it all, right?
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Another difficult question. I thought about this one a lot. I do believe that being a free spirit is my most outstanding achievement so far…. I think I am still working on it.
What’s on your nightstand?
8 Hour cream from Elizabeth Arden, Lube, and the book ‘women who run with the wolves’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Since I am working on being more in touch with my wild and feminine side… this book is the bible on the archetype of wild women. Not easy to read, but very insightful on why the world is so scared of our power, sexual energy, and sacred magic in creating life.
Within every woman, there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing. Her name is Wild Woman, but she is an endangered species. The gifts of wildish nature come to us at birth; society’s attempt to ‘civilize’ us into rigid roles has plundered this treasure and muffled deep, life-giving messages of our own souls. Without Wild Woman, we become ever domesticated, fearful, uncreative, trapped.
What would you say is the best and the worst thing about becoming an older woman?
The best thing is being less insecure and not so worried about what others think of you! I still have some insecurities (don’t we all), but a lot less than when I was younger. I sometimes wrestle with getting older. I find it difficult to let go of the ‘young beauty standard’ and embrace the new phase I enter. I love that we have movements like ‘AndBloom’ to make older women more visible. The funny thing is, I do not feel like an ‘older woman’ I feel like you are talking to my grandmother, haha. But that too you only realize when getting older. When you are young, you think you really change growing up, but the funny thing is you do not.
What makes you happy?
Walking on the beach, making love, spending time with friends and family, yoga, reading, working.
Latest Google search.
When does the pet shop open in Zandvoort, my daughter wants to have a mouse?
Favorite thing to do when no one is around?
I love spending time by myself since I get so little of it! I like to read, do yoga, listen to disco, funk and soul music, or Dolly Parton. She has been my absolute idol and role model for 45 years! I like to take long walks on the beach and through the dunes by myself. Or just sit on the couch and do nothing… scrolling on Instagram.
What is your age, and how old do you feel?
I am 50, but I think I feel like being around 39? Although I remember that at 44, I suddenly felt older. My body changed a bit, gained some belly fat, and lost some waist overnight, haha.
Meet Madelene on Instagram
She’s wearing a Anine Bing sweater, collar by Essentiel Antwerp and pants by Gant.
Styled by Dayenne Bekker.
Makeup by Nataly Vasilchenko
