In the European landscape where questioning the divine is as commonplace as cobblestone streets, I stumbled upon a narrative that defied skepticism. Meet Baljit Singh, a Sikh entrepreneur thriving amidst the paradox of doubt and faith. Our paths crossed within the hallowed halls of our shared place of worship. A saga of three triumphant businesses was revealed to me- all orchestrated by a man who believes in a higher power. Breaking the Ice: Unveiling the Entrepreneurial Spirit Introduced to Baljit Singh, I set out to explore the depths of his entrepreneurial spirit. As we delved into the 1990s, his journey unfolded. He was an immigrant eager to embrace the new…

In an exclusive interview with Tulip Talks, Paola Bottaro, People Director, Top Employers Institute (TEI) shares how she is redefining human-centricity at TEI. In the post-COVID corporate landscape, the buzz around human-centricity reverberates across boardrooms, each company crafting its narrative. Yet, the pressing question persists—Is this a genuine commitment or merely a response to peer pressure? Seeking clarity, I turned to Paola Bottaro, TEI’s People Director, to understand their strategy. Top Employers Institute certifies companies globally for their people practices and their own practices aren’t just benchmarks; they’re a blueprint for excellence. Human-centricity, as she unfolds, has earned not just attention but genuine respect within organizations. However, implementing a human-centric…

Ute- Owner of Ute’s Expat Lounge, Consultant, Coach, and Trainer for Internationally Living Families Today is the birthday of a beautiful lady who painted her life’s canvas miraculously in the Netherlands. She not just knew to navigate hers but also the lives of many others in an uncharted territory. Through this blog, I’m just celebrating Ute’s spirit of accepting life as a challenge and taking a smart route to make things happen. I got introduced to Ute through one of the Facebook forums. She is an affable professional who has an amazing flair for her work. She moved to the Netherlands in 2005, with her husband and 2.5-year-old son. In…

In recent years, the focus has largely moved to conversations around Diversity & Inclusion (D&I). Initially, it seemed like a sham to grab low-hanging fruit, so companies could fulfill their compliance targets. However, it was a sheer perception that fizzled away, when I started working for Top Employers Institute (TEI).  It was interesting to learn that there are companies like TEI who “walk the talk”. I was quite impressed when the HR Director told me how much they value diversity in their workplace. I was guided to embrace diversity in its real sense, at an enterprise level and not just superficially. We looked at diversity, not only from a gender…

It was India’s Republic Day celebrations in the Netherlands. The event was organized by Indians settled in this country. My son was also performing in a group cultural dance. So, I happened to be a part of the program and got to meet so many Indians under one roof. The interesting part of the Netherlands is that the Dutch don’t mind celebrating your traditions with you. You can celebrate with full zeal and enthusiasm and the Dutch try to know more about you through such events. They are curious and accepting of your values and traditions. Many Indians brought their Dutch friends along to the event and some other nationalities…

Happiness, success, and satisfaction come to those who understand the meaning of it and have the capability to chase it. This is what I learned in an interview with Jane Stephenson. As she went into flashback sharing her expat story, she opened gates to her past starting from 1987. Jane came to the Netherlands with a job as a finance professional and no social contacts. There was also no internet or mobile phone facility in place. This made things extremely isolating for her. Her apartment did not have a telephone so she had to use the payphone on the corner of the street. As she reflected on the olden times, she…

A poem dedicated to all the incredible moms on Mother’s Day This one is for my incredible mom… Mommy… You are the first one I had when I entered this world, You gave me the strength to create my little dreamworld. You were the first eyes I ever met, You helped me envision what is right to get. You spent sleepless nights praying for me when I was sick, You helped me heal through God’s magic. You are the one who brightens up my gloomy days, You bring me joy when life shows up in difficult ways. You support me in my weakness,  You help build up my strength and…

It was April 30th, 2011 when my family and I first experienced the charm of the Queens day in the Netherlands. The Netherlands was embraced in the orange color in all its possibilities. All these years I have been on the receiving end, enjoying events hosted across the Netherlands for this special. Today for the first time I dared to go on the other side. There started another venture for me to know what goes on behind the scenes. The non-profit organization Amstelveen Oranje based out of Amstelveen, has been organizing events every year. It’s been decorating the city, setting up flea markets and hosting the Mayor. They further go…

I met Jaqueline for the first time in the international school where my boys studied. She had a typical Brazilian accent. As a teacher, she seemed just perfect. She was wonderful with the kids. She had a charm that nobody could ignore. One day, I read about her upcoming performance in a theatre and I was surprised that my son’s teacher was an actress. Another day, I stumbled on her profile on social media to vote for her candidature for Mrs. Netherlands Universe. That was intriguing but for long, I did not get to know Jaqueline any better. I was curious to know her expat story. Finally, we connected on…

Ever since I came to the Netherlands, I started interacting with expats, about how they feel being in this country. Each one had a feeling of pleasure and pain. Interestingly for everyone, leaving their homeland was a big decision and it mattered a lot to them. Each one came with hopes and dreams about their new lives and they all had a unique story to tell. Despite the excitement of living in a paradise, I was amazed, people still felt isolated. They felt pretty lost without friends and family and no job in hand. This was true not just for women but also men who were trying to settle down…