Expat Excellence with BGMT

Welcome to the BGMT post-election special. In this special episode we discuss and summarize the new election results, potential changes in policies, what can the expat community expect from these elections and what does it all mean for the future of the Netherlands.00:00 - Introduction01:15 - Results recap04:05 - Why did the left score poorly?07:30 - Merger between Labour and the Green Left.09:00 - The far-right and Corona policy.16:15 - VVD to shift its policies to the left?20:25 - Can the government expect to deal with more issues after the Corona crisis. 23:00 - What can the expat community expect after these elections?25:30 - Sustainability policies26:37 - Main takeaways from the elections.Resources: Election Speculation Article: https://bgmt.nl/2021/02/17/election-speculation/Check out BGMT! linktr.ee/bgmtnl

Episode 08 - Kristina,The Expat Shero.In this weeks episode of Expat Excellence, we are joined by Kristina Jackson - founder of IWNG - an International Women's Networking Group for female founders, professionals and women led startups with headquarters in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. We discuss topics such as being an entrepreneur as a queer person, differences between living as an LGBTQ person in the USA and the EU, using your privilege as a tool for helping others, equality vs. equity and many more exciting topics crucial the intersectional entrepreneur experience.00:00 - Introduction.00:44 - Kristina's background02:37 - Brexit and Immigration04:15 - Educational background. Being a successful self-taught entrepreneur without finishing college. 08:34 - Building a community through helping others10:21 - Personal identity. Did Kristina's background as a bisexual woman of color lead her to becoming a "social justice warrior"13:50 - Why moving to Rotterdam? Being a queer woman in the south of USA.17:35 - What is IWNG?24:30 - Business ventures30:33 - Why IWNG only works with women31:46 - Being an entrepreneur as a queer person36:10 - Equality or Equity?40:50 - Plans for the future44:20 - ConclusionLearn more about IWNG:https://www.instagram.com/iwng_rotterdam/https://linktr.ee/iwng_rotterdamFollow us and subscribe at:linktr.ee/bgmtnl

Episode 07- Kristian Voldrich - Founder and managing director of College Life, a hub for international students & graduatesIn this weeks episode of Expat Excellence podcast we talk about different ways to thrive as an entrepreneur in Rotterdam. Joining us is Kristian Voldrich, founder and managing director of College Live - hub with a mission to provide opportunities to foreign students and graduates.We talk about the entrepreneurial spirit, benefits and drawbacks of growing up within an entrepreneurial surrounding, staying in the moment while also being goal oriented, balance between business and personal life and maintaining a social life while studying. What challenges arise with moving to a city like Rotterdam? Is it harder to get a job and have a career as an international and how to use your cultural background as an advantage? We dive deeper in these issues and try to provide some tips and courage to accept the challenge, dive right in and start improving your life on a step-by-step basis.00:00 - Introduction.01:55 - Kristian's background. Reasons for moving to Rotterdam.03:47 - Entrepreneurial mindset, staying focused.05:25 - Benefits and drawbacks of growing up in a family with entrepreneurial background.09:00 - Setting the right expectations.10:00 - The idea of "Trailblazing".12:15 - How living in Rotterdam changes you as a person. Being an entrepreneur in Rotterdam.18:50 - The importance of networking and establishing meaningful connections.19:28 - What is College Life. History of the platform.21:25 - Working part-time jobs while becoming an entrepreneur.29:00 - Refining the process, simplifying and cutting the extras30:00 - Are working internationals being de-humanised? Using your cultural background as an advantage.42:22 - Business trends in Rotterdam.44:20 - Being in the moment45:20 - Benefits of meditation. Getting into the state of flow. The importance of routine.48:07 - Tips for international students.53:37 - The future of College Life.57:03 - ConclusionRead more about College Life:https://collegelife.co/nl/Check out BGMT:linktr.ee/bgmtnl

Episode 06 - Reshirt Rotterdam: Sustainable Lifestyle In this week's episode of the Expat Excellence podcast, we are joined by two very special guests - Camila and Vy from Reshirt Rotterdam, a social startup that focuses on breathing new life into forgotten clothing pieces.According to rotterdam.nl, 9,088,677 kg of textiles are burned each year in the city. That amounts to approximately 27,266,031 kg of CO2 released in the air; the equivalent of charging 3,443,369,998 smart-phones for an entire year, or powering the energy for 3,116 homes in one year. Reshirt Rotterdam hopes to achieve the goal of daily upcycling 9 kg of textiles, reaching a total of 3,285 kg per year, thus preventing the waste of a considerable amount of reusable resources.Is and should environmentalism be a political question? Sustainability as a lifestyle choice, female-run companies and the beauty of life in Rotterdam are only some of the important and fun topics discussed in this episode.00:00 - Introduction.01:17 - Backgrounds of Reshirt Rotterdam multicultural team members05:00 - Reasons for choosing to move to Rotterdam09:38 - Developing a passion for sustainability. Mixing sustainability and creativity.15:00 - What is Reshirt Rotterdam?20:15 - Future ambitions with Reshirt Rotterdam 23:10 - Corporate capitalism vs. environmentalism. Are environmentalism and sustainability political questions?28:00 - From an online store to a venture and a lifestyle.30:40 - Challenges of staying and building a life in Rotterdam as an international after finishing school or college.32:20 - Experiences developing a female-run venture.Check out Reshirt Rotterdam:https://www.etsy.com/shop/reshirtrotterdamhttps://www.instagram.com/reshirt.rotterdam/https://enactus-eur.nl/project/reshirt/Take a look at BGMT :https://linktr.ee/bgmtnl

In this episode, We continue on our tangent of focusing on student entrepreneurship. Our editor in chief Karim El Oteify sits down with Kassem Ezz El Din to discuss his journey as a business founder. They dive deeper into notions about life in the Netherlands, the culture shock of Arabs who move here, and how one could go about starting their own business. An in-depth look at an internationally-minded and business savvy individual where we explore the lessons he learned and discuss his ambition to bring his venture to a new dutch frontier.

In this episode, our host Karim El Oteify tackles the world of student entrepreneurship. He sits down with Founder and President of Stay Rottedam to discuss what entrepreneurship means in a non business context, the different ways to get involved on campus, and how someone could go about getting their own initiative together. This episode is for all the young dreamers out there who were told they were too young or too inexperienced to start something.Follow Stay Rotterdam!https://linktr.ee/StayrotterdamCheck out BGMT!https://linktr.ee/bgmtnl

In this episode, we pivot from the usual format and focus on discussing issues that relate to the expat community as a whole, rather than focusing on a specific person. Our host and BGMT Editor-in-Chief Karim El Oteify sits down with Jeane Amelia, a soon to be expat homeowner, documenting her journey on Instagram where she discusses what it takes to buy a home here. Afterward, Podcast editor and co-producer Hannah Mazza takes the helm to allow Karim to dive a bit deeper into his struggles with renting as a Person of Color. We are then joined by a very special guest, Just Kist, an expat lodging expert and owner of Just Stay Apartments. He gives us his thoughts on these struggles and tips on how to be a landlord's top choice every single time. An insider scoop into the mystery of the Dutch housing market, this episode makes a wonderful addition to your expat knowledge roster.Follow Jeane's Journey!@newroots_rotterdam Take a look at Just Stay Apartments https://www.juststay.nl/?lang=enCheck Out BGMT!https://linktr.ee/bgmtnl

In this episode, our host and BGMT Editor in chief Karim El Oteify explores the world of expat business owners. He sits down with Anushka Christian a veteran entrepreneur and Founder of Glamaty an expat friendly hair salon specializing in all hair types in the center of Rotterdam. Throughout the episode, they discuss her background and history, her experiences in the Netherlands as a woman of color, the differences in the entrepreneurial process depending on your background and her thoughts on the recent developments in the Black Lives. Matter movement. An intriguing and thought provoking entry in this series, this episode is not to be missed. Check out BGMT!https://linktr.ee/bgmtnlSupport Glamaty!https://www.instagram.com/glamaty/https://glamaty.comMore Information on BLM https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/

This episode starts off the Expat Excellence series with a bang! Our host and editor-in-chief of BGMT, Karim El Oteify sits down with Natalie Iv, a Russian entrepreneur, filmmaker and ex-art director of one of the biggest creative agencies in The Netherlands. Throughout the episode, they discuss why she moved here, her journey to success, and a CONTROVERSIAL decision she made in the midst of the Covid-19 global pandemic that will definitely surprise you. All this and more on this sensational first entry to a wonderful series on the shining stars of the international community of the Netherlands, their pains, joys what makes them tick and the secrets their success.Check out BGMT: bgmt.nlhttps://www.instagram.com/bgmt.nl/https://www.facebook.com/bgmt.nl/Follow Natalie Iv:https://www.instagram.com/blackredstories/https://www.instagram.com/purposeit.co/https://www.instagram.com/travelmindfulness/https://www.instagram.com/financialyoga/