Independent women are the source of inspiration for AMOIIA's luxury leather goods.
In From AMoiia to PM we introduce our muses as they take you along in their routines.
AMBER DE VRIES
FOUNDER AMOIIA
Amber de Vries is Senior Staff Advisor Social Innovation & Organizational Development at the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. In addition, she has found a balance between leading from masculine and feminine values, while realizing her big dream: her own designer bag brand, AMOIIA.
AM
6:30 AM - I have to get up early on workdays to get my children ready for school and daycare. I quickly shower, get dressed, apply make-up, and then prepare the children with my boyfriend.
7.30 AM – My boyfriend takes the children to preschool, while I cycle to the tram to leave for The Hague. The head office in The Hague is in a beautiful old building in the centre. On the tram, I usually read a few pages of an inspiring book and feel enthusiastic to send some emails for AMOIIA.
08.15 AM – I arrive at the office in The Hague and walk through my day. I'm still reading some emails and preparing for my first appointment.
09.00 AM - Yes, my first appointment of the day is immediately inspiring. I have arranged to meet with Anouk Schaap, a fellow Harpers Bazaar Business club member. In the Douwe Egberts café of Defense, we discuss the (personal) leadership needed in the current times within the Defense organization. Times are changing; we live in a world in where crises and changes accelerate each other. This demands a lot from the staff and leaders within the organization. It's nice to start the day with such an energizing appointment!
10.30 AM - After this coffee date, I go to my workplace and have an MS teams meeting with our Diversity & Inclusion advisor. Together, we discussed the implementation plan for the upcoming years. We still have plenty of work to do to make D&I fundamental within defense. We are also organizing a new inspirational events for women within Defense. It's always lovely to host that for other women.
11.30 AM – I even grab a quick sandwich and eat it during a short walk around my work location. This way, I also have time to call my PR advisor to discuss some matters regarding AMOIIA. Since we have announced it, some final things need to be adjusted for the press releases.
PM
12.30 PM – I am on the train heading to the Kromhoutazerne in Utrecht. I have a working session on social innovation all afternoon here. We are creating a roadmap to map out the most critical interventions for the coming years. We develop creative formats for these work sessions to complement each other well and get the most out of this composed team. We also want to promote cooperation in this way. And work sessions are much more fun than regular meetings!
4:30 PM – I am on my way home. On the train, I finished some last emails. My boyfriend has already picked up the girls, so I cook quickly so that I am ready for the last part of my day.
6:30 PM – It's time again for the Harpers Bazaar Business Club talk—this time with the co-founder of Caudalie. My days are not always as full as today, but I always make time for these talks! There is nothing more inspiring than learning from other business founders and catching up with the other members of the club. This is how I also found the perfect team for the AMOIIA photo shoot!
9:30 PM – I'm tired but satisfied and end up going to bed with more energy than on the days I end up in front of the TV. I'm full of ideas again! Tomorrow, I'll be up early again for a call with the manufacturer of the AMOIIA bags in Italy, so after a quick shower and my cleansing ritual with Jetske Ultee products, I'll jump straight into bed!
