During the holidays, entrepreneurs are also “out of the office”. It’s time not to talk about entrepreneurship, but about other things that interest people. This week for all the manufacturing regions: Ellen de Munck from Odette Lunets. When Ellen is out of the office, she is walking with her daughter Colette or sitting in one of Antwerp’s cocktail bars.
Hi Eileen! What do you do to completely relax?
“Since becoming a mother, I often go for walks with my baby Colette. For me, that means complete relaxation. I don’t need anyone else at that moment.”
What does your perfect summer day look like? How does it start and end?
“A day like this starts with a gym session. Not necessarily because I like to do it, but I feel so much better afterwards. I do it in the morning because it benefits me for the rest of the day. Then I go for a walk towards the centre of Antwerp to sit in a café and work. Then I meet my friends for a cocktail and finally have a nice meal.
“Companies that are more gender-equal do much better than those that are made up primarily or exclusively of men.”
Ellen De Monk
If you had the time, what course would you like to take?
“AI course because this is going to define the entire future. I want to know what AI can still do for our company and how I can leverage that to our advantage.
What was the best purchase you made last year?
“A pump. That way I can go to work and make sure my daughter is getting food. I feel good about breastfeeding Colette, and I hope to be able to do it until six months. She is four months old now, so everything is going well for now.
Where in the world can you open an Odettes Lunettes branch?
“Then I would choose a new store in the United States. It’s just a very big country, so from the moment you set foot there, you immediately have much more potential. If we were as big in America as we are in Belgium, we would be a completely different company.
Do you have a preference for where in America?
Maybe Los Angeles. There are a lot of them. Fashion “People and there is a real sunglasses culture because of the beautiful weather. Plus, having a branch in New York would be really cool, of course.”
Which business person would you like to have a business lunch with?
“I would really like to meet Angela Ahrendts. She put Burberry back on the map when the company no longer does that.” hip and happening She used to be. She also made the brand appealing to young people again. And then she became the top woman at Apple. So I’m curious to see how she handled her career from start to finish.
Read also: Out of the Office with Ludwig Dumont of Willow: “I want to have a business lunch with Sheryl Sandberg, she wants to end the macho-driven corporate culture”
“Angela is in a very senior position and I think there are very few women in good places in business. Only 13% of board members are women, only 11% of startup and start-up CEOs are women. I think that’s very low. If you know that a company embodies value to society, it should be better distributed. Companies that are more gender-equal perform much better than companies that are primarily or exclusively male.
Are you a reader? If so, what book impressed you the most?
“I like to read, but not enough. I am now Eva Read Cat Bohannon. This is the world that researches women and why they have been so little researched over time. She also calls for a different approach. Most people are good. Written by Rutger Bregman also made an impression. Finally I found About women By Susan Sontag, it’s also a very good book.
Where do you send a tourist in your area?
“I live in Brussels, but since our head office is in Antwerp, I know it here very well. I have loved KMSKA since its renovation, so I would definitely recommend it. Then before or after you can go to Butchers Coffee for a delicious tea with oat milk. I think you can really see a lot of Antwerp from a short distance.
“Odit Lunits will be moving from Meir to another address,” Ellen tells us. “Unfortunately, I cannot give you a specific location because the negotiations have not been completed yet. Stay tuned to our social media channels, as we will be communicating more there soon.”
We will definitely do that, Eileen!
“Communicator. Avid web fanatic. Alcohol practitioner. Award-winning organizer. Bacon advocate.”
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