Hi! I’m Mags
I am the founder of House of Hives and Editor-In-Chief of FEM Magazine. Mostly though, I am an asker of questions and a teller of stories.
So, how did we get to this point? Let me take you on a bit of a journey!
I started my entrepreneurial journey in 2013 when I co-founded SwanWaters, a platform for people recovering from emotional abuse. This is where my personal story and business first intertwined and I became fully aware of the power of personal stories. I learned some of those lessons the hard way, leaving me feeling exposed and anxious. So, I decided to help others tap into the power of their story, without the massive vulnerability hangover.
The platform has since lost funding, unfortunately, but the content I created for it has resulted in my book ‘The Ugly Duckling Diary’.
The Importance of Stories
I have been a storyteller for as long as I can remember. My first piece of writing is dated at age three and reads 'Oma' (the Dutch word for grandmother). But really, my boxes of mementoes are filled with snippets of my writing.
I founded the school paper in secondary school, wrote and directed musicals for the Christmas and Easter celebrations in school, edited research rapports for my dad as a side-gig in my teens and twenties and joined the editorial staff of the faculty rag in university, where one of my columns made such a splash it was referenced in the University paper.
But even beyond the written word, I was finding and sharing stories. I interviewed people on air as a volunteer DJ at a local radio station in my teens and as part of celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Netherlands Constitution, I even interviewed the then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Hans Dijkstal on national radio.
In 2013, with the co-founding of SwanWaters storytelling became an integral part of my work, as I recounted my childhood and shared my healing. Through this work and my journey through trauma, I became increasingly aware of how the stories we are told in life impact the stories we tell ourselves, and how they feed into the choices we make in life. As I healed my stories, I changed my personal narrative. Now, I am ready to do the same for the world at large.
Founding House of Hives
When I first founded House of Hives, I wanted it to be a place where women would empower women, who in their turn empower women. Female empowerment squared. Although my team doesn’t exclusively include women, this mission hasn’t changed.
I work with people who have greater goals than just running a business. They aspire to contribute positively to the world, shift narratives, and empower clients through their lived experiences.
Everyone I work with has these amazing stories and visions, but they struggle to get it all written down. I believe that’s in part because we are distracted by the idea that our text should sell, and as you probably know from experience you can should any endeavour down. Or maybe you throw it down the crap-should. Either way, it’s not doing you any favours.
Additionally, we often underestimate how impactful our story can really be. It’s not even always about rags-to-riches stories. Sometimes the small stories are much more relatable and able to build trust and understanding with your audience.
A World in Flux
Since the founding of House of Hives in February 2020, the world has been in a state of flux, to say the least. It means we need more people to stand up and raise their voices and challenge the narrative.
In this world, I am committed to lifting those voices and creating a supportive environment for my clients to share the stories that will create a ripple effect of impact throughout the world.
I bring 10 years of experience with online marketing, a lifetime of writing and storytelling experience and my natural gifts to reframe stories and connect with people on a deep level to the table.
With a little help from me, you will feel empowered and encouraged to keep bringing light to this world!
Why Conversation Is Central to My Work
Establishing relationships becomes more natural when we step down from our soapbox and engage with people. Often, when I ask someone, "What conversation would you like to start?" their response begins with, "I want to talk to people about..." I hate to break it to you, but that's not the beginning of a conversation; it's the start of a sermon.
I love posing questions that offer genuine insights into people and tie into my passion. One of my favourites is, "How do you want to impact the world?"
I've heard the most remarkable stories and dreams by asking that question. The key, of course, is genuine interest in the responses and a willingness to answer the question when it's posed in return.
The significant shift here is that, instead of asking people if they are interested in you, you're demonstrating that YOU are interested in THEM! From this place of genuine interest, you can forge powerful partnerships. Whether someone becomes your client, an online supporter, or a co-creator, every time you authentically connect with someone, you empower both yourself and your business.
Just last week, I had a virtual chat with someone I had engaged with on LinkedIn. Their work intrigued me, and they sounded fun, so we hopped on Zoom for a conversation. We went down so many fascinating rabbit holes, it would have left Alice dizzy! There wasn't an immediate business transaction on the horizon, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The next day, they left a comment on one of my posts:
"Yay!! Hire Mags! We had a fantastic conversation filled with randomness, and it warmed my heart. I suspect her random power can increase 300,000 times!"
This is just one small example of how authentic connection and conversation can lead to collaboration. It's about lifting ourselves up by lifting each other.
