Denise Schelbergen is the founder of coaching and consulting business The Ikigai Entrepreneur, a social entrepreneur, committed to ending poverty in the world and empowering women to become powerful leaders, living a life they love.
She is the Managing Director and board member of the Dutch foundation Kula Loans and the co-creator of her poverty alleviation community microcredit project in Colombia and a co-author of the uplifting Amazon #1 best-seller, Goodbye Busy, Hello Happy – the magic of breaking up with busy and finding more time for joy.
In 2019 Denise began her humanitarian social impact project in Colombia. In collaboration with her local partner CoimpactoB, she helps families who live in extreme poverty, on less than a few dollars a day, with hardly any access to clean drinking water, basic sanitation, or electricity, to get out of poverty for good and create a sustainable future. During the pandemic, they created a poverty alleviation model, where participants get educated about finances and entrepreneurship, create a business plan with the support of local business experts and receive an interest free impact investment from a revolving fund. Once the community businesses are operational, the indigenous entrepreneurs receive mentoring to ensure they succeed.
In the same year, Denise also founded her coaching and consulting business The Ikigai Entrepreneur. She offers an inspiring curriculum of personal and professional development top-tier training programs for women who want to create a life they love, become transformational leaders and make a difference in the world.
Denise has always followed her heart and has gone after what she wants in life. She believes that anyone can do the same – rich or poor. That journey is not always easy as we deal with life’s challenges, but when there is a commitment to put in the work, learn and persevere, you will get there and a new future of freedom, joy, and fulfilment will be waiting for you.
Know you are enough and become unstoppable in fulfilling your dreams!