Milo van Hardeveld from the island of Texel was still a teenager when he started his own business. His mission: to inspire and motivate people. He dared to open up about his story, including the period in which he unexpectedly became seriously ill. "Do what makes you happy. Life isn't always easy: loss, pain and suffering. But it is precisely from those moments that we learn." We talked with Milo about what drives him.
Milo, what are you working on?
"When I was seventeen, I was busy setting up my company, Milo's. It isn't easy to start a business at that age, because you have so many other obligations. I noticed that sitting at a school desk all day wasn't for me. I'm someone who would rather build something. Milo's stands for inspiring and motivating people."
"My passion is helping people. Many people never reach their full potential. If I can make sure they take that one extra step, I'm happy. You can take on the whole world, if only you want to. 'You are a masterpiece' is my message. That doesn't mean everything is easy. But if you do it your own way and believe in yourself, you will get where you want to go."
Later, Milo also started coaching young people who are having a hard time. "You take more from someone your own age." Noordhollands Dagblad (in Dutch)
What did you learn during your time in hospital?
"I ended up in hospital completely unexpectedly because of a disorder in my brain. I asked myself: what do I want to do with my life? What makes me happy? During that period, I learnt that life isn't as hard as I thought. If you want to be happy, you have to start with yourself. I see that time in hospital as a reset that spurred me on to live more in the moment. After that, Milo's really took off."
How did building your brand go?
"Through trial and error. I learn a lot by doing things. You fall flat on your face now and then, but I think that is the best way to gain experience. I talk to as many people as possible to spar about each other's ideas and businesses. How can it be better and how can we support each other? I also joined a business club for young entrepreneurs. There you learn from each other and help each other move forward. I really enjoy the conversations with other young entrepreneurs, because we are the future and we are going to do it together."
"I also looked for someone who could teach me everything about running a business and give me the chance to grow my company: a mentor."
What setbacks do you face as a young entrepreneur?
"The times I make a mistake, fall flat or don't think something through properly, I don't see as setbacks. They are free learning moments. Those lessons can be quite harsh, but you can choose: run away from them or learn from them."
Your first shirt said 'Live the dream or dream of life'. Why does that text inspire you?
"The text touched me and stands for my goal: inspiring people to overcome the obstacles in life. Life isn't always easy. But it is precisely from those moments that we learn. If you fall: get up, however hard it is, and try again."
What is your motto in life?
"Believe in yourself and don't let anyone lecture you on how to do it. You are the best at what you do, because no one can do it like you."
What are your ambitions?
"I'm working hard on my dream of making the world a better place. I notice that I can't do that alone, but that there are many others with a story. Let's change the world together. I do that with my clothing line with inspiring texts and with music events under the name Texel Urban. I hope people share their stories with me. Those stories lead to new texts for Milo's, which can go on the next shirt. That way, we tell the message together. And with music events you reach a lot of people and connect them with each other. That is very powerful."
Good luck, Milo!
Also read do you believe in your own abilities? and a little better every day.
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