Simone Levie (40): “In Western society it’s always about doing, doing, doing and hard work, but that’s an old thought.”

Entrepreneur Simone Levie (40) built a multimillion-dollar business, is an expert in online programs, as well as an author and sought-after speaker. She motivates women entrepreneurs to go even further. What is the secret of this remarkable centipede? ELFIN’s Adeline spoke with her about goals, focus and that one reunion.

Why is financial independence important to you?
“That’s because of the generations of women before me. My grandmother had to stop working when she got married, even though she was such an ambitious woman. My other grandmother is very intelligent, but struggled with a war trauma. People often think of a woman in a suit dressed as a man to a businesswoman. We are all still very much figuring out how to do this from our womanhood. Everything is very new. How do we approach this as women? Part of the world doesn’t understand anything about what we are doing. Just think about the FIRE movement, Bitcoin or business coaches. The whole coaching thing is getting big attention, especially to dismantle it. Many people think it’s nonsense, that the bubble will soon burst, but this is always called out with innovative movements.”

You approach your business quite spiritually. Why are the two so compatible for you?
“My intuition is very strong and I use it. In Western society it’s always about do, do, do and work hard, then you’ll get it done. But that is an old thought, an old mindset and also a little bit the male way. The moment I started to live more by my intuition and hunches and planned less, beautiful things started to happen. Of course I have a strategy and certain continuity. But I think my intuition is the most important thing, that foresight. Did you know that many owners of big companies feel the same way? They have foresight, but it is not talked about much. You want to deploy that instead of waiting.”

Do you have a tactic to achieve your goals?
“I always had the vision of being a millionaire before I was 40, but never a clear goal or roadmap on how I was going to achieve it. I don’t have annual goals or targets because I believe they can limit you again. With set targets, you don’t think outside your targets anymore. I see something in front of me and then I get into that flow. I am really a doer. If I think about writing a book, I will write it. If I can’t finish it myself, I’ll make sure other people finish it. I get everything done; that’s in my mindset. For example, with a new lockdown and an event that doesn’t go ahead, my team can be in a bit of a slump. I already think: what can we do that day? The worst advice I ever received was from the Chamber of Commerce. I had to make a five-year plan. But how? In five years everything will be different, five years ago you couldn’t even live on Facebook. Having a dream is good. But never completely carpenter a business plan, because you will miss opportunities and possibilities.”

How do you stay focused on what you want?
“By thinking unlimitedly. When I ask a very down-to-earth friend how to get even more out of life, he tells me to sleep less to have more time. I think in always being open to everything. There are still so many things I don’t know or don’t see yet, so many opportunities. I am already looking forward to next year, because what new people will I meet then? I love life. The only thing I am afraid of is dying, precisely because I love life so much. That sounds very happy and of course sometimes I am tired or I think: what am I doing it for? Everyone has that. But most of the time I feel very good. I used to be a little scared of everything. My sister especially went on adventures. I attracted the nasty things, like a nasty relationship with a boy who kept me small. Until I met Matthijs, he believed in me and is not afraid of anything. Not even about losing money, because then we will live in a flat, right? I discovered that if I believe in myself and focus on what is possible, life is only beautiful. Instead of being afraid of losing or losing something. What is the worst thing that can happen to us? Losing a child or a war trauma, like my grandparents. But if I lose money, I can always start again.”

You are very transparent about your income, why?
“To break the taboo around money. I want to show what is possible, also to the next generation. My father used to say: this is what I earn, but don’t tell anyone. Why are we so secretive about it? For example, I hesitate to buy a Porsche. The woman at the garage told me that only one woman had bought a Porsche for herself in the past five years. Just that idea alone. It is important to show what you can get done, even to children. Yet there is shame on spending a lot, because I have a fine Volkswagen ID3 and why don’t I give it to charity? That’s my impeding belief. Whereas I don’t find business spending difficult at all.”

In your post about the Quote 500 you say “Rise dear woman. Raise your prices. See your value. Spend more.’ Do you have a tip for raising those prices?
“With raising prices, you often think in hourly billings. I believe in paying for results, like paying for ten articles instead of ten hours. What is the work you are doing worth? Women often bid lower because they are afraid of not getting the job. Clients, on the other hand, prefer that you bid higher, but that you do deliver a complete and valuable package. Also, always think of something that is not comparable. We offer not only coaching around training, but also the software. Look clearly at your offering. How do I dress it up so that it cannot be compared to anything else? The value then automatically becomes higher. I got quite a lot of requests if I wanted to do one-on-one coaching. It triggered me that there are coaches who charge 40,000 euros for this, while I think I can do it better for such an amount and add more value. I only do this for people I want to spend my time on, because putting that same time into my own business also makes money. With money investing, people look very much at: I put so much in and then so much should come out. But in studying, it’s very normal to invest money and develop skills. It’s good to keep spending on your own skills and development. You get knowledge and skills in return, making it easier to earn money. Take the digital coin, for example. You can think: I find it interesting and I don’t understand it. Or you’re going to develop that knowledge.”

Do you always work?
“Matthijs always says to me: you don’t have a hobby, your work is your hobby. With my work it’s also very vague, but on weekends I’m there for the kids. Then we do things together. In a vacation, I can also detach myself from my phone very easily. I think the time I spend scrolling on Instagram is a waste, that’s time I’m throwing away. I was so done with it and wanted to quit Insta, but then suddenly my trajectory of 40,000 came. I meet those people not in my email list, but on Instagram. So it’s very valuable, but I have to take leadership myself by getting less into it. Just making some stories and then my phone away. Money is not your scarcest commodity, time is your scarcest commodity. When you start seeing that, then you start spending your time very consciously.”

How do you keep dreaming?
“I’m not someone who meditates daily, but I do like to go to a hotel or on a retreat for two days to be totally absorbed in whatever else I want. I get a lot out of my dreams. Sometimes I am searching, though, because I have already achieved what I dreamed of. A beautiful house and my children are happy. But when I look further, I want to make even more of an impact and build an empire. Now I focus on entrepreneurs, but eventually I want to shift and focus on women. The other day I had a college reunion. There I saw women who used to be SO ambitious, but now the shine was out of their eyes. They are no longer happy or happy with what they are doing. I believe that financial independence allows you to decide much more for yourself, because you don’t have to consult with anyone. You also often see that women have a tougher time in divorce, which is one thing that is very much in play. Because women settle more easily. With such a cool initiative as ELFIN and the work I do, we show that you can also make money in another way. You don’t have to work nine to five, like your partner does. You have opportunities.”