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WOMEN BY GREGORY KIRBY UR latest Women in Business special is timely. It comes as women in Spain and internationally have continued to make significant strides not only in business but in politics, the arts, sports and other areas of public life. The appointment of 11 women to the 17-strong cabinet of Spain’s new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is one such step. Sanchez chose to fill the leading roles of the country’s government with more women than men. This means they enjoy greater representation at the top table of Span-
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IN BUSINESS
Gir l power ish politics now than at any other time in history. The appointments follow a surge in feminist activism and women’s rights advocacy this year. The 8-M Movement, who organised the International Women’s Day female general strike, motivated millions to take to the streets and demand better conditions for women at work and home. The protests garnered responses from all of Spain’s leading political parties, with each vowing to tackle inequality that still persists in the workplace and in society. Companies also chimed in and promised to turn their attention to how they could improve the lot of women in firms. Advances have been made in politics and the direction of travel in the business world seems much the same. Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), a government finance watchdog, recommended companies aim to have around 30 per cent of their board members female by 2020. There are now 258 female directors out of 1,347 listed company board seats according to the latest figures in a report from the IESE Business School. A survey of IBEX-35 firms, the
largest companies listed on the Spanish stock market, found that the figure for women on boards is almost 23.7 per cent. That is an increase from about 10.6 per cent eight years ago and brings Spain roughly into line with the European average of the percentage of women directors. If current trends continue the 30 per cent by 2020 target could well be met. But that will still leave women outnumbered by men on company boards by two to one. The stories covered in our special continue on this theme of progress having been made, but there is still work to be done. We have covered a recent survey done in Britain into gender imbalances on corporate boards and on the reasons given for this. There is also the news of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee not appointing a woman to a recent vacancy, making for an eight to one gender disparity. Alongside these are stories on women in business and elsewhere we have found inspiring and interesting. Among these are Ana Botin of Santander and the actor Penelope Cruz. They show what can be
achieved by refusing to accept the status quo and continuing to struggle for a world where gender is neither a handicap nor an advantage.
WONDER WOMEN: Actor Penelope Cruz, (above) businesswoman Ana Botin (left) and women throughout Spain continue to give public life the feminine touch.
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HE French culture minister Françoise Nyssen is behind a new initiative to finance up to 20 women-directed films. Venus Victrix was set up with the help of Eric Garandeau’s, the former president of France’s National Cinema Centre. The scheme will work like an endowment fund meaning donations will evade 60 per cent tax rates. It mirrors other schemes including the one launched at the Berlin Film Festival. The Cofiloisirs financial institution are already behind the scheme and other partners - including fashion brands - are in discussion with planners. The project will unite different partners who will give “tangible support for the cause of women in cinema,” Garandeau said. Nyssen first talked about the idea at the Cannes Film Festival this year, where the issue of the male-dominated industry competed with movies for media spotlight.
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Yes we ‘Cannes’ New fund for female filmmakers BACKED: Cate Blanchett (centre) supported the cause at Cannes.
There was even a woman’s march. This year’s festival saw industry leaders - including Cannes Film Festival’s chief Thierry Fremaux - sign an unprecedented motion for gender equity in film making. But so far, the culture minister’s project is the only notable act. Currently 84 per cent of public financing in Europe goes to films direct by men. And a sector study showed more than half of industry insiders think a female leading a project will put off investors.
LISA TURNER - PMR
Embrace Spain and enjoy the lifestyle ITH many years experience selling property in the UK and Spain, Lisa Turner set up PMR Property Management and Rental 11 years ago. She was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk and openly admits that when it came to future ambitions, she changed her mind on a weekly basis. “I was too small to be a policewoman and I even considered being a hairdresser,” Lisa smiled. Eventually she worked for a company selling new homes at the age of 21 and was the only woman in a male dominated world on the building sites where she gave people tours of the
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show homes. It was during that experience that she picked up her longheld philosophy of being there for clients at every step of the way... something she took with her to PMR. When Lisa moved to Spain in 2005, she was given the opportunity by a large international construction company to promote and sell Spanish homes to overseas buyers. This gave Lisa an ideal opportunity to increase her knowledge of the Spanish culture and language. She said: “I sold to buyers from all over the world who had purchased a Spanish property as an investment or to earn an income from
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TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.
renting or simply for personal holiday use.” Lisa continued: “I soon became aware of their need for someone to look after that investment for them, with regard to security, cleaning and maintenance since they could not do it themselves from overseas.” So, in January 2007, PMR Property Management and Rental was
born and located in Alfaz del Pi. It has now grown into a team of dedicated professionals and become the leading property management and rental specialist on the Costa Blanca. Lisa is surrounded by a very happy team that share her work ethic, and she admits that they all make each other laugh and get through the day with ease, and they’ve certainly had enough experiences over the years to bring a smile to their faces, that include a baby setting off the house alarm when playing with a bunch of keys in the early hours! Lisa certainly has no regrets about moving to
LISA TURNER: Enjoys travelling when she gets the chance. Spain, and she has embraced the lifestyle. Her advice to anyone considering a full-time move to the country is “try before you buy. “If you’re not sure about which area you want to make your home, I would recommend spending a few months in each before making
the final decision.” When she gets the chance, Lisa enjoys travelling - especially cruising - and has been to Cuba and the Greek Islands. It’s something that she’s only recently been able to do and shows the trust she has in her team to run PMR in her absence.
WOMEN IN BUSINESS THE staff of PMR are experts in the field of property management and rental. Based in Alfaz del Pi, the company has now been providing quality services to their Costa Blanca customers for 11 years. In addition to its extensive portfolio of rental properties, PMR also offer comprehensive management services to owners by providing everything they could want to look after the safety and security of their investment. The company will provide owners with regular property inspections while keeping them fully informed of everything by email. For this, PMR offer three levels of management service, all at competitive rates. Incorporated within the management services are regular checks of household appliances, sanitary and plumbing equipment and TV and satellite connections. This service also includes acting as official key holder and point of contact for owners who have an alarm system installed. The PMR team will provide garden and pool maintenance and check water meters to confirm there are no leaks. They will thoroughly ventilate all rooms and carry out pest and vermin checks and even water house plants. So, if it’s your holiday home, you can rest assured there will be no nasty surprises awaiting for you whenever you return. For owners looking to let their proper-
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Quality service and trusted management
PMR: Experts in property management. ty for long term and holiday rental, PMR will provide online and newspaper advertising worldwide. For long term rental PMR will carry out tenant refer-
ence checks, preparation of all contract documents, handling of deposits, transfer of utility bills if required, rental collection and regular tenant contact.
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PMR also ensure that all properties they rent out fully comply with the latest Spanish regulations and are registered as holiday rentals. PMR offers all these services and much more within the various management packages so there is always a sensible choice for homeowners. By focusing solely on the rental industry PMR know they can provide their clients with a better service than they would get from an inmobilaria. They have a portfolio of properties situated between San Juan and Calpe, but most are situated in the tourist areas and inland of Benidorm, Albir, Altea, La Nucia and Villajoyosa. In addition to its property service, PMR provides a one-stop shop to help process all the Spanish documents expats may need. These include NIE or residencia applications, driving licences or vehicle registration. The friendly bilingual staff can also provide a translation service, debt management assistance or help with any community issues. The PMR office is open Monday to Friday from 10am-6pm and Saturdays from 10am-1pm. Alternatively, call 966 260 877 or from the UK on their local call number 0044 0203 411 7758. E-mail: pmr@pmrspain.com and visit www.pmrspain.com.
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OU often hear that p e o p l e went on holiday to somewhere in their youth and never came home again. This is most certainly the experience of Lucy Grande, owner of The Bed Centre in Calpe. In her case, she was 19 years old and came to Calpe for a friend’s birthday party... and never returned to the UK and to her home town of Yeovil where she was born. “When I was younger, I never ever gave it a thought that I’d end up running a business in Spain,” said Lucy, and here she is over 30 years later fluent in Spanish and regarded as one of the most successful businesspeople in the area. The Bed Centre was originally set up in 1992, and it wasn’t until 2004 that Lucy took
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LUCY GRANDE - THE BED CENTRE
The busy professional over the reins after being self-employed for a number of years, and the hard work that she and husband Antonio (Tony Grande to his many friends) have put into the business have kept its high profile in a competitive area. “I believe that one of our secrets here at The Bed Centre is the way we treat all our customers. In fact, we treat them as people.. not clients there is a big difference - and by building up that kind of relationship we quickly establish an important trust,” explained Lucy. There is no doubt when you talk to Lucy that she has a tremendous knowl-
edge and expertise of her trade. “I’m a great researcher into everything connected with beds,” she said with a wry smile. “You know what I mean!” she added quickly. “I look at what the experts say on sleep patterns, postures, and why some people don’t get a good night’s sleep. It’s important to enable me to give as professional a service as possible when I advise people when they buy our products.” Unsurprisingly, Lucy and her husband don’t get too much
LUCY GRANDE: Generous, organised and very focused.
spare time but when they do much is spent on their rewarding work for the Make a Smile charity. In addition, Lucy likes her garden, reading and is currently renovating a house. How do they find the time? “We don’t sit in front of a TV! I’ve gone close to 30 years without one,” said Lucy. When asked, Lucy was embarrassed to talk about her special qualities and so Gemma - working with The Bed Centre for six years - said what she thought. “Lucy is generous, organised and very focused.” The success of both her business and anything else Lucy turns her hand to certainly supports those words.
DEBBIE YOUNG - CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPIST - EFT - PRACTITIONER
Hypnotherapy can be a life changing experience D
ID you know that hypnotherapy can truly be a life changing experience for you? Not the stage thing, but really fast and effective change work with an advanced hypnotherapist is what we are talking about! Debbie Young is an advanced full time International Clinical Hypnotherapist, living in Pinoso. She is also an NLP Master, a SleepTalk for Children Consultant and a Pain Specialist. After initial training, Debbie decided that she wanted to be the best she could be and sought out the top hypnotherapists in the world to continue training with them in specialist subjects eg Pain Management, Working with Children, HypnoFertility. Most of her work is
now done internationally over Skype and video Messenger and with results that have amazed both Debbie and her global clientele. “I think Hypnotherapy is given a pretty bad rap nowadays, with the hypnosis shows on TV, and bad media coverage. You are neither unconscious or
asleep, and can move, scratch your nose and talk if you want to. Did you know you can lie in hypnosis, and you will only allow suggestions for change that you truly want. So, you won’t bark like a dog or cluck like a chicken unless you really want to!!” said Debbie. Hypnosis is when you are in
a relaxed and focused concentrated state, enabling the non-conscious part of the brain to do the work that needs to be done with the guidance of a well trained consulting hypnotist. (Always ask to see the credentials of those therapists you choose to work with). Debbie specialises in Fears
Here is just one review of her work. You can read more on her facebook page: Jessica Rose reviewed Debbie Young - Clinical Hypnotherapist/ EFT Practitioner 5 star 5 April at 22:21 One word for Debbie AMAZING I have suffered with panic attacks, anxiety and haven’t left my front door for 4 longggg years. One session with Debbie and I’ve already been to the shop and currently writing this review whilst I’m out walking my dog and tomorrow plan on taking my child to the park for the first time in four years. My cheeks are hurting from so much smiling and my make-up is running from all the happy tears. Can’t thank Debbie enough she has given me my life back.
DEBBIE YOUNG: Wanted to be the best she could be.
and Phobias, anxiety, panic attacks, depression and Infertility, although Hypnotherapy can be used for almost anything, including PTSD, OCD, confidence issues, addictions, stress, anger issues, sleep disorders, motivation and much more! Please contact Debbie on 622 398 096/WhatsApp - or send her a message and read more of her reviews and interesting articles on facebook: Debbie-Young-Clinical-Hypnotherapist-EFT-Practitioner or visit her website https://deb biehypnotherapy.wixsite.com/ mysite.
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THE BED CENTRE
ONE of the things that people from the UK miss most when they come to live in Spain for the first time is the comfort of a great British bed. The leading supplier of British beds and English bed linen in the Costa Blanca area, The Bed Centre based in Calpe on the Calpe-Moraira coast road brings their many years of trading in Spain, priding themselves in offering expert advice and prompt delivery. To complement their range of divans and bedsteads from leading manufacturers such as Hypnos, Burgess, Dunlopillo, Serta and Sweet Dreams, The Bed Centre has added a range of quality, affordable bed linen in standard British sizes. Headboards, duvets, duvet covers, pillows and mattress protectors are also available in the sizes and
quality just like you’re used to at home. At The Bed Centre they are totally committed to providing quality, comfort and peace of mind at every stage from the moment you walk into the store, delivery, and a second to none after sales service. When you walk into The Bed Centre the staff are on hand to help and advise and won’t simply just sell you a bed. They’ll ask you what kind of bed you’re looking for and why you're looking to buy a new bed in the first place. It may be due to your current bed being uncomfortable... so why would you buy something similar? The expertise of The Bed Centre will ensure that you only buy the bed that is perfect for you and your requirements.
PHOTO CREDIT: THE BED CENTRE
Over 20 years experience in beds... BRITISH COMFORT: Beds and accessories of the highest quality.
The Bed Centre understand the pressure and time constraints of a flying visit or the need for time for those leisurely lunches and sun soaked beaches, after all that’s why you are here. They would like to be able to pass on their expertise to you and make your time here more trouble free, enjoyable and comfortable. There is something for every budget at The Bed Centre, so don’t delay. Call or visit now and get that
good night’s sleep you’ve been wanting for some time! THE BED CENTRE Centro Comercial Biblos 8, Urb Los Pinos, 03710 Calpe, Alicante Tel: 965 836 814 Website: www.thebedcentre.com E-mail: info@thebedcentre.com Opening hours: Mon to Fri - 10am to 5pm Sat - 10am to 1.30pm Sun - Closed
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
‘Comical’ exclusion excuses A LIST of excuses for maledominated boardrooms has been slated by Britain’s business minister Andrew Griffiths. Chieftains from FTSE 350 firms plucked out a list of excuses for not giving women top positions which Griffiths criticised as “pitiful and patronizing.” He suggested top companies were a long way from achieving gender diversity after reading the report compiled by his own Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Anonymous comments made in the report included, “I don’t think women fit comfortably into the board environment” and, “Shareholders just aren’t interested in the make-up of the board, so why should we be?” “All the ‘good’ women have already been snapped up,” was another defence made. “As you read this list of excuses, you might think it’s INDA GARWOOD, has been visiting M o r a i r a since the early 1980’s. During that time she perhaps never imagined it would become her home, but fast forward a few years and she is loving life in Spain, running her successful company SELECT Villas with husband Chris. But what was it that brought the couple to the Costa Blanca? “We were fed up with the lousy weather, the politics, the silly political correctness gone mad, the overcrowded roads etc etc. Whilst we kept a yacht in Turkey during the 1990’s, we decided Spain was much closer and cheaper to reach, enjoyed the perfect lifestyle and climate, had all the services and infrastructure we needed and was politically stable.” As a result Linda and Chris moved to Moraira in late 2001: “We drove down, through France to Moraira with our two
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Minister slates FTSE leaders
1918, not 2018,” Amanda Mackenzie, chief executive of Business in the Community, an organisation promoting corporate social responsibility, said. “It reads like a script from a comedy parody, but it’s true,” she added. Comments aside, the statistics paint a different picture. The number of women on boards has ‘more than doubled in the FTSE 350 since 2011,’ according to figures from November last year, the Department for Business reported.
PHOTO CREDITS MAIN AND INSET TWITTER/@ANDREWGRIFFITHS
‘PITIFUL’: Business minister Andrew Griffiths (right).
LINDA GARWOOD - SELECT VILLAS
Still loving the Spanish lifestyle THINK every aspect through, not just through your own eyes, but those of your potential clients too Hungarian Vizslas (gun dogs) found our property, then flew the cat over.” During this time she admits even today the weather and lifestyle is still her favourite aspect of Spanish life, something that hit home recently following a trip back to the UK: “We returned to Sussex to celebrate a friend’s 80th birthday party. We were so shocked to see that most of his friends (most in their 70’s) were so old and pasty looking and suffering major ailments. This was in stark contrast to friends here, of a similar age.” However living the dream does come with its downsides: “Our pet
peeve has to be the petty bureaucracy: local authorities, tax offices, temporary parking bans, and the groups of cyclists with their support vehicle!” However it is a somewhat small price to pay as SELECT Villas continues to go from strength to strength helping others find their little piece of par-
adise in the sunshine. Linda said: “We look forward to further growth and development, as we get older we shall have to put in place succession plans for the business. “Meanwhile we are very happy doing
what we do, for as long as we are able.” So what does Linda credit for them being so successful? “We have been successful here, as we were in our businesses in the UK, with the application of much hard work, determination, a sound partnership and a little luck. “The success of Select Villas is also thanks to assembling the great team of staff we now have, together with our hard earned reputation for honesty and integrity. Also our three grown up
LINDA GARWOOD: “Remember the customer is king.”
daughters, granddaughters and grandson.” Having been caught out in the early days by some staff members and other agents who they thought they could trust, Linda advises anyone thinking of setting up a business in Spain to “think every aspect through thoroughly.” She continued: “Not just through your own eyes, but those of your potential clients, too. Try to find ways of doing what you intend to offer that are better than the competition. Know your client’s needs and how best to serve them, if you do it right your good reputation will follow! “Remember the customer is king.”
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SELECT VILLAS
12 years, and still ‘Simply the Best!’ Matching buyers worldwide, to their ideal property SELECT Villas of Moraira celebrate their 12th anniversary this year, together with their 12th year record of continued sales growth! The business was created by Linda and husband Chris in 2006 who are fully cognisant of the fact that traditional values such as honesty, efficiency, integrity and professionalism continue to be valued by their buyer and vendor clients, alike. Linda and Chris have been visiting Moraira since 1983, and it was love at first sight for them with this delightful resort on the Marina Alta coast of northern Costa Blanca. They inevitably concluded that they would like to ultimately move to Moraira and retire however; they did not have the best experience when searching for their own property and found the whole process strewn with pitfalls and ‘dodgy’ middle men serving ‘dodgy’ agents! Having spent most of their working lives in service industries of one kind or other, they really felt they could do much better with a totally fresh ap-
SELECT VILLAS: The team are capable of dealing with all eventualities. proach, based on customer service and listening carefully to their client’s needs and requirements. Regarding the town itself Linda said “Moraira hasn’t been allowed to be-
come over-developed the way other similar resorts have, especially when it comes to high-rise development. This ensures that Moraira continues to maintain the village feel of its origins, that we
loved so much when we first visited.” Beyond Moraira itself, SELECT Villas cover the neighbouring areas of El Portet, Benitachell, Benissa, Jalon Valley and in to Javea and Calpe. They specialise purely in sales, but can recommend several tried and tested rental agencies, for clients seeking to utilise that option. Their long-standing knowledge of Moraira and the surrounding area is a great asset when it comes to helping both vendors and buyers. Linda very much believes in the people side of the business (she is a qualified Psychologist) which helps with dealing with both clients and staff. They are very proud of the quality of their current team of staff, who between them represent well in excess of 100 years of living in this wonderful part of Spain, and between them speak English, Spanish, French, German and Arabic. The team are very able and capable to market and deal with virtually all eventualities and enquiries, worldwide.
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A director who invaded a man’s world
Gender discrimination ‘entrenched’
HAT one opening phrase broke the ice and showed Jayne Harris’s sense of humour. As you walk into Harris Furnishings, you’re greeted with such an enormous range of chairs and sofas to sit on that you really are spoiled for choice and quality. Jayne Harris has the furniture and upholstery trade in her blood. Her fathers’ work ethic was apparent in her from an early age; she recalls fond memories of making sofa buttons in his upholstery workshop from as young as eight years old, then as a teenager working her first Saturday job in his first, very modest, retail shop. She met her now husband David when she was 15 and he was 17. David, known to many here as the ‘Sofa Medico,’ also learned everything he knows today from his father-in-law’s wealth of experience. Jayne eventually took over the running of her father’s business in the UK when he took a back seat - no pun intended. Despite the success of the business Jayne and David had always wanted to fulfil their dream of moving to Spain. Jayne’s first connection with
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SABEL COIXET is a film director and one of Cataluña’s best-known cultur-
al figures. She has won several Goyas - the Spanish equivalent of an Oscar - and other international awards. Coixet grew up in Barcelona when Franco was still in power and, thanks to her grandmother who worked in the local cinema, she immersed herself in American and French films every week. Her first feature film, Too Old to Die Young, about two drifters in Barcelona, won her a nomination for best new director. After a break of nearly seven years Coixet returned with Things I Never Told You, a 1996 romantic comedy in English, and has since made dozens of films, shorts and
documentaries. If she had to pick a unifying theme, she says, it would be exploring “the weight of the things we don’t say, the weight of silence, the way you cope with loneliness.” Coixet loves Spanish cinema but says she is struck by how Spain has been defined for so long by a handful of actors - Penelope Cruz and
Javier Bardem - and one director: Pedro Almodovar. She has revealed that her most important influences, besides French, US and Italian directors, are Spain’s Francisco Regueiro and Luis Garcia Berlanga. For her, Berlanga’s El Verdugo (The Executioner) is the greatest Spanish film of all time. To get a start in the film industry as a woman in Spain, Coixet has said that she “had to be a thousand times more p u s h y , tough and determined than any man.”
MOVIE MUJER: Isabel Coixet has established herself at the forefront of Spanish cinema.
LISBETH SALAS/WIKIMEDIA
JAYNE HARRIS - HARRIS FURNISHINGS
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PHOTO CREDIT: EURO WEEKLY NEWS
Take a seat... which one?
RELAXED: Jayne Harris sitting comfortably on a Parker Knoll sofa. V
A DOCUMENTARY maker behind a film about women in the cinema industry has said attitudes and practices favouring men are “entrenched” in the field. Amy Adrion told British media the industry had a certain way of working and that people were still getting comfortable with women in leadership roles. “You can’t underestimate how deeply entrenched these ways of working are, I am optimistic but I have to say I would be surprised if, in a generation, there is a change,” she said. A diversity survey in the US found around 4 per cent of films made there were directed by women. Amy Adrion’s film Half The Picture is due to be shown at London’s Sundance film festival.
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Spain was from coming on holiday and staying at her parents’ holiday home in Moraira, at that stage she never gave any thought that her future would lie in business in this area. Back in 2004, she and David set up the very successful reupholstery business ‘Sofa Medico’ in Gata de Gorgos. The success of Sofa Medico allowed them to expand the business to encompass furniture retail and in 2016 they relocat-
ed to their very impressive current premises in Pedreguer, launching Harris Furnishings. “I felt very unsettled in the early days here in Spain,” reflected Jayne, “we came here with two young children aged four and 10 and at the time I was unsure that we’d made the right decision.” But there is no doubt that the gamble paid off and Jayne’s business acumen has come up trumps.
As we were talking, husband David and now 18-yearold son James - who is himself learning the upholstery trade from his dad - came back to the shop. Jayne has an obvious sense of pride that she now has a genuine family business of her own. “It makes me very proud when customers tell me how brilliantly they’re treated by James when he’s out on deliveries, with his charming per-
sonality he’ll be a great salesman one day.” Jayne’s secret to success in business is really knowing her trade. “When you know your products from the raw materials to the end-result it means your customers have peace of mind knowing they are buying from someone who can give them good advice to choose the correct product for them. “We are passionate not just about selling furniture but also about ensuring our customers are happy. We pride ourselves on our ‘old fashioned’ approach to customer service and always go the extra mile to ensure complete satisfaction.” More recently Harris Furnishings have expanded into selling beds, as well as now stocking the famous brand Parker Knoll, having complete exclusivity as stockists within Spain. That in itself says so much about Jayne and her business professionalism and quality at every turn. Jayne confesses to another ‘secret,’ and that’s her love for George Michael music. “Whenever it’s playing in the background in the store, we seem to sell more!” Simply amazing...
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HARRIS FURNISHINGS
Are you sitting comfortably? car, or garden as well as offering leather and fabric cleaning in the home. They are extremely knowledgeable in their trade having almost 60 years experience between them. David is an experienced upholsterer; he began learning the trade from his father-in-law when he was 20years-old, and proceeded to work his way through the ranks covering all aspects of both the re-upholstery and retail trade. Jayne also worked within the family business, initially as a sales assistant and ultimately working as General Manager. Buying a sofa is not something we tend to do often so making the correct decision is vital; equally, making a bad decision can be very costly. Knowing every aspect of the trade, they are more than qualified to answer all your queries and talk you through what can be a daunting process, ensuring you make the cor-
QUALITY: Only the very best names fill the Harris Furnishings product lists.
PHOTO CREDITS: HARRIS FURNISHINGS
IF not, then make Harris Furnishings in Pedreguer your immediate destination. Launched back in 2016, Harris Furnishings was born out of ‘Sofa Medico’ that was run by David and Jayne Harris from their premises in Gata de Gorgos during their first 12 years in Spain. Such was their success that they took the decision to relocate to Pedreguer and open Harris Furnishings, where their objective is to supply quality furniture to suit all tastes and budgets. Their extensive experience means they recognise poor quality furniture and therefore only sell quality-built furniture. Their impressive premises - a beautiful 400m² showroom - have not only allowed them to stock a wide range of furniture, but also to continue with their reputable upholstery business in their in-house workshop, providing a complete upholstery service for the home, boat,
rect decision when choosing your new furniture. David and Jayne pride themselves on the reputation they have gained during the past 14 years and believe this is due to customer satisfaction being their absolute priority; the after-sales service they give is second to none! Harris Furnishings have a fabulous range of quality furniture including suites, sofas, sofa beds, chairs, re-
cliners and rise-recliners, beds, occasional tables, and accessories. Among the famous brands in stock include Losbu, La-Z-Boy, Parker Knoll, Regency Recliners, Sofa House, Tajoma and Ultra Furniture. If you live between Altea and Oliva, then delivery is free. Harris Furnishings Polígono Industrial Les Galgues, Calle de la Marroquineria nº 1 03750 Pedreguer Telephone: 966 469 371 Website: http://harrisfurnishings.com/ E-mail: sales@harrisfurnishings.com Open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm Closed on Saturday... but open 10am to 1pm on Sunday
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
African women, global example HE 2017 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs has shed light on the shining examples of lady-led business. Uganda topped the list last year with 34.8 per cent of women entrepreneurs. The figure is very impressive given Uganda is a lowincome country, according to economic analysis website, esglobal. The African nation also overcame shortfalls in other key areas including women’s financial independence, access to credit, educational level and cultural stereotypes. But the proportion of female involvement could be higher if it were not for low education rates. They hamper the long-term success of new starts, especially when it comes to a lack of management knowledge, commentators said. Botswana, came second in the index with woman mak-
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ROLL-UP: A Botswana lady selling fruit. PHOTO CREDITS SHUTTERSTOCK
ing up 34.6 per cent entrepreneurs. The small African country is one of the richest and best managed countries on the continent. Its runner-up position is partly down to favourable labour market factors including a high rate of female workforce participation, ac-
cording to analysts. Another small country, New Zealand, performed strongly and finished third in the index. Women account for 33.3 per cent of entrepreneurs on the islands. In a similar index, this time published by The Economist magazine, New Zealand is
ranked the 11th best place in the world for women to work. The country has the highest proportion of universityeducated women globally, as well as impressive inclusion in financial matters. And due to the macho nature of its president, some
may be surprised to discover Russia took fourth in the rankings. Some 32.6 per cent of Russian companies are headed-up by women. The northern giant does not boast flattening figures on women’s financial inclusion and education levels. But the bad news is balanced by Russia leading the way with high-level female professionals, according to audit firm, Grant Thornton. New Zealand’s neighbour and sometimes rival, Australia, came in fifth position in the index. Their high 32.4 per cent female-owned business rate could well be down to the notable support Australian entrepreneurs receive in the country, according to esglobal. And while female participation in the workforce has risen in recent years, women are still 13 per cent adrift of male counterparts. The news is good, but it looks like there is some way to go.
SILJE LYNG - DERMA CLINIC
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ORWEGIAN born Silje Lyng has been working at Derma Clinic Spain in the beautiful Costa Blanca town of Alfaz del Pi for three years, and if it wasn’t for the dreadful weather back in her own country she may well have never made the move. “It was just over six years ago when my husband and I came to Spain for a holiday,” said Silje, “and as we landed at the airport located in the far west of Norway, the weather was so bad that the aircraft wouldn’t let the passengers off until it entered a hangar. “At that point, my husband turned to me and said ‘Right, that’s it! We’re moving to Spain!’” And so they took the plunge with their two young children they had at the time - they have since had a third born in Spain - and made a new life in the sun. “It was the climate that certainly attracted us,” explained Silje. They also chose the Ali-
The rain in Norway on the plane
SILJE LYNG: Particularly enjoys facial work.
cante Province as it had a Norwegian school where her three children - now aged four, seven and 10 - attend. Silje’s background is a long way from the world of dermatology. She studied in Norway and qualified in marketing and economics before deciding to completely change her career a couple of years before coming to Spain. “I suffered from my own skin problems, and not only was I keen to find out about them and solve the issues myself, I wanted to help other people that found themselves in the same situation,” explains Silje. And so she took her dermatology qualifications and is now able to practise her
skill and professionalism across the world, such is the international recognition of her studies. Whilst Silje is qualified in all areas of dermatology treatments, she particularly enjoys facial work, and gets particular pleasure when she sees the reaction of patients once they’ve seen improvements to their skin after a course of treatment. Being a busy mum of three children, Silje makes the most of her free time and enjoys singing at weddings and loves to entertain people. She also enjoys walking and only very recently completed the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. As a family, they often go camping in their own tent and especially enjoy northern Spain. Her husband’s work in Norway kept him away from Spain for long periods, but he’s now here full-time. “I’m a lot more relaxed now he’s with me. We’re a proper family again!” beamed Silje.
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DERMA CLINIC
A professional and expert skin treatment team IF you’re looking for true experts in skin health and beauty, then Derma Clinic Spain located in Alfaz de Pi should be your first stop. Whatever your issue, there is a course of treatment or a cure all undertaken by the most professional and expert medical team qualified in the wide range of dermatological conditions. Everyone deserves the kind of close-up confidence that comes with clear, fresh and healthy skin. At Derma Clinic Spain, they offer only the most advanced treatment and care using professional and proven procedures and products to help achieve your skin care goals. Perhaps you’re not sure which treatment is right for you? Then a visit to
the clinic for a skin assessment should be your first move to get the guidance and advice you need. There are so many treatments available at the Derma Clinic Spain. From basic and common skin conditions such as acne, dermatitis, keratosis, herpes, Rosacea, to checks of suspected skin cancers, clients of Derma Clinic Spain are in the safest of hands every step of the way. They also specialise in all aspects of hair health and hair transplants, diseases of the nails (including ingrown toenails), and any
DERMA CLINIC: Offer a wide range of aesthetic treatments.
necessary minor surgical interventions such as the removal of abscesses, warts, cysts, fatty build-ups and scars. More and more people are taking advantage of a wide range of aesthetic treatments on offer at Derma Clinic Spain. These include procedures on eyelids,
noses, facelifts, lips, liposuction, excess skin removal, and breast reduction, reconstruction or enlargements among others. In addition, courses of treatment are available to help with varicose veins many without the need for surgery - and large and unsightly blood vessels. It’s a little known fact that factors such as stress, poor diet, air pollution, climate change etc, may have a detrimental effect on a person’s skin condition. A course of biological medicine can help patients
rebuild their bio-physiological balance using tried and tested homeopathy techniques. Don’t see a particular skin treatment listed? Well don’t worry... there’s bound to be a solution available at Derma Clinic Spain. Derma Clinic Spain Camino del Pinxo 2 03580 ALFAZ DEL PI, Alicante Tel: 674 255 579 E-mail: info@dermaclinicspain.com Website: www.dermaclinicspain.com
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MICHEL EUESDEN of the EWN Media Group knows that true leadership inspires hope and positivity in your family and community. She also knows that it is impossible to change the world without first changing yourself. Already this year, EWN has been through some tremendous changes, maturing as people and evolving as a business. All so we can become a better, stronger friend to our loyal and growing network of clients and readers. As the leading English language media group in Spain, EWN is a rare gem in the industry. It is one of the very few media enterprises to be led by a woman, Michel Euesden, not only in Spain but in history. Rising to the very top in this hugely competitive industry is no easy task. But there is business success and the other kind of impact, which strengthens her passion each and every day. This leading position was recently recognised by Spain’s National Press Association, who presented Michel and Steven Euesden with the Professional Trajectory award earlier this year. Michel and Steven were invited to Madrid to collect the award at the Spanish Periodical Association (AEEPP) ceremony in February. The association said of EWN: “We want to recognise Euro Weekly News, the leading English newspaper, as an invaluable information resource for the foreign community living on our coasts.” The recognition marks the third year EWN has been handed plaudits from the body. The company was previously awarded the AEEPP’s Diploma of Honour and the Best Free Publication in Spain award last year. Leading EWN means knowing that you are making a difference. Michel helps local expat businesses put food on the table, quite literally making their dreams of a life abroad come true. With an unparalleled advertising reach across Spain and online, her clients know they can count on EWN week in, week out to make their success a reality. Being head of the EWN family means giving incredible publicity to local charities, many of which are struggling to have their voice heard in tough economic times. With access to the pages of the Euro Weekly News, RTN and Sol Times, hundreds of charities across Spain are now thriving and making a wonderful, essential contribution to their communities. It also means that every day is a campaign. Michel connects people with services, shines a light on domestic violence, loneliness and other expat issues others prefer to ignore. In the early hours she can be found raising money to help repatriate an expat who has passed away, helping his widow with banking bureaucracy, publicising a new charity and, every day, every hour, putting people together who would never normally meet. Then there’s the one-offs. Those tragic
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EURO WEEKLY MEDIA GROUP
Female leadership in our community THEY ARE FIGURES THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES: • Six editions: Costa Blanca North, Costa Blanca South, Costa del Sol, Axarquia, Almeria and Mallorca. • Each edition proves the group’s superiority over free local rivals for the number of news stories, making our newspapers the best read out there.
‘HONOURED’: EWN publishers Michel and Steven Euesden (centre) accept their award.
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EACH MEMBER OF THE EWN FAMILY IS FIERCELY COMMITTED.
yet beautiful times when Michel has urged all the staff at EWN to drop what they’re doing and become a voice for lost causes. It warms our hearts to know that there are so many Spanish families who have benefited from our influence in the expat community. Take the case of EWN’s Royal Wedding party for expats who could well have spent the day alone. Our street party-style event gave around 200 people the chance to celebrate Harry and Megan tying the knot in a stunning setting at the Villalinda eatery in Mijas. Or that of David Toms, the 53-year-old expatriate who was left paralysed following a freak motorcycle accident. EWN invited him to the party and continues to appeal to our readers to help him in any way they can. Our coverage has also publicised fundraising efforts for the 53-year-old in order to help him live his life as fully as possible. Each and every week Michel handles dozens if not hundreds of cases directly and channels her uniquely powerful passion into transforming them into worthy causes. Every day our team handles countless phone calls from readers asking where they can donate. Today you are reading our Costa Blanca North Women in Business Special. In a few weeks it may be our Suc-
cess Special, or Property Supplement. Every word written under Michel’s guidance is designed to help local businesses get their message across to half a million readers each week. At the same time EWN helps encourage future generations of leaders, find people homes and keep our communities bubbling with news and information. That is why Michel and the EWN family decided 2018 is the year of consolidation and time to become one powerful media group, a true force for all expat issues. Today, with two sister newspapers - RTN and the Sol Times - she knows we can make even more of a difference to our clients and readers, who are growing rapidly each passing day. Under the proud and inspired leadership of Michel and Steven Euesden, the EWN Media Group is thrilled to begin this new chapter in what has proven a very exciting life. Never before has expat media had such a powerful voice, whether in Spain or abroad. Michel intends to use this voice to bring success to all our communities in southern Spain, Mallorca and beyond. She will fight tooth and nail to give our advertisers the biggest platform and opportunities for success. We will keep our readers updated every day with the very best local and life changing news. And we will continue doing it completely free. We want to thank all of our readers and clients for their unending loyalty and commitment to EWN despite difficult recent times in Spain. We will repay that trust tenfold by bringing you the brightest, biggest and best news and advertising platform catered to any English speaking community anywhere.
• 134,000 copies distributed every week, 52 weeks a year. We never miss an edition and can substantiate our print run. • More than 4,000 distribution points in expatriate hotspots, meaning you never have too far to go to pick up an issue. • The best English language news website in Spain.
ONLINE NUMBERS: EWN:
3,400,738 hits on the website this year (1,857,593 more than last year same period)
120.38% increase RTN:
359,438 hits on the website this year (262,953 more than last year same period)
272.53% increase SOL TIMES:
118,819 hits on the website this year (107,037 more than last year same period)
908.48% increase
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DIANE HALLETT - SG HAULAGE
A thick skin and a nononsense approach works DIANE HALLETT and her partner Stephen Gaunt who owns SG Haulage Ltd have been together for 19 years now and have expanded their business from three lorries to over 25 and 50 trailers. It is a family-run business with Steve’s son and daughter and her daughter who also drives for them. Diane hasn’t got a business background but has learnt a great deal about the trade from Steve and his parents; his dad used to drive and his mother worked in the office. They have developed the business through sheer hard work and determination, working long hours, weekends and having to sacrifice holidays. They are now starting to reap the benefits of their hard work, as they have recently started to take holidays in Spain. They have also noticed that there may be a niche in the transport market, moving cars, motorhomes, caravans, boats, plant and machinery. Diane said “the haulage industry is still a very male dominated industry with more women entering into it, even my 22-year-old daughter now drives a 44-ton truck! “You just need to have a thick skin, don’t take any nonsense and they soon listen to you. I now have a good relationship with the drivers.” Even though Diane doesn’t actually own the business, she has worked as if it was her own. She believes success comes from being 100 per cent committed to the needs of customers, by putting
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DIANE & STEVE: Have developed the business through sheer hard work.
SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT IN THE HAULAGE INDUSTRY.
money back into the business, to enable it to develop. Their work comes from recommendations and word of mouth. The key to their success is the passion and dedication for the business that drives them to provide a superior service. Safety is paramount in the haulage industry and they are CPS; NPORS and ALLMI accredited. This combined with years of experience allows them to safely and competently move any heavy, specialised, sensitive or abnormal load. The address is Plot 9 Saxilby Enterprise Park, Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln Telephone +44(0) 1522 702443 Email info@sghaulage.com or find them on www.sghaulageltd.co.uk
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Woman Power Spain’s 10 leading ladies EADING business magazine Forbes has released a list of the 50 most powerful Spanish ladies. The top 10 include banking giants, Spanish royalty, charity chiefs, prominent politicians and lawyers. Top of the list is Ana Patricia Botin, 57, the president of Santander bank. She is the daughter of the bank’s previous president Emilio Botin. And her mother is the Marquess of O’Shea, who had her own place in Spanish nobility carved out for her by King Juan Carlos I in 2008. Santander’s chief is also a business ambassador to the British government. Maria Dolores Dancausa, 59, is the executive officer of Bankinter, another Spanish banking leader and came second. She led the bank in 2016 when the bank bagged record profits. She also made it into a gen-
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der-less list of the top 50 European directors also published by Forbes, following her results. Paloma Escuedero, 52, was in third position. She is the communications director of UNICEF, the United Nations’ children’s fund, managing the agency’s brand image and global communications. Before taking on her new role, she was UNICEF’S country director in Spain responsible for 180 projects and 800 volunteers. The now ex-defence minister Maria Dolores de Cospedal, 52, came fourth. She recently lost her position as the lead-minister of Spain’s armed forces when a non-confidence motion struck party leader Mariano Rajoy from power. But she still serves as secretary general of the Popular Party and President of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain. Forbes placed chef and businesswoman Carme Ruscadella, 66, in fifth position. She is a master of natural cooking and has a
restaurant in her hometown Sant Pol de Mar, near Barcelona and another in Tokyo. Combined, the two restaurants have seven Michelin stars, making them the world’s most decorated kitchens. Ana Pastor, 60, who has been the president of the congress of ministers (the equivalent of the Houses of Parliament in the UK) since 2016 is Spain’s sixth mightiest Mrs. She is no-career politician having graduated as a surgeon from the University of Salamanca before taking up posts as health minister and later development minister. Encarnacion Roca Trias, 74, is one of two lawyers to feature on Forbes’ list. She is the vice-president of the constitutional courts the supreme authority on the interpretation of the country’s most important legal document. She has even made time to publish
QUEEN: Letizia Ortiz was a top journalist before marrying the king. seven books. Queen Letizia, aged-45, is the youngest in the top 10 and came in eighth. She was a successful journalist on Spain’s most important national channel before marrying King Felipe VI in 2004. She serves as special ambassador for the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Number nine is Maria Angeles Sanchez Conde, 61, the constitutional court’s lead prosecutor.
Ministers handed her the title in 2009 under the government of Socialist Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. And Maria del Mar Raventos, 66, the President of the Cordiniu wine group since 1988 came 10th. She is part of the 15th generation to lead Spain’s oldest company. Mar Raventos once said there is no difference between a company run by a man or a woman.
DRA ANGELES VAN ̃ O - ODONTOLOGIA INTEGRAL VAÑO VIDAL
A dentist makes for a good listener
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HERE are never two days the same in the life of Dr Angeles Vaño Vidal who runs her own dental practice in the centre of Benidorm, although she is in great demand in many other local centres in the locality, such is her expertise and excellent reputation. Angeles Vaño was born in the Valencian town of Bocairent and went to university in Valencia to gain the necessary qualifications to enable her to get into her chosen career. After she graduated, she continued to work in a number of clinics where she began to specialise in root canal work... the most challenging of dental work and one that gives Angeles the most satisfaction. “I’d always been interested in medical issues and the intricacy and dexterity of dentistry caught my eye,” she explained. Around 2007, she met the man who became her future
husband thanks to a mutual friend and she didn’t know at the time that he ran a successful veterinary practice in Altea. At the same time, she decided to open her own dental business and has gone from strength to strength over the past 11 years. “I preferred to run my own business rather than work for one of the well-known franchises,” she said. “Yes, it’s been tough and challenging and has taken a great deal of investment as the technology of dentistry has changed, but it’s been well worth it.” Dr Angeles admits that it was tough at the start. “I had to start from scratch in Benidorm when I opened. Nobody knew me and vice-versa. You can imagine how proud I am now when I see I have around 4,000 patients on my books which is a high number for this area. “My patients come from all around Spain, and I have one or two who live in London and
ANGELES VAÑO: Has an excellent reputation.
always have their check-ups when they visit Benidorm on their holidays.” A dentist needs the trust and
confidence of all their patients, and there is no doubt that Dr Angeles has this ability to put everyone at ease during their
treatment. “I may be their dentist, but to enable the patient to relax and feel at ease I end up listening to all their problems and being asked for advice. It’s all part of the job.” When she gets some spare time, she spends it listening to Indie music, going to concerts and walking the dogs with her husband. She also keeps fit by doing regular pilates. Travel is also a big part of Angeles’ life and she has been to Portugal, Canada, Japan, USA and Norway. “We have taken lots of photographs in these countries of both dental and veterinary practices and are curious to see how they work if we get the opportunity,” she smiled. As an interesting extra aside, Dr Angeles is also qualified to the highest level in carrying out dental work on animals, and helps her husband out when required. “I’m sure he only married me so he could get free dental treatment!” she laughed.
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ODONTOLOGIA INTEGRAL VAÑO VIDAL
Understanding the patient’s needs and worries WHEN people begin to suffer from a toothache or any other dental problems, the natural reaction for many is to put it off and hope it goes away. For some reason, there is still a natural fear of visiting the dentist and perhaps even a bigger fear when you realise you’re in a foreign country either living or as a tourist. Dr Angeles Vaño’s dental practice - Odontologia Integral Vaño Vidal - in the heart of Benidorm along the popular Avenida Mediterraneo will ensure that you leave any treatment with an enormous smile on your face... in all senses. You’ll be happy at the standard, professionalism and friendly service that begins with a welcome from the experienced dental nurses who take great care of you during
your visit and will make sure everything is comfortable. Besides Spanish, Dr Angles Vaño speaks English and has been providing an excellent dental service to the people of Benidorm and the surrounding area for 11 years, offering every possible treatment available. Whether it’s an irritating or broken tooth, an infection, implants, dentures or more complicated but necessary surgery, Odontologia Integral Vaño Vidal, is your first port of call. It’s a multidiscipline clinic that provides solutions to all your dental issues, with all clients attended to in the friendliest of fashions. You’ll find the treatment rooms bright and colourful, full of the latest technology to cover every sce-
DENTAL PRACTICE: A pleasant environment with all the latest equipment. nario that ensures an efficient course of treatment carried out in the minimum number of visits possible. Dr Angeles has been treating patients in the Benidorm-based clinic from all over Spain and Europe; she even has patients from London who now use her as their local dentist when they visit on holiday having needed to visit the surgery in an emergency. Her personality will immediately put you at ease as she guides you through any necessary course of
treatment which will always be of the highest quality with outstanding results. Odontologia Integral Vaño Vidal a pleasant environment backed up with the latest equipment ensures a stress-free experience at every stage. Honest... it’s the tooth! Odontologia Integral Vaño Vidal Avenida Mediterraneo 3 03503 BENIDORM, Alicante Tel: 966 831 853 Website: www.odontologiaintegral.es
Dental aesthetics Implants Prosthesis Periodontics Orthodontics X rays Avda Mediterraneo 3 edif. Ilice a – b 1ºb 03500 Benidorm - www.odontologiaintegral.es
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Spain’s trail blazing businesswomen SPANISH women entrepreneurs are outperforming their international counterparts in several categories according to a recent study. A total of 1,550 women responded to the survey which gives insights and comparisons on life as a businesswoman in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Holland and Spain. The ADN study was conducted by Hiscox - an insurance provider with expertise in entrepreneurial sectors - for the ninth consecutive year. Spanish women entrepreneurs are getting younger, with 46 per cent having launched their start-ups before their 29th birthday, the study found. Only 32 per cent of women got up and running by that age in the rest of the countries. On the other end of the spectrum, older Spanish women are significantly less active in business matters.
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Survey paints positive picture of female entrepreneurialism
LEADER: Helena Torres (centre) founded the B-Wom women’s health app. Just 3 per cent of Spanish women created their firms after the age of 50. The figure was much lower than the 12 per cent average in the other countries. And Spanish start-ups are younger than those elsewhere. More than four out of 10 women-led Spanish firms are less than five years old.
The only other country surveyed with a higher proportion is the United Kingdom where one in two companies were born within that time frame. Spanish ladies led the field for heading up multiple companies, with 40 per cent doing so, compared to the 23 per cent average elsewhere. And the Spanish entrepre-
neurial spirit also burned strongest in the survey, with 56 per cent of women having started their own company at some point. When asked how their companies would fare in the coming year, the Spanish were among the most optimistic. Sixty-two per cent thought things were looking good,
pipped by the Americans and the Dutch, with 67 and 68 per cent respectively. But perhaps the flipside of the Iberians’ entrepreneurial flare is that they holiday less and work longer. Only 45 per cent take more than 20 days of leave a year, almost half the US rate. And 66 per cent of Spaniards work more than 40 hours per week, coming second to Germany, at 68 per cent. And Spanish women’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) signed the most new contracts too. Some 19 per cent made deals in 2017, the highest rate among the countries surveyed. When asked what the most important values were for business success, respondents’ most popular responses were “hard work” and “not giving up.” Indeed, the data certainly suggests Spanish women know how to walk the talk.
SONIA ROIG - CASA DIEZ
Local knowledge is the key...
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ONIA ROIG is a local Spanish lady born and bred in the beautiful town of Callosa de Ensarria between Altea and Guadalest - and there’s no doubt that the local knowledge of the area gained as she grew up is part of the secret of her success in the competitive world of estate agency. She began in the property world in administration and to quote Sonia herself, “I was very timid and shy when I started out.” She then gained more confidence and eventually took the decision to provide the estate agency service herself rather than work for others. Sonia opened Casa Diez around 15 years ago and therefore was in the business when both the financial crisis and property slump hit Spain... but she and her business survived, came out the other side and has gone from strength to strength since. Although she
admits to having doubts at some points when nobody was buying property to the extent they’d done previously, her own determination, professional motivation, and self-belief carried her through. “I make a point of only adding top quality properties to those I want to sell, and those that I know will sell the quickest in any market conditions,” said Sonia, who also admits she would sell anything if it’s offered to her. “Yes... I’ve even sold a boat for someone in the past!” Like many successful businesspeople, it’s hard to understand where they find the time for anything else in their lives; and Sonia Roig is no different. She is very proud of her two teenage children aged 15 and 17 - and she thinks both will ‘follow Mum’ into the estate agency business. “Not only have they been very inquisitive for many years into what I do and are
SONIA ROIG: Her determination, professional motivation and self-belief has carried her through. interested in looking around the properties I take on, they love playing Monopoly!” Like their mother, they have travelled extensively to countries such as the USA, Italy, France, UK, Ireland and Holland and thus have become stars during school geography lessons... they’ve been there and know a great deal
about the country! Sonia also spent some time in Cambridge during one visit and took time out to improve her level of English. Sonia also keeps herself very fit and active and does yoga and goes to the gymnasium when she can. She’s also passionate about her motorbike and often just gets on it,
drives, and sees where it takes her. Sonia is very focused on her career and her final words are a tribute to her success. “Be yourself, don’t be two-faced, and treat everyone the same. I’m never happier than when I see a happy client moving in to their dream home that I’ve helped them secure”
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CASA DIEZ
An honest and friendly approach CASA DIEZ has been selling property from the beautiful Costa Blanca town of Altea for the past 15 years, with their latest modern office on the front line with the beach a short step across the road. Owned by the charming Sonia Roig and ably assisted by Willem Marquet for the past seven years, Casa Diez are experts in buying and selling homes in the local area, and so whether you’re looking for a beachside property, a luxury detached villa, or a sprawling countryside finca, your dreams can be fulfilled with the help of Casa Diez. Casa Diez is there to help an ever growing number of international buyers discover and eventually settle in this part of Spain, both coastal and inland. They pride themselves on offering and supplying an excellent after sales service, so the relationship between buyer, seller and estate agent doesn’t end once the contract is signed and the keys handed over. Therefore, with the property sold, its service does not stop as they ensure all the legalities are completed and the new owners have all they need to make
CASA DIEZ: Understand the wants and needs of their clients. the most of their home in the sun. Casa Diez’s reputation has been built over a number of years thanks to the excellent understanding of the wants and needs of their clients, and by being totally straightforward and up front at all
times. Such is Sonia’s attention to quality that if she doesn’t believe a house offered to Casa Diez will sell, she’ll be honest and not accept it, rather than give the seller any false hope. With so many years in business in
the area, Casa Diez has managed to forge some excellent working relationships with all the businesses related to buying and selling, that include solicitors, banks and reputable builders. Buying a property in Spain can be a very complicated process, but using Casa Diez will make that experience a more pleasant one. Sonia is absolutely determined that she will find exactly what her clients are looking for and will even go out of her way to look for a property, even if it’s not currently on her books. Between Sonia and Willem, they speak a number of languages and with a majority of their clients being Dutch or Belgian, communication is no problem... but of course, all nationalities are welcome as clients of Casa Diez. You’ll be pleased you did. Casa Diez C. San Pere 14 (Primera linea de Playa) 03590 ALTEA Tel: 965 842 986 Website: www.inmocasadiez.com E-mail: sroig@inmocasadiez.com
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Women of words SPANISH women have made their mark in several fields and literature is no exception. Any search for Spanish women writers online is sure to return a sleuth of results. There are around 150 biographies of female authors on Wikipedia detailing the lives of women wordsmiths across the ages. There could never be enough written in a single piece to list the achievements of Spanish women in literature. Instead here is a selection of some of the brightest and best female authors. We begin in the 10th century with the poet Aisha. The writer was born Aisha bint Ahmad alQurtubiyya and although little is known about the details of her life, scholars believe she was born in Cordoba.
What is known is that Aisha came of age in a Spain ruled by the Muslim Moors, where traditional social values often restricted how women could live and what they could do. The poet came from a background of writers and philosophers. She was able to break the mould set for her by society and went on to pen some great literature of the time. One of her most famous works is a poem about her turning down a marriage proposal. Part of it reads: ‘I am a lioness, and will never allow my body, to be anyone’s resting place.’ Almost 1,000 years later in the 19th and 20th centuries Carmen de Burgos picked up the pen and continued with the Spanish female literary tradition. Burgos was born in Almeria to a middle class family and fled them beWORDSMITH: Angela Vallvey fore meeting her husband (right) with her latest book. of 17 years Arturo Asterz Bustos.
The two were unhappily married but Bustos’ involvement in the newspaper industry gave her an interest in working with words. Soon after leaving her husband she wrote her first book. Her growing feminist convictions led her to write many works commenting on the position of women in society at the time. Today one of the female writers helping to keep the Spanish female literary tradition alive is Angela Vallvey. Vallvey was born in Ciudad Real and studied Modern History at the University of Granada. She published her first book, a children’s story, in the 1990’s before going on to write several critically-acclaimed novels. She has taken part in several radio and television shows as well as writing poetry. Her latest offering is called Classic Feminist Tales and is a collection of stories for young girls.
JOANNA CLIMENT - BENIDORM PALACE
Keeping it in the family... UNNING one of the busiest and most successful businesses in Spain has been second-nature to Joanna Climent. She has been involved in the day-to-day organisation of the Benidorm Palace for just over 13 years. In fact, she began on May 5, 2005 and, said Joanna, “it must have been a good omen with the date reading 5, 5, 5. It’s a date I’ll never forget.” Joanna was born in Widnes, and was deliberately born in the UK. “My Mum and Dad lived in Spain at the time they still do - and went back just for the birth and thus enabling me to have dual BritishSpanish nationality.” Joanna has therefore spent all her life in Spain, and has had the world of business and the entertainment industry in her blood. She went to University in Madrid where she
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graduated in Business Studies. For many, that success would be enough... but not for Joanna. She then took her education up to the next level, studied for a Masters in Hotel Management and Tourism. It goes without saying that Joanna knows the odd word or two of Spanish.... During her 13 years being more formally involved with the Benidorm Palace after working with First Choice Holidays, Joanna has found the time to have three children who are now aged 10, eight and six. “The oldest girl is a dancer and my youngest girl definitely has the business brain that she’s already displaying at an early age,” she said. “My eight-year-old son is the one you can’t get off the stage. Like his Uncle David, he’s taken up magic and he loves the thrill of performing.” Joanna Climent’s secret, she
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I’VE HAD THE VERY BEST OF TEACHERS.
believes, is the phrase of “if it isn’t broke...don’t fix it” although that hasn’t stopped her from bringing in a number of changes to the Benidorm Palace that has brought it into the 21st century. “We’ve brought in a number of modern enhancements such as lighting and special effects, and continue to look around for the latest technologies to enhance the shows the Benidorm Palace stages”, said
Joanna. “Our visitors will also notice the menus have changed but still offering the superb quality they expect from their show and dining experience.” Joanna is the first to acknowledge that much of her success has been due to the influence of her parents, Christine and Vicente, who are both still actively involved in the Benidorm Palace. “I’ve had the very best of teachers,” concluded a very proud lady.
JOANNA CLIMENT: Has introduced a number of changes to the Palace.
WOMEN IN BUSINESS THE date was July 12, 1977, the night that the Benidorm Palace opened its doors for the first time and over 1,500 people arrived for its opening spectacular. Since then, thousands more have come through the doors looking to be entertained for a few hours in a way that no other venue on the Costa Blanca can offer. In 1990, the new and current owners of Benidorm Palace took over and took the shows to the next level, investing in big shows and productions. Kitchens were also established allowing the venue to be able to offer a full dinner and show experience. In 2005, the Benidorm Palace carried out its latest great refurbishment inside and outside the premises. The new façade turned the building into one of the most admired and photographed buildings in Benidorm. The light and sound equipment was updated and the number of social events was multiplied to support organisations, entities and companies who saw Benidorm Palace as the ideal place for carrying out their business events. Today, the Benidorm Palace continues to offer a show that could easily make you think you were in Las Vegas, such is the quality of the acts, costumes, lighting and sound and the food and service. With all seating offering great views of the stage, din-
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BENIDORM PALACE
ALEGRIAS: Featuring a tropical feather finale.
Into the fifth decade for Benidorm Palace ers can enjoy a three-course meal with wine and cava as you enjoy the cabaret show, or there are just show only options for tickets.
The Benidorm Palace is proud to present a new and exciting revue show for the 2018 / 2019 season ALEGRIAS.
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With a cast of 50 talented artists the show will transport you to the excitement of a Las Vegas casino, the colours and cheerfulness of Bollywood, the rhythms and Alegrias of a Tablao in Cordoba and the vibrant merriment of a tropical feather finale. The show features the talents of singers, dancers, live musicians, acrobats, Argentinian Gauchos, comics, jugglers and the featured magician - David Climent - who stars in a thrilling performance to make way for the grand finale of the Show. This perfect evening’s entertainment is matched with the delicious dinner that accompanies the show. The Benidorm Palace is also a leader in event organisation, both at the Palace as well as other venues such as the Plaza de Toros or the Guillermo Amor Stadium. They have organised concerts for a great number of renowned artists, including David Bisbal, Sweet California, Julio Iglesias, The Platters and UB40. Benidorm Palace is proud to welcome acclaimed international artists throughout the year, as well as their own show. For more information on forthcoming events, seating and menu plans and to book, visit www.benidormpalace.com or call 965 851 660.
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
SPAIN’S CaixaBank has launched a €250 million credit initiative to support women leading entrepreneurial projects. The initiative will offer cash to Spanish women whose business creations are innovative and internationally-focused, the bank announced. The agreement - to run until September 2019 - was signed with the European Investment Bank (BEI) and is a part of its InnovFin small and medium enterprise programme. Both businesses making new investments and those who need a cash flow boost will be eligible to apply for sums of between €25,000 and €7.5 million. CaixaBank president Jordi Gual is said to be firmly committed to driving entrepreneurialism, meritocracy HERE is no doubt whatsoever that Melanie Kunz of AMASVISTA Glass SL is a dedicated businesswoman with an excellent philosophy. She has a passion for her work and believes that in the male-dominated world of the industry she has chosen, she can bring the woman’s touch when it comes to advising customers as to their designs for their glass curtains, awnings and shades. Melanie is originally from Germany, born in Stuttgart, and prepared for life in Spain by going to evening classes for two years. “It’s important that if you’re going to work and be successful in another country, you need to know the language,” said Melanie, although she did admit that it also came in useful during a trip to Mexico. When she first arrived in Spain, Melanie undertook some office work in Alicante, but the routine soon became too quiet for her and found no satisfaction in what she was doing. “I wanted to challenge and
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PHOTO CREDITS TWITTER @BLOGDIRECTIVOS/SHUTTERSTOCK
Women’s businesses get €250 million
BACKED: CaixaBank president Jordi Gual is “committed” to promoting meritocracy.
MELANIE KUNZ - AMASVISTA GLASS SL
Giving the customer a better view test myself, and so back in 2011 my husband and I along with our partner Pedro started the company,” she explained. And the rest, as they say, is history. Melanie was very sure what makes her business stand out from the rest in her trade. “It’s simple. With AMASVISTA Glass you buy a Mercedes... with others you buy a Fiat,” she said with an enormous twinkle in her eye. “Other products may look the same from the outside, but don’t have the same quality of workmanship and materials. You get what you pay for.” So much thought has gone into all aspects of her business - even the sturdy business card is ‘double-glazed’ (you’ll need to visit AMASVISTA Glass SL to get one) - and Melanie admits that she’s still
learning all the time. “I learn by doing all the time, and it’s how I can feel confident when I deal with suppliers and clients in equal measure. “My goal is to give the best possible customer service and by doing so we are often recommended. In fact, probably three out of four of our customers come from that source.” As to the future, Melanie shows no signs of wanting to retire although she’s very keen on travelling around the world when she gets the chance. “I’m very unconventional when it comes to holidays,” she said. “I’m the kind of person that’ll look on Google Maps in some isolated part of the globe, find an island, and discover how I can get there and explore.”
MELANIE KUNZ: Learns by doing all the time.
and diversity. The bank - which is one of Spain’s ‘top four’ - runs its own Businesswoman Prize which identifies successful selfstarters and company leaders who cooperate to create and distribute wealth on a global scale. The winner represents Spain at the International Women’s entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) awards, run by the IWEC foundation which leads a foundation of women-owned companies brining in a €21.12 billion combined total annually. In addition, the bank is one of Spain’s leading companies in gender equality, with women occupying 39.1 per cent of its leadership positions.
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AMASVISTA GLASS SL
AMASVISTA GLASS SL prides itself as being able to offer and provide a perfect all-round service. Carrying out an individual professional and personal consultation is very important because each client has specific and different ideas. It’s therefore the goal of AMASVISTA Glass SL to find the best and most convenient solutions in respect of comfort, practicality, flexibility and price for your pocket and the best for your home. From the moment you show an interest in one of the many varied products, through to completion and beyond, AMASVISTA Glass SL is with the valued customers at every step. After an initial consultation, they start the initial design and take precise measurements at the customer’s home. All of their products are made to measure in their own factory to very high standards, using their own certified German construction technician. For customers who take pride in having the best quality and design in their homes, it has to be SUNFLEX. Sunflex is one of the world’s leading producers of specialist glazing systems, offering a
PHOTO CREDIT: AMASVISTA GLASS S.L.
A different point of view...
CRAFTSMANSHIP: Quality in every design. wide range of products manufactured to individual requirements. With over 30 years experience in design and manufacturing, you know that you will be purchasing one of the only truly Germandesigned and manufactured glazing systems available in the market today.
And if you’re looking for shade, then you need look no further than the MARKILUX shading solutions. Markilux has got you covered with a range of durable and beautifully designed shading systems. Bringing together the best in design, functionality
and architectural style with 40 years experience in technical research and innovation, Markilux can provide a solution to protect your outdoor areas, windows, balconies, terraces and much more with custom-made systems using the world’s best materials and textiles. AMASVISTA GLASS SL Pol Industrial Les Galgues, Calle La Pansa 9, 03750 Pedreguer, ALICANTE Tel: 966 457 878 Website: www.amasvista.com E-mail: info@amasvista.com Opening Hours: Monday to Friday - 9am to 6pm
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Old boys’ club THE British Treasury has come under fire after not appointing a woman to maledominated body of the Bank of England. Rachel Reeves, the chair of the House of Commons Business Committee, said it was “truly staggering” the government department had not appointed a woman to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). “Economics is going to have to think seriously about attracting a more diverse range of people. Otherwise it is in danger of being seen as a subject that is by men and for men,” she said. The Treasury said it had “actively contacted” some 44 women and 43 men to apply for the role. It added four women and one man were shortlisted for the role with the final appointment based on merit. Professor Jonathan Haskel, an economics lecturer at Imperial College in London, was the man chosen for the role. The MPC controls Britain’s monetary policy including setting its baseline inflation rate and is made up of nine members, eight men and one woman. The business community and the financial markets are affected by such decisions with the rate determining the cost of borrowing.
ICOLE RITTERSHAUS, owner of Team Royal Finca in Els Poblets, was born in the German town of Wuppertal and has been working in Spain for more than 25 years. She began working on the Costa del Sol for a large privately run company who were looking to expand their business into the Costa Blanca and so Nicole, her husband, son and their dog made the journey north to look for a suitable location. They found Denia... and the rest is history. After two years, Nicole decided to take the plunge and set up her own business, and Team Royal Finca was born in Els Poblets. Nicole has led an interesting life, and gleefully speaks about her first visit to Spain - to Barcelona - with a friend. “We were both on a paddle boat and all of a sudden saw a speedboat go past. Little did I know at the time that the driver was to be my future husband!” She went back to her home town in Germany and told her parents she’d fallen in love with a German musician and then returned to Spain. At this point, Nicole’s phone rang... with the Benny Hill theme music and this perfectly summed up this fun-loving woman with a great sense of humour. She continued: “It was a few years before my husband and I got married. I bought my wedding dress during a trip home to Germany, and it hung in my wardrobe for 10 years.” She is very proud of their 24-year-old
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Maria Guerrero: a show business queen AN actor, director, producer and one of the leading lights on Spain’s theatrical scene at the turn of the 20th century. This is how many Spaniards know and remember Maria Guerrero, one the country’s cultural icons. But Guerrero was also an astute business person who used her unique position as a woman in a man’s world to advance the cause of art. Maria Guerrero Torija was born in Madrid in 1867 in an era when traditional Catholic values still held sway. These often left women playing second fiddle to men. She enrolled in the Madrid Royal Conservatory, one of the leading schools of the arts in Spain. Guerrero went on to make her stage debut in October 1885 with the
WONDER WOMAN: Maria Guerrero founded her own theatre company. CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
work Sin familia (Without family) at the city’s Theatre of Comedy. The actor first made inroads into business around 10 years after her first stint in the limelight. She decided to start her own theatre company with her now having fea-
tured in several productions of modern plays and Spanish classics. Andres Pelaez, a former director of the Almargo Theatre Museum, said Guerrero was a “magnificent” business woman. “She did something that other early female actors copied; she had a court of authors who wrote for her like Eduardo Marquina, Jacinto Benavente and Benito Perez Galdos,” he said. Pelaez added the theatre star also counted famous bullfighters and scientists among her stable of talent. “There you could see the intellectual level of Madrid at the time,” he said. The productions put on by Guerrero’s company were a hit with a public, so much so that the firm could afford to buy the Princess Theatre in
NICOLE RITTERSHAUS - TEAM ROYAL FINCA SL
‘Workaholic’ Nicole explains her success
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THERE ARE ALWAYS SOLUTIONS TO EVERY PROBLEM.
son Manuel who also works in the Royal Finca offices and is fluent in Spanish, German, English and Valencian... a flair for languages that he gets from his mother. When Nicole gets the time, she loves spending time on the beach (she walks to work in Els Poblets and Denia is only 10 minutes away), going to concerts, decorating her home, travelling around as much of Spain as possible, and going to car-boot sales and markets. “I have a passion for collecting candles. I think I have almost 500 of them somewhere!” she beamed. Many similar businesses to Nicole’s suffered during the financial crisis and the property slump but Royal Finca survived.
“Why did we succeed during those times? I’m a workaholic!” replied Nicole without any hesitation. Nicole has a perfect philosophy for life and business. “I’m a positive thinking person who realises that business isn’t easy... but there are always solutions to every problem that presents itself.” There is no doubt that Nicole is passionate about her work and also no surprise that she has made many friends, that began as clients, with her charming and bubbly personality.
NICOLE RITTERSHAUS: Is a workaholic.
Spain’s capital. Her company enjoyed success in South America, with the actress undertaking some 24 tours of the continent during her career. Guerrero and her husband Fernando Diaz de Mendoza, a Spanish nobleman, spent a share of their personal fortune on building a new theatre in Buenos Aires in Argentina. The theatre, named the Cervantes Theatre after literary figure Miguel de Cervantes, opened in 1921 after receiving sponsorship from King of Spain Alfonso XIII. Guerrero died in her home city of Madrid in 1928 at the age of 60. Her company’s Princess Theatre was bought by the Spanish government in 1931 and rechristened it the Maria Guerrero Theatre in her honour.
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
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TEAM ROYAL FINCA SL
Help every step of the way TEAM ROYAL FINCA SL is a family-run business with more than 20 years of property experience in Spain. Their service, professionalism, expertise and the friendly way they deal with their clients makes the often difficult experience of buying and selling a property a less stressful time. Under the direction of Nicole Rittershaus, they will find the right property that suits every taste, location and individual budget. Team Royal Finca have been located in the Marina Alta for 18 years, and so are experts in the types of property available in all areas, and are continually looking to add only the very best quality homes to their portfolio. From the moment a client makes their first contact with Team Royal Finca until the moment they buy or sell, the attention to a first-class personal service is second-to-none. And language isn’t a barrier either, with English, Spanish and German spoken fluently, also French and Dutch Such a successful business like Team Royal Finca naturally only deals with some of the very best associated busi-
‘open’ for 12 months of the year, and so no fear of a favourite bar or restaurant closing during the off-season months. Ondara has one of the biggest shopping centres in the region, and with the area being close to both Alicante and Valencia airports and in reach of the Balearic Islands, the range of homes couldn’t be more perfectly situated. Team Royal Finca are certain that all their clients will find the perfect property, whether it be detached, a terrace, an apartment or even a plot of land to build their own home... and they will be there every step of the way to ensure that those dreams of a home in Spain are fulfilled.
ROYAL FINCA: Provide a first-class personal service. nesses too, and so every client can be guaranteed that legal and banking services used as part of the buying and selling process will also be first class. Team Royal Finca specialise in dealing with detached properties and in an imaginary circle of an area within the Marina Alta area that includes Denia, Els Poblets, Orba, Beniarbeig, Benidoleig,
Rafol de Almunia, Sanet y Negrals, Benimeli, Vergel, Ondara, Pego, Orba, Gata de Gorgos and Pedreguer. In these locations, people can experience the most typical of Spanish lifestyles and at the same time be a short drive from the beautiful beaches. Another advantage of choosing to live in the more inland areas is they are
Contact details: Team Royal Finca SL Carrer Sant Josep 5 03779 Setla - Els Poblets (Alicante Province) Tel. 0034 629 886 623 Fax. 0034 966 469 515 nicole@teamroyalfinca.com manuel@teamroyalfinca.com 0034 966 447 010
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS
OSA MARI MUT is an established Spanish solicitor working in Orba in the northern Costa Blanca. Rosa studied for and obtained her University Degree and now has 10 years of putting that education and years of studying into practice. Her area of expertise is conveyancing and property law alongside those of inheritance issues that include wills and civil law. Her ambition from the moment she set up her business was to give a personal and friendly service to all her clients, by trying to get involved and assist with all their problems. As such, it’s more than just your average solicitors business that takes all the legal worries off the minds of everyone. Being born and bred in Spain, Rosa has a great and in-depth knowledge of not just the local area but further afield too. She has gained expertise in the issue of land registry problems and admits her first love is the rules of inheritance, especially how they both differ and relate to similar laws in other countries.
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Maria Isabel Verdu Rollan, better known as Maribel Verdu, was born in Madrid. She began acting at 13, appearing in various commercials and left school at 15 to devote herself to her career. Since 1984 Verdu has appeared in more than 60 movies, most of them in Spanish. On the international stage, Verdu has starred in Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and Snow White (2012).
VIDAS VEGA: Paz Vega was in the Spanish version of Friends.
CREDIT: @PENELOPECRUZOFI/TWITTER
traditional Catholic family. She decided to become an actress after attending a performance of Federico Garcia Lorca’s play, La casa de Bernarda Alba when she was 16. Vega made her film debut in Zapping (1999), and the same year found success in TV sitcom series 7 Vidas. The series was billed as a Spanish Friends and became one of the country’s best loved shows. Since then Vega has appeared in a number of Hollywood films including Spanglish (2004), 10 Items or Less (2006), and The Spirit (2008). Veronica Fernandez Echegaray, known professionally as Veronica Echegui, was born and grew up in Madrid. Her father is a lawyer and her mother is a civil servant, and she trained at the Royal Dramatic Arts School. Echequi was discovered by Spanish director Bigas Luna, who cast her in the 2006 film My Name is Juani, which won multiple awards and a Goya nomination. In 2009 she made herself known to British audiences in the Mighty Boosh spin off Bunny and the Bull. In 2012 she starred in Roberto Perez Toledo’s romantic drama Seis puntos sobre Emma (Six points about Emma), playing a sexually confidant blind woman.
CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK (MARIBEL VERDU)
PENELOPE CRUZ SANCHEZ was born in Madrid to Eduardo Cruz, a retailer, and Encarna Sanchez, a hairdresser. After studying classical ballet for nine years at Spain’s National Conservatory, she continued her training under a series of prominent dancers. At 15 though, she beat more than 300 girls at a talent agency audition to land a contract, paving the way for several roles in Spanish TV shows and music videos. This in turn led to a stellar career on the big screen, and Cruz made her big screen debut in El laberinto griego (1993) (The Greek Labyrinth). Live Flesh (1997) offered her the chance to work with renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, and in the same year she was the lead actress in Spanish hit Open Your Eyes. Cruz’s first big international hit was again with Almodovar, in All About My Mother (1999), where she played an unchaste but well-meaning nun. Since then the Spanish star has appeared in a range of big films from Vanilla Sky (2001), and Captain Coreellis Mandolin (2001) to Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) and Nine (2009). Paz Campos Trigo, better known as Paz Vega was born in Sevilla to a bullfighter father in what she describes as a
CREDIT: MX_MOOSA/TWITTER (PAZ VEGA)
Star Spanish actresses
MAGNIFICENT MARIBEL: Maribel Verdu starred in cult hit Pan’s Labyrinth.
CRUZ CONTROL: Penelope Cruz is Spain’s leading actress.
ROSA M. MUT - ROSA M. MUT ABOGADO
Rosa’s message is simple. “Girls! We can do it!” In this respect, she has close connections with an English solicitor to enable her to deal with cases of probate. Rosa admits that she’s not infallible. “As a human I can make mistakes - it’s normal but I try to put it right if I do and always apologise if things do go wrong.” Being in her chosen career doesn’t give Rosa too much spare time, even more so when she has her children to consider, but with a little organisation and
planning and help from her husband, family and friends she can enjoy some quality time with her boys. “I also love my iPad... it’s my best friend,” she confessed. She took a gamble back in 2011 when she opened her business on her own. “Everyone told me I was crazy. It was in the midst of the economic crisis and in 2012 I existed with just eight new clients. I’m pleased
ROSA M MUT: Is an expert in conveyancing and property law.
and proud that we got through those difficult times to the extent that we closed 2017 with 68 new ones. And when many of them are friends of other clients, it makes it all worthwhile,” smiled Rosa. Rosa is the first to admit that she’s always felt she’s had to prove how professional she is and just as, if not more, competent than any man. “Just because I choose to be well-groomed and fashionable, many think that I won’t be as professional as a man in a suit. However, my clients like the way I am and sometimes get to realise that behind that smart and impeccably dressed exterior hides a lioness when I have to defend their interests. It often surprises and pleases them at the same time.”
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
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ROSA MUT ABOGADO
B SERVICES
Benefits of 10 years legal experience
Concerned that their clients have peace of mind
ROSA M MUT is a lawyer and Spanish abogados business dealing in a wide range of legal services. From buying and selling properties, to dealing with inheritance matters, Rosa M Mut can give the complete legal advice service to solve the multitude of problems that clients have. Based in the beautiful mountain village of Orba in the north of the Costa Blanca and run by Rosa M Mut herself, you’ll get the benefit of 10 years experience in the legal field, added to the guarantee of being registered with the Law Society of Alicante. This gives the business special protection with which to carry out their work. Rosa M Mut cover the entire Costa Blanca but aren’t just restricted to that area. They are justly proud in having clients in all parts of Spain and their excellent reputation aligned to their experience has enabled them to solve thousands of problems over the years. This in turn gives the clients confidence to use the legal services of Rosa M Mut over and over again, which is no
ROSA M MUT: Every client is special. surprise when you see the professional and friendly way they treat everyone. Every client is special with their own individual needs, and Rosa M Mut always seek to adapt to their requirements, even tailoring payment methods to help current and future financial situations for those that need it. Rosa M Mut is always on hand to answer any questions and without obligation. ROSA M MUT Abogado Av/ Ameriques 35, 1º 03790 Orba, Alicante Phone: 965 584 277 Mobile: 669 127 876 E-mail: rosam.mut@gmail.com Website: www.costablancalawyers.com Office hours - Monday to Friday - 9am to 2pm, although you can contact by phone and e-mail 24-hours-a-day to leave a message that will receive a reply
sive experience in BASED in one of the field of home the most beautiful care and managelocations in the ment, and alnorthern part of though concenthe Costa Blanca trating their - Orba - B Serbusiness in the vices Home Care Marina Alta, will is there to manconsider taking on age and care for properties from your second further afield. You home in Spain. only have to ask. It’s understandB SERVICES: The team has There are three able that people extensive experience. packages on offer with holiday to clients who are homes worry what will happen to their property when looking for a first-class home care and it’s not being used. Is it safe? Who will management service. These are Stancheck up on it? There are a multitude of dard, Premium and VIP. A selection of concerns, but B Services Home Care other services is available on request to will take those worries off your mind with suit all budgets and needs. B SERVICES their full range of services that will fit to Av/ Ameriques 35, 1º the needs of everyone. 03790 Orba, Alicante The prime concern of B Services Phone: 619 105 092 Home Care is that you’re not concerned E-mail: bservicesspain@gmail.com as they take care of your home when Facebook: B Services you’re not there and treating it as if it Open Monday to Friday 9am to 2pm, were one of their own. but B Services can be contacted by This newly created company is backed phone or e-mail 24-hours-a-day. up by a team of professionals with exten-
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ORN in Altringham, Cheshire, Emma Quantrill’s parents moved to Spain in 2006 and it was a year later that she decided to join them. She had no strong ties in the UK at the time and felt that she was ready for the challenge of obtaining a new job, in a new country. She was also excited at the prospect of being successful in a new environment. She was originally trained and worked in the Financial Services sector in the UK and in Spain she was first employed in a direct sales capacity selling funeral plans, which led to her having the confidence to start her own business. Her favourite thing about Spain is the laid back way of life commenting that “the Spanish people appear to realise that there is a balance between a work life and a home life.” She also likes the fact that the overall culture appears to be family orientated. It goes without saying, that they love a ‘party’ and she has never seen so many firework displays. There isn’t much she doesn’t like about Spain, but she wishes there wasn’t always
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RADIANT RUBIO: Pilar Rubio made her name on TV network La Sexta.
GOALY GIRLFRIEND: Edurne Garcia was voted Spain’s sexiest woman in 2010.
RAVISHING ROMAREY: Romarey Ventura is making her name as a model.
CREDIT: MARIO FERNANDEZ/FLICKR
HIPS DON’T LIE: Shakira is probably more famous than her husband Pique.
CREDIT: DANIELR_T/TWITTER
CREDIT: @EDURNE/TWITTER
SPAIN are tipped by many to be real contenders at this year’s Football World Cup in Russia. But who are the better halves of these successful stars? Let’s take a look at some of them: Among the glamorous Spanish WAGs, Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea’s girlfriend Edurne Garcia is well-known for her singing talent across the world. She is also involved in media and acting, and has worked in a number of Spanish TV series. De Gea and Edurne have been together for six years and Edurne was voted Spain’s sexiest woman in 2010. Edurne represented Spain in the Eurovision Song contest in 2015, though her song Amanecer finished 21st overall. The next woman needs no introduction whatsoever, as it is singing sensation Shakira. Shakira has been in a relationship with husband Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique since 2011, but first met him during the making of the video for the 2010 World Cup song Waka Waka. With over 1.7 billion views, it is one of the most viewed videos on YouTube. The Colombian singer, songwriter and dancer won the 2001 Best Latin pop Grammy for her MTV Unplugged album.
CREDIT: @SHAKIRA/TWITTER
The women in with a sporting chance Her fifth pop album, Laundry Service was an international hit and lead single Whenever, Wherever became one of the biggest singles of 2002. Oral Fixation, Volume Two (2005) spawned one of the best-selling songs of the 21st century, Hips Don’t Lie, selling over 13 million downloads alone. Spanish striker Alvaro Morata’s wife Alice Compello is a globally recognised model with 1.5 million followers on Instagram. She also has a successful fashion company, renowned for its Avril brand bags. The couple married in 2017 and Alice is expecting twins this year. Spanish left-back Jordi Alba is in a relationship with beauty Romarey Ventura, and the couple recently had their first child, a son. Romarey is an increasingly successful model, as well as former tourism student at the University of Sevilla. Notorious Spanish defender Sergio Ramos is married to Spanish TV presenter and reporter Pilar Rubio. The couple married in 2012 and have had three children together. Pilar became famous when she started covering events for television network La Sexta, has done modelling work and has also starred in several films.
EMMA QUANTRILL - GOLDEN LEAVES
A positive outlook for a bright future so much form filling for such simple requests and the standard of driving is a bit questionable. Emma has a positive outlook and looks forward to the future, and understands that there may be a few knockbacks, but she is confident that the future is bright. Her ambition is to continue to grow the international side of her business as she is looking to open up more offices up and down the coast. Emma thinks her success comes from setting personal goals and she finds that this approach helps to keep her on track and on course for the objectives she wants to achieve. It is through this approach and a secret ingredient, which has led to her success, eventually admitting that this ‘secret ingredient’ is hard work!
Emma is rightly proud of the things she has achieved, which range from obtaining her first swimming certificate to being placed in her current position. However, she adds that the main achievements she is most proud of are the ones that have been obtained by the collective power of the team and she is delighted to be leading them. She admits that if she could go back, she wouldn’t change a thing, because the ‘knocks’ have made her what she is today. However she added that the theorist would argue that you could always review a situation and do it differently to obtain a better result. On other women starting their own business in Spain, Emma said she wasn’t arrogant enough to think that she had the ideal business model, but her advice would be to “be positive; be yourself; set goals; work hard; be the leader and don’t be afraid to get things wrong. Oh and be lucky and get your timing right!”
EMMA QUANTRILL: Is confident that the future is bright.
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GOLDEN LEAVES
A one-stop shop for the expat community GOLDEN LEAVES INTERNATIONAL provides a range of services for expats, including funeral plans, health insurance, general insurance, legal services, currency, wealth management, wills and inheritance tax advice. International Operations Director Emma Quantrill runs the company from the head office in Alicante and another in Almeria. Amongst the services available is the popular funeral plan, which is a pre-paid plan designed to help customers avoid the rising costs of funerals. It also takes away the emotional stress of organising a funeral from their loved ones. The health insurance provides private healthcare for expats who have moved to Spain wanting pri-
vate healthcare or do not qualify for the state health system. It also has the advantage of providing improved health services for people who do qualify for the state health system in Spain. General insurance is for expats who wish to cover their possessions such as houses, vehicles or pets. They also offer travel insurance on either a single trip or annual basis. These are offered at very competitive prices and there is an excellent after sales service. Legal services include legal advice in all areas, such as probate, divorce, selling of property, and more. Golden Leaves International al-
so provide a currency exchange service which gives the best possible price when transferring funds from the UK to Spain or vice versa. There is wealth management and advice on equity release schemes and on the best places to invest money. Emma says that the service is special because they have been in the funeral planning business for more than 25 years and have been providing services for expats for a number of those years. The company prides itself on being a one-stop shop for the expat community, giving attention to every customer’s individual needs. Golden Leaves International covers the areas of mainland Spain, United Kingdom, Cyprus,
Canary and Balearic Islands, Portugal, and it must be noted that the funeral plans have global portability. For more information, contact 9 6 6 493 0 8 2 o r fre e pho n e 8 0 0 098 309. The office hours are Monday to Friday, from 9am-5.30pm. Golden Leaves International has its Head Office in Avenida de la pla 1 2 3 -125, Edificio Car i b e, Jav e a , with a se c o n d o f f ice in Turre, Almeria. Visit www.goldenleavesinterna tional.com or email info@golden leavesinternational.com for more information about the services available or pop into one of the two offices for a chat and a coffee.
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Shakira’s humanitarian missions POP sensation Shakira is one of the world’s most famous singers, but few know about the Colombian-Lebanese star’s philanthropical work. Shakira - meaning ‘grateful’ in Arabic - founded the ‘Pies Descalzos’ (Barefoot) Foundation during the late 90’s, aged just 18. After seeing many children living in poverty on Barranquila’s streets when growing up Shakira promised herself she would do something to help. The charity’s name has a double meaning. It was the title of Shakira’s 1995 international hit record and also brings to mind the poverty of children who cannot afford shoes. And the foundation believes education is not only a basic right but also holds the key for society’s growth. The Barefoot Foundation runs six schools in Colombia’s Barranquilla, Altos de Cazuca and Quibdo regions, offering nutritious meals, education and psychological support to children and their families.
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Spanish Women’s Secrets of success PROBABLY the most famous name in chic lingerie in the world is Victoria’s Secrets founded in San Francisco by a husband and wife team in 1977. Since then it has been the inspiration of many young women and the dream of many young men. Back in 1993 however, a Spanish contender for most exotic on the block, Women’s Secret was founded in Spain and has grown to open 660 stores in 70 countries around the world. Now owned by Spanish textile group Tendam (formerly Cortefiel) it offers a selection of lingerie, sleepwear, accessories and swimwear created for women and by women. The company has a policy of putting the right person in the right position and for a brand that is so focused on women, it appointed Eva Romeo Martín-Maestro as CEO of that brand in 2016. She is a Law graduate who in her 20 years with the group has helped to create a strong brand identity which has seen Women’s Secret continue to expand. The group regularly previews its new season collections on Spanish catwalks, employing top models and special guest comperes, with each launch receiving significant press coverage which ensures a steady footfall in the stores.
Some 30,000 people benefit from the charity’s work, which also operates in Haiti and South Africa, according to the foundation’s website. Shakira is also involved in advocacy efforts to raise awareness of children’s needs in Colombia, Latin America and around the World. She has spoken in numerous prestigious settings including the Oxford Union debating society. She also serves on the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the United States and is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations children’s fund, UNICEF.
SHAK-IRITY: Shakira at the 2011 Cannes Film festival
KERSTIN WEISS - BRICOMADERWOOD
Austria’s loss is Ondara’s gain RIGINALLY from Vienna in Austria, Kerstin Weiss has spent just over one year in Spain working at BricoMaderWood in the Marina Alta town of Ondara. She first came to the country for a month’s holiday back in 2016 to visit her father and loved the lifestyle so much that she decided to stay. Her background was working with children as a Nursery Nurse for five years and has a Diploma to back up her level of achievement, and even now spends some of her spare time looking after some German children. When she was younger, Kerstin - now 22-years-old never considered that she would end up working with wood in the timber trade. However, one day last year
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she came into the business with the aim of buying a pergola and discovered that the owner was looking for a secretary. The rest is history. Kerstin has had a very fast learning curve and as such is now trusted to keep an eye on the business when Richard, the boss, isn’t around and has built up a fine and professional relationship with customers and clients alike. She’s not just responsible for much of the administration within the company. Kerstin has learned her trade and is able to cut pieces of timber to the customers’ requirements with perfect precision. “Some of the customers are surprised when they see a woman cutting wood,” she said, “but I have never experienced a problem.” Judging by the confi-
TIMBER TRADE: Kerstin is able to cut pieces of timber to customers’ requirements with perfect precision. dent and professional way she also handles the delivery drivers in the hustle and bustle of the wood yard, this comes as no surprise. Kerstin believes that her ability to speak four lan-
guages helps the business as it gives customers piece of mind that they will get what they order without any breakdown in communication. This also encourages recommendations to many
nationalities knowing they will get excellent customer service in their own language. Kerstin’s five-year-old dog, Sina, takes up most of her spare time and it was at this point she introduced her. She was sitting quietly in the shade of the office and you never knew she was there. Kerstin Weiss is one of very few women engaged in the timber trade and there’s no doubt she’s made a great success of it in such a short time. “I’m very proud at the trust that’s been placed in me,” she says, “and with that trust comes the responsibility which I thrive on. I’m looking forward to learning as much about this business as I possibly can to be able to give an enhanced and professional service in the future.”
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BRICOMADERWOOD
Transform your home with wood FOR more than a decade, leading wood experts BricoMaderWood, have been providing clients with quality, unique wooden products to transform and enhance their home. Based in Ondara, this Dutch-run company prides itself on the high quality products at very competitive prices. The wood is sourced directly from Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Baltic countries where there is an important timber industry. You can purchase most types of wood at the store at very reasonable prices. The store has ready-cut lengths of timber available; around 130m3 in stock and 45 different sizes of beams, planks or boards, making it amongst the biggest quality selection in the Alicante/Valencia area, or you can have it cut to the size you require at no extra cost. In fact, you'll find everything you need from simple shelves to terrace decking and even complete kits for elegant pergolas. BricoMaderWood also provides a delivery service across Spain and they can arrange to send skilled carpenters along to assemble the woodwork if you don’t want the hassle of ‘doing-it-yourself’ if you are in the Alicante/Valencia area. Buying wood in Spain can sometimes be hit and miss because it is not always durable, but BricoMaderWood supplies resilient timber (available in green or brown and also thermo treated pine timber; the hardest pine version), which is specially treated to
Scandinavian standards to withstand the elements and destructive pests. But it is not just the outside you can transform. Are you fed up with seeing boring cement walls and tiled floors? Wood panelling and parquet flooring look stunning and are quite simple to install; Richard will offer his expertise and professionalism to assist you in helping you find what you are looking for. Gazebos can really make your garden or terrace a more usable and attractive space. Whatever you need, it is more than likely that they can assist and their wide range of services include free cutting to size, professional advice, mounting and fixing service at sensible and economic prices. They can measure and produce carports, gazebos and other coverings as well as decking and external stairs. In addition, BricoMaderWood is expert in the production and mounting of ceiling, wall and floor boards. In actual fact, most requirements can either be supplied from stock or can be made to customer order and they are open 10am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 1pm on Saturday.
SOME OF THE WORK: That BricoMaderWood has undertaken in the past.
BricoMaderWood Avenida Alacant 67, Ondara, Tel: +34 618 056 650 Email: info@bricomaderwood.com Website: www.bricomaderwood.com
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