Rianna Hijlkema -

Nice to Meet You

My name is Rianna,

Growing up, everyone said, ‘Pick one thing and stick with it.’ I tried, but honestly, it just wasn’t for me. So, I decided to follow all my interests instead. Turns out, they call people like me a multi-passionate serial entrepreneur. Now, I’m running multiple businesses and living my dream life, traveling the world for the past 14 years.

What most people know about me...

I began as a teacher, became a postpartum doula, then a sleep consultant, and now a serial entrepreneur—combining all my experiences to help others create their dream life.
I’ve been born and raised in a Frisian tribe (yes, that stubborn part in the North of the Netherlands that speaks another language besides Dutch), of which I’m very proud.
I am fit and healthy and always on an adventure. Climbing Mt. Everest, hiking the Inca Trail, walking the Great Wall of China, diving in Indonesia, paragliding in Nepal, and riding a motorbike whenever I can. Everything I own fits in my backpack and I feel blessed with friends all around the world.

What most people don't know about me...

For six years, I went through fertility treatments—a journey filled with pain, hope, and heartbreak, only to end up with no baby. Now, I’m figuring out my legacy in a new way.
In 2018, I saw my husband’s name on a list of people who didn’t survive the tsunami in Palu, Indonesia. Even now, I totally freak out if I don’t hear from him for more than three hours, and my mind goes straight to the worst-case scenario.
In 2019, I finally made my dream move to Nepal and we began building our home. Then Covid-19 hit, turning everything upside down. With healthcare becoming a serious concern, we were forced to leave it all behind.

One thing I’ve learned: it’s not about chasing things—it’s about chasing the feelings that truly matters.

“While looking over the Seine, I made myself a promise: from now on, I’m only doing what makes me happy!”

At the age of 24 I had it all: the boyfriend, the house, the cat, the job. But a couple of weeks after my birthday it started crumbling down. The boyfriend and I broke up (we concluded that a life at a 7 wasn’t good enough for us), and we put the house for sale. While crashing on a friend’s couch, my boss called that he made a financial mistake and couldn’t extend my contract. Within a couple of weeks I was homeless and jobless.. What now?

Then this advertising popped up on my Facebook. A family with 3 kids looking for an au-pair for 3 months in Paris. I felt that this was the right thing for me to do. I packed everything I owned in my car and drove to France. The 3 months became one year, France became China, then Spain, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Bulgaria, Mexico, and maaaaany more beautiful destinations…

While traveling for the past 14 years, I’ve discovered my life, my passions, and even my husband. Now looking back I realise that this challenging time at 24 years old was actually the beginning of a whole new life. A life full of opportunities, personal growth, discoveries, experiences and a great bunch of new friends.

Some of the titles I'm proudly owning:

Brand & Online Presence Expert

I help female entrepreneurs build strong, memorable brands and enhance their online presence through strategic design solutions that align with their vision.

Learn more: www.itstartswithbranding.com

Business Strategist

I work with certified sleep consultants to turn their vision into reality, using my skills to help them build successful businesses and achieve their dreams.

Learn more: www.sleepconsultantdesign.com

VA Startup Mentor

I empower women to start their virtual assistant businesses with my complete startup kit, providing the tools and guidance needed to launch with confidence and ease.

Learn more: www.virtualassistantstartupkit.com

Founder Project M.A.Y.A.

I lead a community-driven initiative in Nepal that partners with universities and NGOs to support women in addressing their challenges and creating sustainable solutions.

Website Under Construction

Some other things I'm proud of..

I created a mini-course called the A.C.C.E.P.T-model™, which has reached over 5,000 students with a 4.8/5 star rating. Knowing the impact it’s had truly warms my heart. You can find the link at the bottom of this page.
I’m currently writing my second book—a step-by-step guide to starting a business. It lays out the exact order of steps first-time entrepreneurs need, to build a solid foundation and set themselves up for long-term success.
Since Covid forced us to leave Nepal, I’ve made it a priority to donate a percentage of my income to support the projects we started there. Now, I’m focusing on a micro-finance initiative to help make these projects more sustainable within the community.
I’m hosting Women’s Circles around the world—both online and in person—and it’s been incredible to see how these spaces become a safe place for women to express themselves freely, share their stories, and connect on a deeper level.
Over the past 10 years, my husband and I have put in the work to build a rock-solid partnership—one where we challenge, uplift, and fiercely support each other’s biggest dreams.

Going through a big change right now?

Transitions are a period in which you change from one version of yourself into another. These transitions can be planned (such as getting married, buying a house, moving abroad, or becoming an entrepreneur) or unplanned (such as a divorce, death or loss, health issues, or a pandemic). Many transitions feel like a disruptive storm. They are challenging due to the big amount of changes that are involved, the feelings of loss of control over the situation, and the increased levels of stress.

People kept telling me, “You have to accept it, otherwise you can’t move on”. But how do you do that when it’s not something you chose? I figured it out and in this mini-course guiding you through my A.C.C.E.P.T. -model™