1st anniversary

We are the founders of Business Queens Network. Read more about us here.

WOW! Queens is turning one year. What a historical year this has been – as for other businesses all over the globe. And like the most powerful ones, the members of the Queens had to be creative in new ways, far above our original plans.

By Anne Solheim

Two different Rotary projects have been accomplished, and the third one is ongoing. The fourth project is totally different, which has turned out to look more and more like a fraud case in one of the networks we, as individuals in Queens, have been involved in, Wibes, which is still an ongoing issue. These projects bring valuable experience. Contrary to business organizations in general, knowledge about being an entrepreneur of ideal organizations in Spain is beneficial. But both those projects are not yet closed and need to be concluded related to all the members in Queens.

2021-09-18: If you are interested, a link to updates about Wibes is below in this blog post.

The preliminary plan, developing the second phase of Business Queens Network (Queens) as a business platform in ACTA, now may deliver products through a net-based sales funnel is also completed.

Read on if you want to know more about the work the first year in and “around” the Queens’ constellation during a pandemic. The page on the website called Partners, projects, and news shows a snapshot of it too. Here you will find the status of partners, the projects decided to expose, and other relevant updates.

The first Rotary project the member of Queens became a part of is called Torrevieja Fundraising. That one was to help the local community’s weakest in and around Torrevieja in Spain, literally to save lives. This touches upon the startup of the second one in the frame of the Rotary. And with great help from our father clubs in Rotary in Sweden and Spain and especially the district governor in Spain, we in Queens as individuals maintained our three personal memberships in one of the largest network organizations in the world, which is Rotary. This is appreciated. And to those who did not know, that work turned out to be the third Rotary project: an establishing project to try to realize the second international Rotary club where we, as individuals in Queens, are founding members. This is pretty rare in a Rotary context, I (Anne) think.

The groundwork for the future Rotary club establishment is done in two different projects, with the plan that the second one of these would end up with a new international Rotary club in Spain. The name of the second phase of this work is Rotary Club Orihuela Costa International. And at the same time, we in Queens wished our “old” Rotary club – Club Rotario de la Zenia Internacional the best for the future. The largest club ever in the history of Rotary Spain by the chartered time. A club I represented on two stands at EXPO, Torrevieja, and in Norway in Jessheim Rotary Klubb. But we are so sorry to tell you that it looked like it had significant and escalating problems, which we could not do anything to prevent. Because of that fact, we decided to try again in another constellation. And as mentioned above, the fourth project, related to a network we established some years ago, Wibes, is also ongoing. The four mentioned projects above took a lot of time and focus in many months.

The original plan for 2020 was to develop Queens further, from Phase 1 to Phase 2, by establishing relevant products that Queens can advertise and deliver professionally, resulting in more business in the future. This plan is called Queens – Phase 2, conducted hand in hand while building a functional organization and finding a suitable office. And when the talk is about the organization, the experience is: It is time to discuss values. And Rotary’s values for that global network are a good starting point. So, the value keywords for Queens have become Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity, and Leadership. An available physical network meeting place was established too at Best Office in the area where the Queens project was launched. In parallel, the network was also growing through cyberspace meetings. Day-by-day work during Queens development, the first year during the pandemic, has been accomplished through gatherings and meetings in cyberspace across country borders in Europe. So, cyberspace became a gift. This made it possible to maintain and develop the necessary strength to accomplish what has been done, including Queens – Phase 2.

In the work frame to save people’s lives and reach the goal for Queens – Phase 2 parallel while doing the groundwork for a new Rotary club, much-clarifying-work in the Wibes case became more than planned. Conducting those projects simultaneously during a relatively short period without the opportunity to meet in a physical space serves the definition excellent, I think.

In addition to the abovementioned work, Gunnel Thunstöm had another type of work, golf. In parallel, Christina Berardi managed the podcast called Varför Spanien? which she founded. And I, Anne Brit Solheim, have worked in ACTA, a Norwegian company I established.

Okay, just some glimpse of what we as individuals and a team have done during a pandemic as entrepreneurs.

If Business Queens Network looks like something for you and your business, too, just join us. Until June 30, 2022, you may have a one-year membership in Queens with a 50% discount. Then you will be able to meet business owners, managers, entrepreneurs, make new contacts, learn more and exchange ideas. You will get your logo with a relevant link on our marketing page for free and more if you consider joining. And if you want even more, like videos, blog posts, etc., and of course, share the blog post and interview on social media where you want to share this, Queens only says welcome to be a paying member.

2021-09-18 Updates on the previously mentioned fraud case, the Wibes case.

Rotary and Queens

Club Rotario de la Zenia International march 2019

Perhaps you know that Rotary is a global, non-religious, unpolitical, humanitarian, voluntary organization. Rotary is important to many people worldwide and is working “hand in hand” with the United Nation (UN).

By Anne Solheim

This organization has values and ideas which are important to Business Queens Network (Queens). So, we desired to participate in their global work that covers many fields where people struggle worldwide. But we needed a club because a Rotarian’s work starts there.

We, Christina Berardi, Gunnel Thunström, and Anne Brit Solheim, before we established Business Queens Network (Queens), became three of the founder members of the largest Rotary Club in Spain’s history. This club was named Club Rotario de la Zenia International and turned out to be both the largest club and the second international club in this country, as far as we know. You may see us all in the picture above in a beautiful castle during the club’s memorable inauguration. A certificate of honor is here, in other words, a historical event.

In 2020 we, the Queens, took a new step in our Rotary history. This you may read more about in the following link.  And through the information about the work we have done, including the project work, ROTARY CLUB ORIHUELA COSTA INTERNATIONAL, to prepare our new International Rotary Club, we to wish our “old” club the best for the future.

Meet the artist and doctor

This is about a doctor in philosophy in the area of Industrial economics and organization who is a hairstylist artist. How is it possible to describe a career like this in a fair way to illuminate it?

We, Business Queens Network, have the pleasure of presenting Dr. Gunilla Andersson Gustafsson from Gunilla Consulting. She is a philosophy doctor in industrial economics and organization, but that is far from the whole truth related to her career.

By Anne Solheim

Gunilla is an extraordinary and interesting human being, a woman with a career ranging from the artistic part of the hairdressing profession through teaching to a doctoral degree related to Industrial economics and organization.

We recommend listening to the interview Christina Berardi did with her in August. There Gunilla tells us more about her career. She also became a teacher before she took a university degree in pedagogic as well – before the doctorate degree became a reality after she had studied industrial economics and organization and received the title Ph.D.

Gunilla is an author as well and has written a number of books in various fields in Swedish with titles such as Kemi för frisörer (Chemistry for hairdressers), Dynamisk pedagogik (Dynamic pedagogy), Den inre teatern i lärandet (The inner theater of learning), Scenbyte (Scene change), Resan mot det omöjliga (The journey to the impossible), Händernas språk (The language of hands), Resan från Finland som krigsbarn (The journey from Finland as a child of war) and Extranjeros : Invandrare och Nybyggare i Spanien (Extranjeros: Immigrants and Settlers in Spain).

How is it possible to describe a career in a fair way to illuminate a doctor in philosophy in industrial economics and organization who is a hairstylist artist? … almost impossible. But you may listen to the interview in Swedish with Gunilla to get more insight.

If you want to get in touch with Gunilla Andersson Gustafsson, you can do this through her Facebook page.

New beauty salon at IBC

We have the pleasure to present Anvi Winston Wernersson.

By Anne Solheim

Together with her partner and colleague Anncharlotte Witasp, she will start a beauty salon at IBC International Business Center, Orihuela, Costa, Spain.

But due to the current world situation with the pandemic, the opening date has been delayed. Despite that, now the great day is near. This is – at the time of the interview – set approx to the 15th of October.

Anvi and Anncharlotte, both from Sweden, are enthusiastic and look forward to being there and soon can meet their customers in the salon. Please listen to the interview we did with Anvi in August here. The interview is in Swedish.

We from Queens wish them luck and will have our hair fixed at Salong Prima.

Golf on Costa Blanca, Spain?

Simon Foster Golf

In this blog post, we present a partner, Simon Foster, a PGA professional delivering bespoken golfing events on Costa Blanca since 2003. Simon is English but fluent in Spanish and has extensive contacts in the hospitality, leisure, and sports industries.

By Anne Solheim

Simon and his team, Simon Foster Golf, are specialists in luxury golf and corporate events. They have established a reputation for providing the highest quality personal service for golfers, holidaymakers, and discerning corporate travelers throughout the year.

If you want somebody to tailor your event to your every need – both on the course and off it – whether you are traveling for business, pleasure, or both, let Simon Foster Golf take care of your stay, allowing you to relax and enjoy.

Unfortunately, the corona situation has changed since the interview with him, so some changes in what he tells us will be put out.

So, as we all have to do these days, you have to abide by the travel rules that exist when you want to travel. But you may contact Simon through his Facebook page below to get the information you need.

Here you can listen to the interview we did on the 25th of June.

Round trip Norden/Spain

Have you ever thought that it could turn out to be more than a usual good alternative to travel by car between a Nordic country and Spain? … due to restrictions in public transports, including transportation by plane.

By Anne Solheim

Marie-Louise Malmström has 30 years of experience in this “game”- to travel this long way alone.  Here in the video below, she talks about her latest car journey from Sweden to Spain. She also informs us how she prepares with important documents, puts the route into the GPS, small power naps along the road, how she does when she sleeps after the road, and much more.

Listen to her story about the difference to drive this year – a pandemic year – against previous years.

(Sorry for the problems with the sound at the start of the video.)

Hobbies that Make Money

1347263.synergyworldwide.com/nn-no

Meet Catriina Karppinen, a real estate broker who lives in Costa Blanca in Spain. She made a big change in her work life in the quarantine period the country was forced into. Perhaps this can inspire others as well to make the necessary changes in the work-life in challenging times.

By Anne Solheim

In short, Catriina Karppinen has taken up her hobby, which turned out to be a successful move.

If you understand Swedish, listen to the interview we did with her on the 27th of May 2020 here:

More information here: 1347263.synergyworldwide.com/nn-no

You may contact Catariina Karppinen through email or WhatsApp:
catriina.karppinen@gmail.com, WhatsApp +34 662 189 829

Live & Enjoy

Now is the time to introduce a new partner, Arturo Ruiz Montava, from Valencia. He has lived eight years in Torrevieja and is known as the man behind wine-tasting tours and other excursions with wonderful experiences and surprises.

By Anne Solheim

Live & Enjoy, Torrevieja is the name of his company, specialized in quality wine and excellent gastronomic meat and seafood.

The Iberian ham they offer is from black pigs living natural life near Spain and Portugal. And the beef meat is from black cattle living in Toledo, also free walking animals. The result of this is an excellent quality of meat. The seafood is from Galicia, where the ocean is colder with higher salinity than in the Mediterranean Sea.

Listen to the interview in English with Arturo Ruiz Montava to know more about Live & Enjoy, and check the links below.

Enjoy! It is easy. You can even order the gastronomic products and the wine directly to your home from the webpage here: www.expeditionbusiness.es  

If you are eager for more, check out the Facebook page as well: www.facebook.com/landetorrevieja

Swedent Clinica Dental, Orihuela Costa

What do you do when the customers do not show up because some have left the country and do not know that the clinic is open?

In the video below in Swedish, you can listen to one of our partners, Monika Bramsell, dentist and clinic owner. She gives us an insight into how it was to keep her business alive during the period when Spain was in lockdown – when it became the fact that the customer base disappeared.

By Anne Solheim

Despite this Swedent Clinica Dental was and is open both to treat dental problems and do tooth hygiene. Contact information here: www.swedent.com/

Monika thinks it will take time before they return to the new normal business world, perhaps even up to the end of the year, but it will take even longer for some other market segments. But despite all changes, she looks optimistic about the future.

BEST OFFICE, TORREVIEJA

Best office! What is that? Check it out here.



Here you can listen to an interview with one of our business partners, Peter Jaegerstierna. An interview Christina Berardi did in May 2020.

By Anne Solheim

In the video below, Peter tells us about himself and his company Best Office in Torrevieja. This office hotel is part of a large international business system with different business areas. And Peter is one of the owners of this complex.

The best office in Torrevieja, Alicante, Spain, had its inauguration a few days before the area was hit by quarantine Covid-19, and now is Spain slowly open up again. But in the meantime, many months without the opportunity to run businesses as planned were a major challenge.

Listen to the story behind Best Office, Torrevieja here. The video is in Swedish.

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