Dr. Simone Boer
Dr. Simone Boer, recognized in Forbes and known as the”Hacks Queen” is a transformative coach and strategist with a deep fascination for the human brain. With a diverse career that started with a PhD in Neurosciences, Simone later transitioned into strategic roles in government and even overseeing pools, gyms and indoor sports centers at one point! However, it’s her unique blend of neuroscience insights – ‘brain hacks’, strategic thinking, ‘wealth’ mindset and coaching that truly sets her apart. Simone’s brain hacks empower individuals to exceed their potential and achieve their personal, professional and business goals.
Simone is also a mother of 2 little peeps, loves all things property, living the life that she has specifically designed.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
Growing up, I liked books and often dreamed of what I could be. However, sitting in the Library, trying to work out what I wanted to be ‘growing up’. It wasn’t that difficult to figure out. You see, I was always fascinated by how the brain worked, so it was only natural that I’d study how the brain works. Hello Psychology, that then led to a PhD in Neuroscience. Interestingly, following my initial degree, I started to apply for jobs, and just found that I didn’t have enough life experience behind me to get far. If I’m being incredibly honest…I started the PhD as a way to ‘avoid’ the real world. However, I found that to get anywhere in research, you need to dedicate your life to it, and that just wasn’t me.
Fast forward to now with 8 different, successful careers, focused around asking questions, bettering myself, the people around me and inventing new ways to make changes, you now find me in my sweet spot – coaching amazing high-achieving professionals and business owners to uplevel themselves, their lives and their businesses.
Was there any turning point in your life that changed your journey? If so, what was it? Please tell us the backstory behind it.
Many. When I was in Neuroscience, I found it a very lonely journey. It took courage, a whole lot of bravery to step out of everything that I knew in order to be happy in a new career. I had to learn everything, and got a steep culture shock in ‘the real world of corporate’. In a similar way, I thought that I knew a lot, when I left a successful corporate career, to start my entrepreneurial journey. However, I found that I knew nothing. In schools, you are not taught to be an entrepreneur, you have to learn through the ‘game of life’.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say “YES, go for it!”
It was simply a desire, a way to fulfil what I deem to be my purpose focused around creating the space so that people can have their own breakthroughs and live their best life. The vehicle to do that for me is through coaching and ‘brain hacks’. Ie – tools, activities, questions that will cause a change in perspective, that change in perspective results in a change in a person’s life.
Having left the corporate world, being everything that I knew, I was faced with a choice: to walk back into another corporate job, or to start something bigger than me, and create real, significant change in people’s lives. Guess what I chose?
Everyone has their own set of challenges when starting an entrepreneurial journey. Still, the most essential part for others to learn is how you deal with those. Would you like to share with us your challenges and your coping mechanisms?
Starting with nothing – having to build everything from scratch. If you don’t build it, there is no business. But, even knowing where to start – I had trouble knowing the first steps. I hired coaches, in order to shortcut that process, and even now, I have my own coach to shortcut the process of scaling the business. Always implement and learn, always learn from everything you do, and just have a go. By having a go, you will learn.
I’ve had many additional challenges, from not being able to sell my coaching program for mths to getting over my own insecurities when I needed to breastfeed my newborn during meetings. In order to navigate them, I would find the key question that gave me the answer to break through those times.
While the global pandemic of COVID-19 is associated primarily with adversities, it has also brought about a true boom in startups, with successful entrepreneurship in many countries. The pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. Would you like to share your experience on a personal and professional level?
On a personal level, the pandemic brought about significant upheaval in my life. This was exemplified by the challenges I faced adjusting to my partner and I both working from home, and needing to adapt to our different work styles. This was particularly taxing when needing to provide emotional support amidst my own demanding work schedule. Furthermore, the anxieties of having children at home, while I worked – and work was being put into turbo-drive slowly led me to a burnout of sorts. However, amidst the chaos, I found that there was a beautiful opportunity for introspection. I began questioning what mattered most to me, and what brought me fulfilment. This led me to start my vision board, a catalyst for substantial personal growth, and this led me to leaving the corporate world, to start my own entrepreneurial journey.
In essence, the pandemic, while creating significant disruptions, also served as a catalyst for profound personal and professional transformation. From creating a vision board and focusing on self-development, to making bold professional decisions, it spurred me to reassess my life and reorient towards what truly mattered to me. I navigated through the pitfalls, and have since embraced this period as a time of new beginnings and rebirth.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
Obtaining my PhD – there is a real grit, determination, stubbornness to get there.
My two amazing children, which have provided me with perspectives, happiness and joy on a daily basis.
Starting my property investment journey – believing that I could make significant changes to my life, through the right choices, and investing my own money to make it work for me.
Appearing in Forbes – an achievement that I never thought possible.
Starting a business, working out what was unique about me, my offering, that people would also have an interest in, and of which I could help them.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
I would love to see a world, where everyone thrives, no matter who you are, where you’ve come from, everyone is living, and loving their life. A part of that comes from generous encouragement of each other. To see all that, would make a better world.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
The most important thing that I’ve learned is to be in your magic, that means to live in true alignment with yourself, who you are – and not what others determine how you should live. My personal motto is to live your best life. And that is the life of your choosing.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women’s leadership today?
I believe that women’s leadership today is not just about representation, it’s about transformation and empowerment. Women leaders (when they are in their feminine self) bring a unique blend of strengths – empathy, emotional intelligence, resilience, and a holistic approach to problem-solving – which greatly contributes to effective, balanced leadership. Research suggests that companies led by women often outperform their counterparts in terms of profitability and social responsibility, showing the tangible benefits of women’s leadership. However, despite these advancements, there are still a myriad of unconscious biases in our society today that inhibit women.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
I believe that you should follow your passions and purpose down a path for as long as it serves you. But as you experience life, you grow. You are not the same person as you were yesterday or last year, or as a child. Therefore, you too can change your career, your life to what best suits you in the now.