It’s been almost 6 months now that I work on my little project called “Loloelen” everyday. I have prior obligation to you, my followers, to give you a hint of how this idea started before proceeding with it any further. Actually I feel as I need to share with you the whole story …..
It all started six years ago when I moved to Switzerland. I left a 25 years professional career as PA in Greece and I had to decide if I should take the next step and become a freelancer.
And so I did. I established my company EK Administrative Services GmbH and I started to offer what i know best, my services as an assistant, on a freelance basis, with the hope of enhancing my knowledge and coming into contact with various multicultural environments.
Now, after 6 years I estimate that I should have done it in an even more free way … What I want to say, is that I should try to undertake many small projects, working for various customers than being engaged to one large holding company and creating a “personal” relationship which led me to neglect other primary parts of my life. But, on account of this wrong-headed movement, I can claim a) vast experience in operating at multinational environments, b) good knowledge of two more foreign languages (Spanish and Portuguese), c) opportunity to travel constantly abroad and visit countries that most probably I wouldn’t have never visited in my life and most importantly d) my strong wish to do something on my own and start working 100% for me.
I carried this need in my mind for almost two years and I captured myself searching for ideas and taking notes of my thoughts, of things I love, I am good at, I miss etc. I wasted a lot of paper doing this and maybe I should apologize from my “green” friends. I end up deciding to upload my own blog and unfold to you the shareable parts of my life.
Next step was to find a name for this blog but that was quite easy. Everybody was already calling me Lolo, following my ex-husband’s initiative to give me this nickname.
Then create a logo. At that moment, while working with the graphic designer Niki Papapavlou , I visualized the whole “thing” as a very personal space. That is why I asked her to create a “girl” who really looks like me and picture Lolo in various circumstances that could be allocated to the blog’s categories. The lologirl that travels, thinks, get inspired, cooks, wanders around fashion or decoration …..
Α serious incident shocked me and I said to myself “enough with dreaming – time for action”. I ended my collaboration with this international holding company, I added e-commerce and physical commerce activity at my company and end of February 2020 I uploaded Loloelen.
My ultimate goal is to create a blog for coming in contact with you and exchange ideas and considerations and a marketplace where I could pop up the things that I love more (pre-loved or brand-new), emphasizing to handcraft work of my country’s people and in general Greece’s traditions, history, culture etc. Somehow I had the idea to cautiously find and select objects of affection that need to find a new home or new items of some interest that could improve your style and your ambience.
Today, after almost 6 months with Loloelen, I already have kind of letdowns, pretty much not morally right actions, such as seen my idea taking place by a blogger who offered me guidance for social media during corona virus crisis. All these made feel that people are not anymore well-intentioned as they used to be and i should keep distances …
On the other hand, I got a bunch of messages from people that never met me or from others that had long time to see me. All of them were very encouraging, with honest concern for me and my effort and sincere comments about my work in order for me to get better and enhance my little “Loloelen” …..
Btw, a couple of “friends-followers” told me that I should write my articles billingually, thus add my native language Greek…. do you agree? And if I do so, should I write first in Greek and then in English? I really cannot decide it.
The outcome of these first 6 months is that I already feel much better in my life and confident I took the right decision by getting involved with this project and turning my hobby into business. I enjoy very much speaking to you constantly and having my eyes widely open to any exceptional and affordable work that need to be shown off. This “hunting” truly inspires and pleases me. I just follow my instinct
Still I do everything on my own. Well, I should mention that Leda Dakou is giving me a solid hand of assistance to promoting my page. She is my new friend and collaborator and sometimes …. pain in the ass (allow me this expression) and Rania Xanthopoulou, who I admire very much and for long time in my life, almost 30 years, who gave me so useful instructions about commerce and buyer-seller-handcrafted creator relationship. Honestly, I don’t believe I could proceed with this idea without their support.
As a consequence to this very personal work and effort I just seek for your tolerance in everything, in my language mistakes, in my way of thinking, in my photos (for sure are not professional, but I never wanted to have an impersonal online shop) in my manner ….
Please feel free to send me at any time your comments, thoughts, suggestions, though I would greatly appreciate if you avoid those of hate, if any.
With love,
1 comment
Lolo is more an attitude than a nickname, anymore. It’s a constant hunting of out-of-the-box ideas and an addiction to high standard quality. The job has never been finished until it is adequate enough. And this achievement is conquered after endless hours of tireless work.
Well done Lolo! Continue to be inspiration to all this people with ambitions and targets in their life.