SIGNE VENTSEL
Team development partner and courage ambassador
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For the past six years I have been an entrepreneur, a team development partner, and a trainer in employer branding as well as people and time management. My mission is to be an encourager - to strengthen people’s “courage muscle” and to bring out the uniqueness and distinctiveness that every individual and organisation truly has!
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With more than 20 years of experience, I have also worked extensively in Estonia’s higher education sector in various roles. I studied marketing and educational management. I am a member of the Estonian Association of Enterprising Women and a founder of a business club. I lecture on employer branding at the Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences, advocate for entrepreneurial mindset, and am a strong believer in lifelong self-development. I have published a self-development journal “I Am My Own Boss”, written a book for women “The Courage to Create Change”, and authored numerous articles on people development.
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I am the mother of two sporty daughters, a partner, and a dog owner. My pile of swim caps is already quite high, and only a few pairs of high heels remain on the shelf. I own three bicycles, love reading books, and above all enjoy eating gingerbread.
FAVORITE SPORTS
Triathlon - builds courage and pushes boundaries
Running - I run to clear my mind
Skiing - gliding and dreaming also provides the foundation for body load, endurance
Golf - teaches you to focus better
Hiking - discovering new things and enjoying nature
GREATEST SPORTS EXPERIENCES
Full-length triathlon Copenhagen Ironman 2024
New York Marathon
Marcialonga ski marathons (where after the first one I said I would never do that marathon again)
Tartu Roller Skating Marathon
Athletics competitions during school hours
JOURNEY OF SIGNE
I remember my first sporting experiences from school, when my speed was noticed by the physical education teacher, and from that moment I moved on to athletics training. As a teenager, I realised how enjoyable it was to spend time training with friends, and that positive feeling about sport has stayed with me ever since.
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Today my life is fully intertwined with sport, as it makes me mentally strong and helps me take bolder steps professionally. Every training session or inspiration session I deliver is connected to sports stories, because sport and business have so much in common.
My greatest source of inspiration - how sport became Signe’s indispensable everyday companion.
I became the mother of two wonderful daughters, and my partner taught me to love skiing. Together with the family we spent many weekends skiing in Haanja. I often had to answer my children’s questions about why our family did so much sport: “Why do we have to go skiing every weekend, when other kids don’t have to… :)”
In addition, our family discovered rollerblading, and eventually we built a house in an area where the sports tracks are right next to home.
I can say that a sporty lifestyle has always been part of my life - sometimes more intensely, even taking part in competitions, and some years a little less - but always as a steady part of the weekly routine.
I ran my first marathon in Berlin - or rather, I took part in a double marathon. On Saturday I skated 42 km on rollerblades, and early Sunday morning I started on the same course for the running marathon. I remember a moment in Berlin when a man was running in front of me wearing a T-shirt that referenced the world’s most famous marathons. He was still missing only the Berlin and New York marathon medals. While running there, I had a dream: wow… one day I would also love to run the New York Marathon. Sport always makes me dream and gives me the feeling that I can reach those dreams....
Briefly describe your degree and any other highlights about your studies you want to share. Be sure to include relevant skills you gained, accomplishments you achieved or milestones you reached during your education.
….for several years in a row I went early in the morning to watch the Ironman Tallinn triathlon, just to see what kind of people actually do triathlons. Watching all that atmosphere, I felt how much I wanted to try it myself… but I couldn’t swim. Well, only a bit of a sinking dog style.
The idea of triathlon kept bothering me until one day I started training with Sportland’s employee team for the Ironman Tallinn. And in 2022 I completed the Ironman Tallinn 70.3 and crossed the red carpet. From there I have been happily part of the triathlon world, fulfilling dreams I didn’t even dare to dream of. And I also managed to qualify for the New York Marathon.
Today I work daily as a team development partner and trainer. I sometimes joke that if you want to nudge modest Estonians to discover their potential, you really need to be mentally strong and train as if for a triathlon.
Every training or inspiration session I deliver is linked to sport, because I see the difference in teams where people are physically active, as there is energy, there is will, and there is openness. There is everything needed for growth. My greatest wish is to integrate this simple idea into teams and encourage Estonians to value themselves through sport.
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As a great admirer of an active lifestyle, I know that sport and business have a lot in common. Every training or team day I run includes plenty of stories, connections, and examples from sport. I live what I encourage in others through practical trainings. Sport is self-leadership! If you can go out and train in bad weather or when you’re in a bad mood, then you can also achieve other bold goals in your life!
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I live and work by two guiding principles:
“The bold ones always have more opportunities!” and “There is always time, if focus is clear!”