I wanted to interview a powerful Scorpio woman for the blog seeing how Scorpio's rule power and that I did with Em Dezentje from Little Tienda. She doesn't scream power she oozes it with a sense of self-confidence about what she stands for and the values she holds within her personal and business life. We dive deep and speak about all things Scorpio and of course a little "Little Tienda" see what I did there! Enjoy
Scorpios are prolific truth-tellers, that is part of their magic. What does trust mean to you, and how has this evolved over the years?
I didn't know this about Scorpios... though even when I speak my face generally gives away my feelings so I guess it is true. I have always been very honest about things and expect others to be the same. I actually trust most people and assume they are being honest with me. If they aren't I would say I am less inclined to want to spend more time on that relationship. As I have grown and aged, I am very much only interested in an honest and good intention of friendship.
Scorpios harness the emotional strength and intuition as the zodiacs only fixed water sign. I feel a Scorpio can read the room in less than a minute, knowing exactly who is living with integrity. Are you one to use your instincts, intuition and gut feelings in both business and personal life?
I always follow my gut and find it very hard to 'play the game'. I was actually a recruiter and trainer when I graduated from university. I was always very good at saying who wasn't right within a moment of meeting them. I have a good intuition on when someone is telling me what they think to want to hear - a very good skill for recruiting. As time has gone on, I think it means I am less open to people truthfully. If I feel the intentions of others aren't really where mine is, I probably close doors faster than I used to. I think following my gut goes hand in hand with being overly truthful. In business, it has to be about love and connection. I am very committed to those who I work with and always follow my instincts when approaching people who I think will add value to what I do plus who I am.
Scorpios harness the emotional strength and intuition as the zodiacs only fixed water sign. I feel a Scorpio can read the room in less than a minute, knowing exactly who is living with integrity. Are you one to use your instincts, intuition and gut feelings in both business and personal life?
I always follow my gut and find it very hard to 'play the game'. I was actually a recruiter and trainer when I graduated from university. I was always very good at saying who wasn't right within a moment of meeting them. I have a good intuition on when someone is telling me what they think to want to hear - a very good skill for recruiting. As time has gone on, I think it means I am less open to people truthfully. If I feel the intentions of others aren't really where mine is, I probably close doors faster than I used to. I think following my gut goes hand in hand with being overly truthful. In business, it has to be about love and connection. I am very committed to those who I work with and always follow my instincts when approaching people who I think will add value to what I do plus who I am.
Scorpios are blessed with a warrior spirit, are you one to push the limits physically and burn out? If so what has been the hardest lesson in finding where your limits lie and what brings you back down to earth?
I am not this Scorpio woman hehe I wish this was true and I should learn how to run
The Scorpio energy is that of the Phoenix regularly rising from the ashes of self-destruction to begin again. Do you like to be in control? And would you admit to it?!
I am a serious control freak - though most people think I am very relaxed and chill hahaha. Truth is I am... if I feel in control. I don't have to control others though. At 41 I know that the only thing I can control is my world and how I feel in it. I have four children in primary school, so to a point, I can control the everyday things (being organised, being prepared, making sure they are ready for the day) though how they feel and how they act with their friends is all them. I can only assist them in being the remarkable humans that they always were going to be.
One of the reasons I am a stay at home, work from home mum is -if I am really honest - because I actually don't know how to be anywhere else. My whole world is my home. If I work for myself, I can be everything I desire as a mother plus fill my cup in the creative and business world. It is a privilege to be able to continue to live and work this way.
I am a serious control freak - though most people think I am very relaxed and chill hahaha. Truth is I am... if I feel in control. I don't have to control others though. At 41 I know that the only thing I can control is my world and how I feel in it. I have four children in primary school, so to a point, I can control the everyday things (being organised, being prepared, making sure they are ready for the day) though how they feel and how they act with their friends is all them. I can only assist them in being the remarkable humans that they always were going to be.
One of the reasons I am a stay at home, work from home mum is -if I am really honest - because I actually don't know how to be anywhere else. My whole world is my home. If I work for myself, I can be everything I desire as a mother plus fill my cup in the creative and business world. It is a privilege to be able to continue to live and work this way.
Scorpios are one of the most misunderstood Zodiac signs. Their passion and intensity and their ability to never do things in halves can lead them to intense situations and environments. Do you feel you thrive under extreme circumstances?
Absolutely. I couldn't image a calm existence without high expectations to keep me on edge. I think that intensity is my calm space. Working out an issue and creatively thinking about solutions is my jam. Like you mentioned before, 'rising from the ashes of self-destruction', I actually think I continue to do it so that I get the low and then the high ... I honestly have never thought about this before. Though I have been doing this for so long now in so many situations. I guess running a business while raising four children from the one space is my perfect chaos and actually makes me do it better.
Mysterious, enchanting and captivating. If you move past the Scorpios gate of approval you have an ally for life. Are you one to keep things close to your heart? And do you let many people in?
Oh, I am terribly closed. I love very deeply and only seek connections with people who will meet that intensity. I don't really do 'small talk' either, I just want to talk about the real issues. My friends are the kindest, most beautiful and clever group, I can not believe I get to love them. As the years have passed and I have got to know myself better, I realise I am not seeking the approval of others. This means I am less inclined to speak about what I do, feel or who I am. I am having conversations about social issues that need to be had, moving the focus on things that actually need to be talked about and conversations that make us uncomfortable to create the change we need. I am very willing to create space to have those conversations.
Oh, I am terribly closed. I love very deeply and only seek connections with people who will meet that intensity. I don't really do 'small talk' either, I just want to talk about the real issues. My friends are the kindest, most beautiful and clever group, I can not believe I get to love them. As the years have passed and I have got to know myself better, I realise I am not seeking the approval of others. This means I am less inclined to speak about what I do, feel or who I am. I am having conversations about social issues that need to be had, moving the focus on things that actually need to be talked about and conversations that make us uncomfortable to create the change we need. I am very willing to create space to have those conversations.
You can see the passion behind Little Tienda. Each garment has a story to tell. Your ethos is focused on creating fair trade garments and unique one-off pieces. How did Little Tienda come about and what internal talents and resources do you possess that enables you to create a brand that is modern yet holds the magic of generations of tradition?
Oh, thanks so much! I created Little Tienda when I had three babies under three. It felt very natural at the time and the only pressure was the pressure I had on myself. As it has evolved over the last nearly eight years, I have added another child and started to design and create all garments from scratch. I feel that traditional artisan practices that have been generations in the making, hold a really important space in the world. I love the combination of my designs with traditional hand made details. We only use organic cotton and flax that is sourced from the region also, so the footprint is minimised, this is just one small step to offer the Little Tienda lady a piece with real heart. I have a few business degree's and an MBA, so that helps - though I am so intuitive about the concepts. I actually create from a space of a maker not someone in fashion. I am not a designer, I just know how I want the final images to look and how the piece will wear on a woman. I also think about my every day - I just want to feel as amazing each and every day as I would if I was going out to dinner with my husband. Little Tienda has always been about creating wearable art and feelings.
Last but not least, what do you feel makes a powerful woman in this day and age?
Internal confidence, that isn't for anyone else, just for the woman that it belongs to. We live in such an oversaturated world of 'what we should be' when truthfully we are already enough. We have more power in us to create change in ourselves, in our loved ones, in our community - we just have to feel it each and every day. If we just let go of the vessel we are standing in and follow our intuition I truly believe we can, AND WILL, change the world.
Thank you Em, you can follow Little Tienda at @little_tienda