"Mistakes: the stepping stones of growth, paving the way to wisdom."
Angela van Breemen is co-owner of Iconic Scribes Press Inc. which was incorporated in January of 2024. Iconic Scribes Press is the publishing company for works by author Peter Thomas Pontsa and author/singer Angela van Breemen.
Angela van Breemen is delighted to have completed her first novel, Past Life’s Revenge, a crime thriller with a twist of spiritualism. She is an avid writer of poetry, belongs to the Wordsmiths Writers’ Group based out of New Tecumseth, Ontario and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada and the South Simcoe Arts Council.
Angela is also a Soprano Soloist. A firm believer in giving back to the community, she often sings for different charitable organizations. Music and poetry have been an integral part of her life, and in early 2024 she launched her debut album, In the Breeze. Celtic in nature, it includes three original pieces of music, based on her poetry.
She is a volunteer and one of the directors for Procyon Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre, a group dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and safe release of orphaned and injured Ontario wildlife.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Angela van Breemen: I co-own Iconic Scribes Press Inc. with my husband, Peter Thomas Pontsa.I graduated from the University of Guelph, where I studied Management Economics, a combination of business, marketing, and accounting courses.
Originally in the dental supply business, I spent several years in the automotive business, and returned to the dental industry when in 1991 my husband, Peter Thomas Pontsa (a registered dental technologists) and I started our dental supply company, Dent-Line of Canada Inc. In order to pursue more creative interests, Peter and I decided in 2013 to sell our company to a competitor.
For the last eleven years Peter and I have worked on our writing skills and although a singer all my life, I finally had the time to pursue my lifelong dream to take formal singing lessons. Peter published his first book, Outfoxed – An Inspector William Fox Adventure last year, and on April 16th, I will be releasing my first album, In the Breeze.
The album is inspired by Celtic music and includes three original pieces of music, based on my poetry. On July 9th, 2024, my first novel, Past Life’s Revenge will be available for sale; currently it is available for preorder on all major online bookstores such as Apple, Amazon and Kobo.
Peter is currently working on his second book in the William Fox Series, Silicon Fox, and I am working on the second in the David Harris and Emma Jackson Mystery Series, Revenge is not Enough. I have several children’s stories as well as a book of poetry which I plan to publish as well.
Since we are planning on publishing quite a few books between the two of us, in 2024 we incorporated a new publishing company called Iconic Scribes Press Inc. Launching our own company has given us the freedom to publish our books under our own publishing house.
In the past year, what is the greatest business achievement you’d like to celebrate with your team? Please share the details of that success.
Angela van Breemen: On a business level, it was very exciting when we launched Iconic Scribes Press Inc earlier this year. Last year was a great business achievement for us as we created the building blocks for launching this new company.
The second exciting thing happened just this week on April the 3rd, when the proof of my first book, Past Life’s Revenge arrived.
Later the same week, on Friday, a box of CD’s for In the Breeze was delivered. We will pull out the champagne and celebrate once we start selling books and CDS!
On a personal level, as director of Procyon Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education centre, I was the chair for our first ever fundraising Gala Committee for Procyon Wildlife. It was a very rewarding achievement when our netted $45,000 for the event.
The support we received from our guests, event sponsors and donors of live and silent auction items was very overwhelming and greatly appreciated.
Quiet quitting, The Great Resignation, are an ongoing trend causing many businesses to struggle to keep talent engaged and motivated. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued, and misunderstood in the workplace. In your experience, what keeps employees happy? And how are you adapting to the current shift we see?
Angela van Breemen: During the years we had our dental supply business, we strived to maintain open communication with our employees. In this day of cutbacks, many employers probably wouldn’t do this, but we bought a nice lunch for our employees every
Friday, sat down and broke bread with them. It was an informal way to interact with each other, and we often got amazing ideas on what direction to take the company with respect to marketing or ways to make it run more efficiently. Some of those employees, ten plus years later, still stay in touch with us!
I don’t think quiet quitting is a new thing. It’s always been that way when employees feel they cannot come to their employers with their concerns. Feeling unheard, undervalued and misunderstood is not a new phenomena and in this day and age when it is so easy just to leave, it is important to keep the lines of communication open.
More than ever, a kind and compassionate environment needs to be nurtured. That being said, there may be a greater disconnect than in previous decades as so many people work remotely. So send that friendly text asking how are they are and reward achievements with gift cards and make note of special occasions like birthdays and holidays.
In other words, make that person feel appreciated. Special. And be kind when mistakes happen, and when they do, it’s often due to lack of proper training. So keep cool. No one wants to mess up on purpose!
Here is a two-fold question: What is the book that influenced you the most and how? Please share some life lessons you learned. Now what book have you gifted the most and why?
Angela van Breemen: Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat.
I read this unforgettable book as a kid. This book first exposed me to the idea that the natural world is at risk when man interferes.
This conviction that humankind is responsible for our environment and that we are custodians of this precious place called Earth and of its creatures has stayed with me my entire life. Do no harm.
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. Growing up, my parents raised us to believe in the power of self-visualization. When The Secret was published in 2006, it was refreshing to see these ideas reinforced.
I highly recommend people read this book if they want to transform their lives for the better! Whatever your goal might be – health, wealth, relationships, writing your first novel or producing your first CD!
Christopher Hitchens, an American journalist, is quoted as saying that “everyone has a book in them” Have you written a book? If so, please share with us details about it. If you haven’t, what book would you like to write and how would you like it to benefit the readers?
Angela van Breemen: Yes! I believe that’s true! When I was twenty-three, I started writing a book. Money was tight, and I wrote the story on any scrap of paper I could find using my mother’s old electric typewriter.
For whatever reason, I put the half-finished manuscript aside. Blame it on work, love, marriage, and life in general. Another excuse I’d tell people was, “I’m a poet. I don’t think I have the energy to write a full book!”
Each year, I would come across the yellowed and curled manuscript, look at it cursorily, and then put it back in the drawer. In December of 2022, when I was cleaning out my drawers, I picked up the manuscript again. This time was different. I started reading it.
Although I thought the language stilted and old-fashioned for today’s modern sensibilities, I realized there was something to the story. So, I began rewriting it and this time when I got to the middle, I just kept going and finished the story!
I let the book cool off for a few months and went through many edits to get it where it is now! Past Life’s Revenge will be released on July 9th, 2024.
In my story, the protagonist, David Harris has suffered from debilitating nightmares his entire life. He has sought the advice of psychiatrists and other health professionals without obtaining any relief.
When he meets an attractive young psychic, Emma Jackson, she encourages him to seek the help of her friend Anna Tungsten, a hypnotherapist. During an emotionally charged past life regression, David learns he was murdered in his most recent past life, thirty years earlier.
When David realizes his murderer is still alive, he cannot move on and a build a new life with Emma, with whom he has fallen in love, until he has exacted revenge and stopped the murderer from killing again.
I had so much fun writing this book, I am already working on the second book in the series, Revenge is not Enough.
In your experience, what tends to be the most underestimated part of running a company? Can you share an example?
Angela van Breemen: Businesses going under in their first year has always been a reality, about 18%. And in the first five years, about 50%. The difference between successful and unsuccessful businesses boils down to one simple thing. Lack of research. You need more than just a dream to open a yoga studio, start that specialty coffee or tea shop or restaurant.
The thing people underestimate the most is that they don’t find out if there is demand for the product or service that they’re providing and how firmly other competitors are established in the marketplace. A business owner needs to establish if demand exists. That means do the research ahead of time.
Also, a business that might do well in one location, may not do well in another city or town. Potential entrepreneurs often perceive a success and glamour which may only be window dressing when they are looking from the outside in at other businesses and so they assume that those business are doing well, so they should be able to succeed too. As a result, they overlook their MARKET RESEARCH!
One recent example that comes to mind is a specialty shop selling Greek delicacies that opened near our home. I happened across their Facebook page and got very excited because my husband and I love Greek food! To our dismay they were open only a few months before they closed their doors.
Their location was poor – at the intersection of two busy highways with an unfortunate driveway which only allowed access from the north, and an inconvenient left hand turn into busy traffic when coming from the south.
What does “success” in 2024 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision.
Angela van Breemen: Success in 2024 does not mean the same thing to me as it did ten or fifteen years ago. In those days, it was about making enough money to secure a pleasant early retirement.
Success to me now, means fulfilling my lifelong interests. That means, writing and singing. Success is following your dreams – not just financial, but also following pursuits that will give your soul satisfaction.
Nothing in life is promised to us, we may live to thirty, fifty or ninety. My view is never taking a moment of your life for granted – sing that song, write that book, sign up for that university course, learn a new hobby or skill. There is more to life than work, success should also encompass passion!
Brooke Young, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Angela van Breemen for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Angela van Breemen or her company, you can do it through her – Linkedin Page
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