In 3 short stories
As a little girl, I had one dream. The one thing my parents would never give to me: a horse.
What does this have to do with becoming an entrepreneur?
Well, this one dream taught me a great deal about determination, learning skills and a strong mindset. Qualities you definitely need as entrepreneur.
I am so frustrated my parents don't support this. It's building determination: as soon as I was earning "adult" money, I would buy a horse. Until that moment, I did everything I could related to making sure I could become the best horse owner I could be.
Then my grandmother died and left me a small inheritance. I know "This is my moment".
I looked everywhere for the right version of my dream: a young jumping horse, that I could train myself.
The moment I see her advertisement online, I know: this is the horse. The next day I stepped into my car and drove through the village where my grandmother used to live.
To me, that was a sign. This is her.
Sometimes, when you truly want something, you find a way. Whether that is building a business, becoming visible or deciding to pivot to an online business model.
To me: this experience is the experience that resulted in starting my own business, being so determined I never give up.
During my graduate studies to become an environmentalist, I hit a wall.
A deep depression taught me one crucial truth: I thrive when I can work efficiently and on my own terms.
I quickly realized I wasn't built for the traditional 9–5 office life. The fluorescent lights, the rigid hours, the endless small talk—it all drained me. But still, I pushed myself into two civil servant roles, hoping it would grow on me.
Instead, I got sick. Again. This time with anxiety. That was my wake-up call.
I needed freedom—time freedom, financial freedom, and creative freedom. But that kind of work environment didn't exist… unless I created it myself.
To do that, I had to unlearn every belief I held about success and entrepreneurship.
The biggest one? “I can’t run a business—I’m not from an entrepreneurial family.”
So I started from scratch.
I taught myself everything I needed to build a business that felt good for someone like me—an introverted, highly sensitive thinker with a deep desire to teach and empower women to earn their own money, while having fun.
Marketing, sales, online course creation, tech tools, finances—I learned it all. Armed with a laptop, a phone, and a mission, I launched my business. And over time, it grew.
Fast-forward to now:
I’ve taught over 1,100 students across workshops, live trainings, and online courses. I’ve created eight courses, two of which are still running strong.
And soon, I'll teach entrepreneurs how to build transformative online courses—the kind that change lives, not just check boxes. Because the power of online courses isn't just that it is a scalable business model, it's the change you can bring to your clients
In groups I always was the quiet one, the wallflower, observing but not truly participating.
"You are shy"
"You have to speak up"
Are sentences I heard often
My voice was soft, I blushed intensely when it was my turn to say something in a meeting or when I had to give a presentation.
I dreamed of being on a stage… To express my voice and my opinion. I wanted to inspire others.
I started voice lessons and joined the training to become an internationally certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) trainer.
NLP changed my life. I learned to take charge, to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and to change my limiting beliefs.
I discovered I LOVE to be the center of attention when I am prepared. I am great at teaching people how to improve themselves and have joy in what they do.
Is your name Dorien or Cornelia?
When I started my international brand I wanted a name everyone could pronounce.
I learned from living abroad that native English speakers often struggle to pronounce my name correctly. They tend to pronounce it "Dori-en", instead of how it should be pronounced "Doreen"
I don't like the English pronunciation so in English I use my second name Cornelia.
Did you grow up in an entrepreneurial family?
No, both my parents worked as civil servants. Their motto was: work hard to live a nice and safe life.
It gave me a drive to live my life differently. I didn't follow in their footsteps. It was my partner, who owns a tech company, who inspired me to take the leap
Why do you eat vegan?
As a student, I once attended a lecture in which the professor said: "After this lecture, you will all eat vegan"
Well, that didn't happen right away. After watching way to many documentaries about the effect of dairy and meat on our bodies and the planet, I started an experiment.
What would happen if I started to eat only vegan? Turns out, it's a personal growth challenge in many ways. And I love these challenges.
Now, I feel much more energized daily. How long will this experiment last? Maybe my whole life, maybe I'll quit tomorrow ;)
Dorien Cornelia van Kranenburg (1994)
Online Entrepreneur, NLP trainer for entrepreneurs, Podcast host
Cornelia studied Future Planet Studies and graduated in Water Science and Management at the university of Utrecht in 2017 and started her career as a civil servant in the Netherlands. Soon after she started Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) training: practitioner, master practitioner and became an international certified NLP trainer (IANLP)
In 2020 she started her first business in Horsemanship training as a side hustle, soon figuring out that entrepreneurship was her calling.
In 2023 she started her successful online courses and training business: Eager Minds Academy. With which she teaches entrepreneurial skills, specializing in visibility and online business strategies for introverted and highly sensitive entrepreneurs. With this business she taught over 1100 students and trains groups on a weekly basis.
With her Dutch podcast she has 500 monthly streams, her English podcast "Business, I have no clue' quickly catching up in streams. She has been in the media: interviewed for Quest Psychology and the CEO blog.
Chamber of Commerce: 80907032
VAT: NL003503348B82
