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Exclusive Interview with Celia Soonets | Insights & Stories on CraveBooks

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Celia Soonets

Member Since: 11/2023

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Celia Soonets holds degrees in Arts and Social Psychology from the Central University of Venezuela, with a Master's in Business Administration from UQAM (L'Université du Québec à Montréal). Most of her professional career has been in the world of market research, marketing, and consulting. She began her career in the corporate world in 1987, where she held managerial positions after 8 years. Subsequently, she ventured into developing her own businesses, always in the field of market research, as a partner at Emevenca, a medium-to-large-sized company that began with offices in Venezuela and now provides services in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Trinidad. She has over 30 years of experience in the market. In 2006, she started a micro-business designing jewelry, Soonets Jewelry, which she worked on independently alongside her other ventures until 2019. In 2019, she started a blog in Spanish for micro-entrepreneurs: Eslabones de Negocio (eslabonesdenegocio.com). Through this blog, she regularly shares topics related to values, attitudes, and habits that contribute to an entrepreneur's success, as well as tools for achieving more efficient performance. She has had experience within three different business environments: corporate as an employee, the private sector as a partner in a medium-to-large-sized company, and the private sector as a micro-entrepreneur in projects where she worked primarily alone. This has given her a broad perspective on the different aspects of the business world at each of these levels. She is certified to administer and analyze the EMP (Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile), a tool from Eckerd College (Florida, USA), for assessing individuals' profiles across personality and performance dimensions related to entrepreneurship to help understand strengths and development opportunities for entrepreneurs. With "The Wheel of the 8 Fears of the Entrepreneur”, her first book, she embarks on her journey as a writer.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I'm a social psychologist with over 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur in the market research sector. After retiring from the day-to-day activities of my company in 2019, I decided to start a blog for entrepreneurs. This blog serves as a platform to share the experience, knowledge, and tools I gained from my entrepreneurial journey, with the aim of helping others in theirs. This endeavor eventually led me to write a book. I live in Punta Cana with my husband and our two beloved dogs, Muñeca and London. I am also a proud mother of three beautiful daughters and a grandmother to two amazing boys.

When and why did you start writing books?

While researching for one of my blog articles, I discovered that the subject of fears faced by entrepreneurs lacked a conceptual model. This realization inspired me to pursue further research, which ultimately resulted in my first book.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

Through writing my blog, I discovered a passion for writing and found it to be an excellent way to connect with others in my sector.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

I write non-fiction, so this question may not directly apply to my book. However, the main character in my book is undoubtedly the reader—the entrepreneur who is eager to learn, grow, and achieve greater success.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

So far, I have written and published only one book. It has been a challenging yet wonderful adventure, filled with valuable learning experiences.

Who is your favourite author and book?

I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction, so this question is challenging to answer definitively as it depends on the genre. However, I can share that the books that have recently made it to my all-time favorites list are Carlos Ruiz Zafón's "The Cemetery of Forgotten Books" series—all four of them.

What book are you reading right now?

I'm finishing "In the Time of tye Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez, which is the monthly reading for my reading club here in Punta Cana.

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

Interacting with entrepreneurs at various stages of their journeys and across diverse business sectors has opened my eyes to new struggles and the necessary mindsets required in the entrepreneurial process.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Besides reading, I love knitting, drawing and exercising.

Do you have any new books in the works?

Yes, definitely. My second book is currently in progress and will continue to explore various aspects of the psychology of entrepreneurship.