‘My artistic talent and Excel-mind, goes hand in hand’

Susanna Appelman SUCH

Susanna Appelman (23) is an International Creative Business student in Haarlem. She moved from China to the Netherlands and works on her business which helps organizations with cross border marketing between China and Europe.

Gap to my goals
I’m always on the look, seeking for new things and improving myself. People will put me as flexible, helpful and willing to learn. Even though I enjoy trying new things and I’m not afraid of challenges, I often feel like what I do is never quite good enough. People tell me I’m doing great, but I set the bar high for myself. That pressure pushes me to keep learning and improving, and it’s also why I always feel there is a gap between where I am and where I want to be. I’m a fast learner and have passion for a variety of things. For example, during my minor in Digital Marketing I developed a strong interest in tech, which opened up new perspectives beyond my main studies. In China, people recognize me more for my artistic side, while in the Netherlands I’m seen from a more business-oriented perspective. That’s why I chose an internship in Ecommerce, so my art and excel-mind goes hand in hand.

I know both worlds
I liked it so much, that I start working on the idea of starting my own creative agency in cross-border marketing between China and Europe. My ideal clients are companies looking to enter each other’s markets. I can help them set up their operations in the local context because I not only speak the language, but I’m also familiar with both cultures and how business is done in each.  In China we work with a completely different digital environment, some markets can only be set up with a Chinese ID. I can fix that with my local networks. That’s the benefit of knowing both worlds.

Finding first clients
I didn’t find that many competitors to be honest. And I do notice that companies missing opportunities because they think this cross-border execution is too complicated. That’s where I came in. But since I’m new on the market, I need to convince my first clients to proof my added value in their business. That’s probably the hardest part of starting your own business, finding the first clients. Once they worked with me, I hope they’ll also experience my qualities as good communication, flexibility and creative ways of problem solving.

People often see me as a sweet person, but I can be surprisingly direct when needed. That usually catches people off guard. The same goes for my artistic side, many don’t expect it. Fun fact: I’ve studied piano for years and hold a high-level certification, used to be a pianist in five-star hotels, and have created art my whole life. Music and art have shaped how I think, how I express, connect, and communicate. They influence how I approach storytelling in branding, adding depth and emotion to my work. For me, creativity and strategy aren’t separate, they’re two sides of the same coin. That’s exactly where my art and Excel-mind come together.

Test ideas with like-minded people
The last year I joined the Start and the Community programme of SUCH. For me, as an introverted person, I didn’t know what my goal was in the beginning. But being surrounded by all these motivated young people, helped me a lot with it. What stood out most to me was the community manager - Jorien. She genuinely remembers the participants and always keeps us in mind when opportunities come up. She's constantly looking for ways to build meaningful connections that are helpful and interesting for everyone involved. That personal attention made the experience feel truly supportive.

Now I know, I’m not alone. The sense of community was really great. Also, the different workshops gave us the opportunity to experience a lot of things in a short time. During the workshop you could easily test your ideas with like-minded people. The fresh perspectives were a welcoming alternation after four years of school. SUCH is different than what we learn at our courses.

To students who are considering starting their own business, I would say: go to try! You need to fail, before you actually know what you are doing. See it as an iterative process. Sometimes you will start with an idea and end up with something totally different. Just start, go out there and check it out!