--- title: Achieving the Unthinkable description: Joyce Carols has spent her life working tirelessly as an entrepreneur while caring for foster children. She uses her experience to empower and inspire companies to reach their potential. author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2019-08-05T11:07:27.000Z updated: 2026-02-25T14:11:30.038Z canonical: https://www.sovereignmagazine.com/article/achieving-the-unthinkable categories: Business content_type: Profile region: Netherlands publication: Sovereign Magazine --- ## **A story of Drive, Diversity, and Battling the Odds ** With a background and degree in Psychology and Social Sciences at the University of Tilburg, and over two decades of international professional working experience, Joyce Carols developed into a renowned Mindset & Behavioural expert, International (Tedx) Speaker, and Bestselling Author. Her company, Enjoy EsC, offers Success Mindset & Diversity Programs in Business and Personal Development. Joyce is a strong believer in the power of our mind, and diversity in all its facets. It is her mission to empower leaders to adopt a Success Mindset to shatter their glass ceiling, embrace their (internal and external) diversity, and achieve anything they desire. With a global C-suit clientele she frequently travels and enjoys the different cultures the world offers. Facing many adversities in life, experiencing the diversity gap, the devastating negative behaviour of others (her bosses in her own global corporate and during her entrepreneurial journey), and her experience being a foster mother to two girls from different social and ethnic backgrounds, all fuel her determination to succeed in her mission. #### What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to work with people. I have always been interested in people, their minds and their behaviour. What drives them? What makes them smile? What is their bigger purpose? What’s their passion? What makes them great, the leaders they are, motivators, inspirators and positive influencers? What can I learn from them and how can I support others to be better, great, grow, happier, more successful, positive and balanced between personal happiness and professional success? How can I support them to adopt a Success Mindset, so failure is not an option anymore for them and they can do, achieve or overcome anything they set their mind to? I love getting the best out of others and helping them grow from good, to great, to brilliant! Nothing beats a person that has that sparkle of pure joy and passion in their eyes. I always had the desire to start my own company and after years in the corporate world and climbing the corporate ladder, I thought it was time to take the jump and go solo. During my Corporate Career the “people side” of doing business always fascinated me and made me thrive as a leader. Being an entrepreneur gave me the flexibility to be at home when needed for my foster children, while still building multiple successful businesses. [https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJoyceCarolsVPC%2Fposts%2F3171726046178557%3A0&width=500](https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJoyceCarolsVPC%2Fposts%2F3171726046178557%3A0&width=500) #### What’s the biggest challenge you have faced thus far? I am living proof of my mission, adversity struck me more than most could imagine. For example, around 20 years ago, I broke my neck and was told that I had a 1% chance of ever walking again. But I still managed, against all odds, to fulfil my childhood dream, to get back on my feet and play for the National Field Hockey Team in the World Qualifying Series. In 2003 and again in 2008 I saw my own heart monitor go flat when I was lying in the ER suffering major allergy attacks. I barely survived a near-death experience, twice! But no adversity in life stopped me. It taught me a valuable lesson, to appreciate life and all I had. Every time adversity knocked on my door I became more determined to beat it with a positive attitude and strong mind. I was tenacious in my desire to succeed in life and in my mission to change the world by working with leaders and executives, and by speaking on stages. When I ‘came back’ I knew I had to do things differently. I started taking better care of myself, I slowed down, started having a balanced life, eliminating stress inducing causes and I started surrounding myself with like-minded, positive people. The little miracles in the day became more and more important and I really started enjoying every second of the second chance I was given. It’s people I really care about, the experiences I have when I have the opportunity and fortune to interact with them, the amazing family I have, and the work I can do. I believe we are as great as the challenges we surpass along the way. I always look for people to learn from, to be inspired by, and who are as positive as I am. On the other hand I always try to give back to the people that I can inspire, the next generation and bigger causes like KeyNote Women. #### About Joyce Carols Joyce is the founder of Enjoy EsC. Which aims to help international companies, their teams and their leaders to grow from Good, to Great, and beyond. As the founder and chair of KeyNote Europe’s Women’s Speakers, a non-profit with the aim to bring more diversity to the global stages, she dedicates a great deal of her time as volunteer to support its cause and support the next generation of women speakers. Substantial other volunteer hours go into mentoring the women of The Dutch Business Women, her Entrepreneur Empowering Group and mentoring Groups of Teenage Girls how to adopt a Success Mindset to grow their self-esteem, confidence and happiness.