Interview with Julie Taylor

This interview shares the personal story of an expat who came to the Netherlands with her husband, and was not directly supported by All About Expats. They may have been able to use some of our services, such as the Orientation Year (Zoekjaar), Relocation Service, the 30% ruling, or Employment & Career Tools (ECT). This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not replace personal advice. For more information about our services, please feel free to contact us.

“I’m Julie Taylor. I’m British. I moved here seven years ago with my husband, who’s also British, to support him in his career,” Julie begins. The move took place in 2018, well before the COVID-19 pandemic, and marked the start of a new chapter in her life. While her husband had a corporate job, Julie saw an opportunity to explore something different. “I thought it was a bit too easy to go back into corporate. I used to work in banking and project management, and I was just like, well, here’s a chance to do something different. Bit of a midlife crisis,” she explains.

Her journey into entrepreneurship began online. Before relocating, Julie was active in Facebook groups, seeking advice on everyday practicalities like finding plug adapters and pillowcases in her new city. These early interactions led to meeting her business partner, which set her on the path of starting her own business. After COVID, networking became a bigger focus, and Julie officially launched her enterprise, which has now been developing for over three and a half years.

For Julie and her husband, living abroad was always a dream. “It’s something that my husband and I always talked about when we first met; we always wanted to go and live abroad,” she says. The opportunity arose unexpectedly when her husband, who worked for an insurance company in Edinburgh, was offered a position in the Netherlands after meeting a senior colleague. “It took a long time to get through the vetting. He had to come over for an interview and all that stuff. We were thinking, I don’t know if this is ever going to happen. And then it all happened quite quickly.”

Relocating meant practical adjustments. Julie recalls, “We packed up our life and came over, rehomed our cats because we were going to live in a rental on a road across from a canal. Our cats live with my friend from university. We put some stuff in storage, brought some over, and put our house up for rent in the UK. I just felt like I wanted a base back there. I didn’t think we were going back.” Reflecting on the experience, Julie offers encouragement for others considering a move abroad. “You can always go back, but if you’ve never tried and never taken that opportunity, you’ll never know,” she says.

Julie recalls the early days in the Netherlands as a mix of excitement and challenge. “The first weeks we had no Internet, and I didn’t speak Dutch,”. Although she had taken a few Dutch courses in Edinburgh, she only knew basic pleasantries, far from holding a full conversation. On top of that, she didn’t know anyone, and the weather wasn’t helping; the rain was constant. Settling into a rental in Leiden brought its own surprises. “One thing that was quite a surprise was I thought all Dutch people smoked because you like to sit outside, whatever the weather. But they obviously don’t. And I like that,” Julie reflects.

Cultural differences extended beyond habits to social interactions. Coming from the north of England, Julie was used to straightforward communication, but she noticed subtle differences in how opinions were expressed. She shares a humorous encounter with a neighbour: “When I let my grey hair come through, my neighbour went, ‘Is that your natural hair colour?’ and I went, ‘yeah,’ and she went, ‘Might be OK when it’s grown out.’ She was older than me, I didn’t know she needed to make an opinion about my hair colour. And that’s really different from back home.”

Julie’s journey into entrepreneurship began with a simple step: attending a coffee morning for internationals in Leiden, which she discovered through a local Facebook group. “I say to people, you need to go out there. Some people are new in the country on their own. You need to go and find your local support network. It’s putting yourself out there. I suppose it’s being vulnerable, but for me, you’ve been vulnerable by moving countries anyway,” she reflects.

Her focus quickly became helping others find their footing in a new environment. Many of the people she met were burnt out from corporate life. Julie encouraged them to explore their passions, offering practical advice for balancing risk: “As long as your financial foundation is there, maybe you have savings or your partner can support you in the early stages, if you can afford to try it. Moving countries changes you once, so keep changing, keep trying.”

”Seeing a gap in support for business owners, she and four other businesswomen started a Facebook group for entrepreneurs in Leiden. What began as a local initiative expanded across the Netherlands during COVID, it now has over 2,200 members. Julie facilitates monthly webinars, helping members connect, learn, and share experiences. “It’s about community and people helping each other,” she says.

While administrative processes for starting a business in the Netherlands are relatively straightforward, Julie points out that cultural and language barriers often pose the real challenge. “Registering at the KvK (chamber of commerce) is straightforward, and you don’t even need to do it immediately, only when you start invoicing (unless there’s something specifically relating to your visa). What’s more challenging is language and culture, understanding how things really work, not just on paper.” She encourages new entrepreneurs to engage with their local gemeente offices, expat centers, or international hubs, or, if none exist, to create their own support group.

Julie emphasizes the importance of connecting a business to a community. “A business grows faster and more sustainably when it’s connected to a community. You can’t know everything, you can’t do everything, and you definitely can’t reach everyone alone. You might have an amazing product, but if you or anyone else doesn’t share it, nothing happens. Referrals, visibility, people advocating for you, that’s where growth comes from.”

Although her business is rooted in the Netherlands, Julie has cultivated an international presence through online events which are scheduled to accommodate participants from across the globe. She engages with international entrepreneur communities, including DAFT (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty) visa groups, providing guidance and assistance. She notes a common hesitation among participants: suspicion of free advice.

“I always say: information in itself is not dangerous. You come, you listen, you ask a question, or you don’t, that’s your choice. Of course, I’ll collect your email address and follow up; that’s normal in business. But the core idea is that if you ask one small question, maybe someone with twenty years of experience might answer it in five minutes and remove hours or even weeks of frustration. That moment of relief, that’s what I love about community-based entrepreneurship.”

If you’re never uncomfortable, you’re not growing. You can’t just build a website and hope people will magically find you. What actually builds a business is word of mouth, connection, and people talking about you when you’re not in the room. People are far kinder than we assume, but you have to give them the chance. If your default thought is ‘they’ll say no,’ you’ll never know. Sometimes they do say no, and that’s fine. But very often they say yes. Community, connection, being human, those are things you can’t automate or fake, even in an age of AI.”

Julie has built a vibrant and inclusive community for entrepreneurs in the Netherlands and beyond. Her approach combines online and in-person support to ensure members at all stages of their business journey can benefit. “We meet online twice a week. With co-working and brainstorming the focus is not just connection, but momentum. Members are encouraged to articulate what they’re working on and what their next step is. Julie often follows up with practical questions, not to apply pressure, but to help people move from intention to action.

Paid in person sessions are held twice a month in Leiden and Rotterdam, sometimes also in The Hague and Amsterdam, featuring guest expert speakers on various topics such as marketing, mindset, automation, and AI. For those who cannot attend in person, online sessions provide a flexible alternative. Memberships are tiered to suit different needs, with some levels including Accountability from digital-only access to the top-level “Golden Bee” membership, which includes full online and offline participation, opportunities to present at events, sponsor an event, and the opportunity to gain extra visibility. Offline events occur twice a month and combine networking, guest speakers, and business development, giving participants one-on-one opportunities to explore new opportunities and connections.

Julie intentionally designed her community to serve entrepreneurs at all stages. “Some members are just starting their company; others have been running a business for ten or fifteen years,” she says. In the Facebook group, members must have their business registered in the Netherlands or planning to move here, for example on the DAFT visa, which ensures relevance and shared context. For her paid memberships, geography matters less: she has members from Portugal, Scotland, Canada, and beyond. “What they’re really buying into is the community and the way of thinking. I share my experience (and quirks) of running a business in the Netherlands, but the real value comes from peer-to-peer learning.”

The diversity within her in-person sessions is striking. Julie is often the only British participant in a room filled with entrepreneurs from all over Europe and the US, those who moved for love or work. “That mix is powerful. Everyone brings a different perspective, and suddenly you realise: there is no single ‘right’ way to do business. There are just different ways, and you get to choose what fits you,” she reflects.

Outside of her entrepreneurial work, Julie recently added a new companion to her life: a dog, which she got just over a year ago. Despite her busy schedule, she maintains a hands-on approach to managing her community and business. “Regular tasks include checking in with members, making sure they know when the next meeting is happening,” she says. Evenings are often spent on social media, staying active on LinkedIn and Instagram, as well as seeking new opportunities for her network. Julie also conducts one-to-one sessions, interviews, and plans ahead for the coming year, identifying trends, finding the right speakers, and tailoring content for her members. While her main base is the Netherlands, online events allow participation from the US and beyond.

Julie notes a common hesitation among entrepreneurs when it comes to free webinars. “Some people are suspicious about asking for help. I say if you ask an expert a question they are generally happy to help,” she explains. She emphasizes the importance of networking in the entrepreneurial journey: entrepreneurs often work odd hours and figure things out on their own, but connecting with others provides access to support, additional expertise, and opportunities for collaboration. Through careful planning, active engagement, and a commitment to her members’ growth, Julie balances the demands of running a business while fostering a thriving, supportive community.

Networking, Julie explains, has always been a natural part of who she is, even before she recognized it as a skill. Reflecting on her early career in banking, particularly during the financial crisis of 2008, she recalls the pressure and uncertainty she and her husband faced (we were both in banking). “That kind of environment forces you to make a choice: either you withdraw and become fearful, or you start talking to people. I chose to talk,” she says. Julie’s proactive approach often meant asking questions that opened doors. “I would ask questions like, ‘Doesn’t your team need someone?’ And sometimes the answer was no, but sometimes people would say, ‘Actually, yes, but we haven’t advertised it yet.’ And suddenly opportunities appeared.”

Her experiences with redundancy, three times over the course of her career, built resilience and reinforced a valuable lesson: asking for help is not a weakness; it is a skill. “You stop worrying so much about what people think when you ask for help. Especially when you move to another country. You don’t understand the systems, the language, the unwritten rules. Google Translate gives you words, but not the context. So you have to ask.” Julie emphasizes that learning often comes through others. Even when working with professionals such as accountants or lawyers, she encourages persistence in asking until full understanding is achieved. “I never tell people something is ‘easy’. I always say: It’s easy when you know how. And that knowledge usually comes through other people.”

Julie designs her events with one goal in mind: providing actionable insights that entrepreneurs can immediately apply. “I listen very carefully. The topics come directly from the questions people ask me in one-to-ones, during networking sessions, or in the Facebook group,” she explains. Her online talks focus on universal business skills, covering areas such as marketing, intellectual property, trademarking, automation, mindset, and Google Ads, etc. knowledge that is relevant no matter where participants live. In-person sessions, on the other hand, often explore topics with a more local Dutch context.

Julie is careful not to overwhelm attendees with information. “Entrepreneurs already consume a lot of information. What they really need are tools they can actually use straight away. If people leave a session thinking, ‘Okay, now I know what my next step is,’ then I’ve done my job,” she says. Through these events, both online and offline, Julie bridges the gap between guidance and practical application, ensuring that learning is always actionable, relevant, and empowering for entrepreneurs at all stages. She has seen participants go from burnout and uncertainty to launching businesses, forming collaborations, or simply gaining the confidence to make clearer decisions.

Julie emphasizes that networking only works when relationships are nurtured over time. “Networking doesn’t work transactionally; it’s similar to dating. You build a relationship step by step. Expecting someone to become a client after one conversation is unrealistic. Trust takes time,” she explains. Many entrepreneurs struggle because they fail to follow up or maintain connections consistently. For new expats, Julie offers practical guidance. Ask for help, even with small things. Walk with someone to the station after an event, share a meal, use helpful apps like NS and 9292, and above all, be human and approachable. “Those small moments of contact make a difference and help you feel at home faster,” she notes.

In her view, entrepreneurship and mindset are inseparable. Success requires the ability to tolerate discomfort. Julie prefers the mantra “be scared and do it anyway” over “fake it till you make it,” believing that growth occurs precisely in moments of challenge and uncertainty. Her business has provided far more than professional opportunities; it has brought friendships, fresh perspectives, and continual challenges. Julie is clear about what doesn’t work. Passive networking, waiting to be discovered, or endlessly consuming information without acting all lead nowhere. “You don’t have to be loud or salesy,” she says, “but you do have to show up. Visibility isn’t optional if you want support.”

That confidence, she explains, comes from experience. Having navigated multiple difficult situations, Julie knows that things eventually work out. “That awareness doesn’t grow from thinking, but from doing,” she says. Her advice is straightforward yet powerful: dare to ask, start conversations, and take initiative. People are often kinder than expected, but connection doesn’t happen by itself; you have to make it happen. Julie also recognizes that everyone engages differently with new experiences. “The reality is that everybody shows up as who they are, based on their culture, background, and personal situation. Some people jump straight in and say, ‘Oh wow, I never knew this existed, this is amazing,’ and they fully embrace it. Others stay more on the outside and feel more resistant. You could say that about anything: living in the Netherlands, learning Dutch, or trying to eat healthily. Everyone needs a different amount of time and experience to get to where they want to be.”

She stresses flexibility within her community. “You really have to let people come and go as they need to. Some people show up, want everything immediately, and then disappear again. That’s okay. As long as people feel welcome and safe, that’s what matters. My community is mostly people between 33 and 63 years old. We all have lives, responsibilities, maybe sick parents or children to care for. So people come and go, and you just have to move with it. It’s the ebb and flow of life, and you see exactly the same thing reflected in business.”

For Julie, one of the biggest benefits of living in the Netherlands is the quality of life. “The fact that I can cycle everywhere is enormously important to me,” she explains. Unlike the UK, where she stopped cycling in her teens because it felt too dangerous, the Netherlands offers a safe and normal cycling environment. Clean streets, reliable public transport, and well-maintained infrastructure add to her sense of ease. “There are no huge potholes like in cities such as Edinburgh, where people seriously damage their cars,” she notes. “Everything feels well cared for and orderly, and that contributes enormously to my daily peace of mind.”

Safety and comfort are central to her appreciation of Dutch life. Julie enjoys walking, being outdoors, and meeting people, experiences she realizes are remarkable when talking with people from other countries. Her photographer, for instance, is Russian and has shared that she would never take the train at night back home due to safety concerns. Julie also values the sense of community and human connection she encounters locally. Living on the outskirts of the city, she observes neighbors greeting each other while walking her dog.

Friends visiting her sometimes pause and ask, “Is this real?” The calm, green surroundings offer a contrast to the busier city center, creating a peaceful environment that feels both human and approachable. The greenery in the Netherlands also resonates with Julie. While the country may lack large forests or mountains, the natural spaces that exist are well-maintained and protected. “There is attention for nature and wildlife, and that feels intentional,” she says. Her only real challenge is fireworks, which occasionally cause panic for her dog. “That’s difficult, but of course, you can’t have everything,” she reflects.

Julie has observed life both as an employee in the UK and an entrepreneur in the Netherlands. The different cultural contexts, has given her a unique perspective on the differences between the UK and the Netherlands. In employment, she notices a strikingly different mentality. “People here work their contracted hours, and then go home. There’s a culture of shared lunches and social moments, like a Friday afternoon social gathering,” she explains. Non-Dutch managers often find this approach surprising. Entrepreneurship, of course, changes the rhythm. Julie sets her own hours, sometimes working weekends, particularly during poor weather when other plans aren’t possible. Yet she notes a universal truth: “Money isn’t always the primary driver as an entrepreneur. You can’t expect a corporate salary from day one, unless you bring existing clients with you.”

Entrepreneurship also requires visibility and initiative. In a large corporation, one operates within a department as part of a bigger whole. As a business owner, Julie observes, “You must make yourself visible and have a voice; otherwise, nothing happens.” Her experience as a contractor in the UK taught her resilience and self-advocacy. Contracts could end at short notice, discouraging vacations or sick days, but the lessons in asserting her value now serve her well as an entrepreneur. Moving abroad also brought lifestyle changes. Julie left her cats and car behind when relocating, though her cats now live happily with a friend. She notes a broader shift in her daily habits: “What I’ve mostly left behind is sitting. I walk and cycle much more, and that has truly changed my life.”

Julie’s emotional experience was nuanced. While not homesick, certain moments were confronting, for example, Dutch language classes where questions about parents reminded her of a recent personal loss. She misses some familiar British comforts, like pubs, humor, and certain foods, but she does not view this as a loss or failure. “It’s just different.” Culturally, Julie has embraced aspects of Dutch directness. “Just saying what you mean and getting to the point is efficient and honest. My British friends sometimes find me quite direct now, but I see it as being effective. It has improved my communication, both personally and professionally.”

Julie has also encountered uniquely Dutch traditions. Sinterklaas, for instance, was a novel experience in her first year. She recalls nervously putting a shoe outside for Sinterklaas, only to find candy placed inside and experience her friends’ kids singing festive songs. While she found the sweets somewhat unappealing, the gesture touched her. Fireworks, once a fun part of celebrations, have become stressful since she got a dog, “It’s just too intense now,” she notes.

Julie’s experience learning Dutch has been both challenging and rewarding. One of her favorite lessons came from a word she recently encountered: gunnen. “It’s not the most beautiful word I’ve ever heard, but it means finding happiness in someone else’s happiness. Someone had described me this way, and I thought, Okay, I’ll take that,” she shares. The compliment, given by an Indian entrepreneur who runs “happiness tours” in the Netherlands, left a lasting impression on Julie. She was honored to be a “happiness champion,” for the tours. Despite this inspiration, Julie has put formal language learning on hold. “I stopped learning Dutch, mainly because I haven’t found the time since starting my business. Lessons follow the school year, and I often go on holiday in September. By the time I’m back, classes have already started, so I tell myself I’ll begin in January, but then the year passes again. I’ll pick it up eventually,” she explains.

Accent and pronunciation present particular challenges. Dutch television shows in the Amsterdam accent sounded surprisingly different to her, even though geographically the area is closeby. Fast speakers can make conversations feel like a flood of words, which Julie finds difficult to understand, especially without the ability to slow down or break down phrases. Her knowledge of German at school has made some aspects of Dutch more accessible. “The sentence structures are very similar.

A Dutch person recently told me how easy they found learning German for the same reason,” she notes. However, pronunciation and spelling remain tricky. Sounds like ei, ij, and ee often sound identical to her, and words that sound the same but have different meanings, such as bank or buurt, can cause confusion. Julie admits, “Sometimes after a conversation I wonder, did we have a cozy chat, or did we have a disagreement?” Writing in Dutch is another challenge, though tools like Google Translate help.

The COVID-19 pandemic added extra difficulty, as masks and virtual meetings removed the visual cues that help her with listening. Certain Dutch sounds, like the guttural g or rolled r, are particularly tough for her, reminiscent of the Spanish rolled r she also struggles with.

Despite the hurdles, Julie sees Dutch as manageable and values the learning process not just for the language itself, but for the connections and insights it brings.

Looking back, Julie has no regrets about choosing the Netherlands. “If I look back, I would have chosen the Netherlands again,” she says. Friends and acquaintances sometimes ask why she doesn’t just take a comfortable four-day corporate job, she may as well be living in her hometown and doing the same as everyone else. “I’m glad we came, and especially that we did it before Brexit. Now it’s much harder to move here from the UK. Friends visiting often ask, ‘Why would you go back?’”

Julie sees the Netherlands as a place to put down roots rather than just a temporary stop. “It’s often assumed that internationals are here only temporarily, but you can absolutely settle and stay. My husband has recently retired early, and people ask, ‘So you are going back to the UK?’ And I think, why?” On legal residency, Julie notes that she and her husband hold a permanent residence permit, so they haven’t gone through the full Dutch naturalization process. “In the future, we might consider a Dutch passport, mainly for the freedom to travel more easily within Europe. With a British passport, we’re still limited in that regard,” she explains.

“You have to get out and meet people. It doesn’t come to you,” she emphasizes. She encourages newcomers to attend events, check platforms like Facebook or Eventbrite, visit international centers, join sports clubs, or volunteer. “This is how you build a community. You might think the questions that you ask are silly, but others have already been through the same. Don’t be shy, don’t let the weather stop you, and don’t make excuses,” she advises.

Offering help to others is equally important. Volunteering, Julie notes, is a wonderful way to start. It allows newcomers to gradually establish their life, network, and sense of belonging in a new country. Beyond practical steps, she emphasizes mindset and curiosity. “You’re here for a reason, and it’s not to stay in your own cultural bubble. Be curious about other cultures. Why you made this step depends on your intent, safety, work, and opportunities, but ultimately it’s about how you approach your life and your journey.”

Do you have a story you’d like to share about moving to, working in, or living in the Netherlands?