Preston People: Louisa van Vessem

We do a regular series on Instagram called #PrestonPeople where we feature a local person, group, or business. Recently we featured Louisa van Vessem of Ingenious Corner & InclUSion.

Here’s what Louisa had to tell us about what she does:

Society1: Tell us a bit about you and what you do:

LV: I’m a business mentor and strategist… sounds more formal than it is. Basically, I untangle your mind and connect the dots to help you achieve success on your terms.

I also run an online community called InclUSion and it’s aimed at business owners and professionals.

Society1: What do you love about being in Preston?

LV: I don’t actually live in Preston but I feel like I do! I love the vibe of the city and all the regeneration that’s going on. There’s a real creative energy about the space and that’s helped by all the new places that are opening up.

Society1: What are the best parts of online Communities such as InclUSion?

LV:

What I love about online communities (especially mine) is that I feel I’m part of a team. Quite often Zoom calls can be energy zapping but InclUSioners always leave feeling excited about what’s next.

As it’s online, it also means that you attract lots of different people that you might not meet in real life because they don’t live in your town.

Having an online hub also allows deeper connections to form because of the conversations that go on and it’s a completely different experience to social media.

Society1: Why is it important to celebrate our diversities?

LV: I think it’s extremely important to celebrate our diversities because it’s what makes us “us”. We’re all different and that’s really exciting because it offers different perspectives.

I recently gained feedback from InclUSioners and one member said, “personally – I am understanding how people with different issues/conditions work and live life. I was aware of them but knowing/learning about them has made me feel humbled and they are comfortable to share. Everything is safe to speak about.”

Society1: What is your “go-to” local business in Preston?

LV: Whenever I come into Preston, I try to mix it up by going to different places but I enjoy Rise, Plau and in the summer I love sitting in the outdoor area at Lost Bar. I also love the CWS community.