Global People Lunch & Talk on the Power of Failure and Being Yourself

25.03.2024

Dr Elijah Sanches Inspires with Insights on Failure and Risk-Taking

In a recent Global People Lunch & Talk, Wittenborg staff and students were treated to an insightful discussion led by Elijah Sanches, a 28-year-old doctor specialising in public health and prevention of domestic violence, child abuse, elderly abuse and sexual violence.

From Doctor to Entrepreneur

On 14 March, Sanches kicked off his session titled 'The Power of Being Yourself' at Wittenborg's Amsterdam study location by emphasising the significance of failure. Sanches' dialogue particularly focused on the importance of taking risks in any entrepreneurial journey:

"A lot of people I meet are very successful. They're millionaires, they're doctors, they have a good job. And when I ask them how they got there, they always tell me, 'I failed a lot'. The lessons I've learned during my five, six years as an entrepreneur are from failing. If everything is going well, you don't learn anything. When you fail, you have to think about what you can do better and find solutions."

Sanches, who initially wanted to be a plastic surgeon, went on to become a medical professional. But what he liked even more than that however, was being an entrepreneur. Sanches later co-founded Invicta Academy in 2019, a venture dedicated to providing education at all levels of the Dutch education system. Additionally, he founded Ankie – named after his mother – which focuses on delivering care to elderly individuals within the comfort of their homes.

Throughout the talk, Sanches shared anecdotes from his entrepreneurial ventures, highlighting the challenges he faced and the innovative solutions he devised.

He recounted how, during the COVID-19 pandemic, his tutoring company encountered obstacles due to school closures and personnel shortages. However, instead of succumbing to the challenges, Sanches and his team pivoted to offer an online curriculum, pioneering a new approach in the tutoring scene.

The Power of Being Yourself

Sanches also delved into his unconventional career choices. He encouraged the audience to pursue their passions, stating, "Just find things you like and things you enjoy. You can learn anything. You are on a level of intelligence where everything is trainable. Of course, some people learn it easier. But starting a company is, in my opinion, not the hardest thing to do. The hardest thing to do is to make it a successful company. And then you have to try things. And not everything works."

Throughout the talk, Sanches urged attendees to always challenge themselves and embrace opportunities outside their comfort zones. He encouraged individuals to navigate their own paths, stating, "Sometimes you just have to challenge yourself. I took risks that other people didn't want to take. And the worst thing that can happen is for example, I start a degree, I don't finish. Or I start a company and go bankrupt. So you can have checks and balances with that."

Sanches left staff and students with a great message of empowerment and resilience, urging them to pursue their entrepreneurial endeavours with courage and determination. "Just do it," he said, and "don't be afraid of being first, changing your initial decision, or even disappointing others".

Amy Abdou, Senior Lecturer at Wittenborg, expressed her enthusiasm about the talk, stating, "Dr Sanches spoke eloquently about the need to be true to yourself. This is something that is essential for young entrepreneurs to understand."

She said that entrepreneurship is not about designing the best possible plan, but rather the combination of the entrepreneur's identity, network and knowledge.

"By sharing personal aspects of his journey, " she continued, "from challenges he faced at university to the failure of his first enterprise, Dr Sanches wove a story of triumph in the face of adversity. He is a natural entrepreneur who exudes confidence and kindness."