Can you tell us something about yourself and your passions?
Together with my partner Erik and our dog Tommy I live in Duiven. My partner and I are both 35 years old and Tommy is 1.5 years old. We rescued him from the streets in Portugal. Tommy is a huge sweet cuddle bug and my permanent assistant at Noūla. On the days that I am not with Noūla I always start with a wonderful reformer Pilates lesson. Followed by a nice coffee at home on the couch with a good book. In the afternoon I like to take a long walk with Tommy and mess around the house. I live very much on the flow of the seasons. In the winter I love cocooning in the house. Candles, nice music, meditating. In the summer I stand on my sup at sunset or enjoy a good book in the garden.

How did you get to where you are now in your career/life?
In February 2023 I lost my most precious possession. My sweet son Noud. Noud turned 3.5 years old. Years that may sound very short on screen, and in human terms they are. But for me these years felt like the biggest part of my life. I felt that I wanted to weave Noud into everything, including my company. That is how 'NOŪLA' was created at the end of 2023. Our company. A holistic hair salon, where literally all my heart and love lies. Noūla flourishes completely in line with my life outside the salon. Because of this, no day feels like work to me.

I met Erik in 2020, after years of dancing around each other, the spark really ignited in January 2024. He is the rock in my turbulent surf, the harbor where I can always come home. But also my sparring partner when it comes to the business side of Noūla.

What are some challenges you've faced along the way and how did you overcome them?
I always thought: 'I can't do that' or 'that's not in me'. 'She must be much better than me!' I now know that when you stay close to your own heart, you can do anything. As long as you trust your own strength! Set goals, but adjust them when you notice that the curve is too sharp. I always kept myself very small. By looking at myself more grandly, the chances and possibilities that lie ahead of me are also many times greater!

How do you use your platform/(work) environment/influence to make a difference?
At Noūla I really give my (exclusively female) clients the feeling that they are allowed to be there. Extensive advice regarding hair and scalp. No standard 'weather talk' but questions like 'what is on your mind this week?' Noūla is a private salon where all attention goes to the client. A living room for the client alone, to let the color work in peace. And in the spa there is all the time to really own that zen feeling by means of a great head, neck and shoulder massage.

What achievement are you most proud of and why?
That is the creation of Noūla. In the darkness, to let a company develop from so much love and light. My grieving process, using the love for Noud as fuel.


How do you integrate The Insiders into your daily routine or work?
I use the products daily. The Glow Hair Oil is a must have for long hair. I see it as a day cream for my lengths and ends. It provides nutrition, protection and prevents my ends from splitting. I can't live without it! Every wash is an attack on your hair. That's why I only wash my hair once every 4 to 5 days. To shake that volume back in between, the Hustler Dry Shampoo is a real must have for those last days.

Who or what inspires you the most?
I have many female entrepreneurs in my chair. The conversations that result from this inspire me every day. The vision on the company and on life in general, wonderful to spar about that as women together!

What's the best advice you've ever received?
This came from my dear friend. Since Noud passed away, I have struggled enormously with the fact that Noud is often not mentioned and is 'ignored'. Death remains a subject that many people want to stay away from. Let alone when it concerns a child. Even the question from a complete stranger 'do you have children' is sometimes difficult to answer. This often causes discomfort for the other party, while I would love to talk about my son with love and enormous pride. Erik gave me a beautiful insight to make it more bearable, to deal with it: Not everyone is worth my story. So I only tell my story to people who are worth it. People who give me energy back. That is why I turn down many interviews. This is because the story behind Noūla is so much more than a salon with a holistic view. The faces behind The Insiders are close by, which makes this an interview in which I would like to show a part of myself.

Do you have any tips or advice for women who want to follow your path?
Try to separate your head from your heart. Your heart knows which way you really want to go. And sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone for this. And that is where resistance lies, discomfort. But that is also where the magic lies, GROWTH! Trust that you are on the right path. Trust that life has the most beautiful things for you. Know that your life is unique. Trust the proces.

What are your plans or goals for the future?
Over the years I have learned to live in the here and now. Noud taught me to see what is there, and not what is not there. And I try to be there with all my attention. My goals are therefore always focused on the short term. My goal for the short term is an expansion at Noūla. In order to flourish even more with life, I would like to have a few loving hands in the salon. A wonderful person who does my work on the days that I am not present. Preferably on a chair rental basis. And I believe in the power of manifesting, so I know that someone will be on my doorstep during the year. ✨

I hope the above has inspired you.

Remember that no matter how dark it seems around you, no matter how confused your thoughts may be, finding light is achievable. That in a storm, seeds can be planted that will create a strong tree that will hold your life steady.

How I feel and see it: Often we are open to everything that is beautiful, sweet and light. We welcome this with open arms. But we reject everything that hurts and is dark. That gives discomfort. We keep this door closed and we do not want to see or hear it. But then you push away that which wants to be felt so much. Pain and sorrow are the backside of love, of the beautiful in life. And in order to really feel the beautiful, we must also look at the darkness. If you keep turning your back on that darkness, life is hard work.

I try to literally 'sit' with my sadness. Give it the space to be there. And no, this is not an easy task. But it ultimately gives peace in the physical and mental, because you literally let it flow. And how you give meaning to this is up to you. One dives under a blanket in bed, the other goes for a run. Yet another starts writing or ... As long as you can be with that feeling with your attention.

Remember that in everything in life. Thank you for reading a little piece of my life. You are always welcome in my salon.

For more information about Laura and her concept, check: @noula_beauty