On 20 May, at CA Indosuez Wealth (Europe), women from across Luxembourg gathered for the Entrepreneurial Woman Project Networking Event in Luxembourg — an evening dedicated not only to entrepreneurship, but also to courage, professional transformation and the often very personal journey behind building something of one’s own.
Organised within the framework of the Entrepreneurial Woman Project (EWP) — one of the flagship initiatives of the Luxembourg-Poland Chamber of Commerce, now entering its 13th edition — the event brought together women at different stages of their professional paths: some already running businesses, others still exploring the idea of entrepreneurship and asking themselves whether “something more” might be possible for them.
The strong interest in the event, reflected in over 50 registrations, demonstrated the growing need for initiatives supporting women’s entrepreneurship in Luxembourg. The evening itself created an intimate and engaging atmosphere that encouraged authentic conversations, meaningful networking and exchange between participants.
The diversity of women attending — from aspiring entrepreneurs to experienced professionals and business owners — created an especially meaningful dynamic and reinforced the sense of openness and community throughout the evening.
Opening: on transformation, doubt and quiet questions
The evening opened with a welcoming speech by Marta Andrzejewska, Project Manager of the Entrepreneurial Woman Project and host of the event, who invited guests to look beyond traditional success stories and focus instead on the moments of doubt, change and quiet internal questions that so often precede professional transformation. Marta also shared her own perspective as someone who completed the first edition of the programme and has now been running her own coaching business for more than a decade.
“Professional transformation rarely starts with a business plan. Usually, it starts with a quiet internal question we ask ourselves long before we say it out loud.”
Drawing from years of experience working with women on professional transformation, confidence and entrepreneurship, Marta guided the discussion far beyond traditional business topics — creating space for honest conversations around fear, ambition, visibility and personal growth.
Her reflections on confidence, visibility and the emotional side of entrepreneurship strongly resonated with many women in the room and reinforced the supportive, empowering atmosphere of the evening.
Guests were also welcomed by Andrzej Zabek, Head of Polish Clients at CA Indosuez Wealth (Europe), whose presence reflected the strong engagement of CA Indosuez in initiatives supporting women’s entrepreneurship, leadership and professional growth.
The evening itself took place thanks to the hospitality and generous support of CA Indosuez, who hosted the event and welcomed participants into their space for an evening of inspiring conversations and networking.
As the Entrepreneurial Woman Project continues to grow as one of the key initiatives of the Luxembourg-Poland Chamber of Commerce, partnerships built around shared values, empowerment and community remain an essential part of creating meaningful opportunities for women in Luxembourg.
We would like to sincerely thank CA Indosuez for their trust, collaboration and support in making this evening possible.
Panel: three entrepreneurial journeys, one stage
The central part of the evening was an open on-stage conversation with three inspiring women entrepreneurs and graduates of the Entrepreneurial Woman Project: Maria Pawelek, Iryna Sagaidak and Alex Kaskov. Each of them shared a very different entrepreneurial journey — from corporate law and governance, through wellness and nervous system regulation, to creating a modern pilates studio in the heart of Luxembourg.
Maria Pawelek — from international law to independent advisory
Maria Pawelek spoke about moving from a successful international legal career into entrepreneurship and building her independent advisory practice focused on governance and board-level decision-making. Reflecting on her experience with the Entrepreneurial Woman Project, she shared:
“The business I pitched during EWP was not ultimately the business I launched, but the programme changed something important for me. It helped me move from thinking about entrepreneurship as a distant idea to seeing it as a real and possible path.”
Maria also spoke about her long-term vision of building a business that could eventually create meaningful opportunities and employment for others, highlighting the importance of combining entrepreneurship with impact, leadership and long-term value creation.
Iryna Sagaidak — nervous system regulation and MindfulBody
One of the evening’s most powerful discussions came from Iryna Sagaidak, whose business emerged from her personal experience with chronic pain and nervous system regulation. During the conversation, Iryna spoke about a topic that resonated deeply with many women in the room — the impact a dysregulated nervous system can have on both physical and emotional wellbeing.
“Many women live in constant stress and survival mode without realizing how deeply it affects the quality of their daily life. A dysregulated nervous system can manifest through chronic pain, physical tension, headaches, jaw tension, chronic fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety, fibromyalgia or irritable bowel syndrome — symptoms that are often normalized or ignored for years.”
She also shared how discovering the connection between neuroscience, movement and nervous system regulation eventually inspired her to create MindfulBody, where she now helps others reconnect with their bodies and recover from chronic tension in a safe and sustainable way. Her story brought an important perspective to the discussion, highlighting how entrepreneurship can sometimes emerge from deeply personal transformation and a desire to create meaningful impact for others.
Alex Kaskov — leaving corporate finance to found xx pilates
Alex Kaskov, founder of xx pilates, shared her experience of leaving the corporate finance world after realising it no longer felt aligned with the kind of life and work she wanted to build. As she explained during the conversation:
“I wanted to create something that I actually care about. Something that has an impact — even if it’s in a simple way, like helping people feel better in their bodies.”
Alex also reflected on how entrepreneurship changed her perspective on growth and ambition. While she is currently focused on developing xx pilates, she openly shared that in the future she would also be interested in exploring entirely different types of businesses and services beyond the wellness industry — showing how entrepreneurship often opens the door to broader creativity, independence and long-term vision.
Key themes from the evening
Throughout the discussion, themes such as confidence, visibility, self-worth, fear, resilience and personal transformation resonated strongly with the audience. The conversation highlighted that entrepreneurship is often not only about strategy or business plans, but equally about mindset, courage and learning to trust oneself.
Networking and closing reflections
The evening concluded with a networking session, which created space for deeper conversations, questions and exchange between attendees, former participants and women considering applying for the next edition of the Entrepreneurial Woman Project. Guests had the opportunity to learn more about the programme itself, discuss the realities of entrepreneurship in Luxembourg and hear first-hand experiences from women who had already completed the journey.
The networking part of the evening also included conversations with Vincent Manuel, Deputy CEO in charge of Development at CA Indosuez Wealth Management Europe, who joined participants during the informal discussions following the panel.
“Entrepreneurship rarely begins with certainty — it often begins with a question quietly asked to ourselves long before we are ready to say it out loud.”
The evening confirmed once again that the Entrepreneurial Woman Project is far more than a business programme. It is a space where women gain confidence, perspective, meaningful connections and the courage to redefine their professional future on their own terms.
More importantly, it reminded everyone in the room that entrepreneurship does not always begin with certainty or a perfectly prepared plan. Very often, it begins with a conversation, a moment of reflection, or the realization that perhaps we are capable of much more than we once believed.
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We would like to sincerely thank CA Indosuez for their trust, collaboration and support in making this evening possible. As the Entrepreneurial Woman Project continues to grow as one of the key initiatives of the Luxembourg-Poland Chamber of Commerce, partnerships built around shared values, empowerment and community remain an essential part of creating meaningful opportunities for women in Luxembourg.
Interested in the next edition of the Entrepreneurial Woman Project?
If you would like to learn more about the Entrepreneurial Woman Project Luxembourg and the upcoming edition of the programme, we invite you to visit this page.
