Patricia Bonaert, Co-Founder, Expatkit & Advisory Board Member, MixR
Patricia is the Co-founder of the start-up Expatkit, a company supporting families in international moves to use the transition as a tool to create resilience and lifeskills.
Podcast
Overview
“I always believe that embracing the culture is the best way of taking profit of the whole experience”
The Brand Called You welcomes a guest from Italy, Patricia Bonaert on the show today. Patricia is the Founder of ExpatKit. She is the advisory board member of MixR. She is also associated with the Young Presidents Organisation. Patricia is also the chair of LBS- London Business School. And on a more adventurous note, Patricia is also embarking on a world bike tour with her husband! In conversation with our host Ashutosh Garg, Patricia shares her journey and the many experiences that he has gained on the way.
About her venture- ExpatKit:
ExpatKit is a venture that helps ex-pat families adjust to transitions and new environments of different countries and cultures. She has products that help families deal with the emotional ups and downs of international transitioning. Patricia talked about the challenges faced by ex-pats who move to different countries, especially children. Patricia also throws light on how these ex-pats adapt to new cultures and work environments.
What is MixR:
MixR Is a technology platform that is creating communities in the workspace. Patricia put forth some shocking statistics about burnouts in companies and the disengagement of employees. MixR is a platform that helps employees to connect, meet and spend time around things they are passionate about. Hence helping people find their calling.
The LBS- London Business School Program:
The London business school program is an executive education program that equips all attendees, tools, and best practices to increase or improve their leadership or entrepreneurial skills. This program allows leadership to be encouraged at every level!
Her believes:
Patricia draws her inspiration from different types of Art! She believes in being aligned and grounded with her values. She works on trust, respect, and kindness. Success to Patricia comes with fulfillment and recognition by her loved ones. And she defines failure as a gift in disguise!
Profile
-Co-founder of the ‘start up’ Expatkit, a company supporting families in international moves to use the transition as a tool to create resilience and life skills. (2002-
-Advisory board member and director of MixR: a tech for a good platform enabling trust and belonging in the workspace
-Spearheaded and chair of the London Business School program ‘leaders as entrepreneurs’ together with John Mullins
-Member of the organizational team to create content for Gorizia (Italy)cultural European capital in 2025.
Career history:
-I have tried to take my career in a suitcase, due to our global nomad lifestyle for the last 23 years and this has shaped my business opportunities along the way from Belgium to Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, and now Italy.
-Connecting the dots of all that I did, I realize that everywhere I create communities: in local areas (welcome clubs, ex-pat support, Gorizia 2025), larger areas (YPO chapters, LBS as a community for all attendees), and now on a global scale with MixR.
I think that ‘belonging’ is a very important feeling and through the power of communities you activate the ‘belonging feeling’..
Meanwhile, I had been involved in international school boards for 4 years advocating a ‘larger vision’ for education, as well as
involved in YPO advocating more diversity and inclusivity, and created an international welcome club in Trieste, my current hometown.
Some successes and achievements:
Rewarded Speaker on international conferences for families in transitions and international school conferences
Hiked to Mount Everest Base Camp in April 2015, just before the earthquake
Organized together with a YPO next-generation team the largest YNG event at the very start of the pandemic
Global YPO Leadership award in 2019 in my role as regional S/P officer
I Love to empower and bring the people I work with in their light.
Issues I am concerned about:
-Raising my children into respectful young men, solidly rooted with human values, aware of their duties, confident in building their way to be happy human beings, contributors to a better future.
-How the world is evolving: the number of unhappy, hungry people, the food waste, the planet, the urge for regenerative farming, and how tech will support that.
-How can I change the world for the better? Managing vision, worlds’ needs, and personal reality, my own limits.
What am I doing when not working?
I am passionate about history, art, architecture, culture, personal development, beautiful nature, healthy lifestyle
I love traveling, reading, writing, cooking, learning new things, spending quality time with my family and friends (with some good wine and good food is even better!)
I play golf, swim, ski, hike
I am embarking on a world bike tour with my husband starting end of April, and I am really excited about that opportunity! We plan to work 3h a day in the late afternoon, but the rest we bike and explore!
