Getting to know: Anne Rajoo

2024-03-27 11:34:21 • MBN

Getting to know – Anne Rajoo

What was your childhood like? What did little Anne dream she would be as a grown-up?

I was a very curious, tree-climbing, adventure-seeking little girl living in a small village based in the east of Germany which was situated next to an army compound. As a little girl, I had many dreams. Growing up, I wanted to be an Olympian athlete representing Germany. I practiced the high jump, the long jump, and the cross country was my forte! However, at 14, due to the new professional opportunities for my father, I gave up. Then, as my mother used to be in textile, I took up sewing and decided to pursue fashion studies.

How did that go?

I always had big dreams. One of them was to become a fashion designer. But for a girl from a small village, confidence got dimmed when I applied to universities and saw the incredible work others’ had done and out of fear of failure, decided to change my study field… I got into tourism and event management and worked in the marketing department at a travel agency. Due to COVID-19, the company had to let me go. I just had my second child, and now I found myself with no job. I had to set up to work to contribute financially to the household; I had to be active. I took on the role of a virtual assistant which picked up quite quickly and I had flexible hours of operation.

That’s how Virtufully came to life…

At first, I was working as a freelancer. Seeing how it took off well, my vision started to grow and then I decided to open Virtufully for about two and a half years now.

What are the challenges you faced?

There were a lot of challenges; I had to overcome my own limiting beliefs, I have to grow to be a capable leader now that I am building a team and it is a very different setup than when I was working as a freelancer. There is the challenge of building this team of individuals who are working remotely and finding the right work-personal life harmony. Virtufully is growing very fast, and we are working on the next steps to boost our visibility and capacity.

What has helped you overcome these challenges?

It’s in great part thanks to my wonderful circle of friends and thanks to my coach. I have built a support network, otherwise the journey would have been lonely.

What is your vision for your professional path?

I am working towards making Virtufully a successful business with a stable and supportive team of mothers who aim, like myself, for work-life harmony.

Is there one thing you wish to see realise?

I want to hold hybrid virtual & in-person conferences for women in business in Mauritius.

You mentioned work-life harmony a few times. It is a very important concept for you, is it not?

Yes, it is. My father used to be very busy; he was working all the time. I thought that I did not want to have the same lifestyle. I recognise that hard work heavily contributes to a professional career, but it should not be to the detriment of my personal life. As a mother of two wonderful boys, raising the future generation of winners is all the more important.

In a few words: who is Anne?

Anne is a passionate, multi-skilled, and adventurous woman who loves uplifting other women and creating a better world for business and motherhood.

Anne Rajoo – Founder of Virtufully

What is the meaning behind the name: Virtufully?

It is the combination of the words ‘Virtual ’ and ‘Fully’ with a nod to ‘Virtues’. We aim to fully support our clients virtually.

What are the virtues that you adhere to?

Openness and curiosity; the desire to innovate, learn, and grow. I believe in the value of integrity in rendering our services. I also believe that business should be based on collaboration as a way forward instead of competition.

You participated in the first edition of the Women Entrepreneur Awards (WEA). What was your experience?

I was excited to see a platform aiming at uplifting and showcasing businesswomen, so I thought “Why don’t I participate? Let’s see how it goes.” I was able to meet other female Mauritian entrepreneurs and grow my network.

As a member of MBN, what is your perspective on networking and belonging to a business network?

As mentioned earlier, I value collaborating and believe that belonging to MBN could open doors for this in terms of business opportunities or referrals. It also helps me to get out of my office facing my laptop to connect with other people.

A word for our readers

Keep your vision in mind; have it constantly accessible so that you won’t be sidetracked by distractions and challenges and aim at learning something new this year.

Photo credits: TiZean Creasion