THE STORY OF INGE LOUF
Inge Louf is on an express train. After the launch of her product Oy on June 1, 2018, six months later she can call herself one of the five nominees for the title of Promising WOMED Award.
Oy means 'island' in Norwegian and stands for healthy sea air with a fresh breeze full of oxygen. The deodorant wash, a soap that is also a deodorant and permanently eliminates the odor of sweat, is a thoroughly Belgian product. Pharmacist Inge Louf is a pioneer in her profession, she loves pushing boundaries and, above all, innovating.
Inge: "The idea actually came from my own family. In both summer and winter we discovered annoyances about unpleasant odors. I thought it was strange to shower every morning with soap, then use deodorant and spray some perfume to day. And yet, during a stressful day, my blouses did not stay fresh and ended up in the laundry basket in the evening. That's where the challenge began for me: why does a deodorant not work sufficiently? I started looking for a solution. A product that eliminates sweat odors without preventing natural sweating. When that product turned out not to exist, I had my 'aha' moment. After many hours of testing, I started distributing Oy to pharmacies.
Because this is the challenge for us: launching a new morning ritual for everyone. In the meantime, both of my sons have joined my adventure and we have three new products in the pipeline. We are even working on distributing the product in Europe!"
"Ambition determines the chance of success in entrepreneurship, not gender."
"It took a lot of courage and perseverance to embark on my entrepreneurial adventure after my successful career in the insurance sector. Starting again and doing business as a young fifty-something came at the right time for me with adult children. I was able to express my full ambition and energy in my challenging project. At that age you also have an extensive network where you can find expertise. I don't think it matters whether male or female, but the expertise and ambition. These ensure that you can conquer a place in entrepreneurship. "
