It is a perfect morning in Amsterdam and sitting at a tiny bar table is a woman, Marianne van Leeuwen. Without saying a word, she radiates a playful energy coupled with an air of someone who seems to have it all. [You wonder to yourself at just why some people are so lucky?]

Marianne van Leeuwen has been on an online entrepreneurial adventure for the last 10 years.  The founding of MiepKniep in 1998, the first Dutch price comparison website, was only the first chapter. Already though, it was evident from introducing a price comparison website to the Dutch culture in particular, a nation of traders over the centuries, that Marianne has a strength for good ideas. And running with them.

"I barely knew what a web form was," laughs Marianne as she begins to tell her story of how SHE and her sister Barbara founded an online celebrity fashion store in 2003. "My sister Barbara and I came up with the the initial idea and became very excited." Acting to maintain the momentum, they spent two months researching and brainstorming around the idea. WELIKEFASHION.COM was born.

In 2007 she co-founded a digital media focused ad agency which specifically targets women. Another good idea in the light of the ever increasing spending power of women, especially in The Netherlands.

[You wonder to yourself at how many times you let a simple idea float by]

"It's not rocket science. Like so many things you just have to sit down and do it, sit down and figure it out. The biggest problem is that ideas stay ideas. Scale it down into bite size pieces," she says. Then her French toast arrives and she smiles with more enthusiasm than the six year old sitting close by eating ice-cream.

For Marianne the world is perfectly imperfect. "I can live happily when things aren't perfect. When you start something, of course it won't be perfect. Using feedback, continuously improve what ever you are doing."

[You wonder to yourself how many times have you let perfection paralyse even a first attempt]

"I didn't want to be an entrepreneur by myself." Now of course that makes sense as no one person possesses the entire range of skills needed t set up a company. After all that is what those 'How to be an Entrepreneur' books say; find people who compliment your skills. So Marianne got her sister on board. "Being in business with my sister was wonderful..." she says, with how she says it conveying that in fact Marianne's strategy is to share. To engage. To be part of. To have fun. "I love working with talented people, there is such a good vibe to group dynamic." There's a pause as though she's rediscovering the moment.  "I love my job(s)", she reflects.

[You wonder how often you forgot that it takes courage to follow what makes you happy]

Finally, as Marianne finishes her French toast you answer your own question: Marianne's 'luck' is only the extra icing sugar on her French  toast. It has much less to do with success than you ever thought, and even less to do with being happy. She waves goodbye as she makes her way to her speed skating competition in a couple of hours. She's still smiling and you hope that whatever the waiters at Brasserie de Joffers sprinkled on her French toast, they put in your coffee.