Entrepreneur of the Week – Post 1
How excited I am to meet you all.
For years, I’ve been on the other side of the fence — reading your insights and learning from your journeys. Thank you to Lior and Naor for the opportunity; now it’s my turn to share mine.
About a month ago, I turned 67. I’ve walked a remarkable path over these 67 years. Roughly every five years, I reinvent myself. While my skills, experience, and knowledge stand by my side, as an entrepreneur, ideas often arrive as if out of nowhere.
I was born in Bat Yam to Holocaust-survivor parents — my father was a career army officer, and my mother a kindergarten teacher. I was an entrepreneurial child, with a rich imagination. I built my first “houses” in the sand by the sea, and entire neighborhoods in Monopoly — which was always open.
I grew up and joined the Nahal, where I learned to raise the glass ceiling. That starts with waking up for night milking shifts and plowing a field alone at night. I gained momentum by trying — I say “yes” to every challenge that comes my way.
I originally planned to study medicine, but chose agriculture instead. That choice became a tool — or more precisely, awareness of choice. During my agricultural studies, I became a certified travel agent, and so I graduated with two professions: agronomist and travel agent — a profession for every season.
Years of entrepreneurship within the agricultural world gave me deep experience across many sectors. I specialized in plant protection, which allowed me to move freely between fields:
cut flowers, seasonal seedlings, trees, shrubs, and vegetable seeds.
I’ve always been deeply moved by the intersection of quality and marketing — a relationship that makes all the difference.
In 2004, I was widowed, left with two teenagers. I changed the way I lived and began working in agricultural-input marketing in Jordan, and from there across Arab countries.
During a course by Ronen Gafni, I took one bold step further and conceived the idea of bringing Robert Shemin to Israel — a truly wild entrepreneurial story.
Together with my partners Erez Benisti and Gilad Polak, we founded the brand “Project X” — thousands of graduates and a comprehensive mentorship program.
I fell ill with COVID, and thank God I remained here — to continue growing.
So who am I today?
An entrepreneur working in four countries, a mother and a grandmother.
This week, I’ll be sharing fascinating points from my real estate life — lessons learned over time.
Thank you for being with me on this journey —
Entrepreneur of the Week.