From Global Executive to Author of Thriving in Your 30s

Elise van Zeeland has built a high-pressure global career across the energy and healthcare sectors while creating a life she genuinely loves. She now serves as Executive Director at Habib Medical Group, the largest private healthcare provider in the Middle East, and is a long-standing advocate for women’s empowerment through networks such as écrassée and the W-Network.

Recognised among the 20 Women to Follow in 2025 and the Top 10 Female Leaders Driving Innovation, Elise brings her lived experience together in her debut book, Thriving in Your 30s: How to Do It All, the guide she wishes she had herself. It offers a practical and honest toolkit for navigating careers, relationships, health, family and identity in the decade where everything seems to happen at once.

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Before the Book: A High-Pressure Decade with No Manual

Elise’s thirties have been full of change, cross-continental moves, shifts in industry, relationship changes and major life decisions, all layered on top of a demanding executive career. Despite the excitement, she often felt there was something missing from the conversation about this decade.

“Your 30s are where so much happens at once: career, relationships, finances, family, identity. We are suddenly expected to know how to handle all of it, but no one prepares you for it. I wished a book existed to help me navigate that.”

Year after year, her New Year’s list included the same item: think about this book idea. She read widely in personal development, but nothing addressed the real-life complexity of this stage of life, the mix of ambition, responsibility, self-doubt and opportunity happening simultaneously.

Eventually, she realised that if she wanted this book, she would have to write it.

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The Turning Point: Moving from Intention to Action

It was not until Elise began speaking with the Write Business Results team that the idea became a concrete project. The early conversations centred on defining the message and the reader.

“We realised I needed to write the book for women in their 30s, because that is my lived experience. The principles are universal, but the examples had to be honest and real for the people I truly understood.”

That clarity unlocked momentum. With a defined audience and purpose, the book shifted from an idea to an actionable project with structure, accountability and support.

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The Creation Journey: From Ideas Everywhere to a Clear Framework

Writing the book became an experience that mirrored its message. Elise was working full-time in a senior leadership role, running a women’s network, completing a language course and preparing for the arrival of her first child, all while writing.

“The book is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about doing your all. That is the difference. We live far too much of each other’s lives, especially with social media. I wanted to give people a way to tune in to what actually matters to them.”

With WBR, she transformed her insights into a structured four-principle formula. One key principle, being kind to yourself, emerged from watching how many women judge themselves harshly across every aspect of life.

She also faced the familiar emotional peaks and dips of the author journey. Some days the writing felt powerful. On others she questioned whether the idea was worthwhile at all. Each time, she returned to the plan and the reader.

“Sometimes you write something and feel fantastic. Then the next week you think, ‘Is this even good?’ Having the right support made all the difference.”

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The Results and Impact: A Book That Meets Readers Where They Are

‍Thriving in Your Thirties was created with busy readers in mind. As Elise puts it, these are “people who want to grow, but do not always have the time to sit down with a book.” It is now available in paperback, hardback and e-book, and will shortly be available as an audiobook.

The message is already resonating far beyond its core audience. Colleagues, older readers and those outside the demographic have all found value in it.

“A man who is nearly 70 asked why it was targeted at women, because he loved it. It shows that when you write for your true audience, the message still reaches others.”

The launch itself became an unforgettable story. After months of preparation, Elise released the book, and that same night, her son arrived.

“It felt like he knew the book launch was happening. The team stepped in immediately. It turned into a double celebration.”

Her real-time example of doing her all, with priorities, grace and realism, has only strengthened the book’s impact.

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The Legacy and Future Vision: Owning Every Decade

The book is only the beginning. Elise has launched her Substack newsletter, Own Your Decade, where she curates tools, books, strategies and reflections for people navigating life’s big transitions.

“Whether it is your 30s, 40s or 50s, every decade deserves ownership. And sometimes people just need help knowing where to start.”

She plans to expand the concept into talks, workshops and further writing, particularly in the women’s empowerment space where she already has a strong footprint.

The WBR Experience: Clarity, Support and Authenticity

Looking back, Elise describes working with Write Business Results as transformative.

“Before I met you, everything was floating around in my head with no structure. You helped me pull it all together and captured my voice perfectly.”

She appreciated the mix of structure, editorial support and emotional reassurance that carried her through the natural highs and lows of writing.

Her advice to anyone considering writing their own book is simple: “If you think you have a book in you, go for it. You only live once, and the process itself is worth it.”

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Are you ready to create your own business book success story?

Get in touch with Write Business Results and turn your expertise into a legacy that lives far beyond the page.

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