founders
TOLVE was founded by two women, Stephanie Nicolaas and Kira Hoeg, who have an extensive background and shared desire for experiential travel and multiculturalism.
Travel is not reward for working,
it’s education for living.
It started with a beautiful coffee and moment of connectivity that unraveled into a wild passion; converging minds and philosophies to establish a brand that evokes emergent transformations and exploration into realms beyond the exotic that are drenched in the essence and poetry of landscapes and people.
She brings a philosophy to living in the moment, unraveling wild experiences, and exploring beyond. Kira began independent travel at the age of 15 when she volunteered in Haiti with an NGO. She has studied and lived in China and Thailand, including months in a hill-tribe village, and has extensively traveled the globe intentionally immersing herself in cultural experiences.
Academically, Kira majored in Cultural Anthropology, which provided a foundation and unique perspective on the intricacies of communities, human exchanges, indigenous knowledge, and different ways of life. Professionally, she has consulted with many start-up businesses, including a women’s travel business, and most recently founded and sold an event design company.
With love for the ocean, sailing remains one of her favorite hobbies, having completed a rigorous trans-atlantic crossing as well as months cruising and exploring many islands in the Caribbean and South Pacific.
She brings passion to life finding beauty in photographing people, context, and moments around the world. Stephanie was born in Amsterdam, has lived in 4 countries and traveled to over 30. She grew up in a multicultural family, immersed in two very contrasting cultures, and is bilingual in English and Spanish. With an unending sense of curiosity, she has a unique understanding and sensitivity to different ways of life.
Academically she majored in business development, passionately looking to express her style as an entrepreneur. Fundamentals from academia have become an asset for Stephanie in the understanding of industry structure and growth strategy.
Of great importance, volunteering for Stephanie centered around work with two NGO organizations in Nepal whose missions were in combating exploitation, violence, and trafficking of women and children through comprehensive rehabilitation programs promoting education, empowerment, health, and social inclusion.