Joanne Deen – Good News Monaco

Our series featuring members of the International Professional Women of Monaco group continues with Mar Benavent Mas who founded Loved Brands in 2020.

What inspired your business – and what gap did you see that others weren’t addressing?
I’ve always believed that branding goes far beyond aesthetics. After years working across agencies and startups, I noticed a recurring pattern – brands were investing heavily in marketing, yet lacking a clear identity underneath. They were visible, but not memorable.

Loved Brands was created to change that. The focus is on helping brands uncover who they truly are, and translate that into something people can feel, connect with, and remember. Not louder, not busier – just deeper.

How do you market your company and what has genuinely worked to reach new clients?
What has worked best has been human connection and clarity. Not volume.

In a place like Monaco, relationships matter more than automation. Conversations, presence, and being able to express your perspective clearly have brought the most meaningful opportunities. When people understand how you think, they remember you.

What was the turning point in your business?
The turning point has been shifting from offering a broad range of services to focusing purely on brand strategy and identity.

It brought clarity – not only in how the business is positioned, but in the type of clients it attracts. When your offer becomes sharper, everything else aligns more naturally.

What is one unglamorous but essential step every woman should take before launching a business here?
Understand the local ecosystem before you launch.

Monaco operates very differently from larger markets. Administrative processes, networking dynamics, and even how trust is built require patience and awareness. Taking the time to understand how things really work here can save a lot of friction later.

What advice would you give to women ready to bet on themselves and start their own business here?
Back yourself but build something that is truly yours.

It’s easy to adapt to what you think the market wants, especially in a place like Monaco. But the brands that last are the ones that stand for something clear and genuine.

Clarity creates confidence. And confidence is what people respond to.

Article first published May 17, 2026. Photo copyright: Gema Beltrán.

The International Professional Women of Monaco (IPWoM) group was created by Louise Morelli and Gabrielle Crump to bring together English-speaking professionals, working or retired, to swap information and share insights. Joanne Deen joined the admin side more recently. This week, the group cheered on their 100th member this week.

Next in the IPWoM series, meet Laetitia Noyon-Zwaans, founder Speakeasy by Laetitia. She brings to the table more than 20 years of experience in multilingual translation and interpretation, specialising in legal, institutional, and high-stakes international contexts.

She is also a founding member and former Secretary General of the Chambre Monégasque des Traducteurs & Interprètes (CTIM).

What inspired your business – and what gap did you see that others weren’t addressing?
Monaco is a place where precision and discretion are essential, yet I noticed a gap in strategic language services for high-stakes environments. Translation is often treated as a technical task, but in legal, institutional or international contexts, every word, nuance, and format carries weight.

I founded Speakeasy in 2019 to combine linguistic mastery with strategic insight, providing services that protect credibility, reputation, and clarity. The gap wasn’t just in language – it was in institutional-grade execution.

How do you market your company – and what has genuinely worked to reach new clients?
In Monaco, credibility and reputation are the most effective “marketing” tools. Delivering consistent excellence, being discreet, and understanding client contexts deeply has generated the strongest referrals.

Partnerships within professional networks and long-term institutional relationships have also been key. The business grows through trust and reliability, not visibility alone.

What was the turning point in your business?
The turning point came when I shifted from providing translations to becoming a strategic partner in legal and institutional processes. A defining moment was interpreting during the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice for French president Emmanuel Macron and Dina Boluarte, the first woman to become President of Peru.

The pressure was doubly intense as I was the only interpreter so had to work in both language directions but this experience confirmed the power of combining strategic insight and discretion. It elevated both the scope of Speakeasy’s services and the quality of client engagements. Moments like these show that in Monaco, excellence opens doors that visibility alone cannot.

What is one unglamorous but essential step every woman should take before launching a business here?
Understand the regulatory and administrative framework thoroughly. Monaco is structured and rigorous and therefore compliance, licensing, and formal requirements are foundational. Mastering these details early on creates freedom and confidence later, allowing you to focus on your career rather than bureaucracy.

What advice would you give to women ready to bet on themselves and start their own business here?
Develop mastery. Competence builds confidence, and in Monaco, excellence is recognized and amplified. Do not dilute your standard to appeal to everyone – define your niche, uphold your values, and let your work speak.

Monaco rewards women who combine skill with long-term vision and professionalism. The path may seem daunting, but every step you take with courage and consistency positions you to shape this dynamic community — and inspire others along the way.

Article first published May 9, 2026.

ALSO IN THE SERIES

Lisa DeRea Photography