Mihaela Anca
Mihaela Anca is an internationally accredited Mindset coach NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Master Practitioner, International Speaker and Writer. Economist by profession, living and working in different fields of activity, in 3 countries, I found myself stuck in a career that was making me feel unfulfilled and unhappy with the robotic life I was living!
After overcoming personal doubts & fears and experiencing transformation through personal development and coaching, I decided to combine my personal expertise (of being an ‘informal’ coach and mentor all my life for friends, family, colleagues), with qualifications, to change the lives of many other women, who like me, felt stuck in life & career due to fears!
Now, she is helping professional women stuck in career and/or life, who have fears & doubts, to gain the Clarity & Confidence to take the next steps towards the life they really want, so they can enjoy life!
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
Growing up I always liked learning and studying at school, so, unlike many others, I actually liked school :)) And these are habits that remained with me all my life – learning, studying, reading, being informed about news (like what’s happening in the world in general or in different fields)
Actually, one of the reasons I wanted to get a corporate job was that I could attend different courses, workshops, and training.
The other reason one was travelling :)) (which it’s my biggest hobby and also my biggest goal – to travel the world)
I’ve always been interested to learn and grow, to develop & evolve – this was the reason I left my town – I felt I reached a level and I wanted more opportunities, adventures, growth. So, I left my town in Romania and moved to Qatar and after 3.5 years to Dubai, UAE.
I’m an Economist by profession, living and working in different fields of activity and job roles (Marketing Manager, Chief Accountant, Project Manager, HSSE Supervisor), in 3 countries (Romania, Qatar and UAE).
I always had different goals in different stages of my life!
Now, my goals are to help unstuck as many women as possible, to help them find the Clarity and Confidence to move forward, to motivate women, through coaching, from different stages, at different events, through my written content, or through direct conversations!! I want to help women not only to live a purposeful life, but also to enJOY life!!
My role model was my MOM, who had a difficult life and who always supported me (till she became my guardian angel).
Was there any turning point in your life that changed your journey? If so, what was it? Please tell us the backstory behind it.
The turning point in my life was in 2020, which was the transformational year for me, like it was for many, but from different POV.
For about 3 years I was feeling stuck in my career, wouldn’t see a way to improve it, felt unfulfilled, unhappy, just waiting for weekend & vacation! I was living ‘a robotic life’ that was not making me happy anymore, but I was afraid to just quit and start doing something online (plus, I didn’t know what to do online)!
But, inside of me I knew I’m stuck and I’m at a crossroads! I did find another job, resigned, but then Corona hit and caught me between jobs!
Sooooo scary at that time, but was my blessing in disguise!
Started studying more, reading, listening, learning, coaching and NOW, this is my SUCCESS STORY!!
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say “YES, go for it!”
I always loved freedom and chased it. Working in the corporate made me more aware of it, so I started to think more & more of it. I wanted time freedom, to be able to go and have a walk on the beach in the morning or on the promenade, to go and have coffee with my bestie in the morning, to do my own schedule
Location freedom was big for me too – I looooooveeeeeee travelling, so I wanted to be able to work from anywhere, because I plan to go and live on an island for example for a few months. Also, I wanted to work with different people; I always loved to talk to and listen to people’s stories, so wanted to speak with more and different people daily
So, FREEDOM motivated me a lot and also the idea of helping others. Whenever my friends or family had a problem, they’d come to me to discuss it, as they knew I’d listen non-judgmental and give the best advice. So, I know I can help others.
I’d say these were my biggest motivator factors that made me say “I’ll go for it!!”
P.S – I also knew inside that “this is my path” :))
Everyone has their own set of challenges when starting an entrepreneurial journey. Still, the most essential part for others to learn is how you deal with those. Would you like to share with us your challenges and your coping mechanisms?
I consider challenges to be put in my way because I still need to learn some things; so, when a challenge arises, I ask myself, what can I do to overcome it? What’s the solution useful for me now? With whom do I need to speak about?
I never look at challenges like “the end of the world“. After all, a straight line (with no challenges and ups & downs) would be boring; and a straight line means death (medical terms)
At the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey I faced few challenges, but having coaches (and accountability buddies) helped me solve those quickly. And that’s why it’s soooooo important to have a coach/mentor that already did what you want to accomplish! That will help you do it faster and we all know time is the most precious resource we have!
DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP!!
I was always very independent and used to do things by myself, rarely asking for help, but, because I’m always open to learn and evolve, I learnt quickly that that’s not a sign of weakness, by the opposite! So, ask for help and accept it when it’s offered to you!
If you find it difficult to overcome challenges, another useful thought is “this too shall pass“, nothing lasts forever, and after rain the rainbow will appear!
The most important thing is don’t give up on you and your dreams!!
While the global pandemic of COVID-19 is associated primarily with adversities, it has also brought about a true boom in startups, with successful entrepreneurship in many countries. The pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. Would you like to share your experience on a personal and professional level?
For me Covid was the opportunity in disguise, as it gave me the chance to get clear on my path and pursue it.
Being between jobs when Covid hit, it gave me the time and energy to go more into depth on the personal development path that I’ve always been passionate about. I started listening more to the mentors I was following for years, I did their online challenges, I registered in their memberships and programs, I did coaching with them directly and with their teams of coaches, I got crystal CLEAR on what I wanted so I started to take my Coaching Accreditation Course to become a coach, and the rest is history as they say!
Even though I can’t say I liked the lockdown period (living alone in a foreign country), for me Covid was actually a good period of time. I could stay home and protect my health and study and enhance my skill sets and pivot towards what I call my ‘life path’
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
I have daily achievements & accomplishments, but some major ones would be becoming an international accredited life coach and NLP Master Practitioner, being invited in 5 podcast so far, doing interview for major platforms, like this one and being able to inspire and motivate other women, talking on the stage and interacting with others
But, definitely, I’d say the biggest achievements (which are closer to my heart) are when I see the life’s transformations my coaching caused. Seeing a woman smile by the end of the session, when she was crying almost the whole session and hearing her telling me “thank you, I haven’t smile for long time” it’s so touching and so emotional, that’s when my heart smiles too and it’s most fulfilled (and it’s such a lovely feeling and I’m so grateful I can do this) :))
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
The change I’d like to see in women entrepreneurs is to believe in themselves more. To believe that if they have a dream, if they are committed and persist in following it, they’ll achieve it!
Often we let others perception to influence us (be it family or good friends, who, even if they want our best can’t fully understand us and our vision, or, worse, we ‘borrow’ society’s perception and let it hold us back)
Just BELIEVE IN YOU MORE!! And ALWAYS follow your Dreams!!
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
I have few motto that I strongly believe in, but I’ll mention this one – “If your mind can conceive it and your heart can believe it, then you can achieve it“
We have the power within us to make things happen, to change our lives, to really LIVE our lives, not just exist. It’s really up to us to make things possible and, like Henry Ford said, “whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right“!
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women’s leadership today?
I believe women make better leaders actually and I know there were studies about this subject! I might be subjective, but I believe that women as Leaders have few qualities over the male counterparts like – their capacity to listen; – more collaborative approach; – their desire to develop other’s strengths; – they foster an atmosphere of inclusion; – more balance in general
I believe Women’s Leadership fosters diversity, inclusion, balance, and collaboration that ultimately improve the culture in an organization and motivate people to work better! Which surely it’s reflected in the financial figures also!
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
That YOU can DO anything you want!! IF you totally believe in yourself and pursue it, work for it!!
Get CLEAR on WHAT you want to do, INVEST in yourself, LEARN how to do it, be CONSISTENT and NEVER GIVE UP on you and your DREAMS!!
Don’t underestimate the power of having a coach or mentor by your side! You can achieve your GOALS faster and easier if you model someone who did it and walk the talk!!
After all, you can learn how to play tennis or football by watching youtube videos, but you’ll learn much faster if you work with a coach who’s going to teach you …..the same is with your goals too! Get the support you need!!
And ALWAYS, ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!! YOU CAN DO AND/OR CREATE ANYTHING YOU WANT!!