Dominika Miernik
Dominika Miernik is a Career and Expat Coach. I help women seeking to make a global career change to navigate the challenges and opportunities associated with discovering their dream careers and then adapting to a new country. For self-employment-minded women, I expertly guide them to connect the dots between what they love to do and how they can design a business that matches their desired lifestyle. I lived and worked in/from four countries and successfully rebuilt and took my career with me. When not serving my clients, I enjoy travelling, socializing, and expanding my personal and professional development.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
I grew up in Poland, where I had a traditional upbringing, but I always dreamed about travelling and living in different countries. So when the opportunity came up, I moved from a small Polish town to study psychology at the University of Rome, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, specialising in communication and organisation psychology. After graduation, I relocated to Milan, where my partner was working, and I entered the job world first in a customer service role and then in recruitment. After Milan, my partner and I moved to Manchester, UK for a job opportunity. I fully intend to continue in Human Resources. But I spent the next three years in sales and customer services instead. I was always drawn to helping people in career transition. So while in the UK, I also worked as a career counsellor and mentor for the long-term unemployed. I liked my job but also knew something was missing. I wanted more than only paying the bills. So I tried to combine my experience as an expat and my background in recruitment, psychology and career counselling. I wanted to reorganise my life to make work fit into my life instead of vice versa. So when the company I worked for was sold to a large corporation, I resigned to start my own coaching business that combined my experience as an expat with my background in recruitment, psychology and career counselling. I’m living a more slow digital nomad or travelling lifestyle. When I was growing up, my role model was my grandmother. Everyone loved her and was always asking her for advice. She was multi-passionate. She loved writing, singing, was an avid reader and loved cinema. I wanted to be like her.
Tell us something about your initiative/business. What is it about and how is it helpful for people?
Life abroad can be fascinating and demanding but may also cause anxiety, stress and homesickness. It may make you feel helpless, alone, lost and uncomfortable, especially if you want to build your career and life in a new country. So many expatriates, especially women, suffer in silence, either not asking for help or not knowing how, where or who to ask for support to design their desired career. It was and is a beautiful journey with constant personal growth, and I want to help others have the best of it. I am working with clients almost all over the world, which is enriching for me and them. It helps to see everything from a different perspective. I help multi-passionate expat women, who live and work abroad, who are planning to move overseas or are coming back to their native country (repatriates) to: create a career they want around their desired lifestyle; build their own portable business which is congruent with their life, values and purpose; find their new and fulfilling career path, and take their professional and personal life to the next level.
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?
On a professional level, I have experienced a few challenges during the pandemic. I was already working online and had my routine working from home. It made working remotely, online or from home regularly. Before explaining that I was working online, not everyone could understand that. On a personal level, as I love travelling, staying in one place was a bit limiting. Fortunately, I was in Nice, France, and had access to a garden, so I had my little escape.
What has been the response of the users/consumers towards your venture?
The response was very positive, both clients and my colleagues. Supporting expats and globally mobile women in their career or business challenges while living abroad gave me much satisfaction, and I am passionate about that. It is good to see when people you support find jobs they love or create their dream businesses. At the beginning of my journey, I was awarded the best International Coach by The Coaching Academy (the largest coach training organisation in the world). In addition, I was recently named one of the top 15 coaches in Rome, Italy, by Influence Digest Media. Another project I’m proud of is The Expat Career and Lifestyle podcast, which I ran for eight years. It was one of the first podcasts for expats and ranked in the Top 10 List of Best Expat Podcasts. I also hosted the first online summit for expats and digital nomads, Take Your Career With You.
How has your life changed because of your initiative/venture?
I have more flexibility and freedom. It allowed me to create a career around my desired lifestyle: travelling and taking your career with you. I felt more confident. I don’t have to commute long hours to my work. I choose with whom and on what project I want to work. I’m happy and satisfied with my decision ten years ago to quit my job and invest in my business adventure.
Do you have anyone who is the biggest support system in your life? Please let us know.
My partner is my cheerleader. And I have my support network, such as colleagues and business mentors.
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? OR Share a motivational message for the audience/women who are reading this.
Unleash your brilliance, and pursue your dreams fearlessly. Start a business, land your dream job, or write that book. Embrace challenges as stepping stones and surround yourself with supportive minds. Believe in yourself, for you possess unstoppable power. Go for it!