REACH FOR GREATNESS
Born and raised in Austria, I was conditioned to go to school, work, marry and have children. This was considered a normal, well lived life of the average Austrian at the time I was being raised. However, for as long as I can remember, there was something intuitive telling me that I was born to do more. I was by nature, an adventurous child, who spent most days outdoors, playing in the woods and even sowing the seeds for entrepreneurship.
One day during the summer holidays, I sparked off an idea to sell homemade stationary at the side of the road to by-passers. My arts and crafts skills were probably not up to scratch, and at the time I really didn't care.
Looking back, it was a bit of fun, however the biggest lesson was that I allowed myself to be free and I truly 'went for it' without fear of failure or being judged.
Fast forward a few years, I completed my university degree. Seeking out yet another adventure, I packed my bags and headed to the United Kingdom.
With stars in my eyes, hope in my heart and joy in my bones, it felt like I was finally putting on my 'big girl' boots and taking on the world. With a good qualification in my hands and a thousand pounds in my pocket, I was sure that it wouldn’t take long for me to find a decent, well paying job. Thoughts of a bright future and visions of me prospering warmed my heart.
The anticipation was wonderful, almost like being in love. With all these positive vibrations, what could possibly go wrong?
As soon as I arrived, it was clear that my thousand pounds was not going to see me through. Settling for accommodation that was way below the standard I was accustomed to, a youth hostel where I lived with 18 others and a couple of rats, was the only option.
I consoled myself with the thought that I would begin the job hunt immediately to be able to move on quickly. My bubble burst when I faced rejection repeatedly. To top it all, there were no friends or family to rely on to support me, hence I had to navigate my way around the city by myself.
At this rate, the possibility of running out of money before finding a job was very high. Nonetheless, I persevered and told myself that going back to seek help from my parents was not an option. I wanted to show the world that I could master anything that life threw at me.
My perseverance paid dividends. After finally finding a decent job through sheer determination, things were on the rise and falling into place, as I was introduced to my future husband through a work colleague.
Building momentum and working my way up the corporate ladder, things couldn't have been any better, when I was offered my 'dream' position in management consulting. I was excited as I was travelling a lot to see clients, lived out of suitcases, and went from hotels to boardrooms and back to the airport again. During that time I was training hundreds of people, influencing their lives in positive ways and I absolutely loved it!
There were many moments in my career and life, when I lived on an absolute high, believing that nothing could ever overpower those feelings. I was so wrong. Every woman will tell you that nothing compares and is more invincible than the feeling of becoming a mother. It changed my life completely. Whereas, I always felt that I would give birth and return to work after my maternity leave, I was least prepared for the overwhelming feeling that nothing was more important than my child and wanting to be there for him.
Eventually I went back to work and soon got into the swing of things, at times feeling guilty for not being there for my son as he was just a little toddler. When I had my second child, those old feelings of wanting to be there for the both of them now, returned. Being used to creating new and exciting things, I took the plunge and used my skills to open my own business as a leadership and coaching consultant.
A few years later, realising that there was a whole new world when it comes to expanding my business online, I ventured into yet a new arena that was initially overwhelming.
Learning everything about starting and growing a business using the internet and social media, sadly my path consisted of many 'shiny objects', pitfalls and unnecessary detours. For me, this was the turning point. I remembered how playful and 'free spirited' I was as a child.
So it dawned on me, that my mission was to create a platform for women entrepreneurs, to help them reduce the overwhelming challenges of starting and running a business, avoiding costly mistakes and detours. This is when I decided to launch “Reach for Greatness”. Within the space of 3 years, it has developed into a thriving platform that integrates "The Greatness Club" as well as an exclusive Mastermind, called "The Business Accelerator".
Women learn to develop their entrepreneurial skill set and strategies to implement and run a successful business at various levels. My programmes also focus on creating a balance between business and personal growth, supported by collaborate opportunities to become more visible.
This series of books was inspired by this vision. Whilst what I do in "Reach for Greatness" delivers transformational breakthroughs in business, it is also my desire to help others by being approachable, caring and compassionate. I believe, helping those that are less fortunate to become empowered, to create sustainable and balanced lives for themselves, is the greater part of my legacy and will live on even when I am no more.