Catherine has tried many things in her career: she has been an administrator at a clinic, a trainer and a personal assistant to a manager, but she has never felt like she belonged anywhere. In this article, Catherine will share with us how she became an entrepreneur without experience or outside help.

I am a English teacher by education. After University I got a job at an international clinic at the reception and I was very happy because I worked among foreigners. My career went uphill very quickly: first I became a senior receptionist, and then I was promoted to receptionist. I went on maternity leave, and on my return the clinic closed because I did not survive the crisis.

I decided to try new things and went to work in an office as an assistant, then became a trainer there. After a while there were layoffs, and I went to work in the hotel business. I went to work in a chain of international hotels, because I thought: there are many different areas of activity and I will be able to find something that will interest me. After 4 years as assistant vice president in finance, I still do not know what I want to be.

Except for one thing - I want to try my hand at leadership. I worked with a coach and realized that I like service, making people happy and I'm very good at it.
I decided for myself that I should try to work in a beauty salon as a receptionist, because that's where customer service and management are. After a month, I realized that this is not what it is and not as cool looking in reality as I imagined.

I went for an administrative position in an office close to home. It was a respite for me after so many job changes. Then I became the marketing manager there. I realised that I was becoming tired rather than happy with what I was doing, and I was again at an impasse: not everything I had tried was working for me. Then I started looking for a coach again and found Marina.

Working with a coach was a springboard for me. I talked through all my desires for work, what I wanted. I especially liked the exercise of imagining living over again and writing down what I would have chosen then. How cool is it to zero in and figure out what I'm really interested in. I realized that human resources management, a management position appealed to me.

We analyzed my strengths and weaknesses, I still refer to that analysis. It still helps me to develop. Especially when I'm not sure of myself, I try to build on my strengths. To reread them, to remind myself and say, "Yes, you can!" I don't eradicate weaknesses, my pillars are my strengths. Thanks to Marina for helping me to discern and feel this to the fullest extent.

Working with a coach, I realized that I don't want to go through interviews again. I don't want to prove that I'm a great employee, that I'm worth the position and that salary. I want to do what I like to do.

My husband said: "If you don't want to look for work, see what businesses, franchises are available. I looked around and came across an offer to buy a children's center. I thought it was great, because I like working with children. It is a good, noble goal - to educate the younger generation. I have experience, pedagogical education, I am a good teacher (I worked as a tutor for a long time).

And somehow all the doubts at once will be studied and thought "I can do it! I was approved for a loan, and I realized that everything happens when it's supposed to happen.

Even now I have a lot of fears: that I won't pay back the loan, that the business won't go well, that I won't recruit employees, that I won't get the right number of students. And what if something happens to his health, fear of sales. How to talk to people, what if they refuse me or the employee will consider me a weak leader.
Despite the fact that, for more than six months I have been working in this business, it begins to bring income, everything begins to align, get better, people recommend me and my center already has a positive reputation, still a lot of fears, doubts and worries.

But I am inspired by how many new things I have learned during these six months, how I have moved forward in my development, how many new people I have met. I have a great team and I am pleased when I come to work and people say: "Katerina, we did not know there were such class supervisors".

Yes, I have to give up some things, for example, my daughter does not see me as often as I would like. But it gives me so much to feel that I am creating something important myself. I don't want to prove anything to anyone else, I know that I can create jobs, a team, a business on my own. It's a great feeling and I wish everyone could experience it. And there will always be fears, and I guess that's part of the journey.

The business is still so developing, there's still a lot to set up, from processes to marketing. I understand that everything can be learned. It seems to me that this business is a starting point for me. I see it as a kind of simulator for me, to pump up my skills, abilities, and self-confidence for something bigger. I'm sure I'll want more in the future.

Any activity is a path, it can be long, short, no one knows, so you have to start walking and try to learn to enjoy the process of walking. For me, by the way, this is not yet achievable. I'm waiting for results, the success of the activity for me is measured only in the result. I haven't yet learned how to get high from the process. I'm learning to do that.

Just do it. There will always be doubts, fears, people who will talk you out of it. But it's your life. I think the worst part of living your life is not living it to please someone or to please your fears or to wait for a sign that may not be there.

Be open to new things - try with as little loss to yourself as possible. Find a part-time weekend job or volunteer project, take a course to see if the subject matter grabs you or not. If it doesn't work out for you, just scratch it out of the sand and move on.

Try to find people like you in spirit. A lot depends on your environment. Try to get rid of the ones that: "Well, where did you go! Everything was normal", which by their attitudes will stop you. And in fact, everything is possible. And the limitations are only in our heads. You have to do, and the result itself will come.
I hope my story will help you discover something new!

1. To be sure whether an activity suits you or not, you have to try it. Look for ways to cheaply and quickly test ideas of what to do next.

2. Fear is part of the entrepreneur's journey, but there's another part-the thrill of creating something yourself that matters to other people. Focus on that part of creating, and you'll get past the fears and grow as a person.

3. Take time to ask yourself the right deep questions. This will help you find your way more quickly.