Eleni • My story
INTRODUCING
I moved at a young age from Greece to The Netherlands. I was not a big fan of school as most subjects didn't interest me and I felt bored sitting all day in a classroom. Nevertheless, I graduated in Economics and did a post-graduate in Marketing. Ever since I can remember I had this urge to experiment, experience and try new things. Hobbies, routes to school, studies, jobs, travels, houses. By the age of 23 I had traveled the world and had done more jobs than my age would count; from chef to stewardess and from telemarketer to waitress in traditional Dutch clothing.
Same in my career. Over the course of five years, I took every opportunity to learn, grow and climb up that career ladder. I had a diverse range of job titles in renowned multinational companies; video producer, marketing manager, account manager. I would land "dream-job" after "dream-job" but every time again, somehow, I would feel out of place.
I JUST COULDN’T SEEM TO FIT IN THIS CONVENTIONAL CAREER AND LIFE PATH.
5 things about…
PHILOSOPHY. lucky NUMBER 24. graffiti. early riser. intrigued by the unseen.
waking up
I couldn't stay long in things that weren’t fulfilling me; relationships, parties, careers. Within my corporate career I wanted to chase thát thing I was unsure of what it was. At my first proper job after a couple of years of heavy lifting on my junior shoulders, I burned out. It was my biggest blessing - in hindsight, of course. It made me wander down a path searching for answers to big life questions "who am I?", "why am I here?" Many years of books, articles, movies, documentaries, seminars, training and courses followed. Fear, confusion, stuck-ness, self-doubt, self-sabotage, and overwhelming emotional rollercoaster rides followed too.
THE CRITICS IN MY LIFE CALLED ME RESTLESS AND THERE WERE PERIODS IN MY LIFE I SERIOUSLY STARTED DOUBTING MYSELF. “IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME?”
writing
Parallel to my spiritual path I continued building on my career making my way up to one of the best advertising agencies in the world. During this time I felt this urge arise to listen to my heart’s calling; writing. I came up with the idea of setting up a blog interviewing people that changed their life pursuing what gives them joy. My sister and I joined forces and we started it back in 2014. As I was growing older I became more and more stunned about how so many seemed to be living a life they weren’t really happy in. I wanted to help all these people. and my, then still, stuck self, by sharing stories of how you cán actually build a fulfilling life. So I started by interviewing some friends and named it Guts & Tales. People with Guts sharing their Tale.
quitting my 9-5 job and emigrating
After five years of building my “career”, I decided to quit and jump. I had reached the top of what I could, and wanted, to reach in my industry. A good friend, Ivan, introduced me to the term “career suicide”, which is what it was.
I had an idea and a business plan of what I wanted to do and it was clear that I needed to move to my other home country, Greece. It was what they call 'a calling'. The majority of people around me thought I had gone mad. I was giving my safe life up to move to a country in despair, with only a rough idea and savings for just a couple of months of living.
It wasn’t an easy choice, by all means. The criticism and inner turmoil of making the jump were very real and unsettling at times.
MY FAITH IN SOMETHING BIGGER THAN ME GUIDING ME IS WHAT KEpt ME GOING. I’M NOT RELIGIOUS BUT I HAVE EXPERIENCED AND “KNOW” THAT THERE IS MORE THAN OUR EYES CAN SEE.
Since my move to Greece, I went down the path of trial and error, working out different business ideas that never made it to the execution phase. I was living out of a suitcase, traveling around, using my marketing knowledge to help entrepreneurs, and trying to find my place in a new country. Eventually, I made the decision to study again as I felt that a part of the fundament was missing to be of service to others. And so I graduated in Modern Psychology and became a certified mind trainer, coach, and hypnotherapist.
I KNEW I WANTED TO BE OF SERVICE TO THIS WORLD, AND DO THAT IN A WAY THAT WOULD MATCH MY TALENTS AND GIFTS. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IS OUR MAIN PURPOSE IN LIFE. BEING OF SERVICE TO THIS PLANET BY THE USE OF OUR INDIVIDUAL GIFTS.
coaching, muses, and rock-bottoms
After my studies I started coaching women, guiding them through their own transitioning. In parallel, I went through a divorce that made me use a lot of the acquired tools of my studies on myself to heal my own heart and climb out of my own rock-bottom. These years I created a women’s online coaching program called “Be Your Own Muse” where I would share my own findings, teaching, and methods to help other women going through their own journeys trying to find themselves again. The name was inspired by the Hill of The Muses where I’d walk every day, at the doorstep of where I live in central Athens.
The Be Your Own Muse coaching programs changed the lives of hundreds of women worldwide and after running it for 2 years I felt that this project had come to its end. As much as I loved coaching, my own evolution made me realize there was a big part of me not represented in my work at the time; creativity, design, and business. And so, I jumped again.
WHEN THINGS DON’T FLOW IN LIFE YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE THE GUTS TO surrender to the CHANGE that wants to occur. NOT ONCE, BUT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IN ANY PART OF YOUR LIFE.
MERAKI BRANDING
Ever since launching my blog, I had created all websites I needed over the years by myself. I loved website building and design. It was creative, it was fun! As faith would have it, as soon as I decided to stop with full-time coaching, I got asked to help an old colleague with her website. And so my web design business started. At first it was just word of mouth but within a year I was invited to join the Squarespace Experts team. Fast forward, in 2024, my female-led design studio is the largest in Europe and we provide all types of services to enable people to follow their heart and bring their dreams into the (digital) world! From web design to logo and branding, and from consulting to copywriting. I think what truly sets us apart is the fact that we all honestly work with “meraki” - we pour our hearts in each and every project.
Our collective FUTURE lies in MERGING THE HEART’S WITH THE MIND’S INTELLIGENCE.
FINANCIALS
When I made my big jump from my corporate career I had saved for a couple of months of living when. I had set up my own company so I could work remotely on freelance jobs. This gave me a lot of freedom and would definitely be something I would advise you to do if your background allows it. Creating some kind of safety net for yourself is important. I also had a backup plan and a few people around me that I knew I could count upon if things would get really tough. I left Amsterdam with two suitcases and lived out of them for over a year. In the course of the first year, I gave away about 90% of my belongings. Detachment of material things felt inevitable at the time, and very liberating.
Tough times
I think the entire journey of finding personal fulfillment is the journey of knowing yourself. It’s not an easy path and is full of contradictions. On the one side, you have to overcome internal and external roadblocks. Internal roadblocks like loneliness, self-doubt, living in the unknown, and the big one; dealing with fears. External roadblocks like finding out how to do practical things and learning new skills. For example: building a website, setting up a company, creating a business plan, and in my case the practicalities of moving to another country. On the other side, it’s full of awe, beauty, aliveness, power, hopefulness, blissful and ecstatic experiences. It’s literally a rollercoaster that is definitely worth the ride and you cannot really mentally prepare for it. Practically to some extent you can.
TAPPING INTO OUR OWN INTUITION IS THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL WE HAVE. YET SO VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE UNDERSTOOD HOW TO LISTEN TO IT.
5 INSIDER TIPS
Find your method to stay centered and come in tune with yourself. For me, this has been meditation, nature, writing, and reading. Before moving to Greece I spent 10 days in a silence retreat in Mexico, which really made me experience a force I have been able to count upon ever since.
Get a coach, mentor, spiritual teacher, therapist, or many! You need people to support you in this process of transformation. I would never have been where I am right now without the guidance of the professionals around me. To this day I have many coaches, mentors, and teachers.
Spend time alone and spend time getting to know yourself better. Make that a priority in your life so you become your own best friend. Inner strength and self-love is the most valuable thing you can hold onto when everything else false away.
Eliminate negativity and things that drain energy from your life. Energy and time are our most valuable assets.
Whatever you do, a support network is really important. If you don't have one, build one. You can find great people in organizations or clubs that share the same values and/or interests as you.
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