Is there a taboo on admitting that you're not doing well? According to expat coach Minou, coaching has nothing to do with that. Let alone with weakness. In fact, it is a choice to develop yourself faster and more effectively! Find out exactly what she does and why a coach can be effective, also for you as an entrepreneur, in this interview.
Why Minou started as a coach
Let's meet Minou. Before she started as a coach, she already had a career. One marked by supporting people. Doing something with her passion. Bringing out the best in people. That, and supporting people to be the best version of themselves, have always been a common thread for Minou. You could say she has always been a coach at heart. "One day I knew," Minou explains. "This is what I want to be involved in! And so that ended up being coaching. Expats coaching that is."
"Some people work in war zones, others fly from place to place, sometimes with, sometimes without family."
What does an expat coach do?
An expat coach. Sounds cool! But who exactly do you provide coaching to? "My company offers coaching to expats, internationals, TCKs and global/digital nomads. I offer them the opportunity to accelerate their development process and maximize the achievement of their goals." She does this both individually and in groups. Does that make her a digital nomad as well? "This is a group to which I myself belong. Their lives are characterized by very specific challenges," Minou continues. "Consider, for example, the constant rebuilding of social and professional networks, constant change of environment, place of residence and language. Some people work in war zones, others fly from place to place, sometimes with, sometimes without family." Heady!
To be honest, I don't think many people realize this about "digital nomads. Rather the opposite. As in the sense of; he is always on vacation. That the life of an expat really isn't all about roses, Minou agrees. "Many have a love-hate relationship with the life they lead: the international character attracts them and most of the time they don't want anything else, but at the same time it is a difficult task. To really feel at home somewhere. To belong somewhere far from home, which also often no longer feels like home." We can all imagine that this must be a huge struggle. What specifically do you do as an expat coach? "I help get core goals clear and engage in a process. In that process, they can develop optimal insights, awareness and behaviors that help them achieve these goals faster."
Why taking a coach works
That Minou does extraordinary work may be obvious. Still, I am very curious as to why people should hire a coach according to her. "The deep insights, self-direction and influence on the outside world that people gain through the coaching process are often of such a strong and changing nature that a partnership with a coach is experienced as life-transforming." And that dear readers, is what we call a perfect answer summed up in one sentence.
Although Minou states that she does not consider marketing among her favorites, she knows how to sell herself just fine as far as I am concerned. Of course, as an entrepreneur, I am left with a question: whether she would be of any use to me. "Especially entrepreneurs are often faced with enormous time pressure and high expectations. Both of themselves and of the world in which they function. Coaches are extremely effective in helping entrepreneurs focus, define goals and create a short-cut to achieving those goals. Time is money. Many entrepreneurs, at least, have plenty of time! I would recommend any entrepreneur who wants to save money, time and a lot of unnecessary hassle to get started with a coach." That's it, take my money.
"I am also an entrepreneur with my own coaching business. I know the power of coaching. So I have a coach myself!"
Still, it seems pretty tough to me to always support others. She is also only human. So does taking on a coach apply to her? "With my own coaching business, I am also an entrepreneur. I know the power of coaching. So I have a coach myself! It's very simple: everything is more effective, faster and purposeful." Noted.
What makes Minou special
So far, so good. We now know that Minou started as a coach out of her passion. Bringing out the best in people. We know she does this for a very special group. And yes, I am convinced that everyone benefits from taking a coach. But why Minou as a coach? "I work from an honest and sincere contact with people but also with a no-nonsense approach. I get paid for what I do and people also invest their time in the coaching process. I ask full commitment from them and so they should expect the same from me: direct, open, without judgment and with insight into the personal development of each individual." So what is her gift? "I have a very highly developed intuition, which often allows me to get to the core quickly because I can sense what it is actually like for a client. This is sometimes confrontational, but most of all money- and time-saving for the people I work with."
That Minou is a smart woman, she proves not only during this interview. Her list of degrees is also impressive. With a background in psychology + a bachelor's degree in social work + a master's degree in sociology + trained as a coach by iPEC (an organization accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF) that ranks among the top three best coach educators in the world), it's safe to say that you won't have the wrong person in Minou.
Minou's future
Now that we pretty much know all the ins and outs of Minou as a coach, I'm also curious about her vision for the future. Doing more of what she does now. An answer that does not surprise me. Doing what you are good at and only wanting to do it more. What a delightful attitude. Whether she might have one last message then? To this she responds with a question: what it takes to dare to step up. "If you can answer that question, then you have already taken the first step," she adds. "A coach supports you in everything that is important to you. Go for it and discover the doors that can open for you. You won't regret it!"
