Mentors of My Career
When I first came to the Netherlands, fresh out of high school in Romania, I was feeling pretty lost and alone. I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I had one guiding thought—my mother’s advice. She always told me, 'Find something you love to do and learn to do it well', then you will always work with pleasure.
She hadn’t been able to choose her own career, and it became a priority for me to take advantage of the opportunity I got. But beyond that, I was also running from something. My family dynamic was complicated, and I was determined to build my independence—away from their expectations and their business. I knew I needed to make a different life for myself.
In this search for freedom, I crossed paths with several mentors. The first one was a Canadian professor - Melissa Duchak - who taught Event Management at my university. She was passionate, dedicated, and had a magnetic energy. I was immediately drawn to her approach to teaching and to the world of events. It felt like the perfect fit for me at the time.
After graduation, I landed a role as an event coordinator for an education organization, IB. I absolutely loved it! I traveled constantly, met new and fascinating people, and thrived in this fast-paced world. It checked all the boxes of what my 20s self wanted—adventure, variety, and new experiences.
But as time passed, I realized that what brought me joy in my 20s no longer aligned with the goals I had as I grew older. The thrill of travel and networking had served me well, but a different set of priorities started to surface—like building a stable relationship (quite hard to do so when you travel for work at least twice per month), using my talents and natural strengths in my daily jobs, and working with purpose.
That realisation threw me back into a familiar place—a place of searching. But this time, I wasn’t looking to fill the void with any job that seemed fun and challenging. I wanted something that felt meaningful and aligned with who I was becoming. And so, the next chapter of my career began— I have signed up for a coaching academy where I met my next significant mentor.
Natalie MacNeil was one of my teachers at the coaching academy in the US. Through various coaching tools, she helps me gain self-awareness and discover my own talents and natural strengths before I help others with similar objectives. Shortly, I would discover a deeper connection to my purpose and my vocation - to help people feel more, getting in touch with their emotions and making choices with a clear goal in mind.
Reflecting back, I am aware that relationships—those mentors, my family, and even the colleagues I met along the way—have significantly shaped my path. Every decision I’ve made, consciously or not, has been influenced by the people around me.
“Today, I’m more intentional about my life choices, ensuring they are aligned with the person I’m becoming, not just the one I was.”
