Andrea McCAbe is a Business Coach and Marketing Expert.
She tells us that, “I have 12 years experience in the Marketing field. My background is in business, I have an MBA and specialization in Marketing and Social Psychology. Additionally I am an executive coach certified by EMCC European Mentor coaching and council.”
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
Born in Mexico, I always loved the idea of traveling so my first college degree was focused on Turism. I always wanted to see the world. I love languages. I speak 3 and basic Italian (work in progress ☺ ️) . I have 2 brothers and my parents live in Mexico. One of my biggest passions is dancing. I have been dancing since I was 4 years old. I suppose I am Latino blonde. I listen to music and I want to dance. When I was 18 I moved to Canada to study French but went back to Mexico to finish my university. I love cultures and meeting new people. I think it is fascinating how we eat, react, and socialize depending on our culture! Eventually when I was 24 years old moved to Ireland to do my Masters in International Business Administrations here and since then Ireland became my home.
Was there any turning point in your life that changed your journey? If so, what was it? Please tell us the backstory behind it.
As immigrants nothing is easy somehow we feel inferior, at least I felt that way. I have an accent, I look, eat and behave different that the Irish and at the beginning that really put my self esteem down. When you move countries you lose yourself, somehow you lose your identity and you need to adapt into the new reality. I experienced impostor syndrome a lot and I need to work a lot in my abundance, Self esteem and self recognition! I needed to understand that I WAS ENOUGH, I HAVE BEEN ALWAYS ENOUGH AND I WILL ALWAYS BE ENOUGH.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say “YES, go for it!”
I have worked for the most amazing companies in the world BVLGARI, PEPSICO, SQUARE and I felt so privilege to have access the most amazing training, education, and people’s minds and I start thinking about how many small entrepreneur can benefit from all this experience, because when you start a business you are busy thinking about how to sell, how to advertise yourself, how to create an amazing product but then it is not time to investigate how to do it, how to do it more efficiently and better! So I decided to start doing 121 consultations and with the time, now I do conferences, sell my courses and keep growing.
Everyone has their own set of challenges when starting an entrepreneurial journey. Still, the most essential part for others to learn is how you deal with those. Would you like to share with us your challenges and your coping mechanisms?
I think one of the biggest challenges is to motivate yourself as an entrepreneur. You don’t have a manager who will tell you what to do or to tell you to take the day off if you don’t feel ok! You are your own motivator, Coach and colleague! The lack of structure is something that is challenging, it is vital to know what you need to do, what day you need to do it, time etc!
While the global pandemic of COVID-19 is associated primarily with adversities, it has also brought about a true boom in startups, with successful entrepreneurship in many countries. The pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. Would you like to share your experience on a personal and professional level?
I think the pandemic gave us the time to think about what we are really doing with our lives! Gave us TIME! and taught us ways of living that we never thought about : working from home, buying online, meeting people online as well! For me the biggest takeaway is that the pandemic showed us that the impossible is very possible.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
I am privileged to say that I have won many regards and stepped into conferences where thousands of people go to listen to my story, my experience etc! But what gives me Lots of pride is when someone comes and tells me “I did it” “I finally did it and I thought I was not able to do it” I have received so many messages of people telling me their success stories that it’s what matters to me.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
I wish every woman would feel enough to do whatever they want! I wish that when they look at the mirror they know they are enough! I wish that when they are in a meeting room and want to say something they feel enough to say their opinion! I wish they ask for the salary they deserve, I wish they sell their products or services at the price they want Because they are enough and they can achieve whatever they want.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
My personal motto is to feel proud of myself, to be grateful for everything I have and to be happy for the person I have become! I had everything against me but listen in theory the bumble bee should not be flying but she does not know that so she goes and flies.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women’s leadership today?
I think it is great and we have overcome many obstacles but still this mindset of “being nice” being likable for that reason we tend to be extra polite and refuse to be the bad in the story, we want to avoid conflict and sadly but true we create more conflict by not speaking loud! So woman ask the f*u*k question (excuse my French) say not if you don’t want to do it Believe me you have more to lose by being quiet than by being loud.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
Be the dumb in your cycle, surround yourself with great minds, network a lot, go to events by yourself so you need to force yourself to meet new people! Feel comfortable with the uncomfortable.
