Hello, I'm Nicoleta (Nika) Tole, FCCA, and I don’t just coach others on how to have it all and create a life they love – I live it myself. As a double-qualified accountant with two master's degrees, my journey in the finance world has spanned diverse industries, including retail, logistics, manufacturing, gaming, and services, with notable companies like DHL, BAT, B&Q, CooperVision and Interreg Europe.

Initially, I too was caught in the relentless grind of accounting, and I felt increasingly empty despite climbing the career ladder. However, as a lifelong learner and a 'mad scientist' at heart, I discovered that true fulfillment isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing things differently. I combined a bookworm's love for knowledge with a knack for deconstructing and rebuilding challenges – much like Dee Dee from Dexter's Laboratory (ohhh, what does this button do?).

I believe that in order to lead other people, you have to lead yourself first. You can't take people on a journey you haven't been on. This means the first step towards becoming an influential leader, and achieving true fulfillment, is doing the work on yourself – getting comfortable with uncertainty, competing demands, and finding solutions where others only see problems.

I know how challenging it can be to speak uncomfortable truths in a corporate environment. I remember a time when the owner asked me how a certain project was going. I was the first one to say 'it's a car crash' and explained why – detailing my definition of success, how the project was implemented, and why, based on my assumptions, it was failing. This was a significant moment, given that people in the past had been fired for speaking their minds. A true leader is a leader regardless of what their job title says, and they have to be willing to speak the uncomfortable truths for the good of the company.

As a woman in finance, I've also experienced my fair share of situations where I was the only woman at a table filled with men, sometimes feeling like the secretary who was supposed to take notes. I recall a time where I was respectfully but brutally honest with a senior, whilst a woman colleague was in the room. I did what I felt was right, and I was surprised later when she approached me and told me she’d never seen that happening before and couldn’t believe I’d had the courage to do that. When you do the right things because they're right for the company, you unconsciously give others permission to speak up too, creating a powerful ripple effect.

My approach is rooted in real-world results:

Increased Income: I worked smarter, resulting in a 227% income increase.

Personal Development: I invested over 2,000 hours (and counting) in new skills.

Work-Life Balance: I enjoy two mini-breaks monthly to recharge and maintain balance.

Authentic Living: I broke free from societal expectations to live a truly rewarding life.