Anna Molnár Unlocking the Potential of Women In Business

Nigel Rawlins: Anna, welcome to the Wisepreneurs podcast. Could you tell us something about yourself and where you're talking from?

Anna Molnár: My name is Anna Molnar. I'm talking from The Hague, the Netherlands. I'm originally from Hungary, but I was raised in Amsterdam, so I consider myself more Dutch, I would say, than Hungarian because of my upbringing here. But I definitely have some Hungarian roots.

Also Croatian far away, so I speak several languages because of that. That's me in a nutshell, without even mentioning what I'm doing here in The Hague, how I ended up here, but I'm sure we will talk about that later.

Nigel Rawlins: Yes, that would be good. Why are you in The Hague?

Anna Molnár: I used to work for the Italian embassy because I studied Italian. That was a language of my choice and after a while I, I decided to move to The Hague because I was traveling up and down, commuting like so many people do. But then, I decided to move to The Hague because I, I reckon that, I could trade my studio in Amsterdam for a, for a small apartment with two bedrooms and a garden. Which was a very, very nice bonus, especially because I had a cat, so he could, enjoy life outside. That's how it happened.

Nigel Rawlins: All right. Well, let's just go back to the languages. You, you've mentioned you know several languages. How does one go about learning so many languages?

Anna Molnár: Well, it kind of happened by birth already, because my mom is from a Croatian minority. She's Hungarian. It goes back to 1600 something that they moved from what is now Croatia to what is now Hungary. But the family kept on speaking Croatian and so I also learned Croatian from my mom. Although we've been Hungarian officially for a long time.

And of course, Hungarian, because my father spoke Hungarian to me. So I already was raised with two languages. And when we moved to the Netherlands, I was four. So then I learned Dutch in school. We learned English and German and French. That's basic. Most Dutch people learn these languages. So nothing special there.

And then I went to high school. I went to what we call gymnasium, but it's not only about gymnastics. It's also about Latin and old Greek. So I had that education as well. So I've had all these languages coming my way without really me choosing them.

And then when I was, I believe I was 19 or so, I started working at an Italian sandwich shop and there were Italian cooks working in the background and they were arguing all day and I was just fascinated what, what they were arguing about. And they said, no, we're not arguing, we're just having a discussion.

So I was really triggered to understand what people were saying. Then I started studying Italian and that was basically the first time that I really chose to study something. And yes, and then later I took it to a next level that I decided to actually study that at university.

Nigel Rawlins: I think from what I understand is if you learn a language, a couple of language when you're very, very young, you actually can hear different intonations. So you're able to do the pronunciation. Whereas unfortunately in Australia, we are so far away from anywhere. Unless we really, really work hard, we don't learn any other languages.

Unless, of course, we were born with another language. So, I did do four years of French at high school, but I could not speak a word of French when I went to France. So it's very sad and, it's a bit sad, really. But you're living in The Hague, so you're surrounded by Europe. So let's go back to what you do. You're a business coach is that true?

Anna Molnár: Yes, I help women, entrepreneurial women, to yeah, have a better business. So, because very often women start their business because they want to do something. In the sense of they have a hobby, they have a passion, and they want to make money with that. But then they kind of forget that there is also the money making aspect of it.

It's not just a hobby and without having a boss. It's also being able to make money so that you can continue sharing whatever is your wisdom or your passion with with the rest of the world. I'm helping them to make it profitable and meaningful because most women already have a job and then they decide that there's more out there for them, not just working nine to five or listening to someone.

But really to, to flourish, to, to blossom in a way. I think, especially after a couple of years of working in corporate many women have this feeling of there's more than what I'm giving here. And there's more to life than just working. Because most women also take care of others. Maybe it's pets, maybe it's children, maybe it's their parents, maybe it's the neighbors or other people that they take care of.

But traditionally women take care of other people and if they start their own business, it becomes so much easier because then you can also have the time freedom location freedom. You can work from where you want to and when you want to. So it's a totally different way of life and that's what I embrace.

And I, I also wish for other women to be able to, to live like this.

Nigel Rawlins: So how did you get started at doing that?

Anna Molnár: Well, I was working at the, at an embassy here in The Hague and I didn't really feel fulfilled. I was around 40 years. And it was also, I had this question of having a child or not, because I was a bit late with that question, but it was urgent to, to solve this matter. And then I decided that apparently having children was not really something for me because otherwise I would have had them before.

And I decided to create my child and that would be my company. So I saw my business as my baby and also a baby to give back to the world, to help other women flourish in their way. And in my journey of understanding what that baby would look like, what it would be doing I, I was asking for help by a business coach and she was good.

She taught me a lot of things, but she was also in a way not so pleasant to me. So I learned a lot. Also things that I didn't necessarily want to learn. Yeah, that can also be helpful. Not always nice, but it made me realize that I appreciate the personal touch and honesty in a relationship.

And I kept on searching for how, how is it that you should build a business? How do you find clients? What are you supposed to do? What aren't you supposed to do? There are so many things that you hear everywhere. There's so much information and it's very difficult to understand what to start with what to focus on, what to try or not, and especially when you first start, it's so overwhelming.

Even charging, what shall I charge? It's, it's really hard in the beginning. I've been in several programs with other coaches, also in a huge group program where I felt very lost. But other women would ask me for advice. So in a way it was an organic growth of, of being surrounded by women asking me things and me looking for answers out there my curiosity and also not giving up because I've had a, a lot of yeah, challenges also COVID of course.

That didn't really help, because I had a workshop planned in the middle of Amsterdam when it all started. But these are all hoops and learning curves and I'm glad I didn't give up. So that's how it started.

Nigel Rawlins: So how long have you been running this business?

Anna Molnár: In summer it will be five

Nigel Rawlins: So do you have a big population around or, or because you speak several languages, can you work across the whole of Europe?

Anna Molnár: Yeah, I could, but for some reason I attract mainly internationals who are located in the Netherlands. I also, coaching across the world, really. The coach that I'm being coached by, she is in the US. I'm very international in that regard, but when it comes to clients, most in my surroundings.

Nigel Rawlins: I think that's important. So, why women? Do you work with any men?

Anna Molnár: Occasionally I do, yes. Yes, I do get requests. So that's not not a problem. But I focus on women because I like to help them for several reasons. I feel that when you help a woman you help a community. that it has a ripple effect and also because women have challenges like modesty, being modest.

It's a typical, typical female thing to be modest and sure you can be modest but you can also be a bit less modest so you can reach your goal and help more people with that. So I feel like I, I can get more satisfaction out of helping women because the wins are big and men are already thinking big, are already future oriented and, and more bold.

So of course I can help them as well to, to do more of that. But the big wins, I feel that I have them with women because the gaps are huge and there's so much to do.

Nigel Rawlins: I was thinking I've noticed that some women I talk to, you feel well, they tell you straight out, they lack a lot of confidence in going out there and doing this compared to the men who you, I think you're right. That's why I prefer to work with women because I think, they deserve the help.

Anna Molnár: I think it's not just confidence in showing up and doing things and making yourself known. It's more deep because very often women feel like their business is them. So, when they ask for a sale, for money, basically, they feel like they are selling themselves which they're not. They're selling their services or their products, but it feels so personal to them that they feel like they are being judged in that moment when they ask for the sale.

When they ask if someone wants to work with them or when they ask if someone wants to buy something from them. And it makes them feel very vulnerable.

Nigel Rawlins: That's a good point. I never thought of that really. I'm thinking to be a business, you have to think I'm selling a service or I'm selling a product. I guess they sell advice as well. So, how do you decide that you're going to work with a particular person? Do you just take them on or do you do what we call a diagnostic and figure stuff out first?

Anna Molnár: So, what I typically do is I have a conversation with them. It can be that I meet them somewhere at the networking events or also online, but I normally start with a conversation and, and see what they're struggling with. And if I feel that I can help them, I will certainly tell them that I feel this way.

But sometimes I also feel a disconnect. And then sure I will help that person in that moment the best way I can, but then I don't see a reason to, to work together. Because yeah, that's fine. I, I, I'm not here to help everyone. There must be some type of to be able to work together because it is a personal thing to start your own business and to start alone as a solopreneur and maybe later to build a team.

But many women don't really want to build a team. They want to keep it small or they want to keep it not too overwhelming. So, Yeah, it's very personal. And for that, I think it is necessary that there is some type of a click between my customers and me. Absolutely.

Nigel Rawlins: So how do you work with them?

Anna Molnár: Well, of course it depends a bit on the, on the client, but typically I start with something like an intensive or intense morning or intensive afternoon or a whole day to to get quick results. To focus on what's most necessary in that moment. Very often it has to do with a money mindset because yeah, it's the oxygen of a business to make money.

And yeah, it can be very challenging for women to ask for money. So it's, it's very helpful to look at how they think about money, how they think about asking for money, asking for the sale, how they think about charging, raising prices, because how we think is how we decide, how we act later, and we also definitely look at strategies.

But I, I do believe that before looking at strategies, you have to see and look at your thought pattern, your beliefs. Yes, that's very, very important to, to look at what's stopping you. And mainly we are stopping ourselves because there's no one out there stopping us. It's, it's mainly ourselves. So that's that's, that's how I start.

And then from there we can build on the themes that we want to tackle and what I also like to do is just like open calls, there's no theme it's more about what is a challenge right now, there's a thread through what we work on, but also these more open calls, to just investigate what, what is a challenge right now.

It can be that somebody wants to be on a podcast, for example, and they don't know what to do.

Nigel Rawlins: Obviously if you're a business coach, you've got a better idea of how to get that done. So you would have gone through all of this yourself when you first started.

Anna Molnár: I used to work day and night and I was basically working at the table, the dining area, so it was filled with books and notes and it was never ending. And that was also one of my learnings in the beginning, to create basically to create an area where I work from and then have a some something to say goodbye to at the end of the day, so it's really done because otherwise it's never done, never finished, so it's very important to to create a little office feel where you can focus on your thing and then leave because it's very important also to stop.

Nigel Rawlins: I think that's underestimated. Unfortunately with business, like if you've got to finish something or something's due tomorrow or somebody wants that, it's, it's very hard to stop working. Now I'm older now, a lot older, and I, and, and I'm noticing that I get very stiff if I sit for too long.

Back gets a bit stiff, or when I get up I'm a bit slow, and that's the danger of, well, a modern business, especially if you're working in front of a computer. You do have to get up and go for a walk, get outside, and all that. Well, you talked about doing a lot of reading. I noticed In the information about yourself that you like to use the transformation power of nonfiction for self-development.

Anna Molnár: I read all kinds of things. So I read non fiction, but I also read fiction, of course. Anything really. If, if some topic interests me, then I like to read about it. That's my way of gathering information. And I'm also terrible because I really like real books.

So I'm very old fashioned. I like to underline things and look things up again. So yes, that's the way I like to gather information. What I what I kind of discovered was that what you look for is what's on your mind. So, which is not surprising, but still what are the things that you read the most, what are you interested in, and also what are your favourite books, and these can be non fiction or fiction, and the question is, what does that say about you? Because in the world there are so many books, and you picked out a couple that are your favourites, so what is it that these books are about what are the themes in it?

Who are the protagonists in it? What are they doing? There's always like a hero or nowadays we talk about 'Shero' in the story. So there's always an arch of something is going to happen. Something is going to change. And that's also in, in coaching. It's about change.

You are somewhere and you want to arrive somewhere else. You have a goal in mind and there will be some challenges on the way, some struggles, and how do you cope with them? So if you have favorite books and even fiction, interestingly enough, can give you so much information about what you think is an interesting life or what you think is an interesting character.

Maybe you want to become that character. Or maybe you don't want to live like that at all. So, all these learnings that you can get out of stories and implement into your real life, it's fascinating. So this is one of my passions, but I see around me that people find it also a bit scary when I ask about their favorite books, because then it's almost as if I I have a special pair of glasses that I can tell them what kind of personality they are, but it's not about me.

It's about them. What do they take out of the books? What do they see? What are their favorite sentences out of these books? What do they live by? So that's very, very interesting and it can absolutely motivate you in, in moments that are difficult. You think about your books again and then you think, Oh, what would that person do?

Or what would that character say? So it's, it's, it's very, very nice. I love this way of looking at life, great fiction and nonfiction into what you want to achieve in life.

Nigel Rawlins: Yes. I like that idea. Now that was a really good point you just made that you're facing a challenge or something like that and you can relate to a book that you've read and the character and ask, well, how would that character, that's really quite an interesting way of looking at the world.

So, do you recommend books to some of your clients? Hmm.

Anna Molnár: yeah, I do but that's kind of funny because they, they are explaining things and then I think, Oh, that reminds me of that book. I think you should read that one or I think you would enjoy that, that book. Yes, so I do think like that and probably I also annoy people with it, but yes, that's kind of how I think, or I pick up a book and I think, oh, that one would be really nice for someone. Absolutely,

Nigel Rawlins: I guess that's the problem that I see with somebody who wants to start out a business. They could do it by buying a whole lot of books, but it, and read all the books, but it still doesn't help because they've still got to learn by doing. Now you're doing it, you're, you're talking to a lot of people, so it's probably better for you to explain things to them, but that's why it's worth probably having a business coach than then trying to learn from scratch.

I'll be honest, I've been going 25 years now running a marketing services company. That, that's a practical thing where I build websites and do practical stuff, but I'm still reading books now that I'm learning, about strategy and how to run a business. And I'm going, gee, I wish I'd read that 25 years ago, but it would have made no sense to me 25 years ago.

Nigel Rawlins: Just like, anyone starting today reads a book, it's not going to help them. They need to get started and get learning. So, you're finding local clients, Are they different age groups? Are they young? Are they older?

Anna Molnár: Well, mainly my age and, and slightly older, but what I also find fascinating is the new generation, the Gen Zs, they are so busy with self development. It's, it's really amazing. So I also get this interest of the younger ladies. And yeah, it's very fascinating how, how that works. They have different issues, of course, than the more ripe women who have already had a lot of experiences, but it's interesting how this young generation is, is very much into yeah, emotional development being vulnerable, learning.

It's, it's really interesting. So I also enjoy the younger ladies helping them. Yeah, absolutely.

Nigel Rawlins: One of my guests was Gabrielle Sun , a Chinese national working in America and learning and development. She was so smart. I'm thinking these young ones are so smart. They're so digital. They're, they don't just talk about AI, they use AI. And, they're creating things with AI.

These, these tools are just stuff they grab hold of and run with. Whereas, well, I dread to think how I started out. I had to have a fax line and a telephone, a real telephone and things like that. Nowadays, the young ones are very mobile and guess they're so switched on. Now that, that's interesting. All right.

What would you say are the major consistent problems you're dealing with for your, business coaching clients?

Anna Molnár: Oh yeah, sure. Typical question is how, how do I find clients or more clients? And then, very often it's charging more because they undercharge. That's, that's the real problem behind the, the thing that they come with. So, yeah, maybe you have enough clients, but you're undercharging.

So by simply asking more you already solved the problem there. So, in my opinion, it's mainly this courage of, of asking for what you're worth. Knowing what you're worth and I'm saying you, but what I mean, of course, is your services on your products and not be, not being shy about it.

I think the main issue is not really knowing what to charge.

Also looking at others for comparison and that's also again in that realm of being modest and shy and not having the confidence. I think that that's the biggest gap really to charge what they're worth. And very often it, it's a stretch for them, so it's very uncomfortable. They don't know how to deal with it because it's easy to say, oh, you should just raise your prices. Well, good luck with that because you need more than just raise your prices.

There's more work to do around that to make it effective.

Nigel Rawlins: I had to go through something like that because I've been undercharging myself for many, many years for what I do. And then I realized the other day, oh my golly, compared to all my competitors. I look after 18 websites and I keep a good eye on them and I make sure they load fast and they're working really well in Google search.

And I got really upset the other day because one of my clients wanted to change the websites and these were two young women, who work within this organization, who I know don't know anything about marketing. And I thought, Oh, can I really be bothered? So I thought, okay, I'll look at the stats for all their competitors. The site runs twice as many visitors per month and loads twice as fast as most of all the other sites. Number one in Google search for about 20 keywords compared to their competitors. And I'm thinking, that's worth a lot more than what I've been charging. And that's the danger. You don't realize how much you've been doing.

And then suddenly when you start looking, you're going, well, I bet those other websites that are competing against us probably charged two or three times what I did. But you don't know see, I, I didn't have a background in business. I came out of primary school teaching. So, I've learned about business cause I was very lucky.

I got a mentor who was a former Hewlett Packard marketing manager. So I've had to learn about business, but I kept my business fairly simple. But you're right about women, unless, unless they've been in an organization where they've been in the Human Resources department where they've hired these consultants or they've hired these developers to come in.

They don't get to see what people charge. So I'm assuming like a lot of people do, they guess. Or they, as you, you're right, they undercharge. But I think you'll find most people undercharge. Can you tell them what to charge?

Anna Molnár: Yes, well, there are exercises for this, absolutely. But even before charging something what this reminds me of is that most women find it even difficult to talk about money. Exactly what you said. They don't know what people earn. They even don't know what they earn or used to earn themselves.

It's, it's shocking. I, I've had this conversation with women and I asked, so what is it that you used to earn? Oh, I don't know. What do you mean you don't know? Yeah, I just came into the bank and I was able to, to pay my bills. Okay, great. So no, no understanding and not really wanting to know, maybe it's avoidance of the topic, but also amongst friends to talk about money, that's really unusual.

So it's, it's even just talking about money, money conversations, having these money conversations that are already awkward. Let alone what to charge. There's really a lot of work to do.

Nigel Rawlins: The benefit of what you're talking about there by talking to them about money to get them to start thinking about money and what it means and a business means you have to charge for these services so that you can pay yourself. I think the biggest laugh I used to have is a person, starts a restaurant and then they go out and lease a BMW or something like that.

And you're thinking, you've really got to make money in that business first before you can go and lease the BMW, because you've got to be able to pay yourself, pay all your creditors and stuff like that. You've got to get your head around thinking what a business is. It's not just the money that comes in, you get to keep, so do, do you have a little process, you talk about that money comes in and then you've gotta spend some on your marketing and you've gotta spend some on your power and all that sort of stuff.

Anna Molnár: Yeah, sure. You can make a very easy sheet. You can make a budget. That's, that's really not so complicated to see what's coming in and what's going out, especially if you're service based, then mainly very often the costs are not so big. So that's that's really not so difficult to make a sheet with that.

I find it more interesting to make goals to, to work to. And what I like to look at is because most women think then in monthly goals, because they used to be paid on a monthly basis. And that's the way you think when you are working for someone. But when you start working for yourself, I find it more useful to think in quarters.

So, three months instead of one month. Because then you also have a little bit of time to build up something. Not everything happens within a month. And thinking in quarters makes it easier to to, to make calculations even, because then you have four quarters in a year. You can gradually increase your goals and you have each three months you look back.

How did these months go? What do I want to change? What went well? What would I like to try next? And gradually add goals to your list or even delete goals. Maybe you wanted something before. Now you feel like that doesn't really suit your business anymore. So then you don't do that. And, and, and it also gives you the the, the possibility to say, well, maybe the third quarter in a year. In Europe we have summer holiday then, so then normally you want to relax, maybe.

So you don't have huge goals for that third quarter, but then the fourth is when things explode again. So then you adjust it to the fourth quarter of the year. And so on. So I see it as a, as an organic way of looking at business. And I don't know the English word for it, but it's those four leaves that bring luck. Cloverleaf. Yes. That's exactly how I see a year. So you have a leaf for each quarter and one is maybe bigger, the other one is maybe smaller, but together they are one year. So, it's another way of looking at at, at, at goals and these can be money goals but also other type of goals.

Nigel Rawlins: So in your opinion, somebody decides they want to start a business. How long do you think it, well, in your experience, that it's going to take them till they start to get comfortable because some people think they can get rich and start a business the next day. And stupid me thought I could do that 25 years ago.

Taught me, I learned very quickly. You don't, it doesn't happen straight away. In your experience, how long does it take some of your clients to really get started to get moving?

Anna Molnár: That's a good question because it really depends on how much time they want to put in Things can work for you, so things can really accelerate. And yeah, one of the things that people say to me is, Oh, what is realistic?

Well, I find that word realistic very funny, because I wouldn't know what realistic is. So many things are not realistic, but they do happen. So, it depends a bit what kind of business they are in. If they really start from scratch, then yeah, they have to figure out many things. But if it's something that they used to do for someone else, and now they start doing it for themselves, then they can get comfortable far quicker than I would say within two years, it would be, figured out.

But if you make a complete switch of what you used to do, and that also involves starting your own business, then it can take longer, of course, four years or maybe even longer than that. It really depends, but yeah, there are also examples of people getting comfort comfortable within a year because before leaving their corporate jobs, they already did some research and they found clients to sign up and then, yeah, then it can go quickly because also there, you don't need many clients.

You just need a couple that that are recurring and then you can build your business from there.

Nigel Rawlins: I think you're pretty right. If you're lucky enough to have that talented thing that you can do and you've got a good network, it generally can help you get moving. So, let's talk about business coaching. You mentioned you've got a business coach as well. Now, not everyone thinks that they need a business coach. Why do you think a person does need a business coach?

Anna Molnár: In many ways, it's very easy, especially if you work on your own from home to be completely consumed by your own bubble. You live in your own bubble, you, you keep repeating the same things and it's very refreshing to have someone look at your situation who is not your friend or your family member or someone else who has good intentions, but someone who can look at it from a professional side. And it, the coach aspect of it is, is really nice because sure there are some formulas, but you have to see what works for you. So you have to figure out things even with a coach. You have to figure out things, but someone is, is guiding you.

There are pathways that have been proven before. So, I'm also using the method that I'm learning, that I've learned. I'm always still learning, because I, I do believe in a lifelong learning. from my coach, but also from other sources. So I implement what I see that works. And I always look at the situation of my clients.

I can have a scheme and step by step process, but if I think that this wouldn't be appropriate for this person, then will look for something else. I know that people like some type of stability, something to look forward to. So processes are absolutely helpful, but they're not set in stone.

They're just a guideline. That's how I look at it. But I love working with a coach because there's always something You can't possibly see everything, even if you look at it from all kinds of angles, there will always be a blind spot. And it's refreshing to hear ideas from someone else, from different experiences.

Nigel Rawlins: So you chose your own coach and you chose an American business coach. How did you go about choosing who you wanted to work with?

Anna Molnár: because I, I was looking around I've worked with a couple and I looked at the ones that I liked the most. Also there was also, by the way, an Australian coach, Denise Duffield Thomas. She she's also a famous business coach for women. And I looked who they were coached by. I like to look for the source.

So, then after following a couple of coaches that I thought, well, they are interesting. They have interesting points to make. I came to the coach that I work with now because they kind of all pointed into her direction. So I was I was really thrilled to, to start working with her.

Nigel Rawlins: So tell me how that works for you.

Anna Molnár: Well, I'm in a group program. So, we have weekly access to her. She does a weekly call where you can ask your questions. But there's also a group where you can ask your questions. So then it's not necessarily her responding. It can be other participants of the program.

So this is how I work with her. And I also have buddies I work with, they are also coaches. So, I like to help each other. That's also a very nice way of coaching to to hear from other people because they have a different background themselves. They live in other countries. They see other things happen.

Cause that's also something Nigel you can learn something now, but maybe it won't be, helpful in five years from now. So I think the way to survive is also to, to keep to keep learning and to stay curious. Not just repeating everything over and over and over because after a while it might not work anymore.

So this, this lifelong learning, I think it's, it's really nice and it keeps us sharp and curious and, and connected.

The name of my company, I wanted to help women blossom, that was the main thing. And then I thought, okay, blossom, blossom. I like the title. I like the name. So it's blossom empowering. I like the word empowering and these events can be workshops, but they can also be the aha moments in a conversation or another light bulb moment while, whilst you're reading.

So events are those moments that are significant. That changed things for you. So that's why I chose this very long name. People said, said to me, you can't call your company with such a long name. It's too long. And I thought, okay, well, this is my choice. That's the thing. Also, when you, when you start your own company, you decide the rules, you can come up with things and it has to work for you. Of course, you can listen to other people, but at the end of the day, it has to feel right for you.

Nigel Rawlins: I agree. My company name is actually 13th Beach Marketing Services Proprietary Limited, that's the name of the local beach where I used to go for a walk in the morning. And so we stuck that in front of Marketing Services because it sounded right, but it's about that long. Wisepreneurs. is the podcast and my blog is my project for women.

Well, professional women anyway. So it's my gift. So that's done freely. Whereas my business, the 13th Beach Marketing is where I build all the websites and do all that marketing services stuff. So, yeah, but you're right. It doesn't matter. I am probably going to try and get a naming person on to talk about naming things.

Should you name it after yourself or should you name it after something you really love or, that sort of thing. So it, it's a hard one to know. Now, Salsation Fitness is something your into, what's that?

Anna Molnár: Well, yes uh, I I bumped into that just before COVID really. I went to a gym where they offered salsation and I had no idea what that was, but I joined the class and it was so much fun. I love to dance. I have a background in dance because my father was a professional dancer and my mom was also a dancer.

She danced for fun, but that's how they met. That's also how we moved to the Netherlands in the eighties. So, it has always been a very big part of my life. And to come across this Salsation dance was, it was quite fun because it's it's fitness but it's, it's not strict movements it's basically having fun and, and you're also having a workout whilst you're having fun and listen to nice music.

And it's not just upbeat music, there are also slower songs, so it's very natural, it's a natural class really. It's it feels good and you always leave energized and also stronger mentally.

Nigel Rawlins: Speaking about dance, I mean, dance and fitness. So obviously that's something that's really important to anyone who's starting a business.

Anna Molnár: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. As for physical reasons to stay healthy, of course, but I think even more, mentally. When you work alone you work, from your home, you need to get out and move. It can be a walk. It can be going for a run. I also love running. But dancing is, is a bit different because it also speaks to your soul.

You listen to the music and you're with other people and there's this energy, this vibe which is amazing and yeah, it's, it's one of the highlights of my week really. And then I did the intensive course to become a teacher myself. And well later, I didn't, didn't use it professionally, but this whole experience of changing your trade or to open up your world to be able to do something else than what you're used to, that's so amazing.

It really is because that's one of the things that I enjoy about life, about growing older is not just, you get to know yourself better. But you get to surprise yourself also over and over because you, you keep on discovering pieces of yourself that you had no idea that they were there, like teaching dance.

It just came back. It was something from my youth and, and it presented itself and someone even spotted me saying that I had talent for this. So it was all a huge surprise. I loved it and I still go to this class with a lot of fun. And it's a nice thought that maybe one day when I will be, I don't know, 60 or 80, I will be able to pick up something like this and teach dance.

Yeah. Why not? Everyone can do it. It's not just for young people. It's for everyone.

Nigel Rawlins: I've got two left feet, so it's very dangerous to me to get out on the dance floor. And you will really laugh at this. When I left teaching, I was about 40, and I did the aerobic instructor class. But I just couldn't go through with it. I just could not see myself at 40 being an aerobics instructor. Oh, I let that one go, but I was very fit in those days.

Very, very fit because I used to ride the 20 kilometers to the classes on the bike and then ride home afterwards but no, I won't do that again. Now I understand that you do some mentoring as well. How does that differ from coaching?

Anna Molnár: Mentoring is, is more as I see it more more from, let's say distance. You guide someone into the right directions, you give some tips of how to solve problems. And normally it's it's like two or three times that you speak to someone and then the mentoring is over .

How I do this and coaching is more intense. And you help this person through a period of time to discover all kinds of things. And there are also coaching techniques, of course. So mentoring is more being someone with a certain experience helping the other person and coaching is, is, is far more intense and more personal, normally over a longer period of time, but it can also be an intense day.

That's the big difference, I think. And mentoring is also giving back to society because the mentoring work that I do is for free. But it's, it's very specific what I dedicate my time for free for. In my case, it's for ladies who want to start their own business.

I'm in the mentoring program for that. And another one is women who have their own business, but struggle financially because again, it's necessary to make money, to be able to continue to do what you what you like to do and to be able to help other people.

Nigel Rawlins: That sounds fabulous. No, good on you for doing that. Okay. So how could people find out more about you? Where would you like them to seek you out? I will put all this in the show notes.

Anna Molnár: LinkedIn is is nice because then we can even have a little chat through LinkedIn. And if they are interested in having a real conversation, they can book a so called business strategy call with me. It's a half an hour where we deep dive into one topic, one specific thing that they would like to resolve.

It sounds like very short, but it's, it's really effective. That's it's amazing what you can do in half an hour. And of course it's it's to help with one, one little thing or maybe a big thing to find some relief in there. That's that's how people can reach out to me. And these sessions are for free.

I, I do have a limited amount of them per month, but I encourage to try again if it's already booked, then try again later, a couple of weeks later to see whether something opened up. It's something that I enjoy doing so much that I keep offering it.

Nigel Rawlins: That's very generous of you to do that. And I'd suggest that people do take advantage of that. Especially if you're interested in, in learning something new about your business or about business. So thank you very much, Anna, for joining me on the Wisepreneurs podcast and explaining about business coaching and working out of the Hague and Salsation Fitness.

That sounds wonderful.

Anna Molnár: you, Nigel. Thank you for having me on this Wisepreneur podcast.