I am no stranger to big changes, which often start as bold (crazy?) ideas. I’ve changed jobs, professions, and countries several times. I’ve also approached strangers with unexpected questions that turned into incredible collaborations and projects.

Perhaps my most challenging personal change was when I decided to quit the way I was working in international tourism and sell my own travel agency, even though I loved both.

I still remember the moment I made that decision. I was sitting in my office after two of my colleagues had resigned (later I found out had that they had copied my company, my ideas and targeted my clients) and in that deep and silent moment I felt as if everything around me had stopped.

At that moment a voice in my head became very loud, saying, I don’t want this anymore. What I was doing was no longer what I had started out to do, I was tired and disillusioned.

Even if the company was doing well, we had thousands of great clients, we were organising exciting trips, we were working with the biggest tourism services around the world, and we managed to survive the global crises of 2001 and 2008, which broke many companies. In fact, 10 years earlier, I had a dream of owning an agency just like this, but due to a lot of external circumstances and because I was changing, it was no longer enough for me.

So, in that quiet moment, I made the previously unthinkable decision of selling my company. I had no idea at the time how I would do it or what I would do afterwards.

But this decision gave me a huge sense of freedom. Two months later, I had a buyer and a year later I was no longer a travel agency owner. Then I moved to Barcelona, took some time off and there, during this slow period, I figured out what I’d do next.

Fortunately, I already had my own coach to help me become a better leader. So, she also helped me to make those difficult and painful decisions and to make a plan for my future. And now I know it was the right thing to do.

I knew only one thing: I wanted to continue working with people and help them find the courage, the confidence, and a well-thought-out plan to realise their own bold ideas. I have completed several excellent coach trainings and then started a new business that now serves the lifestyle I longed for, so that I can work from anywhere in the world.

As time went on, I started working with more clients who were developing projects and ideas that focused on sustainability and making the world a better place. Having always been a bit of a rebel, I find this really inspiring, alongside the issue of what makes a job or leadership role sustainable.

Hi, I’m Eva Tornallyay, coach, an organisational development team coach, business mentor. I have been a business owner and entrepreneur for more than 20 years, changing professions at the age of 45 and moving abroad for the fourth time at the age of 55. I have lived in Africa, London, Barcelona and Austria. As a coach and business mentor, I support business development (Academy of Women Entrepreneurs, Visa She’s Next) and help people make bold changes. I am cosmopolitan, passionate about travel and scuba diving and only promote what I have already tried.

I know from personal experience how challenging it is to make big changes.

I also know what it’s like to be afraid of something and do it anyway.

I offer support to purpose-driven professionals, managers and entrepreneurs who want to create positive change in their smaller and/or wider communities through their work or business, in a way that is meaningful and inspiring for them.

I believe in change, in moving forward, and in focusing on what can be done differently. I believe that we have many more opportunities than we can see in a crisis. I also believe that doing something is only worth doing if it has a positive impact on the world and our environment and brings us joy at the same time. I believe that good people can think up good things and, with the right support, can make them happen.