Meet Maria, whose goal is to build a strong foundation of education for the next generation. Using her decades of experience, she consults for schools and coaches parents with her biz.
We love entrepreneurs and small business owners at Honeycombers, which is why we’ve created Launchpad, a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It’s a privilege and pleasure to learn from so many talented and inspiring folks, so we’ve decided to share the love by interviewing some of the lovely Launchpad members. Looking for inspiration? Check out how Maria Lamrani Alaoui, the founder of Mindful Coaching & Consulting, gets it done like a boss.
What is your backstory and why did you decide to launch your business?
I’m a parent seeking love and connection. As a mother, I’m constantly trying to learn and improve because parenting is an ongoing learning process. Am I the perfect parent? No. But I’ve learnt a lot of skills to help me on this conscious parenting journey.
My professional life is rich and made up of many experiences in different countries – all sources of discoveries and encounters. For the last 20 years, my core ambition has been to build the strongest foundation of education and learning for the next generation. I worked as a teacher, trainer, school principal, and managing director for four schools.
With the prospect of having my second child, I considered what direction my career would take, knowing how much I enjoy my job. As a result, I decided to change my role but not my passion. I created my company, Mindful Coaching & Consulting, to consult for schools and coach parents. This allows me to support parents and educators in their educational missions.
What has been your biggest challenge so far and how did you overcome it?
During my pregnancy, I started my own business. You can say I had two projects going on at the same time – like two new babies to bring into the world. For me, entrepreneurship is a new world, and I’m discovering all its facets.
My biggest challenge is learning to be patient and reminding myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day, as they say. I’m learning! The other challenge is working alone, without a team with whom I exchange ideas daily. It’s a reality I’m gradually adjusting to.
How do you stay motivated and energised?
I stay motivated because I believe in what I do. It’s critical to work in a field that makes sense to us and in which we feel useful. When you’re a demanding person with a demanding job, you tend to be tough on yourself. We tend to focus more on what’s wrong. It’s sometimes necessary to anchor ourselves in the present moment and celebrate our victories.
To stay motivated, I believe we must learn to be content with the steps we have taken on our path and to keep our goals in mind.
How do you deal with self-doubt or criticism?
Every professional goes through a period of uncertainty and learning, but this shouldn’t prevent them from progressing. Creating a business requires you to expose yourself and take risks. One of the first unavoidable risks is the inability to please everyone. So, I accepted that my work can evoke admiration, apathy, and criticism.
To be clear, any form of criticism is difficult to accept, especially when it comes to something we have invested time and energy in. We all want to do a good job. However, once you’ve taken the necessary step back, criticism is just as valuable as compliments. Constructive feedback can help us improve and reach new heights.
If we allow our fear of criticism to paralyse us, we’ll be defeated. I’m more afraid of stagnation and not learning anything than I am of being wrong. Making mistakes is an essential part of the learning process. As Confucius said, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.”
Favourite places to work?
I enjoy working anywhere. I like the idea of being mobile. It’s a way to avoid too much routine. I believe that the environments in which we work provide us with different energies and sources of inspiration. I also enjoy co-working spaces where I meet people who don’t necessarily work in the same field as me.
Can you share a work mantra that you use?
Practice makes perfect!
One thing you can keep talking about for hours?
Education and social skills.
Your go-to self-care activity?
Sports make me feel good. I like running.
One piece of advice to your younger self?
Patience! Take your time and enjoy the moment.
Get in touch with Maria Lamrani Alaoui online.
Launchpad is a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It is designed to make the entrepreneurial journey not only easier, and more successful, but also a whole lot more fun. We offer almost daily activities for members to connect, along with weekly masterclasses, member networking roulette, small-business mentoring and media profiles on Honeycombers. Check it out and join us!
