Womenlines takes pleasure to welcome Andrea Zsapka in ‘Entrepreneur of the Month’ show. Andrea Zsapka is a certified coach and personal branding expert. Born in Hungary, she made the decision to move to Malaysia and has been living in Kuala Lumpur for the past 4 years, teaching individuals how to make changes in their lives to follow their passions. She is also a bonafide dance instructor and may force you to do the tango if you pronounce ‘Zsapka’ wrongly.Read Andrea’s story in her own words and listen to her interesting entrepreneurial journey in the interview above-
I grew up in a loving family in a small town in Hungary. During my childhood days, my parents gave me wonderful opportunity to try my hand in all sorts of activities, from painting, taekwondo, debating, arts and craft, singing, dancing and playing the piano. I was very thankful for my parents for letting me find my passion. Letting me learn dancing was the biggest gift they could ever give me. Dancing taught me a lot about myself, life, people, connections, collaboration, respect. My family knows that it was not an easy ride for me. I would rather say it has been an emotional roller coaster. I have been dancing since I was six. My stubbornness and willpower brought me pretty good results. I won many competitions, I became a dance instructor, the leader of a dance association and I also started a dance school in Budapest.
Why this story is so special? Because while all this was happening I was having another life parallel to my dancer one. I went to a business school and got a diploma as Economist on Bank management and Stock Exchange faculty, (Yes, it is true) For more than 10 years I was working for big companies (8 am-6 pm) Right after work I was running to my dance classes, lessons, rehearsals. I was having my competitions on the weekends. I was doing OK in both fields, maintaining a life that was pleasing others around me, without analysing what is happening to me, with me. I was sleepwalking and rushing, no one knows where.
I got so far, that at one point I got married only because I wanted to please my family. Then it hit me, I woke up the next day, right after my special, beautiful day, and I knew this is not my choreography. I haven’t been living my life at all; I have been dancing a fake dance, without realizing what’s going on. I have to tell you this is not a good feeling, it is not liberating at all. It has the heavyweight of responsibility, guilt, regret, pain, depression. When something like this is happening, you feel lost. It is like you lived underwater for 30 years. You start to question your whole life; you start to think: it is because of the people around you, it is because of their evil plan to control you, and then you blame yourself for everything.
I wanted a fresh start. I got divorced and I started my life again searching for answers. The only thing I knew was that I love dancing, when I am on the dance floor I am not lying to myself, I am ME. I am deeply grateful and happy to have supporting friends and family who were there for me during this harsh period. I started to dance and learn the Argentine tango and other social dances as a follower you have to read the intentions of your dancing partner and follow all the moves that he is initiating. The moment of real connection makes you feel like you are part of something bigger. I have studied all aspects of dancing and its effect on people, starting with myself. As a result, I felt better and better. It took me around 4 years to get out of this negative valley, to get back to myself, to my shape, to my soul and to realize that everything is connected and all that has happened to me was part of a bigger plan.
Life made me: listen, sit down and create something unique, emerging from the bottom of my heart, awaken by the turn that my life took. All that I had to do was to concentrate on the one thing that I do best: make people feel better about themselves and their life choices. Help them get to know themselves better through dancing and just follow my instinct and my freshly found path. And just when I started to feel better, it happened again, for personal reasons, I had to move, the first time in my life I had to go to the other corner of the world. I had to leave everything and everyone behind: my family, my friends, my little dog, my dance school, my trainer job, my colleagues, my independence, and start again, third time at a different environment: in South, East Asia-Malaysia.
To see the end of the story just turn the page and the story continues: What happened after I moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia? This time there was a difference, I knew what to do, I knew my purpose. It took me a year to settle, got connected with the place and got over the cultural shock, the homesickness and all those things that all ex-pats are going through when they are starting over. It was hard but as I knew where I am heading the whole thing became part of the process. I accepted the fact that it takes time and commitment to start what I would like to do.
This time I was dancing my choreography I felt safe and aligned. And here we are in 2019, Within the last 3 years, I have created a new dance community. I am doing what I love. I became a Transformation coach, Art Therapist Life coach, Master Life Coach. I am conducting my dance classes and I started my dance therapy sessions. I participated at the MIG Mrs International Global Beauty contest in Malacca, as Mrs Hungary International Global, I organized a Salsa flash mob at the Connection Pavilion, I have my own company here in Malaysia, I have been the host in two short tourist movies to promote Malaysia for Hungarians, which has been aired in the Hungarian national TV. I visited 10 South East Asian country. I made many friends in my new home Malaysia from many different cultures, I had my very first press conference. I coached incredible ladies who helped me to get cultural insights to perfect my coaching methodology.
I am helping individuals to be their best selves and to realign their lives. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the power to make the decision I made: Change if you feel you are not at the right place and dare to ask for help from people who have already been there. As we say life is short, why not make the best of it, and don’t forget: together we are better, together we can accomplish more, together we can help more people. TOGETHER WE THRIVE GROW AND ELEVATE www.andreazsapka.com www.whatwomenwantworkshop.com
