Larissa Tanka

But it was clear to me that I needed guidance. In 2018, I had started freelancing alongside my job as a retail interior architect at Store 3D. I wanted more freedom, the 9-to-5 routine just doesn’t suit me and I wanted the opportunity to connect with a variety of people.

By 2020, I was fully self-employed. My business was starting to gain some real traction. Yet, I kept getting stuck because of the way I perceived myself. I felt the need for a new logo, a new name, and a fresh start, so I looked for a sparring partner, a business coach with whom I could discuss both my identity and financial matters.

No website
In Marie-Gon, whom I had been following for some time, I found the ideal coach for me. She has a wealth of experience and is very worldly and well-traveled, which allows her to look beyond the borders of the Netherlands. Furthermore, as a designer herself, she was able to brainstorm with me about my logo and the website that still didn’t exist.

I’ve worked on so many wonderful projects, yet I’ve never shared anything about them. I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it; I didn’t have a website, and I felt my project stories weren’t particularly special or professional enough. My perfectionism always got in the way, even when I began the process with Marie-Gon. I found it incredibly difficult to reflect on myself; at times, it was even confronting. I didn’t dare to make any choices, fearing that I would be stuck with them forever.

“Coaching removes the noise from your mind and your work.”

All sorts of thoughts were racing through my mind. How can I set myself apart from the thousands of other interior designers out there? Should I focus on the commercial market? Don’t most designers my age tend to stick to the residential sector? And what about my style, should I jump on the ‘beige vibe’ trend, or do I dare to choose a different color? What actually is my style, and how does that show up in my designs? There are so many choices to make, how can I be sure this won’t all end in a total flop?

Marie-Gon helped me put things into perspective and make the necessary choices. Together, we’ve created something that truly resonates with me something I’m genuinely proud of. And I finally have a website! It feels as though my journey as an entrepreneur has only just truly begun. Coaching clears the mental clutter, both in your mind and in your work, bringing a sharper focus to how you view yourself and your clients. That is incredibly valuable. I now place a higher value on myself, which in turn leads clients to take me more seriously.

The coaching program was an investment, but one that I will benefit from for the rest of my life. I actually made use of the ‘PPO Werktuig’ subsidy, which remains available until 2024, that helped. But even without that subsidy, this program was worth every euro.