Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karin Ohmann, Co-Founder of BaZi Akademie, located in Barcelona, Spain.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I turn Monday into your favourite day of the week! I work with professionals to help them leverage their skill set and secure a career that excites them by focusing on discovering their true talents and passions in life. The difference it makes in their lives is remarkable. I’m convinced that the secret to a successful career lies in doing what you really like to do.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” - Confucius. Confucius is quoted by many people, from Steve Jobs to Malcolm Forbes to Mark Twain. It’s about finding your natural talents — but it’s really so much more than that. You could be good in a certain position but not like it. At the end of the day, most people do things that they don’t really care for. However, to be great at what you do, you have to love it. And when you finally find your ideal career and truly excel in it, you will never work a day in your life again. These wise words from Confucius form the basis of my work with talent profiling.
I am a Swiss native, presently living in Barcelona, Spain, and having spent many years in South East Asia. When I left Switzerland, I also left behind my own HR consultancy and executive search business. While exploring Asian culture, I got “hooked” on the ancient Chinese philosophy and its underlying idea that each person, when he or she is born, receives a legacy: a unique profile, a personal DNA blueprint.
I quickly realised that it’s a unique way of decoding a person’s character traits, talents, strengths, and abilities, in an entirely “unembellished” way - without make-up, so to speak. As your hidden talents become visible, you are given a wholly new perspective when it comes to making decisions. Today, I combine my know-how of “East meets West.” My clients are people who are at a crossroad in their professional lives. I provide them with a roadmap that guides them toward the right decision as to which road to take. “Right decision” in this context means finding lasting satisfaction in whatever you are doing and, as a consequence, enjoying a higher quality of life.
My clients are:
- Individuals who are stuck in their careers and need a boost
- Executives who have a highly stressful job or face a burn-out and aim for a career change
- Others are at a point in their life where they feel restless inside and ask themselves, “What else could I do?” but they haven’t discovered their passion yet
- Parents of teenagers who are seeking advice regarding the right career choice for their children
- Women who are going “back to work” after a (family) break and need to rediscover their personal success factors
Tell us about yourself
I have an intrinsic joy for life and a passion for unconventional knowledge. I love being around others, and I’m in my “element” when I can inspire joy in people, make them happy, give them warmth, and support them in their endeavors. This is why I love what I’m doing! I’m advising my clients on how to thrive in their careers by knowing their talents and turning them into their Unique Selling Points.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The highlight from today’s perspective is the founding of an online academy (www.BaZi-Akademie.com), together with my friend and business partner Christine Kronshage, with the aim of teaching the Asian Personality Profiling System BaZi Suanming easily, understandably, and in German. BaZi Suanming is the basis of my successful 1:1 coaching work. We are convinced the world needs more happy people who know their strengths, consciously use their talents and find fulfillment not only in their profession but in life.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The biggest challenge, from my point of view, is focus. As a business owner, you always have a lot of ideas because you are convinced of your product and service. However, you should always put on your customers’ glasses and “translate” your ideas into a logical customer journey.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Pinpoint your talents & thrive! The only thing that can hold you back from achieving your big goals is yourself. Often, we don’t allow ourselves to succeed because we give ourselves reasons not to commit fully. Most of the time, it’s just the fear of the unknown within you that is holding you back. To break through, you need to understand your true abilities and hidden talents — and then accelerate them. By knowing who you are and how to truly access your full potential, you also realize your limitations - and it’s good to know your limits in life. It allows you to focus on the CAN DOs rather than struggling over the CAN’T DOs.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://bazi-akademie.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baziakademie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baziakademie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinohmann/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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