The moment I stopped chasing success - and started building freedom.
I didn’t follow the rules.
I followed a calling.
here’s what happened next.
Read on👇
I was 24, working at a big NGO in Europe. Corporate job offers were rolling in. My LinkedIn looked shiny. But I felt like a ghost inside my own body.
So I did what no one expected: I became a yoga teacher.
My (very Asian) parents were like, “You… what?!”
But I knew I wasn’t meant to spend my life in boardrooms, polishing someone else’s dream.
So I did the wild thing: I followed mine.
I poured my savings and heart and soul into building a yoga studio. Paid myself $250 a month. And two years later - shut it down because I was burnout.
My dream was gone. So was my money. And I fell into a depression so deep, some days I couldn’t even shower.
One day, I couldn’t get out of bed. My partner carried me to the bathroom and washed my hair.
I felt like a failure. Like I’d poured my whole heart into something… and still lost.
I was grieving. Grieving the idealistic girl who tried so hard. And learning something I’d never forget:
“Do what you love and the money will follow” is a lie.
There’s a big difference between being good at what you do, and earn a good living doing what you do.
Business support isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline.
It was December 2016. I had two choices: get a “real” job or bet on myself one more time.
The second felt like leaping from the edge of a cliff with no parachute. But working in a cubicle for some white man’s dream would’ve crushed my soul faster than failure ever could.
So I chose the edge and started a coaching practice.
This time, I didn’t just follow my passion. I got savvy. I hired a business coach.
I studied the hell out of marketing, enrollment, and coaching mastery. I coached like my life depended on it (because it kind of did.)
Fast forward to now:
🌿 Hundreds of clients in 20+ countries
🌿 3 TEDx talks
🌿 1 published book
🌿 50,000+ followers in my online world
🌿 A multi-six-figure business that runs on purpose
These days, I coach barefoot from my living room. Work short hours. Rest a lot. Write. Parent. Build. Heal.
Drink chrysanthemum tea and watch the wind dance in the trees outside my window.
And I help other soul-led coaches build that kind of life, too.
If you're sensitive, purpose-driven, quietly ambitious - and tired of pretending you don't want more…
You’re my kind of person.
And I’d be honored to walk this path with you.
Here’s where you can start (for free or with a small investment):
👉 Binge the blog - stories, strategy, and truth you won’t find on Instagram
👉 Download the Zero-to-Launch Manual - my exact steps to land your first premium coaching client
👉 Get my Wildflower Letter - emails packed with soul and insights that might give you goosebumps
👉 Grab the Enrolment Success Blueprint - deliver coaching conversations that turn into paid clients
👉 Take the Unlock Your Coaching Genius course - find your niche and magnetize dream clients in 5 days
👉 Join the Impact Coaching Circle waitlist - my signature business program for purpose-driven coaches
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Professional Bio
Milena Nguyen is a published author, 3-time TEDx speaker, and founder of Impact Coaching Circle™ - named Southeast Asia’s top business program for purpose-driven coaches.
As a sought-after Business Coach for soulful, heart-led coaches across 20+ countries, Milena has helped hundreds of clients launch profitable, impactful coaching businesses that allow them to get paid to do work they love - with total freedom.
She is also the founder of the Impact Coaching Alliance, a social impact initiative that connects coaches with mission-driven entrepreneurs working on the frontlines of global change.
Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post, e27, TimeOut, VTV (Vietnam), BFM (Malaysia) and more. Her debut book was an instant Amazon Best New Release, and she’s spoken at global institutions including the United Nations, Meta (Facebook), and Salesforce.
At just 23, Milena became the first Vietnamese selected for AIESEC International, the global leadership team of the world’s largest youth-led organization. She trained at the Martha Beck Institute and holds teaching certifications in yoga, meditation, and sound healing - blending strategy and spirituality in every fiber of her work.
A proud introvert, empath, and Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), Milena believes these aren’t traits to hide - they’re superpowers to build a business around.
Her work is a sanctuary for coaches who crave real impact, real income, and real alignment without the hustle or hype.
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50-word version
At 24, Milena walked away from corporate offers to start her business. A decade later, she runs a multi-six-figure coaching business and leads Impact Coaching Circle™ - named Southeast Asia’s best business program for purpose-driven coaches. Her work helps new coaches turn soul-deep purpose into profit, with freedom and integrity.
