Meet The Face Behind Meraki Coaching- Canada

I’m Ana-Maria Ortega, the proud owner of Meraki Coaching- Canada.

I look forward to sharing my story. I hope that you will enjoy getting to know me better.

My story as an entrepreneur takes us back to 2008, when I invested in various industries, including hospitality, trades, and tourism, before emigrating to Canada.

As an immigrant, I brought my experience, open heart, and a positive attitude to support Canada’s healthy economy while building a brighter future for my family. Since my first job, I was very fortunate to be working with people who valued my expertise and talent. Their trust encouraged me to learn Canadian business norms and how to navigate my way through the environment. 

After a few years, I attained specialist knowledge that I felt could be useful for entrepreneurs who struggle to create an effective strategy, an efficient structure, or an engaging culture. I had become familiar with solving these problems over the past three decades, and I felt by sharing my solutions I could give back to the business community. This is how Eagle Business Coaching was conceptualized. à Please mention that I confirmed my theory that Servant Leadership is the solution for most of the problems within organizations regardless of the country, and that one of my highest priorities is to grow awareness of the relevance of mental health in the workplace.

It started as my second job (part-time) in November 2016. Even though its outreach was limited, the impact on my clients was rewarding and kept me going when I felt burnout from two demanding jobs. In the beginning, it was profit-orientated and all about results, whereas now a holistic approach is taken to understand the business owner’s vision, leadership and mental health. I align it with the three fundamental pillars of any business: people, profits, and purpose. From this perspective, my team helps clients to build the foundation for sustainability, contribution, and growth for both the company and the community it serves. 

In addition, during the pandemic, I saw the challenges internationally trained immigrants were facing. Coming from an immigrant background, I related to their concerns and wanted to help them achieve purpose and fulfillment in their careers. 

So I launched a sister company, Meraki Coaching – Canada, to help highly-qualified immigrants flourish. I’m currently operating from Calgary, AB, and serve clients across Canada, the US, and Latin America, including Colombia, and Ecuador, where I’m from originally. 

I enjoy helping leaders, business executives, and “possibilitarians” (as Robin Sharma would call them), reach unattainable dreams. Sometimes it’s just a professional goal or new levels of market share, but on other occasions, it takes a mind shift to make a profound impact on their personal and business lives. 

So, my philosophy is to empower leaders through transformationAL coaching tools and servant leadership which inspires them to believe in themselves while making an impact in their community. I also empower entrepreneurs to connect with their employees, through purposeful collaboration and passionately serve clients to the fullest of their capacity. 

Therefore, I work with integrity, and as an individual, I believe what sets me apart from others is my core values. It includes innovation, loyalty, excellence, and humility.

I also attribute my success to staying devoted to the oath: “If, as my client, you have not reached your goals, my job is not complete.” So, I strive to honor my client’s expectations in the service I deliver which yields results.

I recently witnessed an employees’ appreciation party organized by a client, where authentic gratitude, collaboration, respect, and joy set the tone for a night of celebration. After eighteen months of hard work, the business owner was elated with the innovation in multiple areas of the company, including expansion into new niches and constant training to develop a revolving labor market. She thanked her collaborators for their efforts, commitment, and love for their clients, while employees applauded her leadership and determination to grow despite the unusual work restrictions during COVID-19.

These types of occasions fill me with immense satisfaction. In addition, the best reward I get from clients is referrals, as it lets me know that their trust in me has reached the next level and they are backing up my job with their name.

When I’m not mentoring individuals, I love hiking with my husband and children (when home from university) during spring and the summer. I also cook for relaxation and enjoy trying international cuisine and tasting new flavors. And, of course, hanging out with friends while enjoying a nice glass of wine is heartwarming. 

On a final note, I would like to add that I have been living in Canada for ten years but still feel part of the newcomer population. They are eager to learn, contribute and give back, which is precisely my concept of life. 

I have enjoyed sharing my story about the things that matter to me and how they influence how I do business.

If you or someone you know could benefit from my expertise as a life and career coach in Canada, I invite you to contact me. Please visit my website at www.merakichoice.com.

Sincerely,

Ana-Maria