Hello! My name is Catarina Brandao and I’m the power behind Entrepreneurial Expat.
I’m half English, half Portuguese and married to a Frenchman.
I have been living in different countries around the world for most of my life.
We live in Brazil at the moment, but moved here from China, and before that France, so Entrepreneurial Expat is a natural fit for me.
My story
I studied Business Management at University, and went on to start ‘applying my stuff’ in the corporate world, where I ended up staying for 14 years. I learnt a lot, worked in two different countries, but towards the end I was desperate for something else. I just didn’t know what or how to find out.
A new opportunity
But life is full of funny twists and turns: fast-forward a few years and my husband (the Frenchman) was offered a job in China.
At first I was absolutely terrified at the prospect of leaving a job that gave me professional and financial security.
However, I managed to get my head around it by looking at it differently: his relocation could actually be a turning point – an amazing opportunity to find out what I really wanted to do career-wise.
After a year and a half working in executive recruitment in Shanghai, I decided to hire a coach to get some objective guidance as something was bothering me but I couldn’t figure out what or why. Less than two months later, we hit the nail on the head, I changed direction and began training full-time to become a certified coach. It all was falling into place and I had found my sparkle.
Adjusting the road map
After 3 and a half years of living in China, my husband was offered a position in Brazil. I realised my business would have to adapt and evolve with our lifestyle of not being in the same country for long. Of moving with me.
Exciting new beginning
So I worked with my coaches on building the next stage of my business.
And that is how this exciting new project was born.
Entrepreneurial Expat
I focused on working with women like me, who were living abroad, away from their home countries and
- who had had to give up their careers and were feeling like a big chunk of themselves was missing
- who wanted to have a business that fitted in with their lifestyle
- who already had a business they loved, but wanted to take it to the next level
And I loved doing that.
I still love to see the connections people are making with each other, helping each other out and sharing their experiences, wins and challenges.
The missing piece of the puzzle
But there still seemed to be something missing for me. Something to make me really feel that I was making a significant difference to people’s lives.
And so I continued my ongoing passion of personal development, learning more about myself, going inwards, seeing what made me tick deep down in my essence.
And I noticed that one of the things I was learning more about and using myself was energy work.
I never thought I would use it in my business though.
But in the past 6 months once again I invested in myself because it felt right, flew all the way to the UK and trained in Energy EditingTM then complemented that with an intense and amazing learning about chakra energy, ChakredyR. It got me excited. Buzzing. The sparkle was back.
And I am now using it with my clients. And loving it.
If you’d like to come along and get to know me a bit more, come and join my tribe.
We’d be happy to have you!
I am a certified coach (ACC – Associate Certified Coach) by the International Coach Federation, a certified Energy Editor™ practitioner, a certified Chakredy® practitioner and proud founder of Entrepreneurial Expat.