Anna-Riikka is a freelance coach and a facilitator. She has a master’s degree in linguistics and through different roles of a team leader and a project manager she found her passion in coaching in 2012. Since then Anna-Riikka has worked as a business and life coach and helped hundreds of people reach their dreams both professionally and personally. Her coachees say she is a creative, daring and empathetic coach. She is also a pro in training and facilitating groups. In addition to her leadership positions she has years of international experience in facilitation and training. You can probably recognize her from her broad smile and laughter. In her free time she loves being outdoors and creative, whether it is a hike in the mountains, snowboarding in the wild nature, yoga or swimming.

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What makes you light up?​

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Dreams. I have a bold vision where I want to be when I turn 80. I am 40 now and I have walked this path of being a freelance coach since 2014. That is when I left my corporate project management job that was not fulfilling anymore. The best feedback I got during that job is that I am good with people. That stuck with me. When I turned 30 I thought it is now or never to start a new career and pursue one of my dreams of becoming a creative and self-employed. I know I am feeling well when I can dream. It always brings a smile on my face when I sense opportunities instead of obstacles. These days I also light up when I get to spend quality time with my family, my kid or my girlfriends. When I have a day and enough free capacity I can devote to learning new things, reading a brilliant fiction book, go and enjoy snowboarding, practice yoga, go to an art gallery or merge into writing and self-expression.

How would you describe yourself as a coach?

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I am genuinely curious and I deeply listen to my clients. I am also a firm believer in positive feedback. It is easy for me to see the beauty in my clients - everyone has got their talents and strengths - every person is a diamond. This is something I learnt the hard way and struggled with for quite some time - and still sometimes the fear gets on my way - who am I to do amazing things? I love that I get to work with my coachees to get them to wake up to a world of possibilities and then act upon that understanding. It is important for me to stay open, curious and be able to push the boundaries when needed - coaching is not a bandage, but a way to get down to the real stuff - which includes the good and bad. I love to work with polarities, questions, metaphors and creative things. I want to co-create a space where you can listen to yourself and connect with what is important in the now, because for me that has been a key to many breakthrough moments in career and life.

What do colleagues say about Anna-Riikka?

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Working with Aksu is like taking a ride in an amusement park. Be ready for some great fun and creativity while reaching up for the sky and getting high. She has a great power to guide people through insightful conversations; loving, honest and open in her being. Not afraid to get to the core of things! 

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What is it like to work with Anna-Riikka?

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Be ready to have fun, give your best, be challenged and challenge me back! Read more what my clients have to say about working with me below.

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