You *Can* Have It All – This Accountant-Turned-Entrepreneur Is Proof
Tatiana Dumitru is an accountant-turned-brand builder. She is the founder of PreTee Creative and Name Poise, respectively. Along with that, she has a lot of experience and has worked with 100+ companies. She knows the right tactics and has the significant characteristics of a woman entrepreneur.
It was the year 2012. She got married, moved 6,500 miles away from her hometown to California, and became a mom. And since she was starting a new chapter in her personal life, what better time to start a new chapter in her professional life? After having a family, Tatiana decided it was the right time to pursue her creative dream.
Tatiana started her journey as a freelancer in 2016 and has since received several editorial features and begun contributing to Entrepreneur. Currently, she is running a branding and design agency and a premier naming agency. She also has a client roster that includes global corporations like Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and The Motley Fool.
As a married woman with a family, her journey was not easy, but she overcame all the challenges, and today she is a proud Mother and an Inspirational Woman Entrepreneur.
How was her entrepreneurship journey before marriage? And how has it changed after marriage?
According to Tatiana, entrepreneurship was just an idea for her. Before marriage, she used to live in Bucharest, Romania as an accountant. She dreamt of having a creative career. She says, “Although I had a dream, I didn’t see a real possibility.” Tatiana is a very rational person; hence, she didn’t want to jump into a new career, especially entrepreneurship.
After moving to the United States, Tatiana thought of pursuing something new because she had just started a new life in a whole new country. It was the best time for fulfilling her lifelong dream. Tatiana proudly says, “My husband supported me and encouraged me a lot, and stepped up to help with our family so I could pursue my dream.”
She started as a freelancer, and after many years of experience, she launched her own branding and design agency, PreTee Creative. Thanks to her drive and her family’s support, she’s been able to grow her business and secure contracts with Fortune 500 companies.
What challenges did she face after marriage, and how did she overcome those – in terms of business?
Tatiana loves challenges and knows how to overcome them efficiently.
She says, “One of the biggest challenges I had to overcome was the lack of a support system.” After moving into a new country, she had very few acquaintances and friends who could give her moral support. She had to do everything on her own, from relying on herself to solving every riddle that came her way. Gradually she started to form a team of her own.
Not everyone is good at everything, so Tatiana started hiring people who could take over the tasks that she couldn’t complete. In that way, it was a positive side for the business and her peace of mind.
“I wasn’t always able to give enough time to my family because my main focus was on growing the business and exploring new creative ways, but my husband always supported me and encouraged me to continue my work,” says Tatiana. Things did get hard for her, but she never quitted. When a stressful day made her have a glass of wine instead of opening the laptop, her husband was always there to pour her a glass.
Any advice for other women entrepreneurs?
One major thing that will help you cope up is to ask for help. Although Tatiana was very reluctant to ask for help, in the end, she realized asking for help really was an advantage for her – it’s freed up her schedule, so she has more time to spend with her family and focus on her talents.
Another great piece of advice would be to take the help of networking from various social media sites like LinkedIn. You can strengthen your position by attending events and maintaining connections with peers in your industry.
She also advised accepting that setbacks are inevitable; she too followed it. Your attitude and reaction will determine the outcome. Tatiana concluded with some great advice: “Do your best to keep a positive mindset, and remember that the biggest successes often come on the heels of failure.”
