Gabriella Laszinger: Why I turned my corporate success into a force for good

Success means different things to different people but for Gabriella Laszinger climbing the ladder of success starts long before launching your dream job. Often, that road to success is filled with steps-so many steps— that take you both forward and backwards. While true success in life cannot be predicted, there are subtle emotional experiences that are critical in leading up to your final destiny. 

Do you remember how big a table seemed to be when you were still crawling? Learning to walk is a process that we experience at least twice in a lifetime: the first time as a child and second as you become an adult. That second time round involves all imaginable and unimaginable setbacks and struggles, to achieve success and put a roof above your dreams and aspirations. Those dreams and aspirations, eventually grow to become a new reality and the process of putting your name on success is known as “Climbing the ladder of success”.

There are hundreds of stories from around the world about the pursuit of happiness, and there are just as many stories that show us what success looks like. If you’re lucky, you can also combine them on your climb to the top. 

Gabriella Laszinger believes you can indeed have both, and she is helping people individually realize their potential and achieve their own personal greatness. As a philanthropist, strategist, keynote speaker, coach, and the author who started her “ journey into oneself” two decades ago. It is safe to say, Gabriella does more than just talk the talk. 

Born in former Yugoslavia in the 60s, Gabriella’s family immigrated to Germany but the little shy girl had big dreams of making a better life for herself and others. Her grandmother’s generosity was hard to understand at times but it undoubtedly played a major role in her own development. Her acts of kindness towards strangers was well known and Gabriella recalls how her grandmother would often give away her last meal to homeless people who would turn up at her doorstep. One day her grandmother told her: “Ella, your life means nothing without helping others.” This stuck with Gabriella throughout her life’s many twists and turns. 

After climbing the ladder of business success in Switzerland, Gabriella left her corporate life behind and founded two orphanages in Nepal. In the last two decades, she has supported over 200 children, by freeing them from poverty, hopelessness, child labor and modern slavery. Her foundation (Happy Children e.V.) continues to support hundreds more and her work has been recognized by the German President and honoured in 2010 with Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany), the country’s highest civilian honour. 

In addition to her work with the foundation and in the private sector, Gabriella organizes trips to Nepal for high achievers who, just like her two decades beforehand, are seeking life changing experiences, to find a way back to their true self, after climbing up the ladder of success.

Gabriella Laszinger’s climb to corporate success

Gabriella’s foundation was as a dedicated worker, coach, and trainer. Both well known for services, and well sought after, Gabriella had it all. Her fruitful career in Switzerland was full of financial rewards and recognition: all in all, she was living an enviable, good life. Her many passions and experience set her up for future successes that she could only have ever imagined.

Her first trips outside of her comfort zone forced her to embark on a pursuit of change and happiness, going into a deeper search of her true self. Before reaching her next destination, she was completely unaware of how much her life would change. Of course, she was more prepared than she could have ever known! 

The seeds of Gabriella’s true story of change were sown back in 1999, when she landed in Nepal. Like in India at the holy Ganges before, the experience was breathtaking. From meditating with monks up in the hills, chanting with ascetics with their long dreadlocks covered in white ashes and painted faces in trance for hours.  The feeling and the connection she was craving ran deep: she was far away from home and almost gave up on her journey. 

However, there was something else–a lingering pull towards what would end up changing her life: her calling. What started as an aimless feeling led to her quite-literal epiphany: an “aha” moment: 

“After my university studies and a successful career in Switzerland as a coach and trainer, I pretty much had a good life. I was well known and my services were well sought after. I was on holiday, sitting in a café and I started to wonder: ‘Is this it? Is this really all there is to be? The success and happiness I wanted? Surely, not! It cannot be!’ The thought depressed me. I had to find the answer and set out for India, which at the time I believed was the most spiritual country I could go to seek out answers. Surely, I would find what I was searching for here, but what was it that I was even searching for? My happiness? My soul? 

In a desperate moment in my life, something magical happened: I saw three starving boys in the slums in mystical Kathmandu, with ragged clothes, wounds all over their heads with crawling parasites and flies on them. These three little boys touched my heart to the core. Many people were passing by but nobody even cared to look at them. The boys were lying on the street in the blazing heat. Their big, sad eyes and their stony faces were quietly screaming for a drop of water and a spoonful of rice. Their empty looking eyes were staring at me, asking for help. At this moment it hit me: I could not possibly fly back home without doing something! And there I found my purpose.”

In this and her many subsequent worldly experiences, Gabriella has learned one crucial secret to life: the secret of giving.  As such, she devotes her entire life’s work to supporting others. One such contribution is organizing trips to Nepal for high achievers who are seeking life-changing experiences and to unearth their own greatness. It’s the trip of a lifetime, and she should know; it is afterall, reminiscent of the one that changed her own life. 

This opportunity to trace back to your true self, after climbing up the ladder of success, appeals to many. After all, few of us are natural born leaders. For most of us, leadership and greatness are things we learn. Even heroes are just human and need to be born first and then transform.  

Gabriella finally left her corporate life behind and founded two orphanages in Nepal. In the last two decades she parented over 200 children, freed them from poverty, hopelessness, child labour and modern slavery. Her work has been recognized by the German President and honoured in 2010.

Transforming your success into something truly meaningful

When was the last time you had difficulties and problems you thought you could not achieve? When was the last time your problems became so heavy that you doubted you could overcome them? 

Gabriella has an inspiring way of transforming people. She has devoted almost three decades of her life’s work to helping others achieve their goals with a new mindset. With her experience in the coaching field, inspired her to elaborate a unique method to implement her proven method to climb the ladder to your best self. These training sessions are well suited for individuals in leadership roles, their direct reports, teams, as well as anyone interested in the journey. 

Her speciality comes from apprehending structures and coaching those who are looking for change. With the right combination of framework and support, she has enabled people to align with their drive and happiness, and in doing so, come out of comfort zones. Most have heard the well-intended advice to “get out of your comfort zone.” That is because many of us operate from a place of wanting stability, security, familiarity, and comfort. It’s why we fall into routines, or find ourselves always wearing that favorite sweatshirt. A zone of comfort is a place we work hard to find, and understandably, it’s comfortable, so it’s hard to ever want to leave. 

Of course, she knows first-hand about breaking through that discomfort, and what it takes to evolve. Gabriella remembers how much she was stuck and thinking inside the box. Gabriella never thought that she could do so…that is, until she actually achieved this monumental change herself. And while her journey may have taken time, it taught her the foundation of what she needed to know to create change in others, too. 

If being out of your comfort zone was easy, everybody would do it! Gabriella has the experience and guidance to get you through what can feel terrifying and overwhelming. Or as she says “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable”. That’s where the most progress happens! 

Reaching your full potential

Life is a marathon and to become an Olympic runner, you need to run each and every day, year after year before you can achieve this goal! It’s a long way to go. Most people need a trainer to help them tap into their excellence: to push and remind them of why they are pushing through. Trainers remind you of what you are capable of, and what’s at stake. 

Do you want to be that high achiever and feel empowered to change the world? When body, mind and brain power come together, you can do anything! We all have high achievers inside us. We just need to reveal them. Gabriella’s focus is to support you on the journey to find the high achiever in you. She believes that the ultimate success in life cannot be predicted but subtle emotional experiences are critical to the final destiny. Getting out, is of course, much easier said than done. Those dreams and aspirations, eventually grow to become a new reality. 

Besides the trips for leaders and high achievers, Gabriella is involved in “Yoda programs“ as well as “Leave your footprint“ trips to experience a deeper EQ. These experiences are proven to be impactful for individuals, as well as a solid foundation for corporate volunteering trips and team-building endeavors. 

Gabriella’s story is inspirational and motivational on its own, but the work she does for others takes the theoretical into actual practice. It reminds us of the obstacles a single woman in a patriarchal country had to face and overcome to even exist, and certainly to thrive. Her coaching and training is built around women who had no future and brought their great experience and perseverance forward. In today’s volatile world, these experiences prove essential. 

Her ability to defy expectations and thrive is both a happiness story, and a success story. It also speaks to the incredible opportunity and potential in each and every one of us. Or as she says:

“Greatness is available for those among us who simply have the heart, will and drive.”