Entrepreneurship: The Ultimate Trigger and Transformational Journey

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Anna Milaeva, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.

Entrepreneurship is often painted as the ultimate freedom. The escape from the 9-to-5 grind, the thrilling opportunity to pursue your dreams, and the endless potential to create something meaningful.

But let me tell you: it’s also excruciating.

For anyone considering this path—or already walking it—know this: entrepreneurship is not just about building a business. It’s about meeting yourself. Every fear, every doubt, every unhealed part of you will come forward in this process. And while that can be deeply triggering, it’s also an unparalleled opportunity for growth.

Turning Triggers into Trailheads
In Internal Family Systems (IFS), we call emotional triggers trailheads.

These are moments where something in your internal system grabs your attention, signaling that a part of you is activated and needs care, healing, or understanding.

Entrepreneurship is full of these trailheads. Every tough decision, failed project, challenging conversation, and sleepless night is an opportunity for growth—if you choose to see it that way of course.

The beauty (and the challenge) is that there’s no escaping it. The stakes are high, the responsibilities endless, and the pressure relentless. You can’t outrun the emotions that come with it. But you can lean in, listen, and use these moments to go deeper into your growth.

My Entrepreneurial Journey: A Mixed Bag of Freedom and Survival
I’ve spent many years (starting in my early 20s) working in early-stage projects and startups, always in roles where I had to figure things out, execute on big visions, and make things happen. One of my superpowers has always been the ability to break down big ideas into actionable steps, persist through challenges, and get creative when resources were limited.

But starting my own practice and a business with my husband two years ago has been a whole new level. With FINO, our team coaching and Self-leadership incubator, the stakes aren’t just professional—they’re deeply personal.

Every program we create, every client we work with, and every decision we make rests on our shoulders. There’s no buffer. No boss to answer to. It’s exhilarating, yes. But it’s also triggering.

The Triggers

For me, this journey has re-activated so many parts of my system:

Scarcity trauma: As a multiple-time immigrant, I carry generational burdens of scarcity. No matter how well things flow in the present moment, there are parts of me stuck in survival mode, bracing for the worst.

Not-good-enough exiles: These parts whisper doubts about my ability to succeed, pushing me to overlearn, overdeliver, and overwork. They drive me to exhaustion, even when things are going well.

Burdened managers: Always trying to be better, do more, and solve every problem perfectly. These parts mean well but can leave me feeling drained.

Distraction and judgment: When I’m overwhelmed, parts of me seek escape—then turn around and judge me for taking breaks.

What makes entrepreneurship so raw is that it touches every part of your life: your finances, your relationships, your sense of purpose, and your identity. There’s no compartmentalizing.

And yet, as painful as it can be, it’s also profoundly transformative. Well… like any transformational experience can be.

The Beauty of Inner Work on the Entrepreneurial Path
The deeper I go into my entrepreneurial journey, the more I see how essential inner work is—not just for personal growth but for the success of any venture.

Entrepreneurship forces you to look at yourself with honesty. It invites you to hold space for your fears, doubts, and triggers without letting them possess you and take over you.

For me, this has meant noticing when my parts are activated, taking the time to pause and listen, and holding space for my own experience with compassion. (Note: Everything I recommend and teach my clients).

It’s also meant recognizing privilege—not comparing my struggles to others, but acknowledging both the challenges I’ve faced as a multiple-time immigrant and woman, and the privileges I now have in being able to do this work.

Survival Mode
Even with all the excitement and freedom, parts of me and my system have been in survival mode for years now. That’s the side of entrepreneurship that doesn’t get talked about enough.

When you’re building something you love, something that reflects your deepest vision, it’s easy to pour everything you have into it. But that constant pouring can keep your system in a state of hypervigilance, always bracing for the next challenge.

The work, then, isn’t just external—it’s internal. It’s about learning to trust, to rest, and to care for your system while navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

An Invitation
To my fellow entrepreneurs and creators:

Take a moment to notice the parts of you that are activated by this journey. Which parts are driving your actions, and which ones need your attention?

Ask yourself:

What are the fears or doubts that keep showing up?

What past experiences or burdens might be fueling these feelings?

How can you hold space for these parts without letting them run the show?

Entrepreneurship isn’t just about freedom or success. It’s about growth. It’s about transformation. And it’s about becoming more of who you truly are.

The journey is excruciating, yes. But it’s also worth every step.

Let’s keep walking it together.

In gratitude,

Anna Milaeva

Transformational IFS Coach @ www.annamilaeva.com & Co-founder @ www.fino.website – Incubator for Self-leadership