Participants/Kazakhstan/2

Ainur Tleuova

Section 5
In the male-dominated field of export goods, Ainur Tleuova stands tall as a trailblazer, challenging stereotypes and empowering women entrepreneurs to venture into new industries. Hailing from the city of Astana, Ainur's journey as an innovative self-employed business coach showcases her determination to succeed in an industry where credibility and recognition for women are hard-won.

Ainur's professional background in logistics and certification laid a strong foundation for her coaching career in the field of export goods. With over 12 years of experience in the freight forwarding industry and a comprehensive understanding of business processes, Ainur now dedicates herself to sharing her knowledge and developing the competitiveness of local businesses. Her coaching efforts are focused on unlocking the export potential of companies, empowering them to navigate international markets, and expanding their prospects for success.

The path to becoming a coach was not an easy one for Ainur. In 2020, she participated in a rigorous selection process for a coaching program developed by the International Trade Center and sponsored by the European Union. Through this program, Ainur honed her coaching skills and embarked on a journey of empowering more than 30 companies in Kazakhstan over the past two years.

Ainur's coaching success lies in her ability to guide small and medium-sized enterprises in adapting their products for international markets. With her support, these businesses have made significant strides in entering new markets, both regionally and internationally. From agricultural products to clothing and textiles, Ainur's clients have successfully expanded their reach, penetrating markets within the customs union and even as far as the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka. Moreover, she has facilitated their transition into internet trading platforms such as Kaspi and Wildberries, broadening their customer base and boosting their growth.

While Ainur has encountered challenges as a business coach, such as navigating uncharted markets and addressing misconceptions about the role of a coach, she remains steadfast in her commitment to empowering her clients. She firmly believes in the importance of teaching entrepreneurs to unlock their export potential themselves, embodying the adage, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." Through her guidance, Ainur instills confidence, knowledge, and essential tools in her clients, enabling them to reach new levels of success and expand their sales geography.

Ainur's work also focuses on empowering women entrepreneurs, who make up a significant portion of her clientele. Many of these women face insecurities and societal stereotypes about their roles and abilities. However, Ainur derives immense pleasure from empowering them, instilling confidence, and equipping them with the necessary skills to overcome challenges. Her coaching sessions become catalysts for personal and professional growth, enabling these women to break free from societal constraints and expand the horizons of their businesses.

Despite the challenges she faces, Ainur remains resolute in her commitment to finding balance between family, career, and gender equality. In Kazakhstani society, gender stereotypes persist, often relegating women to traditional domestic roles. However, Ainur's determination to break these stereotypes and contribute to Kazakhstan's economic growth drives her forward. As the country's policies increasingly focus on expanding manufacturing industries and integrating exports into global trade, Ainur recognizes the vital role she plays in guiding Kazakhstani products to broader markets.

Through Ainur Tleuova's coaching, she not only propels local businesses to new heights but also inspires a new generation of women entrepreneurs to step into male-dominated sectors, confident in their abilities.