An Inspired Chat with Miss Ivana Kovacevic

We recently had the chance to connect with Miss Ivana Kovacevic and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ivana, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: When was the last time you felt true joy?
As soon as I read this question, I knew the answer! The last time I felt bliss (and I mean pure bliss) was this past month during my vacation to Europe with my husband. We had the privilege of touring various areas of Greece, Serbia, and Bosnia, connecting with our backgrounds and visiting our families and friends. We both love the Balkan region: the fresh cuisine, the coffee culture, the historic elements, the natural landscapes… Some of my fondest life memories will be from this trip.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Miss Ivana, and I’m a private English instructor based in Toronto, Canada. Having been in the teaching world for 11 years now, I’ve been fortunate enough to gain experience from a multitude of educational environments locally and abroad. My 7-year university journey was spent at York University: an institution that I highly value. I was given the chance to learn from excellent professors, network with other professionals, and secure internships that helped advance my career. After working several part-time jobs and then transitioning to a role in the corporate world, I decided to go solo. Five years ago, I became an entrepreneur, founding Heart of Learning, seeking flexibility and purpose in my line of work. Throughout those years, I have secured a long-term client base, teaching students of all age groups 1:1 and in group settings, in-home and online. I’ve launched a subscription-based service through Discord, giving learners the chance to improve their English level 24/7 at their own pace. My Instagram page has also been a great commitment; this is a place where I provide educational content on a larger scale, gaining a following of ~200,000. I’ve hosted live storybook readings as a literacy initiative, maintained brand partnerships, written a Business English e-book, and conducted nearly 40 interviews with other professionals in the education industry. Reflecting on the choices I’ve made to be where I am today, I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Before I could see myself, my parents saw me clearly; they did back then just as they do now. They have been my greatest support system for as long as I can remember, having sacrificed many things in their lives in hopes of providing a better future for me and my brother. I’m very lucky to have such constant love, especially during difficult times. I owe them the world.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There were many, many times when I felt like giving up. Near the end of my undergrad, I was doubtful of my chosen major and minor and thought of dropping my courses, switching to something entirely different. Throughout my TESOL certification, I wondered whether I’d made the right choice specializing in ESL because most of my friends were taking the public school route. During my Master’s Degree, I was so overwhelmed, working part-time jobs and volunteering, all while navigating a full course load. Most frequently of all, I’ve thought of giving up when it came to my business. There were times I felt alone, and it was tough to push through without encouragement from coworkers or accountability from anyone but myself. I would take on too much, say ‘yes’ too often, and hear ‘no’ just as often. I became so doubtful that I sometimes felt as if I were underqualified and not meant for this. There were times I applied for other roles, only to end up ignoring response emails. I believe we all have moments when we want to leave, but what matters is that we know whether these moments come from temporary frustration and doubts or from a deeper issue that needs to be addressed. Over the years, for me, the feeling of giving up has progressively declined. I think I’ve learned that these periodic moments come and go, and that it’s most important to remember why we do what we do. Does it give you purpose? Is it fulfilling? Are you proud of who and where you are? Would the younger version of you smile at the person you are today?

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
This is something I continue to struggle with as I learn to navigate social media for business purposes. Publicly, I tend to be very careful with my word choice, tone, pace, and intonation. Knowing that once my content is published, it is there forever makes me mindful of what I say and how I say it, no matter the subject. I believe that having a public platform with a large audience requires respect and professionalism, especially in the education sector, so I sometimes subconsciously bring out the ‘Teacher Ivana’ face in my videos. The ‘real me’, on the other hand, is very direct, blunt, and honest. I’m definitely still understanding how to portray myself online in a light that is both authentic and appropriate for my line of work.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing? 
I’ll definitely regret not writing a book at some point in my life. I’ve always wanted to publish a children’s storybook and, now, a guide for teachers and parents. In the near future, it’s something I truly look forward to pursuing!

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