Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Isabelle Nanin of Quito, Ecuador

We recently had the chance to connect with Isabelle Nanin and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Isabelle, 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: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I love painting. The moment I begin, everything else fades away. Sometimes I even forget to eat because I’m so deeply absorbed in the colors, the shapes, and the play of light as if nothing else exists.

When someone speaks to me, it startles me, because in those moments I am in another world, in a quiet dialogue with myself.

Through painting, I rediscover who I am. However, it feels like a better version of myself: calmer, more open, more attuned. It awakens my sensitivity and allows me to see the world through new eyes.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
At 36, after moving from France to the United Kingdom, I achieved what I thought was my dream: becoming an Export Sales Manager for a steel company. I had broken through both language and gender barriers, traveling the world and negotiating major contracts in several languages. It all seemed glamorous at first. But soon, a question echoed inside me: “What’s next?”

I felt lost, as if I were endlessly circling a roundabout with no clear exit. That’s when I remembered a dream I had as a teenager: to travel through South America. Trusting that instinct, I sold everything, packed a backpack, and set off alone. For nearly five months, I explored five countries, and it became a life-changing journey. In Ecuador, I found not only a country to love but also my true home.

That experience taught me something essential: I alone had the power to change my life. If I hadn’t taken that leap, I would have remained stuck and unfulfilled.

Pursuing and fulfilling my own dreams became the springboard to discovering my real purpose: guiding professional, introverted women and female entrepreneurs to strengthen their self-belief, transform self-doubt, and thrive both personally and professionally.

Today, I am an International Women’s Empowerment Coach (ICF certified) and the founder of
Fenix Coaching & Training..

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was three years old, I traveled to Spain with my nanny. It was my first real glimpse of a world that looked and felt different, with new culture, new customs, and a completely different rhythm of life. Even at that age, it sparked in me a curiosity for language and a fascination with discovering how people live elsewhere.

Looking back, I believe that early experience planted the seed for my passion for exploring new countries and cultures. It probably even set me on the path to eventually choosing to live abroad. Today, Ecuador is my true home, and I can trace that openness to the world all the way back to that formative trip as a little girl.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
It has not happened just once, but many times throughout my life: while studying, building my career, nurturing friendships, and even in relationships. Each time I face doubts or challenges, I remind myself of a simple yet powerful thought: what if the next step is the one that opens everything, that heals everything?

That question gives me strength. It allows me to move forward even when the path feels uncertain. I have learned that perseverance is not about ignoring difficulties, but about trusting that every step has the potential to bring transformation.

This is why I never give up. I know that the very next step might hold the breakthrough I have been waiting for.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say:

What really matters to me is living with authenticity and staying true to my purpose, even when the path is uncertain. I value the courage to take leaps, whether it was changing countries, shifting careers, or starting anew, and I trust that every step has meaning.

I value connection, not only with others but also with myself. I believe in nurturing relationships that are genuine, supportive, and transformative, while letting go of what does not align with my growth.

I am committed to empowerment, especially for women, because I know from experience how vital self-belief is.

I see life as a journey of learning and exploration. Curiosity, resilience, and openness to the world are values that guide me, and that is why Ecuador became not just a destination, but my true home.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people remember me as someone who never settled for the easy path, who took risks to follow her heart and purpose. I want them to say that I encouraged others to believe in themselves, to embrace their own strengths, and to pursue their dreams, even when it felt impossible.

I hope they see that I valued deep, genuine connections, that I showed care and support, and that I lifted others up along the way. I want them to feel that I brought curiosity, openness, and resilience into everything I did, and that I inspired people to see the world and themselves a little differently.

Above all, I hope they remember that I lived fully with courage and heart, and that my life made a difference in the lives of those around me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fenixcoachingtraining.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fenixcoachingtraining/in/isabellenanin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fenixcoachingtraining