Meet Stephanie Rudzki

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stephanie Rudzki. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Stephanie with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

This is a simple question to answer; my dedication to become the hardest worker I could be came (and still does!), from my amazing dad. He worked long days while my sister and I were growing up, but we cherished the time we got with him over the weekends, when he didn’t have to work. Even now at 78 years old, he continues to maintain a part time job; not because he needs the income or benefits, but because that’s just my dad… the hardest worker there is! I attempted becoming a stay-at-home mom in 2021 once I became pregnant with mine and my husband’s third (and final) child, but I quickly realized that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I knew I could take my love for teaching and my passion for traveling and turn those into my own business ventures! I created Learn a Latte LLC in February 2022 and began offering private ELA (English Language Arts) tutoring to learners of all ages. A couple of years later, Travel a Latte LLC would come to existence, and I now get the pleasure of helping so many people and their families, plan their dream getaways!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Ever since I could remember, I have been in a rush to grow up. I couldn’t wait to graduate high school, so I worked hard and graduated a semester early. I immediately went the university route, and although I was always a great student, college life was intense and at 17 years old, it just was not for me. I was then in a rush to work full time to make as much money as possible. Then, I was in a rush to purchase my first home and stop wasting my hard-earned money on rentals. With a lot of hard work, that happened by the time I was 24 years old. Something was missing though; I was upset with myself for not finishing college and not having a degree to admire. I went back to Arizona State University; the same institution I attended ten years prior. I finished that teaching degree I started so long before and graduated with honors. I couldn’t stop there! I immediately began a graduate degree and before I knew it, I had a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education (with an emphasis in middle grades English) and a Master’s in English as a Second Language. After bringing three beautiful children into this world, I knew I needed a change in life; something that would allow me to have more flexibility in my schedule and the ability to truly be there for my kids and whatever events they were to be a part of.

Learn a Latte LLC came to be in February 2022, a month after our youngest was born. I took my passion for reading and writing and began offering private tutoring to learners of all ages. English is not everyone’s joy as it is mine, but I will say… the biggest reward for me is seeing the growth in the students I work with! When a child’s reading fluency jumps tremendously, I celebrate with the student! When a child can finally write descriptive sentences independently, I take part in jumping for joy and shouting, “Hooray!” right along with that student. I became so busy, I had to open up some weekend availability to accommodate families. I am a one-woman operation and absolutely love what I do!

Travel a Latte LLC followed about 2.5 years later. I have always loved traveling (especially cruises!) and thought, “Why not take that love and help others plan their future vacations, too?” I’ve helped individuals and large families plan summer vacations, honeymoons, holiday getaways… you name it! I love asking questions that will guide me in the planning process, but ultimately, I want my clients to have a say-so in the planning process, too! Together, we make magic happen!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. I am the dictionary definition of a “Type-A” personality. I strive for perfection, and even to this day, I have a difficult time when something is not picture-perfect. I am detail-oriented which makes my jobs as a teacher, travel planner, and even a mom a bit easier. I take pride in the fine details of things and am always asking myself questions on how I can improve in whatever I am tackling.

2. Communication is key! I minored in communication during my undergrad at ASU. Some would say I am an over-communicator, but I don’t see this as a negative. Being detail-oriented trickles into my communication. Whether we are speaking over the phone, in person, text or email… I pride myself in letting my students, their families, and my travel clients everything they need to know.

3. I am a nurturer, and my caring personality plays a huge role in my teaching success, but also when helping people plan their dream getaways. I am (usually) able to sense when someone is “off” and needing a little extra care. We all have our not-so-great days, and I take pride in being able to help people around me look at the brighter sides of things and look on to tomorrow.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

I have always been a “Yes-Person.” At jobs, I’ve always agreed to whatever and have always said, “Yes.” With age and maturity, I began realizing that is not always a great trait to carry. I have learned how to prioritize my life and commitments, and although I still have some crazy and overwhelming days, I feel I have a much more balanced life than ever before! Something I also realized is that everyone is replaceable. It’s not healthy to always bend over backwards to make others happy, because I am a person too.

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