Iti Malken is a self-development expert for women and the founder of Level Up by Iti.
Through her signature 4-Step Level Up Method, Iti helps high-achieving women reach their full feminine potential, taking quantum leaps rather than linear steps towards their career, business, or relationship goals.
As well as being featured in Glamour, Cosmopolitan and Fabulous, Iti has hosted her Level Up workshops for brands like L’Oréal, The Happiness Planner, Avéne, BioBalance and NutriDream.
Tell us a bit about yourself, background and your current role
I grew up in Estonia and coming from a family with an academic background, I have always believed in lifelong learning. As a child, I read as much as possible, and I continue to “deep dive” into the eclectic topics that interest me the most. When I was in our family summer house and there were only adults around, I would cure my boredom by reading. I would read about really anything I could get my hands on. My grandparents’ farm, summer house and our home all had extensive libraries.
My journey has led me to embrace self-development as a way of life and I want to share my experience with other people, especially women. My body of work up to the present moment has been a natural flow of ideas which led me to create Level Up by Iti and my signature 4-step coaching method which helps my clients to make quantum leaps instead of linear movement towards their goals.
Did you ever sit down and plan your career?
I have never planned my career but relied on my intuition to guide me. This has led me to discover my purpose which lies in self-development and coaching. I never dreamed that I would become a coach helping hundreds of people. I’m excited to see what is coming next!
Have you faced any challenges along the way?
Yes absolutely. Being an entrepreneur means that there are always hurdles to overcome. I do have a business degree, but a degree just scratches the surface in terms of providing you with the theoretical foundations of how to run a business. The real learning starts when you have your first company, and the entrepreneur journey begins.
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
I feel that my biggest achievement in life is waking up every day excited about what’s to come and finding happiness doing the things I really want to do. I love coaching people and supporting them on their path to more balance, fulfilment and success. That’s what I call happiness. I love the inner peace that comes with it. I really feel fulfilled every single day.
What one thing do you believe has been a major factor in you achieving success?
Inner work has been the biggest game changer in my long self-development journey and success. Inner work is often overlooked because it can be uncomfortable. What I have learnt is that if you do not start this journey on your own, life sooner or later will push you to address your blocks and limitations.
Inner work is about taking back your personal power and owning your journey to inner peace. It is about being present, slowing down and feeling what is really going on inside and around you. Also, you need to fill your own cup before you can fill anyone else’s. This is an important reminder for especially for women.
How do you feel about mentoring? Have you mentored anyone or are you someone’s mentee?
I feel that mentoring is essential. I have mentored quite a few young women and will continue to do so. I have had some amazing mentors myself and I’m eternally grateful for their work and efforts with me.
If you could change one thing to accelerate the pace of change for Gender Parity, what would it be?
It saddens me that many companies still haven’t understood that women and men function differently and need an individual approach. Often only masculine characteristics are praised in the workspace. Like nature has its seasons, women are cyclical beings, and we are not created to be alert 24/7 like men. There are times when our masculine energy dominates and there are other times when we need to rest, take it easy and lean into our feminine energy. From this perspective alone it explains why the 40-hour work week is an outdated concept. Taking all of this into account, it is no wonder that a lot of my clients are burnt out and can’t figure out what’s wrong. Everything seems so perfect from the outside and their life should be amazing by today’s societal standards. But still, they feel like something is missing…
Many women are still trying to fit into this masculine office mould when they should be creating a pathway on their own, free from corporate stress and letting their creativity flow. I’m not saying everyone should be an entrepreneur, but it is important to know that the opportunity exists to carve out your own path in a way which is aligned with what you truly want. One size fits all simply doesn’t exist. Adapt everything to your own needs and wants. It will create much more abundance in all areas of your life in the long run as well as create a ripple effect on society on a larger scale.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be?
I started my career in my late teens when I was around 19. I was doing my degree and working at the same time. It was normal to juggle 100 things at the same time. Looking back if I could do it again, I would take the time to enjoy the learning process and being in an educational environment and postpone work too much later.
What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future?
My next challenge with Level Up By Iti will be organising events and retreats for women in London, Dubai and other locations. I already have the vision for it but as I have been occupied with personal coaching sessions it has been on the back burner. I feel that now it is time to focus more on in-person events. I love the energy that women create being in one room and exchanging ideas, it is just magical!
