When Evgenia Baikova left behind a high-powered corporate career in Moscow and relocate to the U.S., she had no idea that her personal story would become a blueprint for the work she does today.
Born in Uzbekistan and raised in Russia, Ev built her professional life in international human resources, eventually rising to HR Director roles in multinational organizations. She helped leaders build stronger teams, navigate change, and unlock individual strengths. But in 2018, when she and her family moved to Indianapolis, she found herself in unfamiliar territory — not just geographically, but personally and professionally.
Like many immigrants, Ev had to rebuild. New networks, new expectations and a new sense of identity — all while trying to hold onto the experiences and skills she had spent decades developing. In many ways, it was a masterclass in resilience. And as she transitioned from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship in 2021, Ev realized the parallels between immigration and starting a business: both are acts of courage, uncertainty and transformation.
“You have to unlearn what success used to mean,” she said, “and trust that your strengths still matter, even in a completely different environment.”
Coaching with clarity and compassion
Today, Ev is the founder of a coaching practice that supports women transitioning out of corporate life and into entrepreneurship. Her clients — often ambitious, high-achieving women — seek clarity, direction and confidence as they launch or grow their businesses. Drawing from her own experience and multiple certifications, including Gallup StrengthsFinder and Co-Active Coaching, Ev helps clients identify their natural talents, develop strategic focus and make decisions aligned with who they are — not who they think they need to be.
While many experts talk about working smarter, not harder, she actually shows us how. It’s not just talk.
Executive coaching has a measurable impact on entrepreneurs, especially women. According to the International Coach Federation (ICF), 86% of companies report a positive return on investment from coaching, with benefits ranging from improved leadership and communication to higher confidence and goal achievement.
A 2023 study published in Harvard Business Review found that women entrepreneurs who work with executive coaches grow their businesses more sustainably and report stronger emotional resilience than those who don’t. In an environment where women still receive less than 2% of venture capital funding and often juggle more caregiving responsibilities, this kind of support can be transformative.
Coach Ev understands this deeply. She once invested in equipment, platforms, and content with the idea of creating passive income courses — only to realize it wasn’t aligned with her strengths.
“I’m not built for distance,” she said. “I need to feel people. I need to connect. That’s when I knew live coaching and workshops were where I truly thrive.”
Her honesty in sharing that misstep is what makes her work resonate. She doesn’t coach from theory — she coaches from lived experience.
Cultivating a community of support
Since joining NAWBO Indy in 2023, Coach Ev has found the kind of sisterhood that mirrors what she offers to her clients.
“From the first event, I felt like I belonged,” she said. “The women were genuine, supportive and welcoming — and I knew this was where I needed to be.”
She now serves on NAWBO’s membership committee and recently joined the task force leading the first-ever NAWBO Indy BOSS LADIES Magazine. The theme of the issue — Lift Up. Show Up. Speak Up. — couldn’t be more aligned with Ev’s life philosophy.
“You can’t climb alone,” she said. “If I’m ahead on the path and I see someone who needs a hand, I give it. That’s what we’re here to do.”
Whether she’s connecting women to each other, mentoring early-stage founders or inspiring her own daughters to lead boldly, Ev radiates the belief that success is meant to be shared.
In a world that often demands conformity, Coach Ev helps women rediscover the freedom to build their businesses and lives around what works best for them. Her coaching empowers women to stop overthinking, trust their instincts and lead confidently.
“When you know who you are, you stop trying to fit into molds,” she said. “You make better decisions — faster — and you move forward with clarity.”
Her story, shaped by movement across continents and careers, is ultimately a story of finding home — both in place and purpose. Now, through her coaching, she’s helping other women do the same.
Connect with Coach Ev at www.fcc.coach.
This article is part of an editorial series in partnership with Polished Strategic Communications and the Indianapolis Recorder, celebrating the launch of NAWBO Indy BOSS LADIES Magazine. Polished Strategic Communications, a woman-owned agency dedicated to amplifying diverse voices in business, education, and community, writes and produces the series.
