DINCOLO DE BALAURI
Life has tried to bring me to my knees more than once. Every time, I chose to get back up.
in business
Speaker
Coach
Federation (ICF)
Founding Partner
Coaching UK
A story about falling down and getting back up, every single time
This book is about the battles that define us, the lessons that change us, and the strength to start over - wiser, stronger and more at peace with who we are.
Life has tried to bring me to my knees more than once. Every time, I chose to get back up. An illness that struck my mother. Three bankruptcies that took everything from me. Three divorces that forced me to understand who I really am. Every fall left its mark - you'll find them all, one by one, in these pages.
Thoughts from clients
Dincolo de balauri – Be the hero of your own life! Every person has their own "dragons". What sets people apart is the courage to face them. I loved Cristian Nicolae's book for the authenticity with which he tells of his battles with his dragons: failures, losses, challenges, suffering and the moments when life put him to the test. I especially appreciate how, after every encounter with the "dragons", he comes back with an extremely valuable life lesson. I believe the message of the book is that we cannot control life's trials, but we can choose how we respond to them. With faith, optimism, hard work and gratitude, the dragons in our minds can become steps of lasting growth. I particularly love the way Cristian keeps alive in his heart the example of his parents, his roots, the holy "icons" and his sources of personal strength. I would have loved to meet them in person - I grew so attached to them just by reading about them! For me, Dincolo de balauri is much more than a simple life story. It is a true handbook of maturity and authentic leadership: about how not to turn suffering into resentment, but into growth, courage and the power to reinvent yourself. It is worth reading because it reminds you that true victory is not never falling, but choosing, every time, to rise with dignity and keep going. Cristian, congratulations on having the courage to turn your life experiences into lessons full of wisdom for others!
It would have been easy to say this book moved me because the author is my brother. The truth, however, is that it moved me because, beyond the events I already knew, I discovered a man who had the courage to speak honestly about successes and failures, about love and separation, about fear, faith and the strength to always start over. "Dincolo de balauri" is not the story of a fearless hero, but of a man who learned to move forward in spite of fear. It is a warm, deeply human book, written with humor, vulnerability and optimism. A book in which every reader can recognize, in one form or another, their own dragons and find the courage to face them. I read it not only with a brother's emotion, but also with the joy of a reader who closes the last page feeling a little more confident in life and in their own power to keep going.
Cristian combines business expertise, life experience and a rare sense of clarity. He is pragmatic, results-focused and, at the same time, deeply empathetic and easy to engage with. His positive relational energy builds trust and openness, making his coaching sessions both impactful and inspiring.
Cristian Nicolae is one of the longest-standing and most valuable members of the Maxwell Leadership Romania community. He is an extremely dynamic, friendly and engaged person, with a natural ability to connect people and build authentic relationships. He brings a rare positive energy, a contagious passion for life and a genuine desire to help and add value to those around him. Throughout the years I have known him, Cristian has always been close to people - present, dedicated and willing to contribute. I confidently recommend him as a coach and mentor, not just for his professional qualities, but above all for his character and authenticity.
I had the opportunity to work with Cristian, and I can honestly say it was one of the most valuable experiences of my professional journey. During a period when I had many questions, unclear ideas and blurred directions, he not only managed to give me clarity, but also inspired me deeply. I am deeply grateful for the professionalism, patience and openness with which he guided me. I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone who wants not only to learn business, but to become a better version of themselves in this field. Thank you, Cristian!
Cristian, you were top-notch!
This year we worked with Cristian on two remarkable projects for us: "SMC Romania Day" in Bucharest and Timișoara. He was the MC and a speaker on motivation and leadership. All I can say is: professional and dedicated. Well done!
Cristian, you did an excellent job at the training. The feedback was great. We look forward to new projects in 2025!
Honestly, I shouldn't have to write anything about Cristian Nicolae! He is a brand in himself! A unique personality, a wonderful HUMAN BEING... We know this, those of us who have worked with Cristian, and so do the hundreds of high school and university students who changed their outlook on life after meeting him through the Romania Hub government program. The man who gave dozens of motivational talks to young people at the start of their journey… And he did it for free, just to make a difference in society! Well done, Cristian!
Because his name is Inspiration. Energy. Because from him you learn to Hope. To be Optimistic. To Survive. No matter how many Hardships you face. To Find Solutions to seemingly Impossible Problems. To Live with everything life brings you, enjoying it.
I got to know Cristian Nicolae as a businessman, but also as a speaker and trainer. He is authentic, open, communicative, charismatic and has a great desire to share his ideas and experiences. In short, I would say he is a man gifted with the art of speaking. He knows how to capture your attention, delivering interesting and motivating messages. His training sessions are true experiences in which you learn new things, find answers and discover ideas.
I met Cristian during a JCI Bucharest event in 2013. We exchanged ideas and I knew he was someone you could build with. Since then we have collaborated on JCI Bucharest events, the launch of the Female Leadership Organisation, The Alpha Group and Meet the Mentor, as a speaker and trainer. As a speaker, he is absolutely motivational and inspirational. As a trainer, he helps you work with your skills and develop them. As a person, he will surely infect you with energy and positive thoughts.
I discovered Cristian at a presentation, and I should have guessed from the first moment that he was from Oltenia. One of those Oltenians who, in the interwar period, were known as the most hardworking and skilful merchants in the kingdom. Once you get to know him better, you can't help but love his authenticity, humor, courage and entrepreneurial spirit in everything he does. If you need inspiration and energy in entrepreneurship, don't hesitate - connect with Cristian.
I had the chance to meet Cristian in 2014 at the 11even experiences Conference in Craiova. And I say chance because I rarely meet people I can immediately define with a single word… In Cristian's case, that word is INSPIRATION! An extraordinary speaker, a successful entrepreneur, a man who inspires and motivates! Cristian inspires young people and entrepreneurs looking for the key to success, and he always finds time to personalize every process and bring authentic stories. He is definitely the expert you need to motivate your team, streamline work processes and understand the importance of community involvement!
Cristian Nicolae is one of the most compelling motivational speakers in our country; more than that, he is also a talented trainer. Although he has read many books in the field, his business stories have substance and charm because they come from real experience as a Serial Entrepreneur - together with his whole family - with ups and downs, lessons learned and a winning spirit.
From his training sessions you can learn the human values that guide Cristian Nicolae: respect for partners and clients, dynamism and passion, the desire to share relevant business experiences with others. One of the recommendations that stuck with me, applicable to service-based businesses: "you have to be obsessed with after-sales service."
I have learned a lot from Cristian. He is a man with a wealth of experience and a truly unique energy. I recommend him wholeheartedly.
The SSG team, made up of members of Toastmasters clubs in Romania, has decided: Cristian Nicolae, speaker at "Conference 3 - Perseverance, the guarantee of success over time", receives the top rating "Excellent", based on the scores obtained for the criteria: delivery, effectiveness, value, appearance, voice, timing, appropriateness and coherence.
Thank you, Cristian, for all your support, you are an inspiration to us. The fact that you spoke to us from books but also gave us examples from your own experience convinced us. See you soon for the next level of coaching :)
This book is for you if
- You have been through a fall - in business, in your family, in the health of someone you love - and you still haven't found its meaning.
- You feel that the "success" everyone else shows you says nothing about the failures behind it.
- You are an entrepreneur or a leader and you need to hear, from someone who has lost everything more than once, that it is possible to rebuild.
- You are a parent and you wonder what legacy you are truly leaving your children - not a material one, but as a person.
- You need a real reason, not a motivational quote, to get back up one more time.
Three major falls. Three ways to rise again.
Family
I stood by my mother in the hospital during the hardest battle of her life - leukemia. I saw what it means to hold on to faith when the doctors can no longer promise you anything for certain. I learned from her that strength doesn't show in speeches, but in the way someone chooses to fight in silence, day after day. I wrote about it because it is the lesson that changed the way I understand courage.
Business
I have lost everything more than once. Not metaphorically - for real, with closed companies, debts and nights when I didn't know how I would pay my team. Every time, I had to swallow my pride and start all over again, with less arrogance and more patience. I write exactly what I got wrong three times, so you won't have to start from zero a fourth time.
Personal life
I have been through three divorces. Every time I thought I knew who I was and what I wanted, and every time I found out I still had more to learn. I write about what it means to be a father to my three children not from the position of someone who got everything right, but from the position of someone who made enough mistakes to understand what truly matters: not what I leave my children, but the man they see day after day.
Partner Companies
The organizations that support this work.
Boromir
One of Romania's largest milling and bakery producers, with over 30 years of activity and factories in Vâlcea, Sibiu, Buzău and Deva.
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Todome
Romanian manufacturer of wrought iron gates, fences and metal structures, with over 15 years of experience and a factory in Dolj County.
Visit website →
It doesn't cost much to find out how it's done
This is not a book of theory, written from behind a desk. It's my way of telling you straight: if I managed to rise again from bankruptcy three times, from an illness that struck my mother, from three divorces - you can too, no matter what has knocked you down right now.
It costs you far more to keep carrying alone what you could heal by reading the story of someone who has already been through it.
DINCOLO DE BALAURI - Be the hero of your own life
What you need to know
How much does shipping cost?
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Do I need to have been through something similar to understand the book?
Is it a business book or a book about life?
You have a dragon you've been putting off for far too long.
Maybe it's a business that's faltering and you're afraid to admit it. Maybe it's a relationship you've given up trying to understand. Maybe it's an old fear you've never told anyone about.
I had three. I faced each one, I lost, I learned and I got back up again. Not because it was easy - but because no one else could do it for me.
No one else will slay your dragon for you either. But you can start with a few hours in which someone who has already been there shows you how it's done.