TCA Success Stories: From Finance Associate to Business Analyst

It was a mistake that should have cost her everything.

Twenty minutes.

That’s how long Nene stood in the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror, her heart pounding. She was trying to calm the storm of anxiety inside her. On the other side of the door, her phone buzzed with the interview call that could change her life, a call she was completely missing. When she finally came out and saw the missed calls, panic set in. She thought her chance was gone forever.
This is the story of how a New Year's resolution, a paralyzing fear, and one near-fatal mistake led to an outcome no one could have predicted.

The Impossible New Year's Goal

The journey began on January 1st, 2025.  Nene made a decision that would change everything. "I just knew that I didn't want to spend this New Year doing the same thing I was doing last year," she recalls. Fresh out of university in 2023, Nene was working her first job as a finance associate, earning $42,000 annually. While many would consider this a decent start, Nene felt there was something more out there for her.

She had been hearing about TCA, but that very day, she overcame procrastination, opened her laptop and scheduled a meeting. Following the free coaching call, she signed up for TCA’s Business Analysis program, but the goal felt more like a dream than a plan.

But here's the crazy part: She wrote down in her notebook that she wanted a six-figure job by June 15th. Within 6 months. No experience. No prior knowledge of Business Analysis. No connections. Just a desperate wish, an insatiable hunger and a deadline that seemed impossible.

The Transformation: From Overwhelmed to Confident

But TCA's structured approach changed everything. The introductory course laid down foundational knowledge that Nene could actually understand. "It explained things in both Business Analyst terms and just in normal terms that I, as a non-BA, would understand," she said. The hands-on practical experience also helped to engrain the knowledge and expertise.

Her first major challenge came when she received her new, professionally optimized resume. The document was powerful, full of industry language and experience from the live projects at TCA, professionally adapted to her profile. It was also terrifying.

This is the point where most people get stuck. They look at a resume that sells them so well and they freeze. The excuses start: “This sounds too good to be true, I can’t defend this in an interview,” or “I’m not ready yet, I’ll wait until I finish one more course,” or even “I’ll start applying next month.” That resume then sits in their email, a reminder of a dream that felt too big to chase.

But not Nene. Though she was scared and felt the resume "did not sound like me," she remembered the advice she received: Upgrade yourself to match your new profile. Swallowing her fear, she began applying, moving forward despite her doubts. At the same time, she started connecting with her mentors and studying to fully understand and own her resume.

The real game-changer came with the Interview Masterclass. "I honestly didn't know there was a process to preparing for interviews," Nene confessed. "I just assumed you go over the job description, look at your resume, explain what you can do, and that's about it. But the Interview Masterclass made me understand that you actually have to specifically prepare for questions and work with what's in the job description."

The Breakthrough: The Interview She Almost Missed

After a few rejections and interviews that went nowhere, she finally got the call for a promising role. An interview date and time was scheduled. But on the day, her anxiety got the best of her. she made a crucial mistake: she completely missed her interview.

"I was in the bathroom, just staring at the mirror, trying to breathe for 20 minutes," Nene laughed. "When I came outside, it was 20 minutes after the interview time. I was actually shouting, 'My village people are after me!'"

Here, the journey would have ended for almost anyone else. The shame would be too much. The excuses would be easy: “Well, I blew that one. It wasn’t meant to be,” or “They will never hire me now, I look so unprofessional.” They would delete the email thread and try to forget it ever happened, letting one mistake derail their entire future.

But Nene did what most people are too proud or too scared to do. She took a deep breath, pushed aside her embarrassment, and sent an email. She explained that she had mixed up the time and asked for a second chance. To her absolute shock, the recruiter was calm, understanding, and rescheduled the interview.

The Incredible Result: Beyond Her Wildest Dreams

Armed with confidence from the Interview Masterclass and practical experience from TCA's live projects and a comprehensive Interview Preparation session with her mentor, Nene aced her rescheduled interviews. "It felt like I was actually saying stuff that I knew," she reflected. "Even the questions that I didn't prepare for, I was able to use answers that I remembered from the Interview Masterclass and the Live Project."

When the offer came, it exceeded even Nene's ambitious goals. She had asked for a salary range of $80,000 to $90,000, playing it safe. The company offered her over $100k, surpassing her initial expectations and representing an unimaginable 145% salary increase from her previous role.

Words of Wisdom: The Equation for Success

As someone who studied mathematics, Nene sees success as an equation. "Every part of the equation is there within TCA - you have the resources, you have the people, you have the information. The only thing missing in the equation is you. You just have to apply yourself."

Her advice for those still struggling with fear? "You don't have to land a job tomorrow. You just have to get one call. Once you get that one call, you just have to get to the next interview. It's just one step at a time."

Nene's story proves that with the right guidance, clear goals, and consistent action, career transformation isn't just possible, it's inevitable. If a recent graduate with no Business Analyst experience can achieve a six-figure breakthrough in four months (2 months earlier than her goal), imagine what's possible for you.

Ready to write your own success story? Click here to book a FREE coaching session and discover how TCA can help you accelerate your career transformation.