January 16th marked the 10th anniversary of my beloved grandmother’s going to Heaven. My grandmother was my – well, everything… I will never forget that cold and ugly day in the January of 2009 or the tears I shed. I never thought life would go on after that day… Somehow, it did… Neither the excruciating pain nor the unbearable heartache has ever disappeared but in time turned into a new feeling… remembering the memories… the legacy she left behind… I have spent the last 10 years of my life thinking and talking about my grandmother every single day and night. She is always with us sitting next to me at our dinner table so that my daughters can learn from her stories and her wisdom. She was and will always be my role model, so I make sure that I raise my girls following her legacy. Back in her time, in the 1930s, girls really did not have much of an option when they hit puberty but to be given away for an arranged marriage. My grandmother was no exception – when her time came at the age of 13, she got married. At least, she was lucky enough to have a chance to marry the guy she liked somehow. Her future was not as gloomy as the other teenage brides, and my grandmother and grandfather lived happily ever after until their time came to an end.
Nope! This is not a love story as some of you might have thought. This is not a goodbye… This is a new beginning… the announcement of my recently established Independent Educational Consulting Firm – EdMission Possible, which has been founded on the values bestowed upon me by my grandmother, who never stopped teaching me the importance and value of education. “Your education will always be your golden bracelet that you will wear on your wrist forever, so get a good education, and make it count. When you become a mother, I am expecting you to encourage your kids in that direction. A girl, especially, must get a good education. Boys will always turn out fine as they have the power to write their own destiny, but girls… girls must be educated first to get somewhere in life,” she would say. She was not a sexist or a feminist; she was just pointing out the importance of “girl power,” which is a hashtag I frequently use to honor her words. On this memorable day which was marked as January 16, 2019 on everyone’s calendar except mine, on which it read, “another new year without my grandmother,” I dedicated EdMission Possible to her memory. Just like she taught me, I will continue educating young people as I have done all my life. I have always been an educator and will always be one…
Those of you who have established your own businesses would know the hardships of launching a business. Currently, my team and I are in the process of working on our website and social media. Please be patient with me these days if you cannot reach me, if I miss any birthdays, or if I cannot respond to you in a timely manner. Countless sleepless nights, too much anxiety, lots of sweat, and many sweet and sour tears are going into the process. I will certainly let you know as soon as my website is up and running, but in the meantime, if you know of a high school student who is looking for help with the college admissions process, you can share the news that EdMission Possible is coming to town – town as in “everywhere”. Yes! You heard that right! EdMission Possible will offer one-on-one, face-to-face, on-site, or virtual sessions via FaceTime, Skype, email, text, etc. Wherever in the world a student needs our services, we will be there…
On behalf of EdMission Possible, I would like to thank my beloved husband for always supporting me on every journey I embark on. He has been the mastermind behind all the financial and technical planning. With the magic he created with his famous excel and cash flow charts, he has brought EdMission Possible to life. My love, you are the man who has made my dreams come true ever since I met you. I will always be grateful for you and proud to call you my husband. I love you…
Kai, Lara, and Tuvana… My three babies… I would like to tell you how thankful I am for each of you… Dearest Kai, thank you for being patient with mommy these days when she forgets to feed you… My Baby Einstein Lara, thank you for being the secret editor behind the EdMission Possible website and suggesting edits to my writing pieces… and thank you for doing your homework in my office just to see me and chat with me after school… My Wunderkind Tuvana, thank you for being the creative power behind EdMission Possible – from the logo to all the graphics… I am in love with your vision…. teaching me how to use a Mac – for that I am grateful, too. I am very proud of each of you and inspired by your passion, which gave me the strength and courage to start this company after seeing both of your businesses prosper in the “slime” world.
I will never ever forget my grandmother, the love she gave me, the inspiration she let me inherit, or the hunger for education she instilled in me. How and why else do you think a 44-year-old woman would go back to college and start all over? This is all because of her! As with every venture, the road to EdMission Possible will be a rocky one, but I know that my grandmother will always be by my side, cheer me on, and whisper to my ears, “You can be anything you want as long as you work hard and believe in yourself…” Just like Barbie… I can be anything… I will decide on my destiny…
Stay tuned!
Excited,
Burcak Deniz Cakir, M.A., M.B.A.
Founder and President | EdMission Possible