Nothing is more important than mental and physical health

Introduce yourself in a few sentences..

My name is Emona Karagyozova and I am a master's psychologist by education, but four years ago I left the corporate environment and embarked on the path of entrepreneurship. I am the founder of the business club "Young Ladies in Business", which is part of the largest network for women's entrepreneurship in Bulgaria – "Business on High Heels". For a year now I have been the creator behind our newest project – Klassatsiya.BG

What did you dream of becoming in your childhood?

I never had a dream profession and had no idea how my path would develop after high school, so I went to study in Germany, but after a year there I realized that abroad was not my place and I returned to our homeland. After that, everything happened naturally and I took over the "family business" together with my mother Iva Vladimirova.

At what age did you earn your first money? Tell us an interesting story?

From a very young age, money was very important to me and since I was born into a normal, average family, my whims were beyond my parents' means, so I started to "earn extra" as early as 5th or 6th grade by distributing advertising leaflets around the blocks in the neighborhood. My first official working day was right after I turned 18 in 12th grade – the very next day I started working as a promoter, and later – as a hostess.

What are the main factors and examples that shape us as individuals at an early age and form our interests? What is your recipe for curiosity, sources and wells of information and inspiration at this stage of our human development?

First and foremost – the example set by the first role models in life – our parents. Children are a mirror of the older ones in the family and "absorb" every action, way of thinking, and interaction with their surrounding environment. I learned from a young age that if I want to get something, I have to take it. If I want to learn something – I have to read. If I want clean clothes – I have to wash them. If I want breakfast – I have to make it myself. If I want a tidy room – I have to tidy it up. In other words – my parents taught me something very valuable – that no one will do my work for me. I had a lot of resistance as a child and judged them for not doing "this and that" for me, but today I see that this is the recipe for building a responsible and independent individual.  

Has there been any significant change in your perceptions in more mature age about what motivates you to do or not do something?

I believe that a person's motivation is primarily driven by two factors – love or fear. And as a child, they guided me, I just wasn't aware of it. Now, years later, after completing my education in psychology, I can simply "dress" these reflections in more logic.

Whose decision was it where to pursue higher education and what to study? Was this decision correct, viewed from today's perspective?

The environment is very, very, very important. I had the honor to graduate from the Classical High School – NGDEK, where every single student was not random. Everyone was very curious and studious, and it was in this environment that my ambition to study in Germany was born. My parents never "dictated" my life – what and where to study, but simply supported me. My decision was 100% correct and I do not regret it, because I left and saw what it is like to live and study abroad, which helped me appreciate and love Bulgaria like never before.

Share with us more about your interests, knowledge, skills, and hobbies?

I have sung professionally for 12 years in the Children's Radio Choir of BNR – choral and classical music in various languages such as Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Spanish, Italian, English, German, French, and many others : )) Subsequently, music remained my hobby and for several years I sang folk music in the folklore formation "Elitsi". At the moment I am not singing, but I plan to return to the ranks very soon.

They say that the personal brand is everything that people say about you when you are not with them in a room. What would you like to hear today?

That I am humane and down-to-earth, I act correctly and morally, and I will always choose to preserve good relationships over material (money) – these are my values and I hope people see them.

Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and flexibility, as well as our soft skills are key conditions for success in recent years. How do you cope with the daily challenges of life to stay in good shape and mood?

Oh, I don't always manage. In fact, lately it has been very difficult. But I know one thing for sure – that it is not the strongest who survive, but the most adaptable – and that drives me forward. No one else can live my life and it is up to me what it will be like.

What are the most important conclusions you have made so far about maintaining the right communication considering the different characters of the people you meet daily – colleagues, friends, close ones?

I constantly remind myself that people are different and we often misinterpret what someone has said or done. Instead of falling into thoughts about why someone acted a certain way – the most direct path to clarification is simply to ask. Otherwise, we create dramatic plots in our heads and tend to remain in resentment for years instead of just speaking it out in time. This is the key – speak in time, do not raise your voice, and accept others' perspectives. Because the truth is different for everyone.

What is the most valuable career advice you would give to people?

To constantly remind themselves that nothing is worth it at any cost and that nothing is more important than mental and physical health. Careerism and over-ambition often turn us into workaholics, which has serious negative consequences for health. Work will never be finished, so take care of yourself first!