Local female entrepreneurs
By Olivia Wink
Shopping local not only helps push economic growth for the economy of the area, but it also builds a sense of community through getting to know entrepreneurs of the area and contributing to the district. People who don’t identify as male face a unique set of issues in comparison to their counterparts, so it’s important to choose to support local female entrepreneurs.
Magdalena Iwazco
Our area features a range of local businesses run by women, and the tight-knittedness of the community is reflected in their support and admiration for one another. Co-founder of Live-Bio, a company focused on curating experiential stays in our area, Magdalena Iwazco mentions that she finds value in all local businesses and that when it comes to choosing who to support, the emphasis should be put on good people.
The business is co-founded with her husband, a native Greek who tends to take care of the financial aspects of the company. Being from Poland, Magdalena explains “in the beginning it was all about relying on my husband, for many things, but then slowly by slowly I was able to become more independent and communicate more with people, I could manage the business more.” Being able to learn the language and getting more comfortable in Greece, a new country for Magdalena, has helped her gain more independence regarding the company.
Nota Papadaki
Nota Papadaki, the woman behind Elanova, a wedding and event planning service, took over her parents’ old business and completely renovated it on her own, giving the company a fresh and modern look. While she loves her work, it’s unrealistic for her to work year-round as a mother of two, as she both would like to and needs to be present for her kids.
“The difficult part, I think for a woman, is to combine being a mom, a good housewife, and also a businesswoman, and to also have some time for herself. My husband only does one job. We do so many things all day.”
Anna Finch and Anouck Kouvaras-Brinkerink
Another business, Ops Studio, is run by Anna Finch and Anouck Kouvaras-Brinkerink. Their business of slow fashion reflects their values of a low footprint, giving the Poros community the opportunity to practice conscious living. Having come from Holland, Kouvaras-Brinkerink explains, “Of course it’s hard. It’s not easy being a woman, it’s not easy being a foreigner, it’s not easy being black, it’s a white male dominated population that’s deciding what’s good…it’s hard!”
While there are difficulties of running a small business as a woman, the tight-knit nature of Poros helps connect these ladies to one another, creating a bond centered on shared-experiences and support.
Katheti’s intention is to highlight all these activities that contribute to the development of our economy and at the same time give a local “color”. Local female entrepreneurs are among them. In a versatile approach, Katheti has presented in the past handmade creations by local artisans, local products, businesses involved in the production of oil or wine as well as businesses that offer unique experiences such as fishing trips. In the immediate future, Katheti is organizing the Entrepreneurship Webinar aimed at all entrepreneurs, as well as those who wish to “do business” in the future.
The content of the article will be constantly enriched.
