I have made countless mistakes in my career by not minding my behavior, by speaking without thinking, and by failing to understand the impact of my words. I have hurt people without meaning to, and I have also been on the receiving end of careless words.

Communication is powerful, and I have learned this the hard way.

Coming from the Greek market, where people work hard but often without filtering their behavior, I learned to survive. But I left my survival mode on for too long. When kind people came my way, I struggled to respond properly.

Moving to Belgium was a turning point. I arrived crushed after a terrible year, but by removing myself from that old setting, I gained clarity. Through over two years of CBT therapy, I realized the importance of maturing in my collaborations.

We don't just work together we inspire each other and build relationships. I learned to make friends, not just business connections.

I strongly believe in being straightforward never implying, never playing games, and never accepting rudeness.

I still remember a manager once implying that I was exhausting because I was being overanalytical about a project. I had a choice call him out or let him continue joking around about my professional style in front of my teammates. Those moments are defining.

I have taken the hard road, and I have apologized for my mistakes, even years after a collaboration ended. For those who hurt me, I have been waiting for a call or a message, but I'm happy to forgive even without it.