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Women in Business with Dr. Kinga Mnich

We interview amazing women who are making a difference in the business world. This week we interview Dr. Kinga Mnich who is an international social-psychologist, lecturer, and speaker specialist in emotions, positive psychology, and gender. Her work solves myths of emotions by breaking down the complexity of the social & cultural concepts. Through her extraordinary research, she brings new ways of understanding how we can use emotions to be who we want to be, create impact and flourish in life (and business).

What motivated you to get into business?

It all actually began when I started university. There was no way that I could make enough money working on the side at a department store or library. I really wanted to use my university time the most efficient way – meaning I wanted to really discover what it was that I wanted to do with my life. In order to be able to do that, I needed to explore different cultures. That meant that I needed to travel during the semester breaks. Starting my own business gave me the flexibility to work with clients that were interesting while creating my own schedule. And I loved being creative and using diverse skills. Also, I very quickly discovered that freedom and independence were the most important values for me.

What is one challenge you were able to overcome?

Understanding that I was creating my own boundaries. In order to overcome that I needed to reframe my understanding of fear and shame. There is no shame in making mistakes. Making mistakes just means that you are moving forward. It takes courage and confidence to step outside your comfort and outside the limits that society has set for you. But it is my own choice to easier accept these limits or to break free. So, I created my own way of living. It wasn’t easy in my 20ties to have to constantly explain what I was doing or why. But I also learned that pushing your own boundaries is the only way to turn your dreams into reality.

What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to aspiring entrepreneurs?

That is an excellent question. Feel the fear and do it anyway. And you can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it. That’s just a quote by Albert Einstein. But it really hits the nail on its head. Change and flexibility are what makes us move forward.