Episode Transcript
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 0:00
your femininity is powerful in all its forms, exceptional women, rare girls must be appreciated in every way for their perspectives, actions, thoughts, and their unique ways of being. Such rare girls are inspiring. And this is what this podcast is all about. Hello, my name is Aziz and my guest today is Kateryna Kievskaya. Kateryna is the CEO, and founder of cast to do agency, as well as a trainer in graphic design, and the teen accelerator on plea. She studies international business at vn Karazin Kharkiv National University, and she is the PR advisor of the NGO platform of public diplomacy. Kateryna, how are you today?
Kateryna Kievskaya 1:08
Hello, is this great? Hope you too. So really, I want to say that I am okay. In those conditions today.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:20
I'm happier, okay. And really, you were in hard cube, which was really hardly hit. So I'm happy you're able to evacuate and go to a safer place? And maybe this is very relevant. But how did this war change you as a person? How were you before? And now? How did you become?
Kateryna Kievskaya 1:46
Okay, really, it is aggression about this question. I'm thinking really so much time, because my life changed. And there are two parts of my life before as well in Ukraine before the Russian invasion to Ukraine, and after. So every thought, every person, everything you do every day have changed in your mind. And your understand that we all have problems that were for us as a problems or not. And you understand what it is the happy to be alive. When you were in the shelter for a week, when you were hearing the bombs ovation and so on. And really, it is very hard not to be in the conditions in the shelter when you hear in bombed because it is just stressful, but you do not understand it for really, but when you're going into the safe place. For two weeks, I had moral condition very bad. And I was trying to, to understand that everything is okay, right now that I'm in safe, it is a gay, that I can do things that I was doing all this time. And there are some changes, of course, but you need to go through to become a person who is stronger than you bought than you were to become the strongest version of yourself. And, really, it is a lot of aspects of my life that I really understood and understood and digest. Right now I'm doing not the same things in business with my family, with my friends, so on. So it is a lot of changes. So the most powerful things that I can just say about it said, Really, you become the strongest version of yourself in several conditions. And it Yes, it is.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 4:11
Thank you. That's actually really inspiring what you share. And since this podcast is about women, what does it mean for you to be feminine to be a woman? Is it an energy? Is it an behavior? Is it a way to look? And how is that different during a war? So how is it normally for you? And how is it to be a woman during such a war?
Kateryna Kievskaya 4:42
Every time I was doing just some things. I was really building my career just to go in through different conditions and so on before that And it is really great to be a powerful women and you understand that there is no difference between men and women in our time. But it is really great is that you can go to the company of people Yeah. And during this group of people, you're just talking and so on. And you can tell about yourself things. And they will just, oh, yeah, very great. And you understand that your women here have some power to the man, in all kinds, really. And it is inspiring, I really think that behind every man is standing a great women woman. So it is a restaurant, man, I mean, a restaurant men and behind them, it is strong woman who is inspiring team who is doing very great for him. And with him and so on. So before war, it was like says, right now, about a woman and a woman, a man, you know, there are a lot of cases when people break up, really a lot of right now, because of the stressful situation and so on. And right now, it is very hard not to lose your femininity, not to lose. And understand just means that you are women you need to do is, for example, you need to do your nails or hair and so on, of course, since the conditions if you can, because, you know, it is a lot of right now cases that people think about different things, because they're in the conditions that are not a little bit very bad. So for whom, who are unsafe, it is very hard to understand that you can do your nails, for example, that you can get some makeup, which is okay. Because you're leaving and your life continues continues. So something like this. Really, I understand that in the Western Ukraine, but it is real Okay. Ginger goes on some matches or goes on and couples are leaving their life. And right now I want to say is that femininity right now it is in this the greatest femininity, it is in the greatest, strongest women. So right now, if you're a stronger manager is very, you know, sexy, and it is very great. So you, you really understand that, for example, mother of sons or daughters and so on. When they are strong as their man, really, and they can do all the things right now. It is very great. So something like this.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 8:41
Thank you. I mean, that's really good. But I want to dig deeper because what you said is really deep and inspiring. So is the way that the woman is strong, similar to the way your man is strong, or is it really different? And what for you makes a woman sexy, like you said and demand sexy? In normal situations. What attracts you? Is it the energy and the passion? Is it the someone who's strong and fighting for Ukraine? Is it someone who is creating projects and it doesn't matter how they look? It's more about that creativity and being proactive. Is it something else? What is it for you that makes a woman strong? What is it for you that makes a woman sexy? What is it for you that makes a man strong? And the woman sexy? Understand you said it's related that both partners make each other stronger? But tell me more specifics.
Kateryna Kievskaya 9:46
Okay, so was the first part of question was about is it really a woman are stronger as strong as men? Yeah, it is. I get it correctly.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 9:59
Yes. is different in different ways
Kateryna Kievskaya 10:03
okay okay. So, right now you know it is really what make routers make it strong that time for more is already more than a month. So, right now is to be strong is to be is to have in yourself some some feelings Zestril that will balance you so, I mean look for example if it was for if it was for a week it is okay a week but when it is more than a month you're just waking up every every morning and understands what is going on. So, it is nothing changed people die a lot of people die a lot of flats houses are burnt and so on. So it is really the understand the field is that your earth understand it and you have a war inside you. Really right now every woman and man has a war inside them. Because you need to have some strong feeling that you are okay every day right now. Because I think that there are some there are some changes in people because someone can't can't live as as it is. So, someone broke someone Someone broke someone is staying safe and understand that it is okay life goes on I need to do things that I do. So, you need to understand that day by day they is going on. And you need to understand every time you wake up that life is going on end it will really it is continuous but it is will be great if you have some skills inside you that will make your strong every day. I really want to say it correctly. And right now what you think what you said the second part of question about what is making in normal life for women and men powerful silks. Really for me it is just really great to understand that a person has some energy inside him. And when you talk when you see him or she or him or her you understand that it is feeling that energize you. So when I make friends and so on it is really powerful for me for him to understand that the person who I'm talking to is a person and it is a great energy inside him that will motivate me and just make me happen something like this.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 13:49
Thank you I like that very much and yes like you said if it were one week, we can overcome it but now that it's more than a month, how do you keep yourself mentally healthy and feeling okay and not so negative?
Kateryna Kievskaya 14:07
Okay, so where I get those strengths strengths here inside me really it was very hard to understand that strengths is inside me and not in the not outside so you can live without some parties without normal life and so on. I just understand that. It is no way I can do that live. Make my doing my business, some stuff and understand that. It is no way I can break and really the support of people. It just helps it it helps a lot really Parents, some relatives, girlfriend, boyfriend or someone who, when you're feeling very bad, someone who will say, okay, it is okay it is everything is okay to drill. No one's a future and it will be a good life. So you need someone really, and it is not about relationship. I mean, some people because people, you can talk to them, it is real. Okay. Really great feeling to tell your shots. Joseph says that burns your insight. Sounds like this.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 15:50
Thank you. And after all, you stay a graphic designer and the trainer as well. How does your work continue in this situation? How do you keep on training? Keep on working? What happens in your day? How do you continue without being overwhelmed by the emotions from the war?
Kateryna Kievskaya 16:17
You know? Yes, it is a really good question. So I'm not a person who helps with some, you know, Israel, right now lots of volunteer and someone who helps with humanitarian support? Yes, you know, I'm not this person kind of person. I'm a person who supports the economy of, of the country. So I understood this, the Chinese to support my country, and they need to just to work. So it was really hard because our clients were all our clients were from Ukrainian market. And it was our position and right now, it is now. No way that we will continue our work because it is not the first thing that business is thinking about just some Creative Sync system, social media marketing, it is not not right now. So I understand that it is. It is bad, but we need to find clients on the international level. And right now, for three weeks, we were we are getting the process to the correct way. And it was very hard because you just doo doo doo doo doo, but it is now. Now, feedback, and hopefully right now, through three weeks. It is some people and people are not just we just have some connect, and we can continue our work. It is a very great, it is a very big change for me and for my business. And it is was really hard just to wait because loud feedback. Really hard. But everything is going on. And it is right now which is better than was about the my trainings. Yes, I'm trained in graphic design. And I understand that. I'm teaching teens teenagers. And it is really great jeezum right now, because a lot of them are abroad, because for example, they're under 918. And they can go through Burgess to other countries and they're just into Poland, Italy, Romania, and so on. And they say that they want to continue studying, they want to continue to live. It is really powerful. So I'm talking to them. I'm teaching them and just energy for me. It is not like oh, I need to train them. No. I really want them to teach. I want them to study and they wanted to so it just like connect right now.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 19:45
Thank you and since you mentioned all those Ukrainians, millions of them that are in Europe, some in North America, they were refugees. Do you think if they begin to live there and the new education that they will return to build Ukraine when the war is over, or Ukraine will lose million of people who can help, because they will prefer to live in a developed country, not one that needs to be rebuilt from the beginning. What is your perspective? Of course, I wish for all Ukrainians to return and build the country. But you speak with people, you know, more. So what is your perspective? Well, many or most of those millions of Ukrainians return or they will start a new life abroad.
Kateryna Kievskaya 20:42
You know, right now, every has a chance to start his life. Again, yes. But it is a choice. And it is only about people chose. So really, for first two weeks, I was thinking about that a lot of people will just stay abroad and won't go to Ukraine, but it is sometime and some people who are who are abroad understands it. No way It is not their countries it not feel as themselves as as Ukrainian as in Ukraine. So, it is a very just powerful feeling. And right now, there are lots of through my friends, relatives and so on. And they say that we will go to crane afters. Last shoot after the last shoot after the last rockets and so on. So it just really the purpose possibility is of our stops. They go to Ukraine, they go to their house, they hold their home and just starts start to rebuild their country. It is not about patriotism, it is not about being patriotic, it is not about being being just about who you're granted it is about our our people, Ukrainian a very strong Ukrainians and believe me, of course, there will be a percent. I don't know which sounds, but it is will be a percentage won't go to Ukraine. But the most will go back and to rebuild a country.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 22:51
Thank you. And what is your advice to all Ukrainian women and all Ukrainians who maybe are overwhelmed with the emotions, they listen to the news they feel violated and negative and bad and hopeless? What is your advice for them to return to a better mood and to feel more positive?
Kateryna Kievskaya 23:17
Okay, so my main advice is to stay in power and to stay and stay in strong it is behind our shoulders more than a month of war more than a month of crying of people death people. Moral bad situation, physical and so on. And we need to understand that it will it will be stopped in the near future. And we just need to hope that ever since it will, every single book will be okay. And also we need to continue our life as is. If it is possible, something like this. Yeah. Yeah, I want to say is that Ukraine will be in in 100%. And we need to understand it and we need to do everything to make the stop. If you want, if you can you need to work if you can't work and orient don't have right now a possibility to work. You need to learn to volunteer every time every second is war, and we need to continue to win every second
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 25:00
Slava Carini Thank you, Laurie to grave Yeah, Katerina, it's a pleasure. And if people want to find more about your work at car studio, or at the accelerator unbeli, can you tell more about that, where they can go to find you work and everything.
Kateryna Kievskaya 25:20
So I think it is, it will be in the podcast as name of my agency. But if you want some real creative independent mentorship from Ukraine, if you need some services connected with brand, identity brand, developing social media marketing, business spurts of brand, you can go to our website, www dot Custodio dot agency. So it is our site. And of course, you can visit it and separates Ukraine support. If you support us, you support Ukraine, and you support our economy. And we are being strong, staying strong. So understand it. So thank you for that little promotion. Thank you.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 26:19
You're welcome. I wish Ukraine victory. I wish you stability and success. And I hope we will hear positive news soon. And thank you again.
Kateryna Kievskaya 26:32
Thank you too, for inviting me. So it was really glad this was my first internal referral after divorce SARS, so it was started. It is what was really great to just to say some things that I think about every day. And I think for someone to support and just to realize that if it is someone who is hearing right now, it is not in Ukraine and do not understand all of this, but bad condition situations and so on that all of your problems are just little problems. You need to be happy every day, if your sky is blue, without bumping and so on. So, really
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 27:27
very, very true.
