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Wednesday, 10 September 2025 16:33
Breathe Into Serenity - The Mesogi Way
2-5 Οκτώβρη - Αν αναζητάς μια εμπειρία που συνδυάζει γαλήνη, κίνηση και την αγκαλιά της φύσης στο καταπράσινο Μεγανήσι, αυτό το retreat είναι για εσένα!
Τοποθεσία: Mesogi Villas, στο καταπράσινο Μεγανήσι. Ένα ιδιωτικό καταφύγιο μέσα στην καρδιά του πράσινου νησιού. Τέσσερις βίλες με μοντέρνο design, ιδιωτική πισίνα, άνεση και θέα, μέσα σε ελαιώνα, σε απόσταση αναπνοής από το Σπαρτοχώρι.
Το πρόγραμμα περιλαμβάνει:
• Διαμονή 3 διανυκτερεύσεων στο Mesogi Villas, μέσα στη φύση με θέα θάλασσα.
• 5 πρακτικές yoga με την Λίλα Ξενάκη.
• Εργαστήρι τοπικής κουζίνας: παρασκευή παραδοσιακού εδέσματος.
• Πεζοπορία στο καταπράσινο τοπίο του Μεγανησίου. • Ελεύθερες ώρες για θάλασσα και χαλάρωση.
XpatAthens is excited to let you know that we will begin to introduce some Greek content to our platform! We love the Greek language and there are many of us within the international community who speak the language and like to connect with our local communities in their native language.
Εξοπλισμός
Δεν χρειάζεται να φέρεις τίποτα μαζί σου -τα yoga mats & blocks θα παρέχονται από εμάς.
Διατροφή
Πρωινό: Καλάθι με βιολογικά και φρέσκα υλικά, για να δημιουργήσεις το δικό σου πρωινό ritual στη βίλα.
Βραδινό: Σε επιλεγμένα γραφικά εστιατόρια του νησιού, με γεύσεις που αναδεικνύουν την τοπική κουζίνα.
Το πρόγραμμα είναι ανοιχτό σε όλα τα επίπεδα, είτε ξεκινάς τώρα το ταξίδι σου στη γιόγκα είτε θέλεις να εμβαθύνεις την πρακτική σου. (Accessible yoga, για όλα τα σώματα και όλες τις ηλικίες.)
Επιπλέον φροντίδα (optional)
: Η Λίλα, με πολυετή εμπειρία στο θεραπευτικό μασάζ, προσφέρει τη δυνατότητα για ατομικές συνεδρίες massage κατά τη διάρκεια του retreat (κατόπιν αιτήματος).
Κατά την άφιξή σου, μια τσάντα με εκλεκτά δώρα θα σε περιμένει! Ένα μικρό καλωσόρισμα γεμάτο φροντίδα και έμπνευση. Από εμάς για ΕΣΕΝΑ!
Βίωσε τη γαλήνη, the Mesogi Way.
When: 2-5 Οκτώβρη 2025
Where: Mesogi Villas, Meganisi
Email: revekka.mantzari@gmail.com
Organizer: Lila Xenaki (Enkardia Wellness) & Mesogi Villas
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Wednesday, 10 September 2025 17:47
The Greek Language Academy
All about Alexandros Boukouvalas: the Greek teacher who supports expats in Greece!
Alexandros Boukouvalas, a teacher from Larissa (Greece), is the founder of TheGreek Language Academy: one of the largest online communities for Greek learners, boasting over 100,000 followers across social platforms (@greek.language.academy). With a clear mission to share a global passion for the Greek language, this dynamic teacher is capturing hearts and headlines around the world.
ABOUT ALEX
Let’s rewind to where it all started. A decade ago, Alexandros set out to share his language, culture, and lifestyle with the world. Driven by the belief that learning new languages and embracing diverse cultures enriches lives, he began introducing English speakers to the wonders of Greece and the Greek language. In 2022, he launched the Greek Language Academy, offering students worldwide the chance to learn Greek through engaging, informal lessons shared on social media. Just a year later, in 2023, he debuted his first online course: an immediate and overwhelming success.
NEW LANGUAGE, NEW EXPERIENCES
Learning a new language, particularly the language of the country you moved to, is extremely important and enriching. For expats and internationals, knowing the local idiom in Greece can make a significant difference in their professional lives. Navigating bureaucracy, communicating and bonding with coworkers, reading and understanding legal documentation, and progressing professionally are good reasons to learn Greek.
This is not just a work-related topic. Greek becomes a valuable asset even for those who move to the Hellenic country to study and pursue academic excellence. Many degree programs, especially in public schools, involve some degree of Greek, which knowing can help to open doors and new opportunities, such as scholarships, and improve the quality of life on campus.
You are not a student or a professional, but you fit into the category of a digital nomadwho loves to travel and live life in Greece? Speaking the language can change your experience for the better. Chatting to locals, being independent when it comes to directions, and understanding deeply the culture and the humor of people is possible when knowing Greek.
THE PERFECT RESOURCE FOR YOUR GREEK
E-learning has rapidly become the go-to method for gaining new skills, offering flexibility, accessibility, and convenience. Recognizing this shift, Alexandros embraced short-form content by sharing daily videos, like reels and TikToks, to make Greek language learning both easy and enjoyable. His approach blends education with entertainment, allowing students to learn at their own pace, anytime and anywhere. In addition to daily content, he also created a series of in-depth MasterCourses. With a focus on accessibility and interactivity, Alexandros is redefining what it means to learn a language in the digital age, making Greek not just approachable but unforgettable.
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Monday, 08 September 2025 20:52
Equinox Reflections - One-Day Transformational Retreat by the Sea
On September 20, 2025 we gather at Quantum Blossom in Kineta for Equinox Reflections — a one-day retreat by the sea dedicated to balance, healing and renewal. As the Harvest New Moon and Solar Eclipse align with the Autumn Equinox Otro Mundo & Armonia Events invite you to step into a sacred journey of transformation and celebration in nature.
The day will guide you through Yoga with live music, Lightweavement soul activation, a heart-opening Cacao Ceremony with Breathwork, deeply restorative Sound Healing & Gong Bath and a vibrant Ecstatic Dance with live band. Each practice is designed to help you release what no longer serves, reconnect with your essence and plant the seeds of clarity and intention.
Just 50 minutes from Athens by car or easily reached by suburban railway to Kineta station with pick-up available. Throughout the day you can enjoy nourishing organic plant-based food and vibrant elixirs at the Quantum Bar.
Space is limited — join us for this powerful day of embodiment connection and joy.
When: Saturday September 20, 2025
Where: Quantum Blossom, Kineta, Attica
Price: 50€ with pre-booking until 14 September | 60€ with pre-booking until 19 September | 70€ at the door (if availability remains)
Email: info@otromundogathering.com
Contact: 6979722665
Organizer: Visit Otro Mundo & Armonia Events - Retreat Link
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Retreats & Gatherings
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Tuesday, 09 September 2025 16:18
JEROME KALUTA & GUESTS @ KYTTARO LIVE STAGE
Friday October 3rd | Kyttaro Live Stage
Guests: ΝΙΝΑ ΜΑΖΑΝΙ | ΜC Yinka | TROMPETIST ANDREAS POLYZOGOPOULOS
After an amazing performance, Jerome Kaluta returns for a second time on Friday, October 3rd for an Party Opening night of the season at Kyttaro Live Stage.
It will be a night full of rythm, passion and authentic groove. This time, he will share the stage with his 7 piece band to go on a multicultural journey traveling from Soul, Old School Hip Hop, Funk and Afrobeat!
After an amazing performance, Jerome Kaluta returns for a second time on Friday, October 3rd for an Party Opening night of the season at Kyttaro Live Stage.
It will be a night full of rythm, passion and authentic groove. This time, he will share the stage with his 7 piece band to go on a multicultural journey traveling from Soul, Old School Hip Hop, Funk and Afrobeat!
His guests will be the enchanting Nina Mazani, MC Yinka and international Jazz trumpet player Andreas Polyzogopoulos!
Tickets: Presale 12€ | Door: 15€
Tickets: Presale 12€ | Door: 15€
Book your stand / table: 2108224134
Do not miss it!!
Do not miss it!!
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Events In Athens
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Saturday, 06 September 2025 18:05
Athens Welcomes Porosi
In the old days, "πώρωση" (porosi) was a widely used word and concept to describe passion, pleasure, excitement, delight, madness. Even as a fleeting intense sensation in music, film, food, play, life in general. Then it kind of disappeared. "POROSI" is now here to experientially bring back the meaning of this forgotten word through music.
The newly formed POROSI, created by one of the founding members of Arte Fiasco, officially introduces itself and announces its first three scheduled concerts for the coming season.
The presale for the first three concerts is available, including Early Bird tickets.
POROSI 01: SARAH DAVACHI + KARA-LIS COVERDALE
Tuesday 7 October 2025
Opening Act: Bethnal Greener
at Gazarte Main Stage
at Gazarte Main Stage
Two of the most important contemporary representatives of the minimal, experimental scene for the first time in Greece, in a unique double bill appearance happening for the first time ever in Europe.
Sarah Davachi, is a Canadian composer and performer of organ and Hammond B3, who moves both between acoustic forms and electronic instruments, and between melody and structured noise. Influenced by minimalist principles, early music concepts and experimental practices, she has created a remarkable discography and has presented her work internationally in many iconic venues.
Kara-Lis Coverdale is an internationally acclaimed Canadian artist who moves comfortably between acoustic and electronic sound, creating works that transcend the boundaries of musical genres. Her work is characterized by a deep understanding of electronic music without borders, rooted in the interconnected paths of musical systems and languages.
Bethnal Greener is the name of the musical vehicle of Kostis Kilymis, sound artist and producer. Starting from the realm of noise and electroacoustic experimentation, he unfolds narratives between stripped down electronics and the insistent inner pulse of sounds. His new album, "Field", is expected to be released in the autumn.
POROSI 02: OREN AMBARCHI
Sunday 7 December 2025
Opening Acts: Tropical Geometry + Savvas Metaxas
at Gazarte Main Stage
Oren Ambarchi's music lives at the intersection between different styles and influences: contemporary electronic music, improvisation, experimental minimalism, deceptive simplicity, latent rock physicality. Since the late 1990s his experiments in guitar abstraction and extended technique have led to a more personal and unique sound world that incorporates a wider palette of instruments and sensibilities.
Ambarchi has performed, collaborated and recorded with a wide range of artists including Fennesz, Sunn 0))), Alvin Lucier, John Zorn, Merzbow, Jim O'Rourke, Fire! and many others.
Tropical Geometry began as a diverse musical project between friends, which resulted in their studio album "Luck Mountain" (2021). Now operating as a dynamic duo (Babis Theocharis & Antonis Papadopoulos), they unfold their experimental pop music through their sonic explorations into the paths of Krautrock, psychedelia and minimalism. The project's live performances are extremely rare.
Savvas Metaxas is a musician and sound artist active in the fields of experimental music, field recordings and modular synthesizer. With more than 15 releases on vinyl, CD and cassettes, his music has been released on numerous labels such as LINE, Superpang, Granny Records, Glistening Examples, More Mars, Flaming, Pines, Coherent States, Falt, Grisaille, and he has performed in numerous concerts organized in experimental art spaces, music festivals, museums, galleries and concert halls. His latest release "Feedback Poetics", is out by "The Tapeworm".
POROSI 03: DECIUS
Saturday 10 January 2026
Opening Acts: TBA
at AN Club
DECIUS is an obscure supergroup. Lias Saoudi of Fat White Family, Luke & Liam May of Trashmouth Records and Quinn Whalley of Paranoid London & Warmduscher - have travelled planet earth together since 2021 freeing humans from unbearable banality with the release of Decius Vol. I and more recently Decius Vol. II (Splendour & Obedience). Through them they have revealed to all those they have met along the way, exactly what was missing from their lives: an uncontrollable impulse with no boundaries and no reason.
Early Bird: 23€ (limited amount of tickets for POROSI 01 + 02)
Presale: 26€
Door: 29€
*For the concerts POROSI 01 + POROSI 02 at Gazarte Main Stage (October 7 and December 7, 2025) standing tickets will be available for 20€, after the Early Bird seated tickets are sold out.
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Saturday, 06 September 2025 17:58
Plisskën Festival
Get ready: on 12 & 13 September, Athens transforms into a vibrant festival village as Plisskën Festival welcomes music lovers for two unforgettable nights of boundary-pushing sounds.
From gritty electronic beats and darkwave atmospheres to bold synth-pop and punk-fuelled anthems, each stage carries its own energy—and this year, expect plenty of unexpected collaborations and non-stop party vibes.
Leading the lineup:
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King Krule (South London punk poet) with his signature raw intensity
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Brutalismus 3000 (Berlin duo) bringing industrial club chaos
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Confidence Man with their 90s-inspired dance-pop hits
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KI/KI delivering high-octane Dutch underground techno
Also on deck: genre-defying acts like TOMM¥ €A$H, John Maus, Getdown Services, Jersey, and Athens’ own Selofan—plus more surprises to come.
And the nighttime decks are stacked: Héctor Oaks, John Talabot, Daria Kolosova, Eris Drew & Octo Octa, Paula Tape, Chloé Robinson, Toccororo, and more will keep the beats flowing till late.
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Events In Athens
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Saturday, 06 September 2025 16:50
Registered Address Services By WHEN Hub
If you’re looking for a professional business address in Athens, WHEN Hub offers flexible EDRA registration solutions that combine legal compliance with access to a supportive, empowering environment.
Registered Address Options
1. Registered Address (Without a Dedicated Desk) – €82.88/month
(includes 3.6% stamp duty; original price: €80/month + 3.6% stamp duty)
(includes 3.6% stamp duty; original price: €80/month + 3.6% stamp duty)
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Mail handling
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1 locker
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8 hours/month access to a flex desk
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Phone booth (up to 2 hours/month)
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Meeting room (1 hour/month)
Ideal for companies or professionals who need a reliable registered address while occasionally visiting the workspace.
2. Registered Address with Flex Desk Access – €268.58/month
(includes 3.6% stamp duty; original price: €225 + €80/month with 15% discount)
(includes 3.6% stamp duty; original price: €225 + €80/month with 15% discount)
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Mail handling
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1 locker
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Unlimited monthly access to flex desk
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Phone booth (up to 20 hours/month)
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Meeting room (10 hours/month)
Perfect for those who want a professional address and regular access to a collaborative workspace, with meeting rooms and flexible desks included.
Why Choose WHEN Hub?
WHEN Hub is a welcoming space for women, families, and anyone passionate about gender equality. While the registered address service doesn’t require you to use the full co-working facilities, becoming part of WHEN Hub gives you the option to explore a vibrant, professional community and access workshops, networking, and other support services.
If you prefer, you can simply register your address with no additional workspace use—allowing you to have a professional, legal business address in central Athens.
Contact & Registration
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Email: hub@when.org.gr
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Phone: 211 218 1642 / +30 211 218 1643
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Address: 29 Sokratous Street, 10552 Athens, Greece
Explore WHEN Hub and its spaces here to see the full range of services, or simply register your address today and secure a professional presence in Athens.
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Thursday, 04 September 2025 17:31
WHEN Book Club #StoRafi – Autumn Kickoff Meeting
Note: This event will be conducted in Greek
The first meeting of the fall season for the WHEN Book Club #StoRafi is here! Join us in person at the WHEN Hub to discuss the books we read over the summer, exchange ideas, and share experiences.
This season, we will explore 4 thought-provoking titles:
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Who’s Afraid of Gender? – Judith Butler
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Hosafi – Glykéria Patramani
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The Xenofeminist Manifesto: A Politics for Alienation – Laboria Cuboniks
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To Makri Taxidi tis Mias Mesa stin Alli – Amanda Michalopoulou
Special guests include the authors Glykéria Patramani and Amanda Michalopoulou, along with academic Katerina Vlantoni, to discuss themes of identity, sexuality, gender, personal narrative, motherhood, and social change. As always, copies of the books will be raffled among attendees.
About #StoRafi
In our book club, we read books that explore the potential and experiences of women, addressing topics such as gender equality, professional growth, and societal transformation. At the start of each month, we propose a book to our members. By the end of the month, we meet—either in person or online—to:
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Exchange opinions about what we’ve read
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Discuss the social, cultural, or political issues explored in the book
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Talk with authors or experts related to the book’s themes
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Discover more books and foster a supportive community
You are welcome to join #StoRafi whether you are an avid reader, passionate about gender issues, or simply curious to explore new perspectives.
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Thursday, 04 September 2025 17:21
WHEN: Mentoring For Career Development & Gender Equality
Mentorship can be a turning point in a woman’s professional journey. At WHEN, mentoring is not just about guidance — it’s about building bridges between women, sharing experiences, and creating opportunities for growth. Through the WHEN Mentoring Platform, women can find a mentor who understands their challenges, supports their ambitions, and helps them design a path toward their goals.
Whether you are looking for a mentor to accompany you in your next career step, or you wish to give back by becoming a mentor yourself, the platform makes it easy to connect, collaborate, and grow together.
What Mentoring Is (And Isn’t)
A mentor is not a teacher or a guru. She is a fellow professional who shares her own knowledge and experience, helping her mentee clarify goals, overcome challenges, and take practical steps forward.
Unlike coaching or therapy, mentoring is focused on professional development rather than personal issues. It’s a supportive partnership where experience becomes a stepping stone for another woman’s progress.
How The Platform Works
Through the platform, mentees can:
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Browse profiles of mentors from diverse professional fields.
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Choose the mentoring package that best fits their needs.
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Request a collaboration directly with their mentor of choice.
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Track progress and receive updates through the platform.
The platform also ensures smooth communication, keeps a record of the mentoring journey, and supports both mentor and mentee every step of the way.
Mentoring Packages
To fit different needs, WHEN offers 3 flexible options:
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3-Month Mentoring Package
Ideal if you have a few focused questions or want to explore a new field. Includes at least 3 sessions and ongoing support from the WHEN team. -
6-Month Mentoring Package
Best for deeper support in advancing your career path. Includes at least 6 sessions and continuous guidance from the WHEN team. -
Coaching & Mentoring 2-in-1
A combined package for those who haven’t yet decided on a specific career direction. Includes 4 coaching sessions plus two 3-month mentoring packages in different fields.
Mentoring at WHEN is about solidarity, empowerment, and long-term impact. Since its launch in 2020, thanks to the support of the WHEN community, the platform has grown into a trusted resource for women seeking guidance and connection.
Every mentoring relationship is unique, but all share a common thread: women lifting each other up and paving the way for greater equality in the workplace.
✨ Are you ready to start your mentoring journey?
Explore the platform, meet the mentors, and choose the path that’s right for you!
Explore the platform, meet the mentors, and choose the path that’s right for you!
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Thursday, 04 September 2025 17:05
Stella Kasdagli On Building WHEN & Redefining Work For Women
When Stella Kasdagli co-founded Women on Top—now WHEN—she didn’t set out to build an organization. She just wanted to connect women with others who’d walked the same path. What started as a side project quickly grew into a national force for gender equality in Greece, supporting women through mentoring, training, advocacy, and now, with the WHEN Hub, an innovative space for working parents.
In this conversation, Stella shares how her own journey as a journalist, entrepreneur, and mother shaped the work she’s doing today—and why stories, community, and compassion remain her most powerful tools for change.
Q: Before founding Women on Top, had you already felt drawn to empowering women or others?
I think that desire had always been in my mind, even if I couldn’t put it into words. Before Women on Top — which later became WHEN — I was a journalist working mostly for women’s magazines, like Cosmopolitan Greece. Through that work, I started to realize the breadth and depth of women’s needs, especially young women in Greece.
Back then, around 2005 or 2006, we often received handwritten letters from young women across Greece, even though email was available and many did email us. These letters contained questions these women felt they couldn’t ask anyone else.
Every day, our work revealed the many gaps in knowledge and opportunities women and girls faced, not only in the workplace but also in their families, schools, and universities. Personally, becoming a mother made me see how much harder it is to be both a working woman and a parent or caregiver. So, these professional experiences and personal insights made me want to do something to help.
Q: And how did that early interest eventually lead you to create Women on Top?
Like I said, I was a young mother, having just had my first daughter, and I was traveling to London. There, I learned about a mentoring initiative in Britain run by the Prince’s Trust. They had gathered ten established entrepreneurs to mentor aspiring female entrepreneurs for free, for a year. I thought, what a great idea!
But I also wondered why only entrepreneurs? Because if you want to become an entrepreneur, often you already have some network, resources, maybe a degree. But many women might be working in other jobs — like a hairdresser, a teacher, or even be unemployed — and want to change fields or face challenges at work.
These women could benefit from mentoring that offers the unwritten, unspoken knowledge you can’t find in books; knowledge gained from another woman who’s been through the same struggles.
These women could benefit from mentoring that offers the unwritten, unspoken knowledge you can’t find in books; knowledge gained from another woman who’s been through the same struggles.
When I came back, I thought about how that could work here. I had no experience with entrepreneurship or nonprofits, but with my then co-founder who had strong HR experience, we decided to build a mentoring program. We started a Facebook group and asked women with at least two years of professional experience to send us their CVs and describe their challenges at work, so we could match mentors and mentees. That’s how it began, back in 2012. It took time to become an official organization and expand services, but that was the start.
Q: Was there a defining moment when you decided to switch from media to social entrepreneurship?
I can actually give another perspective on that, because for many years, building Women on Top wasn’t something I saw as a business. It was just a side project, something I did voluntarily, pro bono. That went on for about four or five years.
Then two things happened. First, I left my job as a journalist and became a freelancer. That’s when I became aware of a different set of challenges around work-life balance, especially for freelancers and entrepreneurs who don’t have the support system or structure to work while their children are still at home.
That’s when the idea of creating a coworking space with on-site childcare came up. We realized that the Women on Top community could be the perfect platform to support such an initiative down the road. This encouraged us to keep growing and enriching the community.
At the same time, freelancing wasn’t fulfilling enough for me, and then MeToo happened, first in the US, then globally. Our understanding of gender equality and workplace challenges deepened. We realized we could do much more than just offer mentoring. We could provide empowerment workshops, consult with businesses on becoming more equitable employers, and create spaces like the one we have now.
Q: Since you mentioned being a mother, I’d love to ask about balancing your different roles and motherhood. Also, you talk about “growing up alongside your daughters.” What does that mean to you?
Motherhood—and parenthood more broadly—has been the most transformative experience of my life. I used to assume it would put my career on hold, but instead, it gave me clarity, fresh ideas, and a deeper sense of purpose. My children didn’t slow me down; they motivated me. In fact, I truly believe I owe much of what I’ve achieved professionally to them. It wasn’t a one-time thing, it happened with both pregnancies.
Becoming a parent sharpens your focus. You develop what I call a “bullshit radar”. You stop wasting time on things that don’t matter. That’s why some women seem to lose interest in their jobs after becoming mothers: not because of motherhood itself, but because those jobs were never meaningful to begin with.
Parenthood, despite its challenges, can be a powerful driver for finding your true path. Even if you can't make big changes right away, you can take small steps toward the work that really matters to you.
Being a parent and an entrepreneur is a steep learning curve. I feel like I learn every single day. And the idea that you need to have it all figured out before becoming a parent? That’s a myth. The most important thing isn’t being “ready,” it’s being open. And if you are, parenthood will change you in the best possible way.
Q: You do so many things…running a nonprofit, writing books, being a mother. What’s your best tip for finding balance?
Honestly, I don’t think I ever fully do. It’s always a work in progress. One important thing I realized a bit late is that you need to get the foundation right first. You need to sleep well, eat properly, and take some rest. Only then can you go after all the big things you want to achieve. Sometimes we get so absorbed by our goals that we forget to take care of the basics. That’s something I learned the hard way.
Besides that, I don’t think you can ever have perfect balance, with everything neatly separated. At any point in life, you’ll have to prioritize what needs your attention most.
What really helped me was having a space where I can work and know my children are well cared for and happy. That support has been a huge boost in finding some balance. Our coworking space, WHEN Hub, has been running for about nine months now, and honestly, these have been the easiest nine months of my work life when it comes to balancing everything. That’s why we created this space, so other working parents can get the same support.
6. What has your personal experience been like as a woman entrepreneur in Greece? Have you felt supported, or have you faced challenges?
Both, actually. I’ve been privileged in some ways because I work as a social entrepreneur in a field that’s, let’s say, female-dominated: gender equality and female empowerment. For better or worse, these areas tend to be led by women. So I haven’t faced the same challenges as women in male-dominated sectors like tech or construction.
That said, in the beginning, when we weren’t sure where we were going or how fast to grow, we got caught up in the startup culture narrative that you have to scale quickly to be successful. That can be really disorienting, especially for social entrepreneurs, but honestly for any entrepreneur. You need to be able to set your own pace.
This is even more important for female entrepreneurs because many start their businesses later in life, balancing motherhood, caregiving, or even a day job alongside their venture. To manage all this, you need support, not only from yourself, but from your family, who must back your chosen pace.
Also, the entrepreneurial ecosystem should respect that diversity. It shouldn’t push a one-size-fits-all timeline or threaten to cut you off from funding or incubation if you don’t grow fast enough. I truly believe the funding and support systems need to adapt to different needs, especially for female entrepreneurs.
Q: Have you noticed any changes in the professional landscape regarding gender equality since you started your journey?
Yes, there have been significant changes, mostly in terms of increased awareness around gender equality and female empowerment. Back in 2012, even among my friends, what we were doing felt almost like a joke, people struggled to understand why it mattered.
Yes, there have been significant changes, mostly in terms of increased awareness around gender equality and female empowerment. Back in 2012, even among my friends, what we were doing felt almost like a joke, people struggled to understand why it mattered.
That has shifted a lot. People’s perceptions have improved, even if their deeper understanding of the issues isn’t always fully there yet. But even a surface-level recognition of the importance of gender equality is a positive step forward.
Since then, we’ve seen many organizations emerge and companies take varying steps—some more effective than others—toward empowering women. There’s still a long way to go, especially with the current political and social backlash against gender equality worldwide. But overall, I believe society and the professional ecosystem are moving in the right direction.
Q: What advice would you give to young women in Greece—or anywhere—who dream of starting their own business?
It might sound a bit old-fashioned, but I really believe it’s important to have some professional experience before starting your own business. Developing a strong work ethic, seeing how things operate, understanding that professional relationships differ from personal ones, and learning how to manage or observe team dynamics.
Then, choose your own pace. You don’t have to grow your business in one year, nor do you have to wait forever to get funding or feel ready. It’s okay to combine your day job with your new business for a while.
Also, think outside the box. Often, women limit themselves to what they’ve seen other women do—which isn’t bad at all, since small businesses are important and fulfilling—but why not explore new, different ideas, even if you haven’t seen other women doing them?
And lastly, build your network. I know it’s hard, it can feel uncomfortable, and it takes time you may not always have. But investing authentically in your network is very important.
Q: How do you personally use the WHEN Hub? Are there any moments that stand out since you started this project?
This has been the easiest phase in terms of work-life balance, but also one of the hardest in our entrepreneurial journey, since the WHEN Hub is something completely new for us and our community. It’s still a baby, but in just nine months, we’ve seen its incredible potential.
The hub was created with three goals in mind. First, to give our 11-person team a physical space after years of working remotely, a huge shift that’s helped us collaborate better, host interns, and engage more with volunteers.
Second, to support working parents and parent-entrepreneurs by allowing them to work while their children are cared for in the mini-hub. They can either pay a reasonable fee or apply for a scholarship if needed. This has helped many women — from students working on degrees to new mothers — find space, time, and support.
And third, to create a hub for other civil society organizations working on gender equality, inclusion, and support for underrepresented groups. We've hosted many such groups already, building connections and conversations that have been deeply meaningful.
Q: What is WHEN most focused on right now? What kind of people or partners do you want to attract?
We keep working on all our projects, including some exciting new ones, like supporting victims of sexual harassment and helping emerging and underrepresented writers. We also continue our ongoing work.
If I had to pick two main focuses for the next year, one is the WHEN Hub. It’s new for our community, Athens, and Greece. We want to raise awareness and show how this space can truly transform the lives of women, parents, and the community as a whole.
The second focus is on regional Greece. Since 2023, a big goal has been to move beyond Athens and dive into the needs and challenges women face in smaller communities, whether rural, tourist, industrial, or others. This work outside the city is very important and will keep growing.
Q: Lastly, since writing and storytelling have been part of your journey from the start, how do you see them as tools for sparking social change today? And is there a message or conversation you’d especially like to open up right now?
I think storytelling is a huge tool we have to encourage and cultivate social change and awareness. I try to do that as a writer, but since I can’t write as much as I’d like, it’s not just about me. Even when two people from different backgrounds and with different agendas sit down and start talking about abstract issues or current events impersonally, they tend to get into conflict more easily than when they start sharing personal stories.
We live in a time where we need to transcend our own communities, kin groups, and close circles and keep connecting with people who are different from us. Stories are one of the most important tools to do that because they help us focus on experience and feelings. They help us see the human side of others, not just the differences.
Differences are important, and we shouldn’t hide or gloss over them, but storytelling lets us go beyond those differences. I feel this is very important today, to be able to connect beyond our divides.
Thank you so much for having us at the WHEN Hub — it’s been a pleasure to experience the space and hear your story in person.
You can follow Stella on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected and follow the journey of WHEN and all the work still to come.
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