Now What‪?‬ Artemis Kohas

This is a special episode! Our host Artemis Kohas is in the hot seat, answering some of the questions she usually asks Now What? guests. She covers her vast work experience, from the early days of working for the New York Department of Education, all the way up to her experience as an entrepreneur. This range makes her a gold mine of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs - especially those who are looking to bridge two cultures. 

Evangelia Psarakis is a bridge of sorts between 2 worlds. She grew up between Crete and New Jersey, staying in 3 months of the summer at a farm in Crete. With encouragement from her dad, she followed a practical path - teaching - but her passion for music was always front of mind. Even as a full-time teacher, she would spend her nights in New York City, working on her passion. When she was laid off, she saw the opportunity to jump into music - and, ultimately, blend both of her homes through her music.

At first, she didn’t realize that Greek instruments in her music would be her “thing,” but by incorporating the bouzouki, she found a sound that felt so real, one that represented her. It allowed the excitement for this music to spread to a new audience, and as she works to get into Eurovision this year, it could spread even further!

Stratis Morfogen is, at his core, an independent thinker. And he has always been this way - he tells stories about working at his father’s restaurant in his teens, and how this has pushed him to think outside the box, as well as how to deconstruct and rebuild something. Stratis has experienced plenty of thrills as an entrepreneur, and plenty of failures, but it has led him to his core belief: “there is no way to success except through failure.”

In our latest episode of Now What?, host Artemis Kohas of the Kohas Agency talks to him about his restaurant ventures, his new book, how he unwinds, and a crucial tip about risk-taking.

Christopher André Marks originally thought he would be a professional athlete - but when a career-ending injury made him reconsider his trajectory, he actually had the chance to pick a path that he had always kind of wanted. Now, he has made a film about the Greek National Football Team’s victory in 2004 over one of the giants of world football to become the unlikeliest of European Champions.

And it was a learning experience for him in so many ways: besides becoming a digital nomad across Europe, he also managed to navigate releases during Covid shutdowns. So what comes next?

It's safe to say that Scott Eddy is not risk averse. After the death of his father right before his high school graduation, the trajectory of his life changed completely, but he's always looking forward. "This is how I look at life," he tells host Artemis Kohas, "the worst thing that could ever happen to me in my life has already happened, so what’s my downside with anything else? There’s no downside!" Since then, he has relied on his gut and his relentless pursuit of happiness to direct him. "Happiness is the only thing that matters to me," he says. 

In this episode, Scott tells us about what it means to be the CEO of your own life, stress, and fear (or the lack of it) in his professional and personal life. Check it out!

Now What? listeners definitely know by now that we are not afraid to talk about failures and the crucial moments that happen after. And host Artemis Kohas is thrilled that Anastasia Koutsioukis went there! Anastasia is the founder and creative force behind Mandolin Aegean Bistro, Mr.Mandolin, and The Drexel, all located in Miami. She also curates the Mrs. Mandolin lifestyle brand, bringing design elements from her beautiful restaurants right to your home.

When Anastasia started her restaurant 12 years ago, she would have never envisioned that it would turn into an entire brand built around the Aegean culture. It was about more than the food - it was a desire to share culture, to spread a way of living through simplicity, authenticity, and a slower pace. But it wasn't without bumps. Anastasia gets real with us about failed projects and how to deal with them, putting yourself out there as a creative, bringing Greek culture to a new audience, and her big goals for the future.