CONFIDENCE COMES FROM BEING SELF-AWARE | Interview with Rebekka

In this edition of the #ayaniwomen series, we sat down to chat with Rebekka , an event manager and marketer from Frankfurt. We talk about her professional journey, nitty-gritty of event management and what confidence means for her.

Ani: Tell us a bit about your journey. Where did you study? When did you start working?

Rebekka: I studied Economics, and then got a masters in International Marketing Management in Berlin. I worked for an advertising agency then which I did not like. So I changed soon to work for Kulturprojekte, a company that organizes events in Berlin. For example, I worked on organizing the celebration of 25 years Fall of Berlin Wall in 2014 which is often remembered by the 8000 illuminated balloons used to trace the former border between East and West.

After 5 years, I moved to Frankfurt  where I now work as a Marketing and Event manager at a consultancy.

Ani: Why did you choose to work in the field of event marketing?

Rebekka: From a financial perspective, I realised I worked too much for too little income. I also felt that I needed a different business area that I didn’t know yet to see if it fits for me or not.  And event management does! :)

Ani: Work in event management for most people means a high level of stress. How do you deal with the amount of stress at work?

Rebekka: Most of it comes from the experience. When I was new in this field, I was much more stressed by tiny problems. I think what helped a lot is to breathe in and breathe out. To accept stress as something that comes with the job and is totally okay to experience it.

Ani: And what’s the most fun part about event management  for you?

Rebekka: Meeting new people, being in different places, and a huge chance to show your creativity through work. Another interesting aspect is that you need to be really agile. Not to do everything the same way each day. You need to remember that everyday is different in event management and I like that.

Ani: What do you think about having a mentor? Do you have one?

Rebekka: Well, I think it could be helpful, if you find the right person. Somebody to look up to, who can give you good advice. In some situations, I didn’t have someone to take advice from, so I made the decisions myself and that turned out to be a really great experience too. I think you can also be your own mentor, discover your own ways. And maybe then become a mentor for someone else later on.

Ani: Lastly, what is confidence for you?

Rebekka: It’s a feeling in my stomach and heart that tells me I’m self-aware, I am who I am, and that’s okay. When I mess something up (which happens), I’m confident about myself that I’m not a bad person and I have no bad intentions. Confidence sets me straight.  I got through other things, I can get through this too. I can see that my definition of confidence keeps evolving with my experiences.

Ani: That’s so true! Thank you very much for sharing your story with us.

If you would like to get in touch with Rebekka, connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Photography: Joshan Chaudhary