Founder of JK Luxury European Products
The life story of Dr Kate Janik meanders through diverse careers and honours before it reaches its pinnacle.
Born in Slovakia as Katarina Janikova, Kate’s early years were all about focus, self-discipline and moderation. She used to practise karate and meditation. A true ‘nerd’ at heart and soul, she was also a vegetarian and an animal protection activist. To top it all, she loved Buddhism and was greatly affected by its philosophy inspite of the fact that Buddhism did not exist in Czechoslovakia at that time. “To sum it up, I wished to change the world into a better place and strongly felt this was my life’s calling,” says Kate.
However, after studying Commercial Academy at the age of 14 through 17, business came so naturally to her that she launched her first company on her mother’s name at the age of 16. Following that she studied at several universities, among them Cambridge and Harvard, and obtained a Master’s degree in English language and literature as well as a PhD in translation studies.
Over time, Kate created four successful companies within the tourism industry in Corfu island, Greece. After completing 16 years in tourism, she decided to focus more on helping others. She represented large technology companies from Switzerland, Taiwan and Mexico, brought cyber security to several governments around the world, and worked towards protecting online users through non-hackable technologies such as block chain technology. “Technology turned out to be a dangerous field and after several blackmails and life threats, I quit,” reveals Kate.
This experience led her to the creation of ‘JK Luxury European Products’ company, focusing on 100% organic cosmetics suitable for all skin types. “Every up is a new motivation, every down is a change in a direction. In the tourism industry, I faced mean competition, foul play and no gratitude for all I did for Corfu island and Greece. In the technology industry, my biggest ‘weakness’ was being a woman. All negotiations were with the male community and sometimes the deal breaker was my gender. I only found myself through JK Luxury European Products. This is the first time in my life when I am fully understood and accepted as I am,” adds Kate.
Having travelled to over 60 countries, Kate feels that gender equality is still in an infant stage globally, irrelevant of cultural or religious backgrounds. “The only strategy I use and can thus suggest to other women is to always be yourself, be truthful, have self-confidence and self-love. Do what you believe in and what you love and are passionate about. Sometimes the world will be ready for you, sometimes it will not. It is okay, as long as you do not lower your standards for no one and nothing,” says Kate.
She feels she still has much to learn from her mother, who has been her biggest inspiration. Speaking about her, Kate says, “Today she is 70 and still owns and leads companies, focusing on helping others and improving the quality of life for senior citizens in Slovakia. She taught me that truth must always be my topmost life value.”
An advice that has seen Kate go from strength to strength. At the age of 12, she came first in a national writing competition in Slovakia. Her dissertation work helped solve many issues in translation studies and through her method, translators could translate three times faster. In 2014, she was chosen by Hellenic Tourism Organization to represent Greek government in the Wedding Fair in London as her company was the pioneer in destination weddings in Greece. In technology, she helped introduce block chain technologies in order to create a secure online environment for the tourism industry, national security body in different countries, and online banking security. In 2016 she co-authored a book with Joe Vitali, ‘The Prosperity Factor’ that became an Amazon bestseller in six days. In 2019, she published a book called ‘The true story of the spiritual awakening of lord Ganesha’. And in 2020, her company JK Luxury European Products was awarded as the Best Organic Cosmetics Company in Europe, Middle East and Africa by AI Business Excellence Awards.
Kate is clear that her secret weapon is spirituality and spiritual evolution: “To understand that we are more than just the physical body is an incredible thought that keeps you going in all circumstances. If I were to give an advice to any business person out there, it would be: ‘Start discovering your inner self. That discovery will make you a better person, a better human, and a better businessman/woman’.”
Kate says it is her passion to try and bring spirituality into a business environment. Such an approach is truly revolutionary. “Suddenly we can start co-creating, co-operating and unifying; moving away from the old business model that was built on the wrong concept of ‘destruct, monopolize and separate’,” signs off Kate with the wise words.
