A month ago, in Sofia, Missia23 was opened – a createch hub – or a place that brings together under one roof people from the creative industries and specialists from different fields, hoping that this closeness and constant exchange will lead to “creation of design, content and value”.

The multifunctional space at 23 Mizia street (4 floors, area 2000 sq.m) includes shared work space for 10-15 people, offices, three halls for organizing events with a total capacity of up to 200 seats, an incubator, a concept store, an academy for talents, testing and prototyping laboratory, video and sound recording studio.

Genoveva Christova-Murray is a co-founder of Missia23. She and Anelia Kasabova have co-founded Ligna Group, of which Genoveva is the executive director. She is also the president of the Bulgarian Furniture Cluster. Her hobbies include athletics, football, tabata bootcamp, music festivals, and travel.

What kind of person do you define yourself as?
Two years ago, when Anelia, my business partner, and I were on the cover of the Bulgarian Forbes, the title for us was “Passion and Intuition”. I think these two words best describe me.

The thing you absolutely believe in?
The law of attraction works flawlessly for me.

Your favourite moment of the day?
Late at night, when it is quiet and everyone is asleep.

The biggest challenge in your job?
Proving every day, mostly to myself, that there are no impossible things in life and continuing to raise the bar higher and higher.

How would you explain what you do to a 5-year-old child?
Usually, when I am asked what I do, I like to answer that I am a merchant of hope. I would say to a five-year-old child: Do you like to travel, to go to a hotel with mom and dad? – Well, that’s what I do, I design and furnish hotels so that we can be beautiful and pleasant when we travel and get to know the world around us.

How do you rest?
I don’t do it often, but mostly with sports or a walk in the park / mountain.

What charges you?
Talks and meetings with positive people, but especially when someone stops me and tells me that my personal story in Ligna or “Missia23” has inspired them and made them believe in themself.

What makes you laugh?
Overall, I laugh often and always find a reason to smile.

What makes you sad?
Prejudices in society.

What infuriates you?
Laziness, apathy and indifference to general social problems.

A person you admire?
Maria Sharapova, Michelle Obama.

Which quality of yours do you like the most?
Ambition, focus and multitasking.

And which quality of yours do you not like at all and would like to change?
To be able to say “no” much easier.

What talent would you like to have?
To be able to paint or sing.

The last gift you made / received?
I gave tickets for the concert of Lenny Kravitz in Sofia. I was given a balloon flight.

Three places on the Internet that you visit most often?
Medium – an application from which you learn all the important news for the day, selected according to your interests, Spotify, Instagram, Skyscanner.

Where would you like to live?
It doesn’t matter where, but with whom. At the moment I live mainly in a suitcase and on a plane.

Your favourite names?
Alexander, Christian, Victoria, Elizabeth.

The most interesting place you’ve been?
A very small and underdeveloped island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, three hours from New Zealand, the Kingdom of Tonga. I was at work for a week, we organized the local business in the cluster Made in Tonga and I have memories and experiences with the local people there that I will not forget for the rest of my life.

A motto or a quote close to your philosophy of life?
Think outside the box. Never give up.

 

Translated from the original source of the publication: https://www.capital.bg/light/lica/2019/05/18/3905710_20_vuprosa_genoveva_hristova-muri/