There is no linearity in life. The first day I walked into law school 8 years ago, I knew this wasn’t meant. Not out of fear or repulsion towards the craft itself. It just didn’t click.
But I also didn’t know what was meant for me. There was no grand plan at the moment, no idea of where I was headed or what I wanted to do. I knew only one thing: If I were to do something, it would be mine and mine alone. The heartache and the pain, the success and the flare, the hard nights, the easy days—all of it.
As I look back now, 2 years into running my own marketing agency, I can say only one thing. It is worth it. It’s not the titles, not the opportunity one has to excel, not the money, or even the job at the end of the day. It’s the freedom to choose and define yourself by your work, words, and actions. That’s what it means to run your startup, business, and shop. You give life to something so genuine and personal, a part of yourself that you’ve only had the opportunity to see, and now It’s out there.
It’s not all fun and lofty words, of course. It takes time, energy, and discipline, and there is also doubt. All of it can be soul-crushing. But it’s a story I hope you’ll find helpful as you navigate life trying to see where you fit.
This is the story of how I founded Because Group, a marketing agency in Athens, and how it became a trusted partner to global brands and people I would have never met otherwise.
The moment of realization: Leaving law behind
How do you leave behind something you wanted to do all your life? Or at least prepping for it? What do you tell your mom? Your friends? That old family friend who has been boasting about how you’ll be running your father’s law office one day? These might sound arbitrary, but the social pressure we feel for things we should be doing can be immeasurable. And we always come back to that thought, don’t we? What if I fail? What if I don’t make it? Better to stay here. Things are more comfortable here. It’s usually our body’s reaction to change. It’s also subliminal. We choose the things that seem more comfortable to us.
But pain is unavoidable. You just have to choose. It’s either the pain of growing or staying the same. I went with the former. It just didn’t strike me right—the sighting of a corporate contract, discussions around sentencing, and arbitrary theories of international law. I always thought of myself as much more of a builder than a facilitator. And I realized that through branding. Worlds, narratives, stories.
And it started slow—a few gigs here and there, some voluntary work, slowly building my projects, an NGO, and fleeing abroad. I pieced most of it together along the way, but for the first time, I kind of knew where the pieces were going. It started making sense.
I have spent a few years doing all of the above, with more professional work following, and then Because Group came to be.
Taking the leap into marketing
I now had all the pieces.
Although I lacked a formal marketing education, the work in practice was a great teacher. I’ve learned a lot just from the amount of work I have done and the nature of the projects themselves… From designing a prompt for an Instagram caption for an NGO in Komotini, to speaking about branding guidelines at the European Parliament.
I slowly realized that the breadth of people I had worked with, the kind of things they liked, things they aspired to, stories they wanted to tell, had spanned from promoting a one-day seminar in Xanthi to navigating the European identity in Brussels.
But building a business is not just about its content. It’s about the company itself. Lawyers, accountants, space. Everything. Initially, you are a one-person army. You need to – well, have to – do everything by yourself. Not everyone talks about the nitty-gritty. Filling out your paperwork, starting the business, and ensuring you are tax-proof requires time and energy. And they are not that fun. Then, anticipation kicks in.
Am I doing enough? Why don’t I have more clients? People are not replying to my emails.
This is the hard part—the part that requires resilience.
It is the part where you put yourself out there, meet people, pitch yourself and your business—usually the same—and deliver. For that first client, that second one, the third, the fourth. Day in and day out. And time goes by, and you get better at it. One lead brings another. Suddenly, you need more people. Accounts have multiplied, and just like that, you are running a business.
Marketing is about many things. At this point, for me, it was about finding ways to tell a story. I had met so many different people and told so many different stories. It all starts with a thread.
A few things to consider when you decide to start a Business
Start before you’re ready. Waiting for the “perfect time” can hold you back. Take the leap, and trust yourself to figure it out along the way.
Focus on relationships. Building a business is about building trust. Your clients are your biggest advocates, so nurture those connections.
Stay curious. Even without formal training, you can learn by asking questions, reading, and experimenting. Be a lifelong student of your craft.
And also, not less important…
Buy a good chair. You’ll be spending a lot of time on it. You need it to be steady, flexible at times, and able to bear through different situations day and night. You need it to hold when you lose that client, to remain in one piece when you are overjoyed you booked that other one, and to know that all things pass, both good and bad. The above applies not only to the chair but also to you.
Notebooks are not old-fashioned. I love a good notebook. Usually, the simpler, the better. Just lines and space for drawing—a blank canvas that waits to be filled with to-dos, priorities, dates and meetings, ideas, and drawings when you are bored. The point here is that we all need a process—something to keep track of all the things that go on. The first thing I do in the morning is check my agenda. The last thing I do in a day is make my agenda.
Find your rosebud. Citizen Kane is one of my favorite movies. I have watched it many times, and if there is one thing it taught me, and I carry with me in work, it is that doing what you love will help you do it better. Finding your passion is not easy. So start from the simple things, the ones that always made sense. Start piecing backwards.
Looking back and looking ahead
Looking back, leaving law to pursue marketing was the best decision I’ve ever made. Because Group isn’t just a business—it’s a platform for empowering brands and people.
Today, as I lead a team working with global brands, I’m humbled by how far we’ve come. But the journey is far from over. My goal is to continue growing Because Group into a leading force in marketing while staying true to our mission: telling stories that inspire and ignite confidence.
My advice for anyone considering a leap of faith into a new field is simple: trust your instincts and embrace the unknown. The path may be uncertain, but the rewards of following your passion are immeasurable.
Because sometimes, the greatest stories start with a bold decision to rewrite the script.
