19 Questions With Katerina Mountanos
by The Candidly Team
This article is part of our series called "People We Like," in which we highlight interesting women, across all walks of life.
Leaders, great cooks, doctors, parents, writers; people who inspire us.
Today, we’re featuring Katerina Mountanos, the founder of Kosterina, a line of clean, bright Greek olive oils (extra virgin, of course) and maker of one of our favorite balsamic vinegars ever.
The Candidly Questionnaire
1. What’s your most compelling quality?
Kindness and empathy.
2. What’s your worst quality, according to your friends?
When I like a song, I play it over and over again on repeat. They also say I’m a terrible driver.
3. What’s an overrated value you don’t buy into?
“Patience is a virtue.” I say no, don’t be patient. Go after what you want. If you don’t get it, move on.
4. How do you feel about cilantro?
Love it. It’s the most necessary ingredient in my guacamole recipe.
5. What's the most effective beauty trick you use?
I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil on my skin and hair. It’s super moisturizing as a body oil or hair mask.
6. How do you get your self-esteem?
My career has definitely given me my self-esteem. Hard work, discipline, and rigor have helped me achieve some coveted milestones, and that makes me feel confident. Also, getting my MBA and the inspiring people that surrounded me in that program gave me the confidence to be an entrepreneur.
7. What meal can you make the hell out of?
Makaronia me kima – a Greek version of Spaghetti Bolognese. Also, our Kosterina Olive Bread. I can confirm that this can absolutely be considered a meal.
8. What’s your favorite item of clothing you own?
My Senreve bag. I love that you can walk into a meeting with it on your forearm, but can also wear it as a backpack when traipsing around the city.
9. How do you handle conflict in your closest relationships?
With kind, thoughtful conversation that helps get to the bottom of what each person is feeling.
10. What’s something you’ve changed your mind about in the last year?
Work travel – I guess it’s not quite as necessary as we all thought!
11. Who is someone in your field of work that you admire?
Other founders in food and beauty: Kaitlin Smith, founder of Simple Mills, and Alison Cayne of Haven’s Kitchen.
12. What Insta account speaks to you deeply?
@thedavisstandard. Jen Davis opens up her fashion, beauty, parenting, cooking and life secrets for us all. And her wardrobe, family, home and life are all swoon-worthy.
13. What quote or phrase has stayed with you?
“The opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference.” I think about this a lot when continuing to build Kosterina. I only want to create products that people absolutely LOVE and can connect with on an emotional level.
14. What’s your favorite movie from the last ten years?
Pitch Perfect.
15. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about yourself as a leader?
That I truly love to lead in small company settings. I also enjoy making decisions and seeing the results in real-time. I get deflated leading in large organizations because the processes, office politics, and bureaucracy weigh me down.
16. What’s the most delicious bite of food you’ve ever had?
All of the fresh food I’ve eaten in Greece, surrounded by my friends and family.
17. Is social media ruining our brains?
Unfortunately, yes, particularly as it relates to the proliferation of misinformation on some platforms.
18. Describe your actual bedtime routine.
I put my kids to sleep around 8pm and then it’s party time for me and my husband. Talking, tea, chocolate (our EVOO Dark Chocolate Almond Butter bar is insane), sometimes Netflix, sometimes books, sometimes work, sometimes podcasts, sometimes reading in bed. Yep, this is what party time looks like these days!
19. What’s your relationship with bangs?
Haven’t had them since I was 5.
What is your single favorite:
Wellness product that *actually* works: Sakara Life meal delivery.
Lip balm: I wear Makeup Forever’s nude/rose lipstick just like it’s lip balm. I take it everywhere I go, and I buy them 20 at a time for every purse and pocket.
Mascara: Benefit “They’re Real.”
Sweats: Commando leggings.
Last minute gift: Kosterina’s EVOO + Balsamic Bundle, or a box of our EVOO Dark Chocolate Bars.
Shampoo: Obliphica Seaberry Shampoo.
Comfortable shoes: Stuart Weitzman knee high flat boots.
Splurge makeup: Tom Ford’s Soleil Glow bronzer, and Tom Ford’s Lip Color Matte – worth every penny because they stay on all day.
Drugstore skincare: La Roche-Posay’s Toleraine Ultra moisturizer.
Everyday bag: Senreve Maestra.
Guilty-pleasure TV show: Most recently, Bridgerton. I could not stop watching until those two protagonists had ironed out their interpersonal issues.
Drink: Macadamia Milk Lattes.
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We have to eat.
