Confidence Uncovered A self-starter’s journey from gymnast to disruptor

We often hear that a woman can be anything she wants to be. Well, former rhythmic gymnast and now entrepreneur Boryana Uzunova might just be the proof. Starting gymnastics at a young age in her native Bulgaria, she found her confidence in training five hours a day to perform under the spotlight. “That feeling of excelling at something from acquiring a skill builds a foundation of confidence in me,” she says.

From there, daring to dream bigger, Uzunova focused on eliminating the negative environmental and moral footprint of the fashion industry with her fashion-tech brand MorphX and new venture Kool & Konscious (launching this year). Balancing business meetings with also being the fundraising lead for Revolv (a platform dedicated to eliminating single-use packaging), the hustling activist learnt how to put her best foot forward. While makeup gets her in the zone and enhances what’s already inside, she says, “It’s my ritual of self-care that my body recognises.”

And importantly, while Uzunova recognises her own strengths, she also understands how surrounding herself with the right people makes her stronger. Her advice for women struggling with confidence: “It’s a process. Understand what hinders your confidence and work on improving aspects of yourself, then you’ll be more comfortable in your own skin. Build a support system of people who inspire you, but also see the potential within yourself.”