At CARE LAB Divas, we recently started collaborating with a woman who navigates between the worlds of modeling, influencing, and construction. A true all-rounder. We interviewed Sonja Kopčanová about how she came up with the idea of promoting self-love, what we can expect from her new podcast, and also how she chooses collaborations and what her plans are for the future.
Hi, Sonja. You achieved something amazing by succeeding in the Miss Slovakia competition even without the idealized 90-60-90 measurements that have been talked about for years. Was winning the title of II. Vicemiss an impulse for you to motivate other women towards self-love and working on their self-confidence?
Definitely, yes, even though long before Miss, I knew I wanted to inspire and support women, including, but not limited to, those my size. That was also why I stepped onto the stage. But the success and acceptance motivated me even more.
You're now also inspiring through your podcast, "50 Shades of a Woman." Can you introduce it a bit, describe its content, and essentially pique our interest?
Originally, my focus was quite dedicated to girls who, like me in the past, were going through a great deal of self-loathing regarding their bodies and comparing every pound with the figures of other women. However, that changed a bit during my journey, as I realized that even women with "perfect figures" tend to compare themselves or lack self-love. Perhaps it's due to any physical trait, their skin, hair, nose, or even a character trait, or they don't believe in their strength, dreams, or potential.
For years, we women have had a tendency to lack self-belief and underestimate ourselves, never being content with ourselves. We have it from our mothers, they from theirs, and so on. And I am here because I have decided to break these ingrained patterns. To teach women to be satisfied and happy with themselves and their lives, while working to move forward in every sense of the word.
“For years, we women have had a tendency to lack self-belief and underestimate ourselves, never being content with ourselves.”
These are beautiful thoughts and a noble mission. At the beginning of one of your podcast episodes, you also speak very nicely about CARE LAB Divas. About how our drinks are a pleasant diversification for you. We also recently became one of the first sponsors of your new podcast. Can you tell us more about what this collaboration gives you?
CARE LAB Divas is a wonderful addition to my days. In the podcast, I often mention how important it is to take care of yourself, whether through exercise, the influx of new, ideally positive, information, or nourishing your body. It is in this third point that CARE LAB Divas is the perfect helper for me. Not only do I take care of myself when drinking the beverages, but it is also a pleasant, almost romantic moment, because the drinks are absolutely delicious and I can take them anywhere. The bonus is that I no longer feel the need to reach for any sweetened drinks during the day, because I get that enjoyment from them.
People know you mainly as a "Miss" and an influencer. However, many influencers also have their regular jobs, often in a different field than the one where they broke through in the online world. How is it with you?
Yes (laughs), modeling and influencing can be a great way to earn extra money, but my working life isn't limited to that. My main job is as a marketing manager for a company involved in real estate and development. That means on a typical Thursday, you might find me on a construction site, flying a drone around apartment buildings and asking the construction manager what's new and what they're currently working on (laughs). This gives me the freedom to view Instagram, podcasts, and the aforementioned modeling more as hobbies, to do them for enjoyment, and to see the money as a bonus, since something else pays the bills (laughs).
Perhaps things will turn out completely differently over time, as every day I feel more and more that making women happier and more "self-loving" is my life's mission. Sooner or later, I might have to choose, and I'll probably start spreading these messages full-time.
“On a typical Thursday, you might find me on a construction site, flying a drone around apartment buildings and asking the construction manager what's new and what they're currently working on.”
Many women are certainly looking forward to that, but let's go back to influencing. One of its pitfalls can be the urge to collaborate with a large number of brands. However, too much advertising often causes more trouble than benefit. How do you manage to deal with this issue? What should a brand you want to promote meet? What values should it adhere to?
This is a great question. Of course, the dream of almost every aspiring content creator, besides gaining a following—that is, people's recognition—is also to achieve their first collaborations. It's essentially the only way to get paid for your daily effort. For me, too, it was a huge milestone.
Over time, however, more offers came in, and I had the opportunity to choose. That's when I had to set my "rules" – how many collaborations per month I could afford, both so that my profile wouldn't be all about advertising, and due to time constraints, as I also have a daily job and school. So, I initially set a monthly limit on collaborations. But I had to choose them based on something, so I decided that:
1. it must be a brand whose focus, like mine, is on women, so it makes sense why I collaborate with them and it's not something completely "random," like a phone, for example.
2. I must try the brand and genuinely like it, otherwise I am unable to express a positive emotion towards it. That's something I definitely don't want on my profile – inauthenticity. What I do daily, I do so I can be myself, not to put on an act on my own platform. This leads me to the last point:
3. the people in the company and my authenticity. Kind, human, and even friendly communication is very important to me, as is the fact that the brand chose me precisely for who I am, what I do, and what I advocate. That they want to be associated with that and allow me to express it in our shared content.
Of course, there's more to it, but these were the initial fundamental rules I set for myself.
The Miss Slovakia competition certainly brought you unforgettable experiences, and you recently launched the aforementioned podcast. What are your other professional goals and dreams?
Yes, Miss was truly unforgettable in the best sense of the word. The podcast is something I've been quietly working on for about a year, but the real work and improvement are just beginning now that it's out. I'll definitely have a lot more work, plans, and goals with it. As for the rest of my career, whether in marketing, Instagram, or modeling, I'd like to keep moving forward and improving. To educate myself and meet the right people. So far, it's going great, so I believe it will continue that way. Besides what I mentioned, I also have a few business ideas. Some are already actively being worked on, others I'm still organizing in my thoughts, but we'll definitely get to that another time.
Thank you very much for the interview, and we'll keep our fingers crossed that everything goes according to plan. If you're also interested in what Sonja has in store and what she's preparing for her followers, don't forget to check out her Instagram profile, tune into her YouTube channel, or listen to the "50 Shades of a Woman" podcast on your favorite platform.
BIO
Sonja Kopčanová works as a marketing manager in real estate and development and also studies at university. In 2023, she won the title of II. Vicemiss Slovakia and Miss Intercontinental and still occasionally works as a model. Through social media and within the podcast "50 Shades of a Woman," she addresses issues of female self-love and self-confidence. She teaches women how to achieve a happier, more fulfilled, and more content life, how to make more confident decisions, set boundaries, how to be in a loving relationship with their bodies, and how to fulfill their dreams, but in balance with themselves.
