Father’s Day 2023: Celebrating and Honoring the Unsung Heroes in Your Life

I’m here writing today for a very special Father’s Day post. For those of you who don’t know already, Calithea is a family-run business. Everyone in my family plays an important role in helping me to create the reality of owning my own business, but someone who has been the core of allowing Calithea to continue to build and thrive is, George Kazas, my Baba (Dad). As much as I speak of my grandmother and mother being a big reason skincare is my passion and how they both were an influential part of starting Calithea, my Baba has been just as much of an influence.
My father has always been such a positive guide in my life. He has taught me a lot of the things I know today when it comes to school and studying habits, the importance of family, the significance of knowing my worth and how I should be treated, and guiding me on how to build a professional career for myself. He also made sure he carried on and instilled our Greek culture from my grandparents into our household. These are the values that shaped me into the person I am today. The love for Greece he passed on to me and my brothers also made me realize the value of Calithea being made and manufactured in Greece rather than in the States. Other than the fact that it meant we were providing our customers with the finest choice of clean, natural, organic skincare it also meant we were helping support the flourishing economic communities there. It also meant I was producing a product where my grandparents came from and where a lot of my Baba family still lives. I was at such a young age when the idea of Calithea first came to me. I remember just telling my parents “This is what I want to do!” and the thought of failing never crossed my mind.  Had I known how much of an anomaly it was (and still is) for someone like me to start their own business, I may not have had the courage to take that first step. I cannot even begin to list how many times I’ve had to endure the “no really, this is my business, these are my products,” conversations with people who, based solely on my gender and age, assume that I’m simply an intern or sales girls, not the CEO and founder of my own unique beauty brand. But despite these odds I overcame them and a big reason for that was because of my Baba. He saw the potential in me from such a young age and knew what I was capable of and not just because he is my father but because he could sense my abilities as a businessman himself.
On the plane to Greece!
For as long as I’ve remembered my baba has always wanted to give my brothers and me the choice to have options in life and to never have to be forced to get any certain job or degree. He never wanted us to ever have to settle in life. My Papou (grandfather), Uncle Elias, and my Baba were all Entrepreneurs. My father has created many successful businesses and ran major projects and territories for other companies. He is well-versed in the business world. So with his well-developed knowledge of business, he has given me the knowledge for the greatest opportunity of all to own my own business and create a life for myself. After some time he saw my passion for Calithea and wanted to help me in making it as successful as possible, so he made the sacrifice of leaving his job that he was familiar with and very well established in to join me. He wanted to help me create something bigger than ourselves for the benefit of others to make a real impact in this world. I’m so blessed to have him as my business partner, career mentor, and father. I am always thankful to God for this. I hope and pray to make my Baba proud one day by carrying Calithea out to its fullest potential and following in my Papou, Uncle, and Baba’s footsteps, and becoming the first woman entrepreneur in the family. Father’s Day serves as a reminder to appreciate and honor the fathers who have played pivotal roles in our lives. It is a time to celebrate their love, guidance, and sacrifices. Thank you Baba for all you do and Happy Father’s Day.

~ Elena xoxo

P.S. Here are some links to last-minute Father’s Day Gift Ideas if you need them! https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-last-minute-fathers-day-gift-ideas.html https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/gifts/last-minute-fathers-day/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/2023/06/15/last-minute-fathers-day-gifts/?sh=5dbadbb277e1 https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/fashion/g21349117/last-minute-fathers-day-dad-gifts/ The information in this article is for educational use, and not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should not be used as such.