Meet Asi Efros

We were lucky to catch up with Asi Efros recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Asi, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

From Silence to Stardom: My Journey to Confidence

From as far back as I can remember, I wanted to be 50 years old. In my young mind, women in their 50s were at the peak of their powers—confident, accomplished, and respected.

Growing up in communist Russia, I was the youngest child in a large family filled with adults—uncles and grown-up cousins. Those family gatherings? They were a minefield of intellectual debates on politics, religion, and science. I spent most of my time hiding under the table, terrified of saying something foolish and being ridiculed. My child’s mind rationalized, “If I don’t say anything, I will look smarter.”

When my parents divorced, I was six. My grandmother took over the reins of my upbringing. I vividly remember one morning, clutching a stack of books, ready to play “School” at a friend’s house. It was my turn to teach. My grandmother, attempting to keep me close, asked, “Where are you going, and who is going to listen to you?” This seemingly trivial question haunted me for decades.

In my teen years, I overcompensated by becoming an A student and a perfectionist. I married at 18 and had a son at 20. Four years later, I convinced my family to emigrate to the United States. We settled in New York, where I embarked on a 30-year career in fashion.

Since English was my second language, writing and speaking, especially in public, triggered paralyzing fear and panic attacks. “Who is going to listen to you?” echoed in my ears. Not mastering these skills began to stifle my professional and personal growth. It was time to confront my biggest fears.

To me, confidence is the courage to do what scares you most, to fail, and to find the strength to try again until you succeed. Fear is real, but the only way to conquer it is to face it head-on. Confidence and high self-esteem—recognizing your strengths and worth—are on the other side of this battlefield. There will be times when you feel defeated, fall, and drop your sword. This is not shameful. The real shame is not trying at all.

I left the fashion industry at the peak of my career and set out to become a writer and public speaker. I taught myself to write and speak by taking on any project that brought me closer to my goal. I wrote multiple articles for trade publications and volunteered to present as a fashion industry professional whenever I could. In 2020, I launched a podcast, “Intimate Talks Interview Series,” where I interviewed industry experts. I hosted numerous webinars for a global audience and participated in panel discussions in New York and Paris.

With time, confidence grows, and nothing seems out of reach. “What is your next greatest fear?” you ask yourself, steering your ship toward it, sails billowing and guns blazing. I conquered my fear of heights by climbing mountains in Norway and hang-gliding over California hills with my son. My fear of water subsided after learning to surf at Huntington Beach. As time went on, I kept challenging myself with more and more outrageous projects.

In the last decade, being creative allowed me to develop a keen sense of urgent topics that needed addressing in the media. One powerful form of expression I discovered was photoshoots—a visual language from my fashion past that speaks louder than words.

In my late 50s, I noticed the glaring absence of women my age in advertisements. Where were the real women with curves and character? This realization inspired the Move, Love, Live photoshoot, where I modeled lingerie and athleisure pieces from my favorite intimate apparel brands, despite my body-image concerns. The 10-page spread was featured in the December 2023 issue of UNDERLINES MAGAZINE, a UK intimate apparel trade publication. Images from that photoshoot accompany this article.

For more than 50 years, the question, “Who is going to listen to you?” loomed large. Today, I have my answer: EVERYONE.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m Asi Efros, a multimedia journalist, speaker, educator, and mentor for creatives.

Having worked in the fashion corporate world as a Creative Director for three decades, I currently enjoy my entrepreneurial freedom in uniting people for intercultural projects, highlighting the work of designers and artists, and supporting eco-consciousness and innovation. My collaborations with creative minds worldwide grant me a birds-eye view of cultural, social, and political landscapes, encouraging a unique perspective.

In 2020, my passion for bio-economy and sustainability inspired me to launch the Intimate Talks column in Lingerie Briefs magazine. In this column, I highlight creativity and craftsmanship, covering the latest innovations in science, technology, and textiles.

Among other projects, in the last 4 years, I excelled in the role of Guest Editor-in-Chief at Revealed by Curve magazine, hosted the Lingerie Briefs Salon at Curve NY, and conducted multiple webinars on the Curve Connect platform. I also launched a YouTube channel called “Intimate Talks Interview Series,” where I interview fashion industry experts.

In 2020, I co-created a support group called Athenas to assist business owners in the intimate apparel field on their entrepreneurial journey.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Curiosity:
Curiosity has been my guiding light, igniting my creativity and opening doors to unexpected opportunities. For those starting out, embrace a relentless curiosity. Seek diverse experiences, ask questions, and learn from every encounter. Curiosity enriches understanding and fuels innovation, essential for navigating a dynamic career landscape.

Patience:
Progress takes time, setbacks are part of growth. To those beginning their journey, cultivate patience. Stay committed, trust in your abilities, and allow space for development. Patience fosters inner strength and empowers you to overcome challenges with grace.

Believing in the Present Moment:
Welcome each moment with gratitude and acceptance. Believing in the present moment’s perfection has guided me through uncertainty and transformation. Trust in your journey. Every step, whether smooth or challenging, contributes to your growth.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

“The Everyday Hero Manifesto” by Robin Sharma has been my trusted source of wisdom and inner solace since I first read it. Whenever I seek a confidence boost or a dose of profound insight, I pick it up from the shelf, instinctively flipping to page 239. There, in the chapter titled “The 8 Forms of Wealth,” Sharma shares his philosophy on living a life of productivity, enrichment, and fulfillment. Self-mastery, Health, Family and Friends, Craft and Career, Money and Net Worth, Mentors, Travel and Adventure, and Contribution to Society, are all vital facets of being a human and living an exciting life.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Michael Goldman Photography

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