Katya Karlova | Former corporate VP turned Curve Model & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katya Karlova and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katya, how do you think about risk?
This is an important question, I have taken MANY risks in my life and career, and it’s not just because I have a rebellious streak. I’ve always been adventurous, even as a child, but at some point, in my life, I read something about how growth and the lives we are capable of living begin just outside our comfort zone. This isn’t to say just take random risks every day and ignore your responsibilities. To make this work you need to truly know yourself (not an easy or fun process) and what you truly want out of life. If you know that, you can learn to trust your intuition and that will help guide you in figuring out which risks are necessary to move forward, but regardless, some level of risk is always necessary to move forward. The key is knowing yourself well enough to make calculated risks and even then, understanding that you do not control all the variables, so success is not always guaranteed. However, even if you “fail” it doesn’t mean taking the risk was the wrong decision because ultimately, you still learned valuable lessons that will help you succeed next time.
This approach has served me well in my life and I think any success I’ve enjoyed has been the result of this mindset, which I suppose many now call a “growth mindset.” This leads me to another important aspect of risk-taking, cultivating resilience. I recall being at a talent conference once and the keynote speaker was a highly accomplished scientist/scholar with an incredibly impressive educational background and several successful ventures under his belt. He showed the audience his resume which noted all of that and then he showed us a second resume, it was a resume of all his failures. Every program that turned him down, every grant he failed to get, jobs that didn’t hire him, universities that rejected him, etc. The resume was failures was much longer than the first. Despite his many “failures,” he kept going, kept learning, and cultivated resilience. As simple as it seems, not giving up is often the main thing needed to succeed.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Wow, well I’ve had quite a journey, with many interesting chapters to finally get to where I am! From being born in the Republic of Moldova (a country, in my experience, most people haven’t heard of) to where I am today, a corporate VP turned curve model & content creator, it’s been a wild ride! In fact, it’s probably the experiences on that journey that led to the thought process behind starting my own business. It took me a long time to figure out what I truly wanted in life, how I defined success, and what would bring me happiness. Once I did, the decision to do what I’m doing now was the only way forward.

Before embarking on my current path, I had done all the things I was “supposed” to do in my life and even went above and beyond but it didn’t bring me joy, enough financial security, or the freedom I needed. Beyond that, I wasn’t in a mentally healthy headspace. For example, before becoming a full-time content creator, I went to UCLA, graduated a year early, then went to University College London for my Masters’ degree, and graduated a year early again. Began my career in London in talent and recruitment and built my career as an expert in the talent & leadership space becoming a VP of talent at 35 working for a billion-dollar company. I even won several awards and delivered keynote addresses related to my professional contributions. I should have felt happy and content with these “accomplishments” but truthfully, I didn’t. I know that might sound hard to believe but, in all honesty, I felt burnt out, overwhelmed, and exhausted with the “hustle culture” that was my life for so long. I also felt like I was always ignoring my mental health, particularly my body image issues, as if achieving enough would make them go away. COVID lockdown was the first time I felt I had a chance to breathe, reflect, and ultimately decide what I needed to do to confront and overcome my body dysmorphia. I realize boudoir photography seems an unconventional approach to addressing mental health issues, but the truth is that feeling good/confident/sexy, whatever word you want to use, in our bodies is much more important than we realize and impacts how we show up in all areas of our life. I initially started modeling and creating content while also working full-time at my corporate job but after I was diagnosed with endometriosis and went through four surgeries last year, I had to make a difficult decision because work/life balance was no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have if I was going to get better. Although running your own business is incredibly difficult, I knew that picking what was bringing me joy would be the right decision in the long term. So I decided to become a full-time model & content creator to share my story with others & advocate for self-love, body confidence, and fuller-bust curvy figures in a culture perpetually obsessed with being thin. Doing that would also allow me the freedom to define my schedule and find a truly healthy work/life balance outside the corporate grind.

What’s perhaps most interesting though is that I wasn’t trying to start a business! The idea for what has now become my business evolved entirely organically and out of a very vulnerable place. This all began as an attempt to conquer and overcome the way I felt about my body. Sadly, I had struggled with body image issues my entire life, and during COVID, when I had time to focus on my mental health, I realized it was at the root of the anxiety and depression I often struggled with. Taking boudoir photos was a way for me to push wayyyy outside my comfort zone and confront my body dysmorphia. Once I did that and saw how much it helped me, I wanted to share that and my story with others, perhaps somehow giving them an example and permission to focus on themselves and prioritize self-love, realizing that self-love isn’t selfish because when you’re at your best, you can be your best self for those around you. Embracing our bodies, sensuality, and sexuality is part of that but it remains a big cultural taboo, which again, is interesting because is not so much of a taboo in other countries. On top of all that, although a lot of progress has been made on the body positivity front for women, there’s still a long way to go, especially for fuller-bust women. Few brands cater to fuller bust figures and yet, a lot of women with fuller busts exist and shop for lingerie and clothes. My brand and business is all about challenging many of these societal norms and stereotypes and advocating for much-needed change.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oooh this is easy but my answer might be a little unusual! I’ve always felt inspired by the beauty of nature and few places in the world are surrounded by as much natural beauty as Southern California. Whatever free time I had, I always wanted to spend it exploring all the beautiful nature around me, the beaches of Malibu, the trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, and the desert in Joshua Tree so close nearby. When I started creating content, that’s exactly where I wanted to do my photoshoots. Whenever anyone comes to visit, I always make a point to take them to see some of the beautiful nature spots nearby that are entirely unique to LA.

In addition to loving nature, I’m also a huge foodie and even have an LA restaurant bucket list with notes on all my favorites!! Whenever I have friends in town there are some absolute must-see places I always take them and it’s usually a mix of nature + delicious food. I usually spend most of my time in West LA-Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Topanga Canyon, and Malibu are my usual hangouts, but there are a few places outside that bubble I absolutely love! Here is my list of recommendations for any trip to LA:
– Drive through Topanga Canyon to look at crystals and the waterfall at Jalan Jalan Imports and make sure to:
o Try the gluten-free TLC waffles at Topanga Living Café, they’re incredible!
o Plan your day so you can have the absolute BEST tacos in the world at pop-up La Chingona Tacos- I always order the shrimp tacos and everything is gluten-free and delicious! If you follow their IG you’ll always know where they’ll be popping up next.
o Make a reservation at Inn of the Seventh Ray to experience romantic, rustic elegance at it’s finest and arrive early to browse the on-site spiritual bookstore and gift shop (perhaps buy more crystals!). Any of the seats are amazing but try to sit in or with a view of the creek bed and make sure to order the inn-made gluten-free bread and my personal favorite, the seared scallops entrée! Everything is seasonal and locally-sourced, something I swear you can taste in the food.
– Take the scenic drive along the PCH to Malibu, turn right on Corral Canyon and follow it to the Backbone Trail and prepare for an epic hike! If you turn right, the steep hike will be totally worth it because at the end there is a giant stone circle/spiral!
o If you hike early, you can head to Malibu Farm Café afterward and order the “i heart you gluten-free waffle” which I absolutely love!
o Afterward, head over to Point Dume beach- it’s a little tucked away so not usually super busy and I’ve seen dolphins and sea otters in the water here and it’s magical!
– While every tourist wants to see Beverly Hills and I have a few favorite places there myself (Avra in particular), I’m a big fan of the more laid-back, bougie casual vibes of Brentwood & Santa Monica,
o Plan an entire day of lazy shop browsing and shopping on Montana Avenue, and treat yourself to some vintage jewelry at L’Oliphant or some ultra-chic vacation wear from an international designer at Last Resort LA.
o Plan an entire weekend afternoon at my favorite Brentwood Country Mart! The Farm Shop’s seasonal gluten-free muffins and salted chocolate chip cookies are worth the calories! The restaurant at the Farm Shop is back open and equally amazing, the locally sourced, seasonal menu changes but the crispy artichokes are my absolute favorite! When you’re done, browse the shops, with some of my favorites- a Christian Louboutin boutique, Doen, James Perse, Jenni Kayne (the candles are my favorite!), and even a Goop to check out the latest health & wellness trends. If you have time, grab dinner to go at Frida Taqueria which serves the best totally unique and creamy green sauce/salsa! If you’re not in the mood for Mexican, just up the street is A Votre Sante, another one of my favorite LA restaurants, their organic vegan nachos are addictive, and the sesame-crusted salmon is incredible!!
o When it comes to Italian- Forma on Montana Ave and Palmeri in Brentwood are incredible! Forma is a cheese-lovers paradise and even has gluten-free options! Palmeri is a neighborhood hidden-gem in my opinion, the food is authentic and incredible and yet, it’s never too crowded! Their creamy goat’s cheese appetizer alone is worth the trip.
– Depending on how much time you have in town, try to catch a burlesque show at El Cid on Sunset Blvd! This place is OG Los Angeles, founded in the 60s and the authentic Spanish tapas are absolutely delicious!! Also, their patatas bravas are my favorite of any Spanish restaurant I’ve been to.
– And lastly, since I’ve spent a lot of time in DTLA at different studios, there is a hidden gem near the jewelry district that really shouldn’t remain so hidden. Mima’s Mediterranean is a casual Middle Eastern restaurant that is so authentic you’ll literally feel transported and with Mima herself usually behind the counter welcoming you in and offering samples of the day’s specials, you’ll want to hang out for hours drinking Armenian coffee.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I hardly know where to begin on this! My close friends and family who have endlessly encouraged, loved and supported me are those I am truly most thankful for. If it wasn’t for their unconditional love, I would never have even started the journey to overcoming my body image issues that led me to where I am today. However, they’re very private and told me they already feel very appreciated, so I’d like to give a different shoutout.

I’ve been very vocal about sharing my endometriosis journey publicly because I hope that perhaps it might help even one person not feel so lost or alone. However, I wouldn’t be able to do that if I didn’t have the team and support system, I did that helped me get better. Unfortunately, it took over 10 years of crippling pain, mystery symptoms, and countless hospital and doctors’ visits before I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis, It then took another year of bouncing around the healthcare system before I finally found the team of medical professionals with the expertise to help me get healthy again. It should never have taken that long and yet, my story isn’t unique, even though 1/10 women have endometriosis, little is known about it in the medical community. It usually takes over a decade to get a diagnosis and begin treatment.

However, I don’t want to focus on the negative, instead, I want to shout out all the amazing, innovative doctors doing incredible work to not only raise awareness but also find creative, out-of-the-box solutions to help people like me manage their symptoms given there is currently no cure. I want to shout out all those currently training to be doctors who have changed their specialty to focus on endo because they know they can make a difference. I want to shout out all those who have created social media groups on IG, Facebook, Reddit, etc. that create a sense of community where we can share, learn from, and lean on each other. I want to shout out the creators of the documentary Below the Belt, a powerful documentary film that truly will save lives. I want to shout out organizations like the Endometriosis Foundation of America for all you do to increase awareness, provide advocacy, facilitate the correct surgical training, and fund much-needed endo research. I want to shout out every single person who is raising awareness or working toward treatments and a cure. Whether you are a doctor, nurse, physical therapist, researcher, mental health professional, student, public figure, fundraiser, donor, family member, or friend of someone with endo or an endo warrior yourself, you deserve recognition because you are truly making a difference. A heartfelt thank you to you all.

Website: https://www.katyabkarlova.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katya.b.karlova/

Twitter: https://x.com/katya_b_karlova

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katya.b.karlova

Image Credits
Image credit
Ava Austin- @ava.nc for all photos except:
– orange top and jeans- @viggo_obscura
– red top and skirt and hat- @viggo_obscura
– black dress on a swing and hat- @viggo_obscura