Conversation with Julia Kril

In this episode, I sat down with Michela Morizzo, CEO and founder of Techne UK and Techne Italia, a leading data science company conducting large-scale opinion polling and helping businesses, policymakers, and organizations better understand voter behavior and future political trends. Michela has spent the past 25 years analyzing key political trends. From predicting Brexit and the rise of the far right to understanding the development of the UK’s increasingly multi-party political environment, Michela explains what is driving voter behavior today. What are the key signals policymakers need to identify early? And what can future policymakers learn from the political environment in 2026? Michela believes that voter abstention creates space for the emergence of new political parties. Trust, happiness, and the economy all play a crucial role in how citizens decide to cast their vote. With major elections on the horizon, this conversation is a must-watch for anyone who wants to understand the next political cycle across Europe.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Sary Levy Carciente, an economist of great stature. Currently, Sary is a Research Scientist at the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom at Florida International University, where she leads the annual Index of Bureaucracy — a toolkit for policymakers and governments around the world on what to do, and what not to do, to help small businesses thrive. Small and medium-sized companies form the backbone of the economy. In many countries, small businesses account for more than 90% of companies. And yet, in certain countries, it takes nearly nine months to start a business. In this episode, Sary and I spoke about bureaucracy, how it impacts the economy, and, most importantly, what the cost of bureaucracy is that nobody talks about. And, not least, what is needed to arrive at the golden equilibrium. Originally from Venezuela, Sary has been one of Venezuela’s biggest voices for a free-market economy. She was Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences at the Central University of Venezuela (2008–2011) and Director of its Research Institute (2004–2008). Hence, we couldn’t help but discuss what stands on the other side of growth and prosperity, and what motivates dictators to implement the policies they use to destroy economies.

Today I sit down with Andreas Hellmann, director of tax and regulatory policy at the Tholos Foundation. The organisation dates back to 1985 when it was founded by the request of then US President Ronald Raegan and is today one of the leading educational non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing the principles of economic liberty around the globe.In this Conversation, Andreas and I talk extensively about the transatlantic relations, trying to encompass position both from Brussels and Washington DC. From the latest Turnberry agreements, the defense spending disputes, EU’s take on the American Big Tech, and issues present back during the Biden administration all the way to the fundamental differences in the approach to how two great powers see the world.Listen to the episode to unpack together with us the future of the transatlantic relations in the current global setting.

In this Conversation, I sit down with Oleksandr Bondariev, founder and CEO of Pleso Therapy, a mental health platform that connects people with certified therapists based on their specific therapy needs.Oleksandr started Pleso Therapy in the middle of the lockdown after struggling to find the right therapist himself. Over the past five years, the company has evolved from a therapy marketplace into a powerful combination of human therapists and AI Care Companions that help patients access support whenever they need it.We discuss finding the right therapist, knowing when it's time to change therapists, using AI to receive mental health support, building trust, and healing trauma in the context of war, migration, and global uncertainty.Over the past few years, the company has expanded from Ukraine to Poland and Romania, and has now established a presence in the United Kingdom.Listen to the episode to learn more about modern mental health care, and share your feedback with us.

In this episode, I sit down with Francesco Cappelletti, a policy advisor at the European Parliament and a professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, to discuss artificial intelligence, privacy and the challenges of navigating an increasingly digital world.As AI becomes part of our everyday lives, we explore how it is changing the way people work, learn and consume information. We discuss whether AI will replace jobs, why critical thinking remains so important and how technology is reshaping the skills people value most.Together, we also touch on misinformation, disinformation and the growing difficulty of knowing what to trust online. We reflect on how individuals can better understand and navigate the digital environment, from privacy and data protection to the choices we make in exchange for convenience.This conversation explores the relationship between people and technology, and why, as our dependence on digital tools grows, we should not fall in love with them.Subscribe to my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@juliakril✔️ Julia Kril on Instagram 📸: https://www.instagram.com/julia_kril/✔️ Julia Kril on TikTok 🎥 : https://www.tiktok.com/@julia_kril✔️ Julia Kril on Linkedin 💼 : https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-kril-115761123/📲 Conversation with Julia Kril Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/conversationwithjuliakril/📲 Conversation with Julia Kril TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@conversationwithjk/📲 Follow Francesco Cappelletti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesco-cappelletti-53b503115/📲 Follow Francesco Cappelletti on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francescapp/

Today, I sit down with a person I've worked with for almost ten years — Luca Bertoletti, both across various organisations and as business partners at B&K Agency. For a long time, I haven't communicated much here about the work we do at the agency. In this episode, we open up that conversation, diving deeper into the public affairs profession, explaining what it actually looks like in practice and how we work with businesses and policymakers in Brussels. Luca developed an interest in lobbying while at school and decided it would be his profession for life. Public affairs, or lobbying, is a field often viewed from different perspectives and surrounded by misconceptions. In Italy, lobbying is not widely accepted, while it is a full-on operation across the capitals that run the Western world: Brussels, London, and, obviously, Washington D.C. In this episode, we discuss how it works day to day, from representing stakeholders to building relationships with European institutions.Luca has lived in Brussels on and off since 2016 and has seen first-hand how this city has evolved into a centre of European decision-making. Listen to this episode to hear all about public affairs, the Brussels Bubble, and why our work is not frequently talked about, is hard to measure, yet truly represents the foundation of the democratic process.Subscribe to my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@juliakril✔️ Julia Kril on Instagram 📸: https://www.instagram.com/julia_kril/✔️ Julia Kril on TikTok 🎥 : https://www.tiktok.com/@julia_kril✔️ Julia Kril on Linkedin 💼 : https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-kril-115761123/B&K Agency: https://bkagency.co/📲 Follow B&K Agency on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/b-k-agency-llc/📲 Follow B&K Agency on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BK_Agency📲 Follow B&K Agency on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bkagency.co/📲 Follow B&K Agency on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bkagency.co/📲 Follow Luca Bertoletti on X: https://x.com/LucaBertoletti📲 Follow Luca Bertoletti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertolettiluca/

In this episode, I sit down with Sam Wilkin, co-founder and editor of The Sentinel, a Brussels online publication providing insights for Europe's rearmament.Sam and I unpack some of the most pressing security questions facing Europe today. We discuss what holds Europe back from reaching its defence spending targets and why unity on security remains so difficult. Together, we also dive into the military conflicts, from the ongoing war in Ukraine to the recent tensions in Iran, and explore how political priorities and national interests influence decisions in the US and EU. This conversation reflects on modern warfare, the rise of drones and whether Europe can achieve a truly united defence posture.Subscribe to my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@juliakril ✔️ Julia Kril on Instagram 📸: https://www.instagram.com/julia_kril/ ✔️ Julia Kril on TikTok 🎥 : https://www.tiktok.com/@julia_kril ✔️ Julia Kril on Linkedin 💼 : https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-kril-115761123/ The Sentinel: https://www.the-sentinel.media/📲 Follow The Sentinel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesentineleu/ 📲 Follow Sam Wilkin on X: https://x.com/MrSamWilkin 📲 Follow Sam Wilkin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-wilkin-68b4782a/

Today, I sit down with Duygu Dagdemir, gemologist and founder of VONA, to talk all things diamonds and jewellery.In this episode, Duygu shares how she entered the industry, from discovering lab-grown diamonds to deciding to build a business around them. She touches upon the differences between lab-grown and mined stones, why naturality remains a controversial topic, how diamonds are created, and how long it takes to produce a piece of fine jewellery.We discuss engagement rings and how much they "should" cost, the meaning people attach to the size and quality, and how traditions and marketing around jewellery are evolving. The conversation also moves into how the industry is changing globally, from prices to shifting demand.Subscribe to my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@juliakril ✔️ Julia Kril on Instagram 📸: https://www.instagram.com/julia_kril/ ✔️ Julia Kril on TikTok 🎥 : https://www.tiktok.com/@julia_kril ✔️ Julia Kril on Linkedin 💼 : https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-kril-115761123/ VONA Fine Jewelry: https://vonaofficial.com/ 📲 Follow Duygu Dagdemir on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duygudagdemir 📲 Follow Duygu Dagdemir on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@duygudagdemir 📲 Follow Duygu Dagdemir on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duygudagdemir

In this episode, Julia talks with Jorge Jraissati, President at Economic Inclusion Group, a non-profit organisation advising policymakers and businesses on economic and financial policy. Together, they discuss how Jorge was growing up in Venezuela as the country's economic and political situation deteriorated year after year. Jorge recalls a childhood shaped by everyday instability and injustice, where national collapse was not an abstract concept, but something lived by friends, families and entire communities. He explains how these experiences pushed him to question how economic and political systems work, and why change felt not only possible, but necessary. Jorge talks about how he started advocating for a free and democratic Venezuela after moving to the United States to study. There, he graduated in economics and business, later completing a master’s degree in finance. He now runs an organisation that advises policymakers and business leaders on complex economic and financial issues, including de-banking — a regulatory issue affecting access to financial services in the US and Europe. The conversation touches on politics, activism, and the long road toward rebuilding Venezuela, with an honest acknowledgment that restoring democracy takes time, persistence and a collective responsibility. 🧡Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@onhumanjourney On Human Journey Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/onhumanjourney/ On Human Journey TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@onhumanjourney Julia Kril's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia_kril/ Julia Kril's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julia_kril Julia Kril's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-kril/ Follow Jorge Jraissati on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jraissatijorge/ Follow Jorge Jraissati on X: https://x.com/JraissatiJorge/ Follow Jorge Jraissati on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgejraissati/ Economic Inclusion Group: https://econinclusion.com/

In this episode, Julia talks with Olga Shykalo, Ukrainian entrepreneur, founder of Rayana, a brand of bed linen, and Chief Marketing Officer of Duotet, providing accounting and legal services, which she founded seven years ago.Together, they discuss Olga's journey to Poland at the age of 16 without knowledge of Polish language, her early career, and the reasons why she decided to build her business in Ukraine, mentor Ukrainian entrepreneurs, and pay tax in Ukraine.They touch on the social norms deeply ingrained in the Ukrainian culture, where women have been told to be moderate in their expressions of themselves and never stand out. Olga and Julia challenge this norm. Olga believes that brave always have happiness, you need to be brave enough to pursue your dreams and it will always pay off.Olga also shares the lessons she learn from your experience in business, where she believes that you always need to have a plan but be ready for unpredictable, adapt, and keep trying. 🧡Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@onhumanjourneyOn Human Journey Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/onhumanjourney/On Human Journey TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@onhumanjourney Julia Kril's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia_kril/ Julia Kril's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julia_kril Julia Kril's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-kril/ Follow Olga Shykalo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olgashykalo Follow Olga Shykalo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olga-shykalo/