04// Kris Betta
[law, art & business (beauty)]
How many times can you restart your career in a new field? For Kris, the answer is simple — as many as you want! After completing a law degree and working in the corporate world, she decided to pursue an arts degree in London, and recently founded her own beauty line, BETTA BEAUTY. You might recognise Kris from her art pieces featured in SONDER, our recent art exhibition in Athens.
Speaking to LAB, she discusses the different sides of her career, talks about the power of reinventing yourself, and invites everyone to listen to their heart and not be afraid to build their own path.
A lot of people worry that chasing multiple passions means they won’t succeed in any of them. What would you say to someone at that crossroads, unsure whether to follow their instincts or play it safe?
Honestly, if you’re at that crossroads it’s a sign. It’s that whisper from your gut telling you there’s something more waiting. The safe route is…well, safe. There’s beauty in trusting yourself.
Has your definition of success changed as you’ve moved through different phases of your career? And do you feel like you’ve reached it yet?
Oh, 100%. Success has definitely shifted for me. When I was younger, it was all about the obvious things—getting the job, hitting milestones that everyone else could see. But as I've gotten older, it's become way more about doing things I actually love, things that make me excited to get out of bed in the morning. Like with “Betta Beauty”—it's about creating something that's personal, something that feels like an extension of me and my interests. It’s more about doing work that feels real.
Have I reached it? I don't think so, I don’t think anyone ever really “reaches” it, right? Success is more of a moving target. I think if you’re always growing and pushing yourself, you're doing it right. But I’ll say this—I'm definitely proud of where I am and the things I’ve made, so I’m pretty happy with where I’m at.
You’ve moved between law, art, and beauty – three different fields. Do you see them as connected, or does each one bring out a compelling different side of you?
I’ve always believed that there’s no such thing as a straight path, especially when it comes to creativity. Each of these fields brought out different sides of me, but they all connect in ways I didn’t expect. Law taught me discipline, structure (plus the knowledge to do my own legal documents) and a little bit of a rebellious streak when I had to be more opinionated. Art opened up this whole new world of expression, where emotions can be translated into something that makes people feel. Beauty, to me, is the perfect intersection of those two – it’s creative, but also personal, something that has to do with how we feel about ourselves. So, yeah, they’re connected in the sense that they all allow me to explore different facets of myself. It's kind of like being able to dip into different colours on a palette – they might be different, but they all create something beautiful in the end.
There’s still a lot of pressure to follow a straight, predictable career path. Have you ever struggled with that expectation, and what helped you carve your own way?
Oh, yes 100%. I think anyone who’s carved their own path feels that pressure. It’s like everyone’s telling you to fit into this neat box, but I’ve never been about neat boxes. I’ve always felt like I was meant for something a little more unconventional. The struggle for me wasn’t just about the career path-it was about not letting anyone else’s expectations drown out my own instincts.What really helped me was just trusting that gut feeling – trusting that even the oddest twists were actually taking me where I needed to go. The truth is, we’re all just figuring it out as we go along
So my advice? Don’t worry about following someone else’s straight line. Find your own, make it a little messy, and see where it takes you.
If success was guaranteed, what’s one bold, unconventional move you’d make next—whether in your career or personal life?
Hmmm.. if success was guaranteed, I’d probably dive into creating an immersive art + beauty experience. Probably a pop-up gallery that isn’t just about showcasing art, but also about feeling it through beauty. Like a space where every wall, every scent, every color is inspired by a different piece of art, and you can interact with it, wear it, smell it. I’m all about breaking down barriers, so why not break the boundaries between beauty, art, and experience? It might seem a bit wild, but that’s what I’d do. It’s all about creating something that makes people feel alive – in a way that’s totally new.
We all have moments of self-doubt or exhaustion. What keeps you grounded when that happens? Do you have any personal rituals or philosophies that help you push forward?
Oh, totally. Self-doubt creeps in all the time. But honestly, I’ve learned to lean into it rather than fight it. When I’m feeling off or overwhelmed, I slow down. A morning walk, a good Spotify playlist or even just breath work. Something simple—just to get my thoughts in order. Also painting or generally starting an activity reconnects me with the creativity that keeps me going. And a little journaling helps too—writing things down brings clarity. I recently started journaling. Someone said to me that it takes 21 days to start a new habit so that’s where I’m at, at the moment. Trying to adopt habits - rituals and making them part of my daily routine in order to help me rewind. There’s something about putting your thoughts on paper that makes the chaos feel a little more manageable.
“Each field has its own idea of what success looks like. But for me, I try to approach it all with the same mindset: it’s about authenticity. ”
Setbacks are part of any journey, but they can be tough. What’s been one of your biggest lessons in dealing with them, and how do you stay confident in your vision?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that setbacks don’t define you – they’re just part of the project. The real lesson is in how you respond to them. I’ve learned that it’s all about perspective. Every setback is an opportunity to learn and to come back stronger.
To stay confident in my vision, I think it’s about remembering why I started in the first place. I think about the bigger picture and what I want to create, and that always pulls me back when I’m feeling uncertain. It helps to keep my focus on the long-term goal, rather than getting lost in the momentary frustration. And, honestly, surrounding myself with people who believe in the vision too – whether they’re friends, family or collaborators – helps remind me that I’m not in it alone.
“[Re]invention is this beautiful mix of conscious decision-making and the unfolding process of growth. You have to be open to both. Life just takes you on a journey and the reinvention happens without you even noticing.”
If you could leave a lasting impact—not just in law, art, or beauty, but in a bigger way—what would you want it to be, and why?
If I could leave a lasting impact, it would definitely be about redefining what success and fulfilment really mean. I’ve walked the path of finding myself, accepting myself and eventually loving myself. I’d love to create a space, where people aren’t just chasing after this elusive idea of "perfection" but are instead encouraged to embrace themselves – in all its beautiful, imperfect glory. I’d want people to feel empowered, to trust their instincts, to be unapologetic about carving their own path, even if it’s not the one everyone expects.
I think what’s more important is showing people that they don’t need to fit into anyone else’s mold to succeed. I guess if I could leave anything behind, it’d be a sense of liberation.
Your career is a story of reinvention and expansion. Do you think reinvention is something we actively choose, or does it happen naturally as we grow?
I think a bit of both, really. it’s something we actively choose – we’re constantly evolving, and sometimes we reach a point where we feel the need to explore something new, to reinvent ourselves in a way that feels true to where we are in that moment. I think that’s the exciting part: deciding, “Okay, this is no longer serving me, so I’m going to try something else.”
But then, there’s also the natural side of reinvention that happens as we grow. As we experience life, things shift without us necessarily planning it – it’s like we discover new sides of ourselves. That’s the beauty of it.
So, I’d say reinvention is this beautiful mix of conscious decision-making and the unfolding process of growth. You have to be open to both. Life just takes you on a journey and the reinvention happens without you even noticing.
Success is measured so differently in each of the fields you’ve worked in—law values prestige, art thrives on emotional impact, and business is about growth. How do you balance these different ideas of achievement without letting one overshadow the others?
Yeah, it’s tricky, isn’t it? Each field has its own idea of what success looks like. But for me, I try to approach it all with the same mindset: it’s about authenticity. In law, it’s about knowing your worth and staying true to your values. In art, it’s about emotional honesty—creating something that speaks to people. And in business, sure, growth is important, but I’ve learned it’s about growing with purpose, not just for the sake of numbers. I think what keeps me grounded is that I’m always aligning what I do with who I am. One good piece of advice my best friend recently gave me and is now my mantra is that you gotta be unhinged in everything you do. As long as each piece feels true to me, I can balance the different worlds. I don’t let one overshadow the other because, in the end, they all inform each other and make me better at what I do.
shot by Vas Thalis