French District Interviews
Sylvie Beljanski
The story of a French woman entrepreneur that made it in New York City. A lot have tried, a few have succeeded. French District presents the journey of Sylvie Beljanski who chose the Big Apple to create an international business.
Read her interview below.
French District: Can you give us an overview of your career?
Sylvie Beljanski: I was admitted to the Paris Bar in 1995 and moved to New York to join a law firm. I decided to stay in New York to create my own company and continue the research work of my father, Dr. Mirko Beljanski.
French District: Why this passion for your career?
Sylvie Beljanski: Intellectually and humanly, I have the unique opportunity to make a difference in people's lives with a natural health and non-toxic approach.
French District: What were your reasons for staying in the US and not moving back to France?
Sylvie Beljanski: I am American by birth and America was a natural part of my background, even though I grew up in France. I was seduced by the welcome I found here for my project.
French District: How is the practice of your profession in the United States different from that in France?
Sylvie Beljanski: I found in the United States a freedom of creation that would not have been possible in France, where, unfortunately, decisions are sometimes made more for political reasons than scientific reasons.
French District: How difficult is it to break into your sector in the United States?
Sylvie Beljanski: Starting a business is always difficult and requires a complete and sustained commitment over time. America is a huge market where there is a lot of competition. But there are also great opportunities thanks to the people I met who trusted and believed in me.
French District: As of today, what has been your best encounter in the United States?
Sylvie Beljanski: In the 1990s, I was lucky enough to meet a doctor who immediately recognized the importance of my father's work and invited me to give a lecture. This first conference changed my future, as now I travel around the world giving presentations on behalf of The Beljanski Foundation.
French District: Among your different experiences as an expatriate, which one has taught you the most and why?
Sylvie Beljanski: I am fortunate to be able to define research programs in partnership with major American universities, and happy to share these publications confirming my father's research. This reinforced my belief that anything is possible when intellectual freedom is respected.
French District: What do you like most about the United States? What do you like least?
Sylvie Beljanski: The United States has offered me opportunities that I would never have had in Europe. I don't think I would be running Maison Beljanski today if I had stayed in France.
I do like coming back to France for the quality of life, and the authenticity of the friendships I have maintained there, but I like coming back to New York for my team and my work.
French District: Did you adapt easily to the United States? (Social relationships, new lifestyle...)?
Sylvie Beljanski: Absolutely. I found America very open and welcoming. I loved the dynamism of New York from the start.
French District: Tell us about your typical day in a few lines.
Sylvie Beljanski: Always a lot of work. I am very attentive to my team.
I also regularly give conferences in French and English on various health topics because I am also very involved in The Beljanski Foundation.
French District: What advice would you give to future French speakers who are embarking on an adventure in the United States?
Sylvie Beljanski: To be ready to come to the United States and to invest oneself totally. Take English lessons if necessary. Join the French-American Chamber of Commerce to connect with other people and see what they have done.
French District: What are your upcoming projects and what can we wish you?
Sylvie Beljanski: I continue to complete the range of natural products and remain very attentive to their quality and effectiveness. I am also working on the promotion of my book "Winning The War On Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure", translated into French under the title "Gagner la lutte contre le cancer, la Découverte dont la République n'a pas voulu".
Wish me a long life of making a difference in the lives of the many people who contact us.
