Those Life Has Brought Into My Path: Vivien Varga / Franchise Founder, Managing Director

This post is part of a blog series that continues to unfold the story behind the creation of the book Dreamers and Seekers. In this series, I introduce the people life has brought into my path those whose stories, ways of thinking, or quiet presence have shaped my journey and, ultimately, the book itself.

Each piece is a reflective imprint of an interview. Not a word-for-word retelling, but a personal distillation of the values, experiences, and inner realizations that emerged from each story. Together, these writings reveal something essential: that dreams are rarely born in isolation, and that seeking one’s path is often a shared, communal experience.

The book has not yet been published in English, but it is on its way.

Vivien’s story feels especially powerful to me because the water — which from the outside may appear to be ‘just’ water — is, in her case, truly a space. A place of connection. Belonging. Growth. Vocation. And community. Vivien doesn’t speak only about herself, but about how it is possible to lift others as well — children, parents, families. About how a deeply personal dream can grow into a community.

“Imagine a swimming pool. What appears before your eyes? What kind of pool is it? Large, blue, most often rectangular, filled with water. We rarely see more in it than that. But in my pool — my very first pool — there is so much more than this. In my pool, there are emotions.” — excerpt from Vivien’s book

How did I meet her? Why Vivien?

At the beginning of 2020, I reached a turning point. I travelled as a volunteer to an estate in England, because somewhere between the tragedy of 2019, the noise of the big city — Budapest — and the growing uncertainty around my own future, I felt increasingly suffocated. The silence of the estate, the closeness of nature, and the diversity of the environment helped me pause and ask myself the questions again: who am I, and what truly matters in my life?

During that time, my days were shaped by long walks in the forest, the company of dogs, books, and a great deal of inward attention. I slowed down. I observed. And for the first time, I wasn’t looking for answers outside of myself, but within. One book, in particular, had a profound impact on me: How to Start on Your Own Path by Vivien, which I discovered through the Voiz Hungarian audiobook library. Building a franchise was never my goal, yet the content drew me in completely. Her thoughts, tone, and honesty spoke to me on a deep level.

When the idea — the “dream” — of the Dreamers & Seekers book later began to take shape, it felt entirely natural to reach out to her and ask whether she would like to take part in this creative project. This is how I came to know her: a kind, open, inspiring woman whose story and values have been an important point of reference for me ever since.

“Fear is our greatest enemy — I’ve experienced this many times. It entangles us and paralyzes us. And you simply cannot build a business from fear. Will I fail? Will I be good enough? Will there be someone better than me? Will I be copied? These questions are always there, lingering in an entrepreneur’s mind, but they are not guides — and you must not let them take over. At first, they may cause constant worry, but over time, these concerns will grow smaller.” — Fear as a Stopping Point, excerpt from Vivien’s book

Vivien’s recommendations / inspirations

(Source: the book Álmodók és Útkeresők)

Book: Start with Why by Simon Sinek Clarifying your “why”: why you do what you do, and what your purpose is in the world.

Song: Try Everything by Shakira: A reminder of resilience: trying again and again — even when we make mistakes.

Practices that help on more difficult days: Mindfulness (conscious presence) Visualization (imagining the achievement of a goal)

Leadership advice she passes on: Dare to delegate. Don’t try to solve everything alone. Asking for help is not weakness — it is strength.

Treasures of Experience – Varga Vivien

(This summary reflects the interview featured in the book Dreamers & Seekers)

In the first part of the series, we begin with the story and reflections of Varga Vivien. Her interview is especially important to me because it so clearly shows how an inner realization can become a vocation, how sensitivity can turn into strength, and how a personal path can grow into a mission that shapes entire communities.

Vivien’s childhood experiences revealed to her early on that water is not merely a medium, but a form of connection — a space for shared presence, attention, and self-development. These experiences didn’t remain just memories; they deeply influenced how she relates to life, work, and people today. Patience, perseverance, and the search for inner balance accompany her journey throughout.

She inherited the foundations of her entrepreneurial mindset from her father. As a child, she watched him build a business grounded in empathy, expertise, and a deeply human approach. This model became embedded in her thinking: in business and in life, people are not tools, but values. This is one of the strongest messages of Vivien’s story.

At the age of twenty-three, she arrived at a realization that permanently set her on her path. During a baby swimming course, she experienced for the first time a state in which everything else fell away, leaving only what truly mattered. Working with children brought her not only joy, but a deep inner certainty — the sense that on this path, she could have a real impact on other people’s lives.

As she immersed herself more deeply in this world, it became clear to her that it wasn’t enough to simply do her work well; she needed to understand the underlying processes too. This led her toward special education and later to building a franchise system. The journey was not without obstacles, yet it was consistently marked by gradual progress, learning, and adaptation.

For Vivien, success was never an end in itself. Her greatest motivation has always been the opportunity to contribute to children’s development and, indirectly, to have a positive impact on families’ lives. Stilianos is not merely a business for her, but a community, a responsibility, and a calling.

The interview clearly shows that Vivien’s path is not a solitary mission. Coaches, mentors, colleagues, and family members accompanied her along the way — while she herself learned that delegation, asking for help, and trust are not weaknesses, but foundations of sustainable growth. She does not treat mistakes as endpoints, but as learning opportunities, and she sees fear as a state one must pass through — not one to remain in.

Varga Vivien’s story is about taking an inner calling seriously, about building strength from sensitivity, and about how a deeply personal dream can grow into a life path that creates real value for many.

If these values and this message resonate with you — if someone comes to mind who might need a story like this right now, a sentence, a point of support — please share it with them. It may arrive at exactly the right moment.

In the book Dreamers & Seekers, you’ll encounter the stories of 22 more women, each walking her own path, in different forms, yet guided by similar inner questions as they build their lives.