She entered the world of fashion and the beauty industry as a model, then she got interested in the other side of the camera and producer tasks. An accident gave a new direction to her mindset and work: she developed a coaching and style design method focusing on honesty, the practice of silence and understanding ourselves. Interview with Mónika Ajkai, the founder of MONOLÔG.
You have been working in the fashion and beauty industry for years now—tell us a bit about the beginning! What led you to this direction and what types of jobs did you have?
I started modeling at the age of seventeen, this is how I could go abroad alone for the first time. I worked in Seoul, Shanghai and Istanbul, I didn’t have a huge career, yet this period laid down the foundations for my interest in aesthetics. Since then, the question of beauty only interests me on a philosophical level and to see how we could make it a part of our everyday lives on both an individual and collective level. After modeling I was an international model agent and then a beauty editor. I still do fashion work, but only on a project-basis (such as creative producer tasks and hobby videography). Currently I do coaching and style design in MONOLÔG: in the former, the emphasis is on the soul, while in the latter we focus on an authentic self-image through the means of fashion and beauty. In addition, I’m part of Spark Le Monde store’s creative team and teach style design at the make up department of KREA from the second semester.
When and why did you decide to launch MONOLÔG?
Helping others has always played a central role in my life: I was already sensitive to those surrounding me as a child. I truly turned towards my own soul due to an accident, which made me reevaluate my entire life. I was hit by a taxi, and as a result I broke my tailbone. Until the next morning it wasn’t sure I could ever stand up, but luckily I got away with the break, a concussion and a few bruises. The doctor said I was protected by my guarding angel and I absolutely agree.
I have always been more instinctive and intuitive rather than deliberate and consciously analyzing. MONOLÔG started out as a lockdown-idea back in April 2020, but I have already got my coach qualification in 2018. It wasn’t a conscious decision at the time, the goal was rather to improve myself. By the end of the course, I knew I wanted to work with artists and creatives but it took another two years until everything fell into place. The focus on self-expression was a next step. I created the 8 STEP technique, with the help of which we work through various topics within the framework of a fully customizable system.
Typically what kind of people reach out to you and with what kind of problems?
It varies greatly. There were some who had a professional block, some who weren’t satisfied with themselves. There were others who changed their careers during the program, and yet others turned back from having plastic surgery. There were some who managed to get rid of society’s pressures and the urge to conform, and there were others whose physical symptoms started to get better once they got a little more in line with their soul. It is one of the greatest things and a true honor that I can accompany such fantastic people on the road of finding their true selves.
What they all share is being stuck. They feel stuck for some reason, which one cannot necessarily overcome alone, without a fresh perspective. The best one can do is try not to solve everything on their own. It’s not embarrassing to ask for help, quite on the contrary! Embracing our vulnerability is what makes us truly powerful. I believe in solution-oriented thinking, and I try to guide the creatives and artists who reach out to me into the very same direction. To realize and accept the problem and explore how it can be resolved. Perfection is never the goal, rather to live a real life and appreciate small joys.
What is the essence of the MONOLÔG METHOD? What do those reaching out to you get so that they can get acquainted with your method?
It is a lifelike way of thinking that can be incorporated into our everyday life. I’m not saying that everything will be perfect after the method, life is not like that. I give my clients tools and solutions to help them function well both in the highs and the lows. Writing and honesty are among the most important pillars of the program, together wit practicing silence. In our modern world, not many people can relate to this, but after a few sessions they demand their daily time of silence. Hungarian is a fantastic and expressive language. We also analyze its use, because our ways of using the language show hidden patterns which often surprises the participants themselves. We also go through the simplest basic concepts, we talk about the topics of safety, trust, creativity, communication, assertiveness, faith and letting go, among others.
“We tailor your offline and online image to your personality”—says your site regarding the style consultation service. How does this process go exactly?
The service is fundamentally based on coaching, as everything starts with self-improvement. Then I fully tailor the style design to the given person, we decide what the client needs and then set up a schedule and a goal. From styling to individual image creation through social media identity to implementation, it can encompass a lot of things. To me, it’s important that I help my clients set out in a direction on the different platforms in which they can stay authentic both as private individuals or as self-brands: they can create value and tell their own stories. I strive to bring this out of my clients by first digging deep under the surface and then consciously preparing content.
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