GET TO KNOW EMILY KARPIN

Get to know one of our PR Senior Account Managers

Where do you call home?

Hampton Bays, New York is where I grew up and will always be my home as well as Manhattan where I lived for 15 years before moving to Dubai last year. You can take me out of New York, but you can’t take the New Yorker out of me.

Are you an early bird or night owl?

Depends. When I’m travelling, I love to wake up for the sunrise with a warm cup of coffee and take advantage of the day. But when I’m at home I tend to be more of a night owl.

Go-to lunch order?

Anything I can’t make at home or think I can actually make better. So, I love sushi, Thai food and a good deli sandwich.

Coffee or tea?

Is this even a question for people? Coffee all the way. There’s nothing better. I have a coffee machine with an automatic timer set so every night I get the pot ready and every morning I wake up to a fresh pot.

What’s your secret skill?

In another life, I think I could have been a music scout. I love finding new songs and seem to have a knack for discovering ones before they get big.

How do you like to start your day?

How I like to start my day and what I actually do are very different! I wish I could say I wake up early, enjoy my coffee and give myself enough time to ease into the morning. But I’m usually just hitting snooze and then it’s time to get ready for work or the day ahead.

And how do you like to end it?

I love cooking and making dinner and then enjoying reality TV or a great show. I typically like to have two shows going at once, one for easy watching like the Real Housewives and then a more serious one like Game of Thrones.

What was your first job?

I was a bus girl at a restaurant in the summers when I was 13 where I grew up in the Hamptons and then in high school, I worked at a seafood shop. It was so much fun, a popular hangout for locals and I learned so much about customer service and fresh food.

What’s something that always makes you smile?

Watching the sunset.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

You don’t always need to respond. And no is a complete sentence.

What’s your go-to productivity hack?

A good office playlist and a to-do list. Once you start to check off a few things you feel accomplished, and things don’t feel so daunting.

What’s your most-used emoji?

Lately, I feel like it’s the one where it’s melting into the ground.

What work achievement are you most proud of? Getting the job at MAIA all the way from New York City!

What are you most excited about at the moment? Continuing to put myself out there to experience new things and new countries.

How do you get ready for the week ahead?,

It depends on the week, but I love having a lazy Sunday where I relax at home or go to the beach and then I head to the grocery store to meal prep for the week and also get ingredients to cook myself a really delicious Sunday dinner.

What are you known for in the MAIA office?

As the only American in the office, I’m pretty sure I’m the loudest and as a New Yorker, I tend to be pretty outgoing and speak my mind.

Where are you travelling to next?

I just got back from Oman and am heading to the Netherlands next. But also high on my list is Sri Lanka, somewhere in Africa and Jaipur, India. I want to take advantage of as many places close to Dubai as I can.

What’s your work mantra?

Be direct but also kind. And lead by example.

And your life mantra?

Yalla Habibi! As in always be up to try new things, discover new places and put yourself out there. I moved to a foreign country and started a new job in a different industry at 39 by myself. So, it’s never too late to live life the way you want and not what is society’s definition of normal.

You can only add one song to the MAIA playlist. What is it? Anything by Taylor Swift or Justin Bieber.

What’s one book / TV show that changed your life?

Grey’s Anatomy! I could rewatch this show any day of the week and I’m not ashamed to say I watched all 19 seasons.

What matters most?

Your health, your word and staying true to yourself.

Any advice for your younger self?

• Stay humble. Continue to put in the work even and especially when no one notices. You aren’t owed anything.
• The disappointments, the breakthroughs, the heartbreaks, the happiness, the setbacks, the successes — life is circular, so try to enjoy the season you’re in because it can all change tomorrow.
• A failure and the way you handle it shape your character and test your resiliency, but you need to experience them to truly appreciate the triumphs too.
• Trust the process. Everything has a way of working out the way it’s supposed to.

Happiness is…a great meal with loved ones and hugs and kisses from my nieces and nephew. Being an auntie is just the best and I miss my nuggets so much.