Daria became an expert in Online Marketing, Digital Transformation and Business Management. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Economy and Business Psychology from Leuphana University Lüneburg and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in International Business and Brand Management from London School of Business and Finance (LSBF).
In this insightful interview, I had the pleasure of conversing with Dr. Ute Cohen, a distinguished author and journalist, delves into the intricate interplay between literature, economics, and personal transformation. With a diverse background that spans humanities scholarship to high-stakes management consultancy, Cohen shares her unique perspective on how real-world experiences enrich literary endeavors. She reflects on the role of literature as a mirror to societal structures, emphasizing its potential to challenge the status quo and illuminate human errors. As she discusses her latest works, "The Taste of Freedom: A History of Culinary Arts" and "Glamour: On the Risk of Artfully Staging Yourself," Cohen offers a glimpse into her innovative approach to storytelling, where disciplines such as gastronomy, fashion, and artistry converge to expand our understanding of the world. Join us as we explore the mind of a writer who champions fearlessness and creativity in the face of societal norms.
Your novel “Poor Dogs” has been described as a searing critique of financial capitalism. Can you give us insights into your perspective on the current state of capitalism and what inspired you to write about it?
I was inspired by my experience in the management consultancy and hedge fund industry. The 90s were the decade of the feasibility frenzy. We were all convinced that we could turn the world upside down. In this frenzy, we were unaware that we were gripped by immeasurable greed and that the control mechanisms of a social market economy no longer worked. Risk management was only just beginning to take hold at that time. Then, during the financial crisis, I saw how some people in my industry really went crazy. This prompted me to get to the bottom of the phenomenon of megalomania and to look into prevalent narcissism and psychosis. This crisis gave rise to an uneasy tension between anarchic and authoritarian tendencies. We should sharpen our awareness of this.
How do you see the relationship between literature and economy?
Writers have been dealing with this economic and social order in literature ever since capitalism came into being. However, perspectives have changed repeatedly over the epochs. The spectrum ranges from Émile Zola to Michel Houellebecq. Zola wrote about the stock market mania of his time at the end of the 19th century, while Houellebecq describes how an octopus-like greed eats into the smallest cells of society. In my novel, something particularly perfidious emerges from Houellebecq's doomsday fantasies: the male protagonist manages his life like a BCG-style portfolio—there are cash cows, stars, question marks, and poor dogs. Capitalist thinking has long since spilled over into private life, and yet love tries to triumph once again, albeit in a perverted form, of course. As a reader, you naturally ask yourself the question: who is the real "Poor Dog"?
In what ways can novelists influence economic thought or critique economic systems?
I don't think much of direct influence. Writers scatter a little linguistic poison (laughs) or sow seeds of hope. They can exemplify fearlessness or visionary thinking because anything is possible in a novel. But I distance myself from the instrumentalization of writing by political activists. Literature has no agenda to obey. Nor do I advocate the abolition of capitalism—unlike many younger authors—but rather want to show human errors and moral corruption.
Incidentally, my claim for the book was: A manual for manipulation, a swan song to feminism, a hymn to love. This earned me a lot of criticism from feminists in particular, although I consider Poor Dogs to be an enlightening and, in a certain sense, even romantic book.
The female protagonist ultimately finds herself in a tragic situation: how do you get by in a world that defines everyone solely in terms of business if you are reduced to the role of wife and mother? The book is more feminist than you might initially think and, therefore, also economically relevant.
As someone with experience in corporate consulting, how do your insights into business practices inform the characters or situations in your novels?
My characters are so steeped in business that they subordinate their private lives, their entire way of thinking and feeling, to the company. I already mentioned the BCG portfolio. This basic grid characterizes all actions. Those who don't work are weeded out, while those who promise to maximize profits are pampered and considered worthy of investment. Although love letters in Poor Dogs are inspired by great French poets such as Rimbaud, they are ultimately nothing more than business proposals. The perfect deal is sought—by any means necessary. I also provide insight into certain team-building exercises that are practiced in consultations and yet only obey the principle of selection—survival of the fittest.
Your books have received critical acclaim and have been featured prominently in the media. Can you share some of the successful marketing strategies you or your publisher employed?
Relatively speaking, this is, of course, a success, especially as I only published my first book in 2017 at the age of 50, and my sixth book, Glamour, will be published in May 2025. I started from scratch, didn't know anyone, and was lucky enough to find a bold Austrian publisher in Jürgen Schütz from Septime Verlag when I first sent out my manuscript on sexual abuse. Admittedly, it is an independent publisher that does not have much market power.
Speaking of criticism of capitalism: I am amazed that hardly anyone criticizes monopolism and the market power of the big players. Incidentally, the greed can also be clearly seen here: as soon as a large American publishing group comes knocking, the indie romance is over. I see myself as a niche author. I don't compromise on quality. I do get requests for genres such as young adult, romance, or dark romance, but... that's not my business (laughs).
As far as PR is concerned, the so-called “proactive author” is required. You should use all available networks yourself and beat nepotism. Of course, the buddy business is also a hindrance to quality. A real challenge!
My tip: Don't be afraid! I've always enjoyed jumping in at the deep end.
In the competitive world of publishing, how important do you believe it is for authors to build their own brand, and what advice would you give to emerging writers on this?
You can always jump on a bandwagon or go your own way. I find the latter more appealing. However, you sometimes need a lot of patience and may encounter a lack of understanding. In the publishing industry, few people are willing to take risks. They take what works anyway and hardly ever cross-finance less popular but high-quality titles. As a result, the standard is falling; more and more are battling it out in the mainstream, and the much-vaunted diversity is disappearing.
Of course, there is also a “too soon.” I know that from consulting, too. Sometimes the copycats win because there was no receptivity to certain ideas five years earlier. Of course, I also see the danger that only actors and influencers will shape the market. That's already the case. A true dystopia—not so far off—would be the "author statist": AI is already writing better texts than many an average author. All you need is someone who has the widest reach and can penetrate a saturated market.
Disillusioning? No, you just have to know the conditions. Then it's up to you! The extraordinary always prevails.
How did your journey from working in corporate consulting to becoming an author unfold, and what challenges did you face in making this transition?
As the saying goes: Man plans, God laughs. Not everything in life can be planned, but that shouldn't stop us (smiles). My journey was originally a different one: I studied humanities and received a scholarship from the “Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes,” the most important German organization for the promotion of gifted students. After my Ph.D., I came into contact with large American management consultancies that appreciated my creative way of thinking out of the box. That was the biggest challenge for me, as my faculty had always looked down on business people. However, I quickly grew into the consulting business because I was fascinated by the new, the speed, and the bright minds. Many had a double degree, in business and musicology, for example.
Of course, the path to becoming a writer is gratifying because you can make your ideas tangible with novels. Dreams take on a haptic quality. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of mediocre people in my current profession, people who don't focus on quality but prefer the simple out of insecurity or ideological obsession. Preferring political or identitarian affiliations is detrimental to literature. I would therefore advise young writers to go through a few changes and transformations and get a taste of the unknown instead of working in the literary industry from the outset. Good literature needs experience; it must be saturated with life. My work as a journalist is, therefore, just as useful to me as my life experience, although as a writer, I naturally free myself from the daily business.
Are there any upcoming projects or themes you are excited to explore that relate to business or economic themes?
In a sense, all my books are linked to economics. After all, it shapes our interpersonal relationships, and our interactions also shape our economic environment. My current book, “The Taste of Freedom: A History of Culinary Arts,” is about the emergence of restaurants during the French Revolution, the beginning of the restaurant review, the taste of childhood, and culinary dystopias and utopias. Indirectly, this book is rebellious because I look into steaming kitchens and know where things are bubbling and boiling. We can learn a lot from kitchen teams. Discipline and precision, which are often frowned upon, inevitably come into play; teamwork is essential, regardless of origin. It's about a delicious dream that needs to be realized in a very tangible way.
In my next book, “Glamour: On the Risk of Artfully Staging Yourself,” I write about a special radiance that sometimes puts our rationality out of action and allows us— paradoxically—to come to our senses and gain new perspectives. Bowie makes a guest appearance, of course, but so do Iggy Pop, Isabelle Huppert, and Quentin Crisp. I hope I can also build a bridge between literature and fashion here. I already have a few nice projects in mind.
About Dr. Ute Cohen
Dr. Ute Cohen is a writer and journalist based in Berlin. Her interviews and articles appear in renowned newspapers and magazines. She holds a doctorate in linguistics and is an alumna of the “Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes” foundation for gifted students.
She has worked in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and Paris for top 10 management consultancies and a UN organization. As a communications consultant, she supported company founders.
Her novels “Satans Spielfeld” (2017/2021), “Poor Dogs” (2020), and “Falscher Garten” (2022) were published by Septime Verlag. In 2021, the conversation volume “Chaos? Hinhören singen” with Ingrid Caven was published by Kampa Verlag.
In July 2024, “Der Geschmack der Freiheit. Eine Geschichte der Kulinarik” was published by Reclam Verlag. In May 2025, “Glamour. Über das Wagnis, sich kunstvoll zu inszenieren” will be published by Zu Klampen Verlag.
Cohen's Club is her event series in Berlin.
Daria Chernysheva, Chief Executive Officer, Business Owner
Daria Chernysheva was born in Odessa, Ukraine and moved with her family to Hamburg, Germany when she was 9 years old. After her graduation, Daria became an expert in Online Marketing, Digital Transformation and Business Management. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Economy and Business Psychology from Leuphana University Lüneburg and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in International Business and Brand Management from London School of Business and Finance (LSBF). Over the course of 15 years of working experience, she worked for different large international IT and Consulting companies in diverse countries, such as Italy and Ireland. Daria knows several European languages.
