What would you do in case you had a six-figure wage? Maybe you’d by no means prepare dinner one other meal once more or take pleasure in a month-to-month Thai therapeutic massage and a Soho Home membership to unwind from the stress that comes with being at your A-game.
Right here at The Good Life you don’t need to think about what life on the prime seems to be like anymore: Get real-life inspiration for the way probably the most profitable stay their lives.
In the present day Fortune meets Maria Hatzistefanis, the London-based entrepreneur, bestselling creator and founding father of magnificence giants Rodial and Nip + Fab.
The Greek-born 54-year-old started her profession as a magnificence author for Seventeen Journal, earlier than shifting to New York to check an MBA at Columbia Enterprise Faculty after which once more to London to hitch the aggressive world of finance at Solomon’s Brothers Metropolis.
But it surely wasn’t till Hatzistefanis obtained sacked from her “dream banking job” in 1999, that her profession actually took off.
“My life was about to alter perpetually,” she writes of the pivotal second in her autobiography fashion self-help e book, How To Be An In a single day Success.
She took a leap of religion and went again to her magnificence roots with a skincare firm, Rodial.
Amazon.co.uk
It wasn’t all clean crusing: Hatzistefanis wasn’t in a position to safe funding, so she invested in herself, placing all of her financial savings—£20,000—into funding the startup and ran the enterprise “as a one-woman-show”.
“I used to be doing all the pieces from creating formulation to producing buzz across the model.
Hatzistefanis wasn’t in a position to safe funding, so she invested in herself…
As one of many early adopters of bizarre elements like bee venom and snake peptides, the model made a reputation for itself—and attracted a cult celeb following.
Quick ahead 25 years and you’ll find the model in 35 nations and over 3,000 shops together with Selfridges, Harrods, Neiman Marcus, Blue Mercury and SpaceNK.
In the present day, one Rodial Lowlighter is offered each minute.
3,000
The variety of shops promoting Rodial.
Hatzistefanis’ even launched a sister magnificence model focused at Gen Zers, known as NIP+FAB which launched completely with Boots ten years in the past. Now, it’s experiencing a lift in gross sales throughout Europe due to the opening of two,000 Rossman shops in Germany alone.
To this present day, each manufacturers stay privately owned with out exterior funding. Final 12 months, it turned over $32 million.
This interview has been edited for brevity.
The funds
Fortune: What’s been the most effective funding you’ve ever purchased?
My household residence in Notting Hill, London. We purchased it 15 years in the past and it has gone up in worth by 40%.
And the worst?
My automotive, a Porche Cayenne. It loses worth by the minute.
When you have kids, what does your childcare preparations appear like?
My kids are at college proper now.
How do you commute to work?
We stay in a contemporary home in Notting Hill. I really like the environment of Notting Hill with its cool espresso outlets and out of doors eating places. I go to the Portobello Market on weekends. The Rodial workplace was at a unique location however we not too long ago moved and it’s quarter-hour away from my residence. When the climate is good I stroll to work.
Do you carry a pockets?
Sure, a Louis Vuitton in Gray Damier.
Michele Limina/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos
What private finance recommendation would you give your 20-year-old self?
Spend money on property quite than hire.
What’s the one subscription you may’t stay with out?
I really like my Airmail subscription. I really like the tales and e book suggestions.
“Spend money on property quite than hire.”
The place’s your go-to wristwatch from?
I don’t put on a watch usually, but when I do, it’s the Hermes Cape Cod.
The requirements
How do you get your day by day espresso repair?
I’ve a Magamix machine at residence and the workplace. I drink the CruKafe natural espresso pods in Espresso. I’ve one espresso within the morning after which one other one or two cups of decaf in the course of the day. I normally have breakfast a bit later within the morning, which is usually a bowl of grains and berries with almond milk or eggs & avocado.
What about consuming on the go?
I normally have lunch on my desk. I like sushi from Oka, Sticks & Sushi or a salad from Atis. Lunch is normally £20. For a sit-down meal, I am going to 5 Hertford, a membership I’m a member of, or I’ll go to one of many Soho Home areas in London.
The place do you purchase groceries?
I purchase my groceries on-line. I get Monday morning deliveries from Ocado.com.
How usually in per week do you dine out versus prepare dinner at residence?
I normally eat out twice per week.
The treats
The place do you store on your work wardrobe?
I’ve my staples from The Row, Toteme, and Wardrobe NYC. My fashion is basic, timeless, minimal and sporty.
Are you the proud proprietor of any futuristic devices?
I’m not into devices. I virtually ordered an Oura Sensible Ring, however I couldn’t bear the considered sporting it 24/7 so I made a decision to not get one.
How do you unwind from the highest job?
I really like spending time in nature on weekends at my trip residence within the Cotswolds, strolling my canine, and unwinding with my associates.
What’s the most effective bonus deal with you’ve purchased your self?
I’m into holidays, journey, and experiences greater than materials items. Final week, my husband and I took an extended weekend journey to Ibiza the place we hiked for a couple of days. We beloved it.
Take us on vacation with you, what’s subsequent in your trip checklist?
I’m planning a vacation in Montenegro in a few weeks. I’ve buddy who has a spot there. It will likely be my first time visiting and I can’t wait to discover. My household and I all the time attempt to go to a brand new place yearly to expertise one thing new. I normally take a while off throughout Christmas and in August. We’ve got a weekend residence on the Cotswolds and we go most weekends. After the Pandemic, lots of people moved to the realm both completely or for the weekends. Many cool and new eating places and outlets have opened—it’s just like the Hamptons of the U.Okay. (with out the ocean).
Right here at The Good Life you don’t need to think about what life on the prime seems to be like anymore: Get real-life inspiration for the way probably the most profitable stay life.
Fortune needs to listen to from European leaders on what their “Good Life” seems to be like. Get in contact: orianna.royle@fortune.com