What would you do if you had a six-figure salary? Perhaps you’d never cook another meal again or indulge in a monthly Thai massage and a Soho House membership to unwind from the stress that comes with being at your A-game.
Here at The Good Life you don’t have to imagine what life at the top looks like anymore: Get real-life inspiration for how the most successful live their lives.
Today Fortune meets Maria Hatzistefanis, the London-based entrepreneur, bestselling author and founder of beauty giants Rodial and Nip + Fab.
The Greek-born 54-year-old began her career as a beauty writer for Seventeen Magazine, before moving to New York to study an MBA at Columbia Business School and then again to London to join the competitive world of finance at Solomon’s Brothers City.
But it wasn’t until Hatzistefanis got sacked from her “dream banking job” in 1999, that her career really took off.
“My life was about to change forever,” she writes of the pivotal moment in her autobiography style self-help book, How To Be An Overnight Success.
She took a leap of faith and went back to her beauty roots with a skincare company, Rodial.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing: Hatzistefanis wasn’t able to secure investment, so she invested in herself, putting all of her savings—£20,000—into funding the startup and ran the business “as a one-woman-show”.
“I was doing everything from developing formulas to generating buzz around the brand.
Hatzistefanis wasn’t able to secure investment, so she invested in herself…
As one of the early adopters of unusual ingredients like bee venom and snake peptides, the brand made a name for itself—and attracted a cult celebrity following.
Fast forward 25 years and you can find the brand in 35 countries and over 3,000 stores including Selfridges, Harrods, Neiman Marcus, Blue Mercury and SpaceNK.
Today, one Rodial Lowlighter is sold every minute.
3,000
The number of stores selling Rodial.
Hatzistefanis’ even launched a sister beauty brand targeted at Gen Zers, called NIP+FAB which launched exclusively with Boots ten years ago. Now, it’s experiencing a boost in sales across Europe thanks to the opening of 2,000 Rossman stores in Germany alone.
To this day, both brands remain privately owned without external investment. Last year, it turned over $32 million.
This interview has been edited for brevity.
The finances
Fortune: What’s been the best investment you’ve ever bought?
My family home in Notting Hill, London. We bought it 15 years ago and it has gone up in value by 40%.
And the worst?
My car, a Porche Cayenne. It loses value by the minute.
If you have children, what does your childcare arrangements look like?
My children are at university right now.
How do you commute to work?
We live in a modern house in Notting Hill. I love the atmosphere of Notting Hill with its cool coffee shops and outdoor restaurants. I visit the Portobello Market on weekends. The Rodial office used to be at a different location but we recently moved and it’s 15 minutes away from my home. When the weather is nice I walk to work.
Do you carry a wallet?
Yes, a Louis Vuitton in Grey Damier.
What personal finance advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
Invest in property rather than rent.
What’s the one subscription you can’t live without?
I love my Airmail subscription. I love the stories and book recommendations.
“Invest in property rather than rent.”
Where’s your go-to wristwatch from?
I don’t wear a watch often, but if I do, it’s the Hermes Cape Cod.
The necessities
How do you get your daily coffee fix?
I have a Magamix machine at home and the office. I drink the CruKafe organic coffee pods in Espresso. I have one coffee in the morning and then another one or two cups of decaf during the day. I usually have breakfast a bit later in the morning, which is typically a bowl of grains and berries with almond milk or eggs & avocado.
What about eating on the go?
I usually have lunch on my desk. I like sushi from Oka, Sticks & Sushi or a salad from Atis. Lunch is usually £20. For a sit-down meal, I go to Five Hertford, a club I’m a member of, or I’ll go to one of the Soho House locations in London.
Where do you buy groceries?
I buy my groceries online. I get Monday morning deliveries from Ocado.com.
How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home?
I usually eat out twice a week.
The treats
Where do you shop for your work wardrobe?
I have my staples from The Row, Toteme, and Wardrobe NYC. My style is classic, timeless, minimal and sporty.
Are you the proud owner of any futuristic gadgets?
I’m not into gadgets. I almost ordered an Oura Smart Ring, but I couldn’t bear the thought of wearing it 24/7 so I decided not to get one.
How do you unwind from the top job?
I love spending time in nature on weekends at my vacation home in the Cotswolds, walking my dog, and unwinding with my friends.
What’s the best bonus treat you’ve bought yourself?
I’m into holidays, travel, and experiences more than material goods. Last week, my husband and I took a long weekend trip to Ibiza where we hiked for a few days. We loved it.
Take us on holiday with you, what’s next on your vacation list?
I am planning a holiday in Montenegro in a couple of weeks. I have a good friend who has a place there. It will be my first time visiting and I can’t wait to explore. My family and I always try to go to a new place every year to experience something new. I usually take some time off during Christmas and in August. We have a weekend home at the Cotswolds and we go most weekends. After the Pandemic, a lot of people moved to the area either permanently or for the weekends. Many cool and new restaurants and shops have opened—it’s like the Hamptons of the U.K. (without the ocean).
Here at The Good Life you don’t have to imagine what life at the top looks like anymore: Get real-life inspiration for how the most successful live life.
Fortune wants to hear from European leaders on what their “Good Life” looks like. Get in touch: [email protected]
