Rodial, founded by Maria Hatzistefanis in 1999, has risen to iconic status in the world of luxury skincare and makeup. With a blend of nature and cutting-edge science, the brand has become synonymous with clean beauty that doesn’t compromise on results.
Beloved for its cult-favourite products like the Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel and the Bee Venom Moisturiser, Rodial – which has been valued at $90 million – has carved a niche for itself by delivering powerful, visible effects while maintaining high standards for quality ingredients.
What started as a self-funded passion project is now a global powerhouse, with Rodial products gracing the shelves of over 10,000 stores across 35 countries, including prestigious destinations like Harrods and Selfridges.
In this exclusive article for The Ethicalist, the London-based entrepreneur opens up about the reality of balancing a thriving business with the challenges of motherhood, sharing her top tips for busy mums who are navigating the delicate act of juggling careers and family life:
How I Balance Business and Motherhood
As the founder of Rodial, life is always busy. I started the brand 25 years ago, and I’m constantly juggling responsibilities. From overseeing creative projects and managing the team at the office to speaking at events, promoting my three books, and recently filming for Dragons’ Den Greece, my schedule is packed. Balancing all this while being a wife and mother can feel overwhelming at times, but I’m driven by my passion for what I do.
One of the challenges I still grapple with is transitioning from a tough day at work to being present at home. When I walk through the door, my mind is often still tangled up in work issues, making it hard to switch into ‘mum mode.’ Physically, I’m there, but mentally, I’m still carrying the weight of the day’s challenges. All I want to do is collapse on the sofa and binge-watch a TV show, but there are family responsibilities – dinner needs to be made, school forms need signing, and so on. It often feels like I’m juggling two full-time jobs.
I try to find a small pocket of time between work and home – maybe walking around the block a couple of times before heading back, listening to a few minutes of a new playlist or podcast, or calling a friend and checking a favourite online magazine. I aim for a few moments that are neither work- nor family-related, giving me a chance to unwind and switch gears. It’s time to decompress from one role and prepare for the next.
In my second book, ‘Make it Happen’, I talk a lot about the steps that I take for my mental and physical wellbeing, and here I’d like to share a few of them with you.
1. Make your needs a priority – It can be difficult to say ‘no’ especially to your loved ones. But saying ‘yes’ all the time can make you feel depleted and resentful. Setting boundaries is crucial to allow you time to make sure your needs are met before you try to support others. Whatever your work or family situation, I am a big believer of making your needs a priority.
2. Schedule self-care in your calendar – Schedule time with yourself and book it in your calendar. Anything from a mani/pedi session, a massage, a walk in the park, a bubble bath, anything where you can be with yourself, without having to cater for anyone else. Slot it in your diary and let everyone know about it so you are not disturbed. It could be one hour a week, half an hour a day, whatever you can fit into your schedule.
3. Tech detox – This is a bit of a cliché, but I need to address it. I don’t have any fixed rules about a rigid tech detox, but I know when I need to be switched on and I know when to recognise signals that I’ve had enough and need a break. There can be days when exciting things are happening and I can be on my phone all night responding to emails from all over the world or when a quick response from me at 10pm would allow a chain of actions to happen more quickly, especially when I’m dealing with different time zones.
But there are also days when all sorts of challenging news arrives by mail after-hours and I just tell myself, park this aside and deal with this first thing in the morning. So, it’s not really a tech detox but managing when to deal with information that comes my way 24/7.
4. Take a break – Sometimes all you want to do is quit. It may be too much at work, the responsibilities are piling up and you see no way out. Even in the best job, whether you work for someone else or work for yourself, there will be times when you feel as if the only way to go is to quit. I say take a break instead. No matter how much you believe you have the perfect job, when it’s all too much, just take a break. It’s what I do and it’s what I believe has kept me motivated and in the game for so long.
5. Prioritise exercise – It is the one of those things that clears my mind and gets me in the right mindset to face the day. I always workout first thing in the morning. I set my alarm at 6am and by 7am I’m in the gym. I know that If I leave it for longer, emails will start coming through my phone and I will find all sorts of excuses to not workout. I do some type of movement every day. Could be light weights, Pilates or a simple brisk walk in the park listening to my favourite podcast.
It is my belief that you need to find whatever it is that keeps yourself mentally and physically happy and moving forward. I also believe that if you are mentally in a good space, the physical aspect of it naturally follows. Having this sort of happiness will likely make you feel connected to other people where you are helping to make a contribution to society. You might also have a sense of meaning or purpose and a feeling of being at peace – which is the ultimate goal in my opinion!
To learn more about Rodial, visit the site here.
