Do you think you’re a better businesswoman since becoming a mother?
One hundred percent. It gives you perspective and makes you respect the environment and your legacy so much more. I want to make my daughters proud of me; I want to prove to them that you are fundamentally responsible for your own success. It wasn’t easy growing up as a dyslexic in South Africa, but you can’t blame your circumstances. You have to take whatever life throws at you and try and turn it into an advantage. Anything is possible if you try hard enough. I strive to teach my girls that, with lots of hard work and commitment, you can be successful. I love to inspire those who are not academically inclined. I tell my kids you can get to the top from any direction.
Who inspires you?
My fiance is without question the biggest influence on me. He’s the yin to my yang. I’m a big creative and he helps to measure that and bring some reality - without squashing my dreams. It’s taken a few years for me to accept that and also, to not be as emotional. We’ve been together 11 years and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him; he’s an amazing mentor and my best friend.
What qualities do you need to succeed in business as a woman?
You’ve got to start with massive belief in yourself: have tenacity, be really persistent and deeply value the people who work with or for you. Laser focus and thick skin also help - you cannot accept ‘no’ for an answer but you have to accept that not everyone will like you and that’s okay. You are building a business, not auditioning for a popularity contest. If you want to succeed today, you need to be super prepared and fearless. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Lose money? I’m prepared to put it all on the next venture. I’ve learnt that the value of living a great life is not money – I’d be super happy in a tree house in Mexico, living off the land, as long as my family and I were healthy. It’s a matter of getting your priorities straight.
Does it feel like you’re coming full circle by opening FaceGym in LA, where you launched Hollywood Domino more than a decade ago?
It really does! Breaking America was always the dream. If someone had told me that I would be back 12 years later, opening on Sunset Boulevard … you can’t make that stuff up.
What next for you?
I’m a big believer in changing things up. I like to reinvent myself every five to six years. I’m already thinking about my next move…
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