When the world shut down, Maria Hatzistefanis doubled down. In this episode, I sat down with the founder of Rodial and Nip+Fab, who shared exactly how she pivoted during the pandemic, scaled her beauty empire to 35 countries, and leveraged both old-school trade shows and new-school DTC strategies to build a global brand.

Maria gets honest about the reality of expanding into international markets, the unexpected complexity of going truly global, and what it takes to stay relevant in an industry built on constant reinvention. Whether you're selling skincare or software, the lessons here are universal: stay close to your customer, stay curious, and be ready to evolve.

Key Takeaways:

Trade shows were instrumental in Rodial's early global strategy.
Digital marketing and DTC became essential after losing wholesale revenue.
Maria’s shift to Instagram Stories helped her connect directly with customers.
Success came from listening to market-specific needs (e.g. product formulations for Asia vs. the US).
Hiring local teams is non-negotiable for successful international expansion.

🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday - so makes sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.

🔥 Want to take things further? Join me in person this October at the Festival of Entrepreneurs on the 8–9th October at the NEC in Birmingham. The Festival of Entrepreneurs is where 5-10,000 ambitious founders come together to learn from the people who've actually done it. I'm giving my listeners free 2-day passes.

Real entrepreneurs, real stories, real strategies – exactly like what you're hearing right now, but live and in person. Go to www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and grab your free pass before they're gone.

https://eventdata.uk/Visitor/FestivalOfEntrepreneurs2025.aspx?TrackingCode=ACHISNALL

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The Best Global Beauty Expansion Strategy with Rodial's Maria Hatzistefanis

Screw It Just DO It with Alex Chisnall