Stardust & Bubbles

“When I’m 30, I’ll have my house, my car, and my boat.” That was my 19-year-old self, just about to begin my undergrad studies in business, with an unwavering belief that success meant money. My aspirations were clear-cut: wealth. I landed my first job in management consulting right after graduation, and I went on to start several companies, all driven by the conviction that this was my best shot at achieving financial success. So, how did I go from that mindset to co-founding Stardust & Bubbles, a brand dedicated to helping children live more peaceful lives, fostering a more sustainable and conscious world? Well, it’s been quite a journey.

After just a year in consulting (the rigid hierarchy wasn’t for me), I co-founded my first company. At 23, with a million euros in venture capital in the bank, I felt like I was well on my way to achieving my dreams. For the next three years, I threw myself into the business. I took no vacations, had no social life, did not engage in any romantic relationships. It was just the relentless pursuit of that big payout. While I gained invaluable experience, the company didn’t achieve the success I had envisioned. After three years of pushing myself to the limit, I was exhausted and ready for a break. At that time, I knew little about mindfulness, meditation, or any other methods of finding balance, except for sports. I didn’t even stop to question my past choices. I just kept going and enrolled for an MBA program in France.

Studying and living in France was an incredible experience. But looking back, I wish I had taken the time to question the path I was on and listened more to what my heart was telling me. Growing up, my mother often reminded me not to lose sight of the human element in everything (“Es muss menscheln.”). I didn’t understand what she meant for the longest time. I was too focused on becoming wealthy. It’s probably no surprise that I ended up co-founding another company with business partners I met in France. Fast forward to 2024: we raised several million euros in venture capital, built the UK’s leading platform for male fertility care, and helped over 5,000 men. But these successes came at a cost. Anyone who has been on a startup journey knows the toll it can take on your mental and physical health.

Around the time I met Maria and I watched Brené Brown’s TED Talk, “The Power of Vulnerability.” That talk struck a chord with me. Finally, I began to understand the human element my mother always spoke about. I started to feel a deep need to be more vulnerable, more empathetic, and more balanced. Maria’s passion for mindfulness and spirituality opened up a new path for me, one where I could explore these aspects of myself. Stardust & Bubbles is a direct result of that journey. It’s our response to a world that often values vanity metrics* over truly listening to our hearts. A response that combines Maria’s creative vision and product development expertise with my experience in building companies and my desire to bring more warmth into the world.

*Vanity metrics are statistics that look spectacular on the surface but don’t necessarily translate to any meaningful business (or personal) results.