198. How to Build Your First Million-Dollar Business From Scratch with Maria Hatzistefanis

What does it really take to build your first million when there’s no overnight success story to follow? In this episode, I sit down with Maria Hatzistefanis, founder of Rodial, to break down how to identify the right gaps in your business before you scale, when to hire and who to hire, and why your first million may take longer than you expect. Maria shares how she built Rodial from scratch, turned Snake Serum into a breakout product, and used a Kylie Jenner connection to drive US growth with the Kardashian family. We also talk about influencer marketing, taking smarter risks, learning from major business mistakes, and what it really takes to keep growing when the hype fades. Tune in for lessons that can help you build, scale, and grow your business toward that first million. Thank you to my sponsors: Launch your business with Shopify. Start your one-dollar-per-month trial here: ⁠⁠http://shopify.com/chc⁠⁠ The live selling marketplace: Whatnot. Check it out here: ⁠⁠http://whatnot.com/⁠⁠/ The essential toolkit for telling better storiesStoryblocks: ⁠⁠http://www.storyblocks.com/chc Quince: http://quince.com/chc ShipStation: 60 days free using code: CHC http://ShipStation.com Brevo- Get 50% off: http://brevo.com/creator In this episode, you will learn: 00:00 Meet Maria Hatzistefanis, founder of Rodial. 05:30 What losing your job can teach you about finding your next opportunity. 11:45 How to spot a gap in the market and create a product people need. 13:15 Ways to get your product into stores and build credibility when nobody knows your brand. 17:30 How to know when your business is ready to expand into new markets. 21:15 What to do when you freeze during a high-stakes business conversation. 25:15 The branding decision that turned Rodial's Snake Serum into a viral sensation. 30:30 How Kylie Jenner and the Kardashian family helped Rodial grow in the US. 34:00 What has changed about influencer marketing? 37:00 How long did it take Maria to reach her first million in sales? 40:45 The major financial mistake that taught Maria how to take smarter risks. 42:45 Maria's advice for women going through a difficult season in business. 44:45 How appearing on Dragons' Den helped grow Maria's visibility and business profile. 47:15 The book to read when you're ready to build your first million. Resources + Links Get your copy of Maria’s new book, How to Make Your First Million HERE! Check out Maria's first book, How to be an Overnight Success HERE! Learn more about Rodial HERE! Grab ⁠⁠The Visibility Vault™⁠⁠⁠ – 150+ Canva templates + done-for-you captions to help you stay consistent and get seen online.  Ready to grow your visibility? Find more resources here! Follow Katelyn on IG: @thekatelynrhoades Call Her Creator on IG: @callhercreator Maria on IG: @mrsrodial