Dr. Barbara Sturm Founder: Dr. Barbara Sturm – Skincare, Longevity, Anti-Aging & Wellness

your first podcast.

>> Very first.

>> I'm so honored. I'm really honored.

>> No, only for you.

>> I'm really grateful.

>> You have no idea how far I flew to see you. Only for you.

you. Only for you.

>> Thank you so much.

>> But I love you so much. So

>> I love you more, Barb. You're the best.

>> You're the best.

>> Thank you so much. You flew from New York.

>> New York to Zurich. Zurich to Milano.

And then when we're done, I'm flying from Milano to Naples.

>> Beautiful.

>> Yeah, it's very nice. I know you don't usually fly from New York because you're based in Stad.

>> Yeah.

>> Which we need to acknowledge. The

viewers need to know that Barbara Sturm is the girl.

>> Oh yeah. The I you know before I knew you I thought you lived in and your team reached out to me and I thought oh yeah they reach out to me because they know I live in.

>> You had no idea.

>> And then when we met it's like no I I I come to once in a while but nothing to do.

>> I know. It was so funny.

>> It's so funny.

>> We met for the first time at our dear mutual friend's house. One of my best friends, Knax's house.

>> Yeah, we love him.

>> Love him.

>> Yeah, he's the real guy.

>> He's the real guy.

>> He's cooler. And you're the real girl. I

love when I build new friendships and it happens pretty rarely these days. And

you're one of those friendships I'm very grateful for.

>> Same, by the way. Same. We're not

looking for friends. I'm not actively looking for friends, but the ones you find nevertheless, >> they're so dear to ourselves, I I'm

actually excited about the opportunity to meet more of those interesting people.

>> Me, too. And I'm also equally excited by not meeting anyone.

>> Same. I live int.

>> Exactly. Exactly. That's fantastic.

around the world with your host thetard guy. We welcome you back to the start

guy. We welcome you back to the start guy podcast sharing stories of excellence with those in the know for those who just know.

>> I want to acknowledge your nicknames.

Barbara Barb BB.

>> What is Barb?

>> That's just me cook. Oh, it's you.

>> Barb I I rarely hear Barb.

>> Barbie.

>> Barbie. No. Come on.

>> No. Okay.

>> Come on, >> BB. What does Charlie call you? She

>> BB. What does Charlie call you? She

calls you BB.

>> She calls me BB mama. And if I don't listen Barbara.

>> Okay, fine.

>> Then I listen. And Pepper does the same thing. If I don't listen, Barbara.

thing. If I don't listen, Barbara.

>> Fine. When it's casual, BB.

>> BB.

>> Okay. For those who don't know, Charlie and Pepper are your two beautiful daughters.

>> So, thank you so much for being here on the Stadia podcast. I'm sure everyone knows you. Your reputation precedes you.

knows you. Your reputation precedes you.

Dr. Barbara Sturm of Dr. Barbara Sturm, you are the founder of this incredible skincare brand and you are a doctor of skin, of beauty, of longevity, of

health.

You're also an incredible mother, an incredible friend, and a sponsor oft this healthy lifestyle, this disconnected lifestyle.

Um, and this appreciation.

>> I try to keep it a secret, but you talk about it.

>> We have to talk about it. This is the podcast. We can not acknowledge that you

podcast. We can not acknowledge that you live in. We have to.

live in. We have to.

>> No, of course. Of course.

>> We have to. So, it's really amazing to have you here.

>> Thank you so much for having me and I'm very honored. Obviously, I love talking

very honored. Obviously, I love talking everything longevity, good skin, health, and also I love incredibly I love doing fun things.

>> I'm so happy to hear. That's great. How

has your day gone so far? Have you used a lot of your products today? I know you traveled a lot. I especially when I travel, I slap them on constantly and it's nice. It gives me always like the

it's nice. It gives me always like the hydration and dewiness because the planes they suck so much hydration and out of your skin and yourself. So

hydration is the key from the inside and out. I drink water. I don't eat on the

out. I drink water. I don't eat on the plane. I really always reapply my

plane. I really always reapply my products. Charlie made those eye

products. Charlie made those eye patches. I'm obsessed with

patches. I'm obsessed with >> I never wanted eye patches, but Charlie convinced me. So, I made these eye

convinced me. So, I made these eye patches and >> I changed them like like three times throughout the long time flight >> and that really saves you because you

feel especially with the eye patches when you take them off you feel how much you know you know hydration gets out of your out of your skin.

>> Yeah. And you those are just under the eyes.

>> Yeah. You just put them under your eyes.

>> That's cool. So, you have how many products today? Under

products today? Under >> Oh my goodness. A lot.

>> Lots of products. I don't even know how many. I'm really Wonka. I create

many. I'm really Wonka. I create

products for everyone with skin. You

know, people come to me and said, "Oh, I have the problem with XY Z." I'm like, "Oh, I make you a product." That was my approach when I started this skinincare because I wanted to please my patients

and give them something that was effective, that would help them, that would transform their skin, and they were happy in their skin look into the mirror and feeling confident. That was

my main interest in in in creating products. That's why my line is also

products. That's why my line is also quite big because I make products for everyone with skin. No matter what skin concern, what color, what age, what skin condition, whatever it is, I make

products for them.

>> Beautiful. So, you started this whole journey as a skin doctor.

>> I'm an orthopedic doctor.

>> Okay.

>> I'm an orthopedic doctor and scientist.

I started with a group of scientists from Harvard Pittsburgh and a group of orthopedic surgeons from Dussov and I help pioneering a treatment where you take the patient's blood process it in a

certain way to create anti-inflammatory proteins and growth factors and then you reinject those into the joints to bring down inflammation and stop the ongoing

aging process. So aging and inflammation

aging process. So aging and inflammation goes very close together. And this was fascinating to me. Also fascinating to me was that you can be a pioneer. That

you can come up with your own treatment.

If you don't really believe there's any existing valuable treatment, you make your own. And that really struck with me

your own. And that really struck with me and I that really stuck with me. No, that's

how you say it. that really stuck with me and that made me do this vampire facial, create this vampire facial in 2002 because there was nothing on the

market in aesthetic field when I started injecting Botox and fillers as an orthopedic doctor. I was always obsessed

orthopedic doctor. I was always obsessed with aesthetics and so I started doing that but I brought the anti-inflammatory anti-aging proteins with into this this

procedure and created that treatment to enhance really um the skin quality and do something effectively on a molecular level on the cellular level.

>> Beautiful. And that was in California.

>> That was in Germany. That is all made in Germany. But um I was traveling to

Germany. But um I was traveling to California so much and I was working with lots of scientists in America. But

in America it's like you know there's a lot of science made in America and then they can't really bring it to the patient until it's FDA approved. So in

Germany as a doctor you're allowed to do pretty much everything and you know bring it to the patient. So the

knowledge came actually from the US but then we brought it to the patients and yeah I translated just that knowledge into aesthetics. Beautiful. And when did

into aesthetics. Beautiful. And when did you transition from the traditional doctor approach to starting your own business and brand?

>> I still see myself as a traditional doctor. I don't see so many patients

doctor. I don't see so many patients anymore, but I still like to give advice to patients and that's why I do a lot of education everywhere. Um but I was when

education everywhere. Um but I was when I did started doing aesthetics and the blood facial I had more and more patients coming to me not for

orthopedics but for aesthetics and I'm also very good in doing Botox and fillers. I just love natural results and

fillers. I just love natural results and I developed my very own technique to just lift this the face and not making you weird lips or weird cheeks or

whatever. Um was hip at the time when I

whatever. Um was hip at the time when I did it. That was 20 years ago and at

did it. That was 20 years ago and at that time it was a status symbol to really see what you have done to your face and I said no I only do natural results and I really like people to look

their best themselves and not different.

So more and more people came to me for aesthetics and when I started my own clinic I had just a few orthopedic patients and um it really translated

into like this aesthetic clinic >> and your first product that you commercialized and then >> the first product ever >> was actually the blood cream. I don't

know did I make you the blood cream before?

>> No. So the first product was when I realized that I needed something for my skin and there was nothing on the market. So my skin was dry. I had

market. So my skin was dry. I had

blackheads. I had to go and see my facialist every 3 weeks. It was pretty annoying because my facialist also would hand me over products and products. I

spent so much money on products. Nothing

would work and I would just throw it away and I didn't like the like it. And

I I said to my my my colleague I said let's do it ourselves. Let's do a gene cream. So, you know, I was like I was

cream. So, you know, I was like I was like 29 or something and I created a cream with the proteins from my blood and my grandmother was a pharmacist. So,

I went to her and I said, "What are the humctants? What ingredients really

humctants? What ingredients really deliver hydration into the skin?" So,

she gave me a bunch of ingredients. I

went to my pharmacist. We mixed it in his lab and we mixed the cream. I still,

it's still my favorite cream until today and I added my blood in it and I healed my skin overnight. Literally. Wow.

>> And once your skin is hydrated and balanced, you won't have dryness, you won't have blackheads, you won't have redness, you won't have any problems. So all of a sudden, I I didn't have to go

to my facialist anymore. I solved all my problems with this one cream. It was

mindblowing. And then all my patients and we had so many patients also coming for for the orthopedics part from Hollywood. So these people from

Hollywood. So these people from Hollywood came for their knees and for their skin. So all of the sudden this

their skin. So all of the sudden this this this cream and all these treatments traveled into Hollywood and I when I went there I was just such a hype around this and this was my very first product

and they were all asking oh Dr. what if I cannot give you my blood or I want to bring it to my friend and you know what other products do you have which cleanser do we use and I wouldn't want

to bring them to you know to to like a pharmacy to get products I wanted to make it for them because I didn't like what was on the market and that's how I

really started going to the lab creating products that are mostly based on efficacy science delivering active ingredients into the skin And also

mostly were hydrating and anti-inflammatory because what's on the market, lots of these creams, especially 20 years ago, imagine every cream had fragrance in there. Everything.

Fragrance, fragrance, fragrance. You

wouldn't know what was in the jars because it said like 10,000 strange names on them. You wouldn't know if you bought a cleanser or the cream. So I

said, you know, it needs to be face cream cleanser. It needs to be

cream cleanser. It needs to be hydrating. It needs to be

hydrating. It needs to be anti-inflammatory. We need to do a

anti-inflammatory. We need to do a telomease activating which is the most proven the year of aging the cell division to fix that. And I wanted just

the best best ingredients. And so when the products were on the market, people were obsessing over it because they worked, you know, and I was so s I was surprised. It's like, okay, I'm this

surprised. It's like, okay, I'm this small little brand. Why does it get so much attention? But then I thought, you

much attention? But then I thought, you know, if it works for me, if it works for all my patients, why would it work?

Why wouldn't it work for the woman in Australia or the men in in California?

Or of course, if a product works, it works.

>> I love that you talked about the balance of the skin. Is that to do with acidity?

>> That's just one one point of balance because our skin is slightly acidic. And

if you would, for example, men like to wash their faces with soap or they're in the shower, just soap or everything. And

soap is very alkaline. So if you wash your face with soap, for example, you mess up your pH, then you mess up your microbiome and therefore you mess up your skin barrier. And when your skin barrier is messed up, the outer layer

skin is disturbed. So you get sunburns, pigmentation, but also something else is happening. Water leaves the skin. You

happening. Water leaves the skin. You

know, you have something called transepidermal water loss, which makes your skin even drier. And dry skin really ages fast. Mhm.

>> So, the goal is really to make your skin super strong and pH matters because you don't want to mess up your microbiome.

Therefore, our cleanser, for example, has the right pH. But I doubt anybody else would would think about making a product with the right pH because the

industry is quite marketing driven and money driven. So, it's more like how

money driven. So, it's more like how does the packaging look? What's the

celebrity speaks for it? Or what's the marketing slogan? you know, there's not

marketing slogan? you know, there's not so much care and attention to the detail what the skin really needs.

>> And being one of the first movers who really took a very medical approach to a commercial product available globally, what was that process like?

>> The process just me being very obsessive over science and efficacy. If something

doesn't work and and I'm my my toughest critic and I'm a patient, too. And if I tell you I tried every product on the market and I was so surprised, how is it possible that there's so much skinare

out and they're expensive and I spent all this money and it doesn't work. Why

is that? And when I started doing products, I was like, okay, I have to be obsessed with every single product. If

I'm not obsessed, it doesn't get on the market. So for me, this really matters.

market. So for me, this really matters.

And science is the key to efficacy. And

so, for example, the hyaluronic serum, we just did the testings, you know, the real clinical testings, and now it's really um proven that it slows down skin

aging, which I knew. I knew when I did that, but we haven't really actively tested it. So I make products that are

tested it. So I make products that are efficient for the skin that give the most hydration because you know we all made out of water and and our skin as

well. So if we compare raisins with

well. So if we compare raisins with grapes. So raisins are the dehydrated

grapes. So raisins are the dehydrated cells. Grapes are the hydrated cells.

cells. Grapes are the hydrated cells.

Obviously we want the grapes. They look

better. They also have these osmosis channels to take on active ingredients.

We want those cells to go through their whole cell divisions because that's important for for anti-aging. So, we

want these cells to perform, to be nourished, to have like everything they need to to be the best functioning cells they could be. And that's the goal with

everything we do for longevity, not just for the skin. That's why you drink two liters of waters every day. That's why

you have your sleep. That's why you have >> try to distress. That's why you live an anti-inflammatory life in order to you

know grow older but healthy and young.

>> What is an anti-inflammatory life?

>> So anti-inflammatory lifestyle is basically having your good night's sleep. Trying to reduce stress because

sleep. Trying to reduce stress because stress brings something out in our system which is called cortisol which highers inflammation. um our nutrition

highers inflammation. um our nutrition and diet mostly plant-based, no processed food, no sugars, no you know all this, you know, it's like um mostly

like a very healthy diet and then skincare products or whatever we wear on our skin, whatever we use as a detergent, whatever it is that touches

our body from the inside and out. And

there's so many endocrine disruptors that touch our skin. Look at shampoos these days. There's silicone, there's

these days. There's silicone, there's microplastic, there's fragrances, there is tenzides. What touches our scalp is

is tenzides. What touches our scalp is mind-blowing. And then it's a hairspray

mind-blowing. And then it's a hairspray and then it's a conditioner, an extra thing for this. And then there is like wax. And then there's dry sham. I mean

wax. And then there's dry sham. I mean

like it's crazy. And our scalp is quite permeable. So whatever goes on our scalp

permeable. So whatever goes on our scalp gets into delivered in our system.

For this matter, everything that touches our skin. Our skin has denturic cells

our skin. Our skin has denturic cells underneath that communicate with our immune system. So if we think the skin

immune system. So if we think the skin is separate from every other organ, that's absolutely not true. And skin

sometimes gets mistreated. We mistreat

our skin because we think, "Oh, skin doesn't matter. It's our largest organ

doesn't matter. It's our largest organ and we cannot live without skin." Same

like our liver, our kidney, our heart.

You know, some people use retinol, glycolic or acid peels because they just want to scrub their faces off for whatever reason. But they cause the

whatever reason. But they cause the inflammation, they cause our disruption of the skin barrier. And they would never do this to the kidney or liver or the heart. We would never throw acid

the heart. We would never throw acid peel on our heart. We would like, oh my god, the heart. You know,

>> with I'm not super knowledgeable in this territory. I'm trying to become more

territory. I'm trying to become more knowledgeable. So, forgive me for for

knowledgeable. So, forgive me for for being asking simple questions. The why

is inflammation bad?

>> So, inflammation is not all that bad.

You know inflammation is an immune response and is there necessary to fight bacteras and viruses >> and it's is it cells inflaming or parts of our body that inflame?

>> If some if a virus or bacteria enters our body, our immune system, our white blood cells come and they and they start

producing factors, enzymes, ingredients to help to heal, to dwell, to bring back healthy um you know healthy tissue. So

this inflammation process is necessary to fight these bacteras and viruses.

Inflammation becomes a problem when it's chronical and when it's in high levels.

So high level inflammation, chronic inflammation or also self-inflicted inflammation like throwing acid peels on our skin that makes our immune system

react. Obviously we don't want this high

react. Obviously we don't want this high inflammation because that is something which causes chronical diseases, autoimmune diseases, degradation of

tissue, aging, cancer, whatever it is.

Every skin condition we don't like goes together with inflammation.

>> So it's good that we have this inflammation once it's necessary. But

don't do self-inflicted inflammation through bad diet, skin care products, detergents, no sleep. No. Yeah.

>> Okay, fine. That makes sense. I'd love

to dive into your experience as an entrepreneur and maintaining your love for being a doctor and your passion for being a doctor, but also going down

the route of creating a product that's available off the counter and becoming the face of the business as well. Your name is on the bottle. People

well. Your name is on the bottle. People

know you, people relate to you and want to learn from you and that's a big part of why people buy the products as well.

Was that a part of your vision the whole time or is that something that happened by accident?

>> To tell you the truth, I didn't have a vision for becoming something in the beauty industry. That wasn't why I

beauty industry. That wasn't why I studied medicine. I I studied medicine

studied medicine. I I studied medicine because I wanted to be at service to my patients. And that's why I created the

patients. And that's why I created the products the way I created them because I wanted my patients to have success with their treatment.

>> And this was something I learned along the way being a scientist and work with scientists. that really inspired me. So

scientists. that really inspired me. So

the vision was wasn't like, oh, I will be super successful in the beauty industry. I will have products. I will

industry. I will have products. I will

be doing this or that. So the vision wasn't ever that. I go pretty much step by step. So today is today, tomorrow is

by step. So today is today, tomorrow is tomorrow. And I love being a doctor and

tomorrow. And I love being a doctor and at a time I was really working more in skincare than with patients. And I was

missing my patients. And when COVID hit, I was like, "Okay, I want to connect with my patients." And I had the time. I

was sitting in in LA in my house. I was

sitting there and I was okay doing master classes, lives. I was doing like five online events a day. It was a crazy. The whole house was full with

crazy. The whole house was full with huge postits. I did a master class about

huge postits. I did a master class about pigmentation, about rosacea, about teen skin, whatever it was. We had like the best time in our house and doing all these events. So I was talking a lot to

these events. So I was talking a lot to patients and they gave me things I hadn't thought of and what needed to be done and I created products and it was

so cool to connect with real people and you know giving advice and helping them through co with their self-care and that I really loved and this is where the

education and the building of a community started with the stern brand and this until today I mean I just come back from the anti-inflammatory house in New York.

We did like a huge townhouse just for education for people who wanted to come and learn. We did like I I think I did

and learn. We did like I I think I did like 12 panel talks with experts just with experts. Yeah. Just people you can

with experts. Yeah. Just people you can learn from and this was it was really nice. People loved it and they they love

nice. People loved it and they they love coming to this brand, you know.

>> It's beautiful. So you

fell into this kind of by accident in a way.

>> I just fell into it. But that's how I love life, you know. Um when I met a guy, I was thinking, do I know where I would be in 10 years? If I knew I would I if I knew where I would be in 10

years, this guy wasn't interesting to me. I don't want to know where I am in

me. I don't want to know where I am in 10 years. I want to flow with life. I

10 years. I want to flow with life. I

want to see what's happening and I want to stay flexible and surprising and you know every day I have an idea and it's fun and some ideas I do others I maybe

don't but that's the cool thing about life and I want to keep it this way so I didn't plan this and I did step by step I got money from the bank I I started

creating products I produced them I didn't really have marketing I didn't have money to pay Vogue articles or Vogue ads there was no Instagram at the time. So I this was word of mouth just

time. So I this was word of mouth just because the products were good and then I had like so much work in my clinic where I was seeing patients with

shipping out products that I said to my team I need to be on Netapote Neta needs to sell my products and everybody say you cannot sell beauty online that doesn't work I said I don't care my

patients know the products so I went to New York I knocked can I please have a meeting and yeah I was not very well known in this beauty industry. But they

gave me a meeting, I talked to them, they decided to take the brand was really amazing and I I went on Neta Port and from Neta Portro it's called Space

and K everybody called me and this is how the product >> got everywhere. I didn't plan I also wasn't like I wasn't so arrogant to say oh my product they would be everywhere.

I wasn't planning on this. I did it for my patients and then yeah it exploded and and then we had so many products and people were like asking me non-stop how

do we use products what's the sequence what do we need to use and how do we use the enzyme cleanser and then I thought okay I have to do I have to showcase it and I already had like facials created

in my clinic so people could come and had facials in the clinic and then I decided to do popups before the Oscar before fashion week before all these

events and the first popup was in LA and Johnny Depp's house and I got his bar and and the bar was like a massage

table. My my facialist from Germany came

table. My my facialist from Germany came and every celebrity came in to have a facial and they came out of this facial room the bar

>> and I had the most glowy face and Rosie started Instagramming it and was >> Rosie Huntington White.

>> Yeah. she came and and it was so cool.

She Instagrammed it and everybody had the most glowy skin and I said, "Oh my god, this is the STM glow. This is how glow really got created. People coming

out of the fasia and this became a thing. These pop-ups we we did, I think

thing. These pop-ups we we did, I think 22 popups in one year. We were like a circus going from to the next.

>> One city to the next.

>> Yeah, it was so fun. And in exploded on Instagram and everybody was obsessed with the products. Every model wanted to have a facial. It was so cool. Nobody

else was doing it. And this is how the brand got more out and out. And I

created the glow drops. And the glow drops became such a thing. And then all brands all of a sudden had glow drops and glow glow glow here. And now I'm so annoyed with glow. But the glow is just

like it's like still a thing. And it's

this derm glow which basically is a sign of healthy, beautiful, dewy, hydrated skin.

>> Love it. you are downplaying some of these monumental moments out of modesty and I'd love to talk about one or two of them particularly that door knock on Netaporte's door. I know you say that

Netaporte's door. I know you say that you did that because you wanted to make your customers lives better and and I believe it 100%. But you did something that was

seemed so natural to you by partnering with a business that you love as a consumer and a business that you know your customers align with. But stepping

out of skincare and into fashion and aligning a skincare product with fashion, I think is a much bigger deal. And I think you

did something that impacted the entire industry.

And either you're too humble to admit it or you actually it was actually just a positive byproduct of something you did with with pure intention. But today I find that skincare is very much lined with fashion,

>> lifestyle. Yeah.

>> lifestyle. Yeah.

>> And and the lifestyle, you know, people >> who dress well pretty much all take care of their skin. I don't know anyone >> who doesn't care about their skin, but cares about their outfit. I think it's

such a conscious part of of maintenance and love for self today. To to love oneself is to love one's body and to take care of their biggest organ, to take care of

their skin. And it's a big part of

their skin. And it's a big part of communication in fashion as well. I

think all people of influence who create lifestyle content also talk about their skincare routines. It's a big part of

skincare routines. It's a big part of people's days. It's it's actually like a

people's days. It's it's actually like a ceremony that people start their day with and end their day with and it's a part of people getting ready. And the

fact that you were the first brand to break the barrier of fashion and be on net I think is a huge deal and I think you deserve to be acknowledged for that actually.

>> Yeah. I tried to make my life easier with going on Netaporte and you know not many people knew at the time. I mean it was just the cool people that knew Metaport and you know Natalie Masanet

and like I tried to get to her and give her the blood cream so she would take me on. Yeah, it was a was a big deal to get

on. Yeah, it was a was a big deal to get on top for me. It was like mindblowing to be on there and then you're right it's it's a part of the fashion but what

really was cool um I I started having PR agencies obviously and then when we went bigger in the US I needed a PR agency in

the US and I had a PR agency which was quite dedicated they had a beauty division and I went there and we did cool stuff together and all of a sudden they took more of the German doctors

more and more and I said, "You know what?" And and editors were like asking

what?" And and editors were like asking for my products and I sent down every doctor's product and I'm like, "You know what? I'm out of here." So, I I went to

what? I'm out of here." So, I I went to actually a super cool agency, super and friend of my family now, Malcolm Carfrey. He has an agency and up till

Carfrey. He has an agency and up till today, he only has one skincare brand, which is amazing. We've been together for many, many, many years. But what

happened was that I said, "Malcolm, I want to work with you." Michael said, "But I I don't really know the beauty editors." And I said, "It doesn't

editors." And I said, "It doesn't matter. We will figure this out. We do

matter. We will figure this out. We do

it. We do it." So, I worked with him and then he started introducing me to every stylist, every editor there is, everybody from fashion because he was

big in fashion. He was working for Calvin Klein. He was the guy. So, I met

Calvin Klein. He was the guy. So, I met everybody. We went to fashion week and I

everybody. We went to fashion week and I was all of the sudden the girl who was the girl the the doctor who would just see every designer every designer would come to our popup. Now I'm friends with

all the designer which is so cool and you know I I love fashion so much and for me it was amazing to meet everybody and that was Malcolm and now as you said

it's the thing you know beauty and fashion belongs together. It's not

separated anymore, but at the time when I started, it was very much separated and we brought it all together. And then

we were the first ones popping up um at fashion week too. And now you know like every skincare brand is trying this obviously because it's a cool concept.

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While doing all of this, you also became a young mom, right? To Charlie.

>> That was Yeah. So listen, Charlie, I was still in university. I was basically studying medicine. I was studying

studying medicine. I was studying medicine and I was pregnant and I was like, "Oh, okay." And I yeah, I wanted to be a doctor. So, but then I had

Charlie in my se semester in the holidays. So, and as soon holidays were

holidays. So, and as soon holidays were over, I went back to school. Charlie and

the maxi cozy, my mom taking care of her. I was still breastfeeding. So,

her. I was still breastfeeding. So,

every four hours I would come back home and feed her. And yeah, but it was cool because it gave me a sense of responsibility. I wasn't the one

responsibility. I wasn't the one partying all night. I still was partying but not like you know with a little more you know I was responsible and also it

taught me a lot about managing life. So

people was like, "How do you study medicine and you have a child and you do this and you do that and then I still was modeling at the fashion fair and I was still doing, you know, I was still,

you know, working in the store selling stuff or I I I made so much money, by the way, when I was like um a student still I was working so much for cool

stuff. So I I was financing myself while

stuff. So I I was financing myself while having Charlie, while studying medicine.

And my ex-husband would say, "Oh my god, medicine must be so easy the way you do it."

it." >> It wasn't.

>> Oh, it was easy. It wasn't easy.

>> But I was always very good in figuring out how to do the maximum with the minimal effort.

>> I'm very good in this. I know how to figure this out.

>> I think your minimal effort is still most people's maximum. You just have a great way of also adding love and fun to it. So you make it look effortless as

it. So you make it look effortless as well because I know the inputs are also still there and you try to say that the inputs are the minimal effort but you also you also put in a lot of work. I've

seen how you work.

>> Yeah. Know it's Yeah. I I I love working. I think um

working. I think um >> I have a really good work ethic but I really also love it. I'm passionate. I'm

self-disciplined. I know what I want and I work hard for it. And I saw my mom working hard. I saw my grandmother

working hard. I saw my grandmother working hard. my dad. You know, if you

working hard. my dad. You know, if you see it at home, you also develop the sense of what's necessary to achieve something you dream of. You know,

>> I have friends that are young parents and that have found balance or at least their definition of balance. And not a single one of them ever regrets having kids or ever regrets having kids too

early. They all just love the process

early. They all just love the process and such a beautiful part of life. But I

have far more friends who are waiting for the right time. What that and myself included to be honest. What that right time is, I have no idea what that even means. I also have no idea. I think

means. I also have no idea. I think

we're all just lying to ourselves. What

was it like to really juggle life and all these things at such a young age and be a founder while being a doctor, while being a mother and putting your heart into all of those things?

And would you ever have done anything differently? Yeah, it's the greatest to

differently? Yeah, it's the greatest to have Charlie. I mean, Charlie's my best

have Charlie. I mean, Charlie's my best friend. Charlie is my advisor. She's

friend. Charlie is my advisor. She's

working in the company with me. Without

Charlie, we wouldn't be where we are because she's bringing all this new generational input and it needs to have this young beautiful power source. Like

Charlie, she's amazing and I'm so happy I have her and I was happy when I was a young mother. I loved her so much back

young mother. I loved her so much back then and she was always like the one and same like Pepper. I want to do everything for them. Give them great

education. Give them everything they

education. Give them everything they need to be able to fulfill their dreams because I don't need them to be amazing in math or amazing this. I don't push

them for anything but what they want. I

support them with everything I have. And

that had worked out. And at the time obviously obviously it's hard. And

obviously sometimes you know you wanted to go out and then you didn't have a babysitter or it's you you make sacrifices but it's the most beautiful

sacrifice in life and I would never have done it differently and I everybody who wants to be young mother should be young mother and they still can do everything.

It's just great to have the parents around. So my parents were always there,

around. So my parents were always there, always supporting me, loving Charlie.

It's it's quite necessary of a supporting family. We women are so

supporting family. We women are so capable of doing everything and everything at the same time. We're so

good at multitasking, so good at managing, so good getting stuff done.

Yeah. So I think the the ability is there for everybody. But it's not like, oh, I want to be a CEO. I want to be a founder. I want to be successful. I want

founder. I want to be successful. I want

to making money. That's not how it works. It works with a passion, with a

works. It works with a passion, with a obsession, with a purpose, with a strong belief, with the readiness to, you know,

maybe go on the minus with the money or taking risk on every level. being there

247 dedicated also with things you might not love to do but you have to do for this and even though it's easy to launch

something on Instagram it's easy but launching something which is lasting something people will remember also in three years not like short shortterm

life that that is easy to do but something which really stays consistently in people's lives that's a hard one to accomplish And we really have to have to think what

it is you want to bring to the world and not just doing something for doing something and showing that you have a business.

>> In a 2-year period, you moved from the US toad, very different life. You got

divorced, so single life also very different. And you also sold Barbara

different. And you also sold Barbara Sturm to Pooch your brand. So lots has changed in the

your brand. So lots has changed in the past couple of years. I'd love to know what this new page of your life looks like.

>> So, I only sold the majority. I still

own quite a bit and I'm personally involved and I love it. It's my baby and I have a lot of responsibility. And by

the way, the products are made by me. No

changes in any product. This is my responsibility. So, just to make clear

responsibility. So, just to make clear that these products will never be anything but 100% perfect. So,

>> love it.

>> Yeah. Um, that was important to me.

Yeah, I'm getting divorced, which is, you know, the life is like comes in waves, ups and downs, changes. I like

these changes. And, you know, sometimes you have a good run with someone and then you don't and then it becomes something you don't want anymore. And

moving to Gustad was out of, you know, me having like personally the urge to be at a place where I could be what could

be good for my health and for my mental health. So when I went to I felt like I

health. So when I went to I felt like I needed to ski every day just to get my mind clear and to breathe fresh oxygen

and just enjoying the things which I love the most. And I took Pepper and it was great for her and we had just the best time. And then I asked my friend

best time. And then I asked my friend Sad, "What happens if I move here? Will

I be bored?" And they said, "Trust me, you won't be bored." So then I took Peppa completely to school there. And

the first day we were there, we went mushroom picking. And I was like, "Oh my

mushroom picking. And I was like, "Oh my god, this is the best thing ever." And,

you know, going hiking and finding mushrooms. And I fell completely in love with this lifestyle. And of course, I still travel. I still have social life.

still travel. I still have social life.

And you know, social life int it's it's a real social life. But then

you also travel. You still go to the places you love and you see all your friends and you go out for nice dinners and you do your events and your fashion weeks and whatever. So it's not that

you're totally secluded from from social life. And you know, the people in are

life. And you know, the people in are amazing. I have such a great community

amazing. I have such a great community and it is something I appreciate about so much. We tell each other every day

so much. We tell each other every day and included. We are just like dreaming

and included. We are just like dreaming about the life we're having. We're so

grateful. We're so grateful that our kids have this life. We're so grateful that we're nature. We're grateful every day. We're grateful for our community.

day. We're grateful for our community.

We live as a big family in this in this small little village. And that is something you cannot find anywhere else in this world. And this is not an advertisement for don't move tot. It's

not that great.

You want to keep the secret to yourselves.

>> Yeah.

>> It's so good. What you have going there is beautiful. And I see it seems to be

is beautiful. And I see it seems to be very very balanced and great. You seem

to be every time I see you in a greater and greater head space. So it's a beautiful thing.

>> I'm so happy. And this feeling of gratefulness. I never had in my life

gratefulness. I never had in my life like I have it now. And this is this is so important for your mental health, for anything in life. And I appreciate this

feeling so much.

>> I love it.

>> You promote and love the life of luxury.

No, we all like quality. We like the best the best olive oil, the best wine, the best >> Kashmir, the best of everything, but also we enjoy simplicity. simplicity

with our friends, simplicity with just sitting and watching the sunset or something. You're you're very you're

something. You're you're very you're you're very big with your values. That's

why I love you so much because you have that in you. Um but what do you think about luxury? Because we both are in a

about luxury? Because we both are in a luxury world and we promote luxury things and the best things are luxury.

How do you see luxury in these days?

Also, how is wellness and everything health evolving together with luxury?

What how do you see that?

>> I think I have different definitions of luxury in different contexts and in different for different categories, but for this category here of health and wellness, I think a luxury is anything

supplementary to the necessity which elevates something someone is passionate about beyond the basic requirements. So,

if I'm passionate about sport, going for a run and being active through a walk, of course, is a is philosophically a luxury because having the time to even engage in something

like sport is a beautiful luxury and blessing. But I think where luxury comes

blessing. But I think where luxury comes into the world of sport is equipment, nutrition, and being able to go beyond

the basics of what your body can offer by supplementing >> and going and going beyond that. So I

think now we live in a in a time where there is luxuries where there are luxuries and luxury products and services within every category.

>> It's also a little bit the knowledge about this is luxury. If you have an extended knowledge about longevity and

how to do sports and how to you know supplement yourself to be better, more healthier, stronger, giving the body really what it needs to be performing

your sport you like. I think that's a luxury too. To me, education or the

luxury too. To me, education or the access to education also the ability to understand education is also quite a big luxury if we talk about that in this case.

>> Absolutely. Yeah. The word luxury is probably one of the most subjective words in the world, right? Because what

is a luxury to me is is a necessity to someone else and what is a dream to someone else is an accessible luxury to me. And

me. And I guess that goes back to the topic of gratitude. It's like we're so blessed

gratitude. It's like we're so blessed and and grateful to be in a position where we consider other people's luxuries and dreams just a part of our daily life like

>> bottled water right here, you know, >> or healthy food, any food, >> any food at all. Yeah.

>> You know, so um it's quite subjective I guess in our world. Uh just to be a bit more precise, there's so many tiers to to this and so

many different ways that people can engage with products and services they're passionate about and that could be luxurious. The the greatest thing

be luxurious. The the greatest thing about the time period we live in to me is the access to information >> is the access to research and being able to learn from people like you. So you

can know when you're investing in something of value to know you're actually getting something of value >> and you do in you you make good choices for yourself based on information and not

>> exactly.

>> Maybe maybe not. So I think that's that's important. I don't want to tell

that's important. I don't want to tell people what to do. I don't want to push my products on them, but I give them the information so they can make informed choices that are better for their health.

>> Exactly. I think knowledge is the superpower of our generation. You know,

it's it's >> 100%. And that's where it's dangerous to

>> 100%. And that's where it's dangerous to to just get your knowledge from Instagram or Tik Tok or something. I

think you also should read science research or whatever interests you. Also

go to real publication, you know, listening to real experts, PhDs, whatever, like where real information comes from. But I have another question.

>> Sure. You you started Pubell, which is so cool. Um I wish I had my bracelets

so cool. Um I wish I had my bracelets with me. Um love them so much. They're

with me. Um love them so much. They're

so cute. Thanks, baby.

>> But this is this is a real thing. I saw

you opening stores and you have to travel and promote it. It's quite some work right?

>> It's fun.

>> How do you feel like this entrepreneurial journey and what do you learn and you know this is like a real business?

>> It is. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. We did a pop-up in Dubai.

much. We did a pop-up in Dubai.

also who who makes your pop-up stores.

They look so cool.

>> It was amazing. We got very very lucky with having amazing partners. This

business called UNAS.

>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They're great.

They sell there too.

>> They're amazing. It's like the Middle East.

>> They really just made dreams into reality in terms of the execution of the pop-up. Whenever

I have these sorts of project meetings with any external partners, we usually have like three scenarios. It's like

backup, realistic, and dream.

>> Mhm.

>> And people usually land somewhere in between backup and realistic because once they start doing the numbers, they're like, "Oh, budgets and this and that." Then you land somewhere.

that." Then you land somewhere.

>> Then you get still get something. But

that's usually how these conversations go >> for most creator founders with external partners with UNAS. I said the dream and they

with UNAS. I said the dream and they were so passionate about Pubell and so supportive that they made the dream happen. They built this incredible

happen. They built this incredible popup.

>> Amazing. I said, "I want I want a jewelry box with the charms around it and this whole thing."

>> I was like, >> and it was amazing.

>> What's going on? It's like, how did you pull that off?

>> Honestly, it sounds so corny, but like the people you work with are everything.

Like that team >> Oh, tell me about it.

>> So exceptional.

>> Like the people make make it happen.

>> It's so cool. My team my team is amazing. When I came to New York to that

amazing. When I came to New York to that anti-inflammatory house, >> I thought I I mean I couldn't believe when I walked in what they pulled off there. It was

there. It was >> amazing. It was just mindblowing. And

>> amazing. It was just mindblowing. And

yeah, your team is everything. Your

team, the people you work with, what they see in your brand, how their vision correlates with your vision. It's fun.

That's the fun fun thing about building a brand. Yeah. I think one thing I look

a brand. Yeah. I think one thing I look for in anyone I work with, which I was so blessed with the team at Unas, they do in something you do, is if there's love for

the work you're doing, the work hours are never offensive. And

what I mean by that is if I have an idea at midnight that's social and I tell my friend about the social idea at midnight, it's never disrespectful, right? Cuz everyone loves

disrespectful, right? Cuz everyone loves social stuff. Yeah. for the most part.

social stuff. Yeah. for the most part.

But to many, if I engage with someone on a work topic after their work hours, they're like, "You should wait till Monday morning." And blah blah blah.

Monday morning." And blah blah blah.

It's like then you never move anywhere.

>> I would never talk to this person.

>> Exactly.

>> Sorry, this sounds really bad for work life business.

>> That's true. I just I just don't want to work with that person. Like like I think if you're a passionate founder or even a passionate person working on anything, you're excited about something aligned

with work. And I'm not saying people

with work. And I'm not saying people should just sacrifice everything and only focus on work, but I think that working with people who are happy to engage on the project you're working on

24/7 will make the project so much better.

>> Oh, 100%. I talk to my team every weekend and if I call them at 12:00, I call them at midnight. If they're still up, they answer the phone and we like, I'm so excited, so excited we're doing this. And and then next day, I already

this. And and then next day, I already have like like 10 ideas on my phone blowing up. It's so fun and I love my

blowing up. It's so fun and I love my team for this. My core team is so dang dang dang and everybody loves what they do and they're all they don't think it's my brand. They think it's their brand.

my brand. They think it's their brand.

They think this is our baby. So they

really have ownership.

>> You've empowered them.

>> I don't know. But we're like we grew together as this family.

>> I love it.

>> So nice.

>> It's great. We always play this short game on the podcast which is a game of Alapel versus Fantastic.

And I would love for you to share with us in the audience two or three things that you find to be allel which are things that you'd like to change or see people do differently in society in the world you find yourself in or anything

in between and two or three things that you celebrate that you're grateful for that you find to be fantastic >> mean people disrespectful people al

100% >> I agree >> that's more about people but I don't I also don't like people who show off >> that to me is also Al Pubel. But that's

more about people.

>> That's fine. Whatever.

>> What else? Dirty streets, dirty parks.

Albel, >> you understand? You've been

>> way more cleaner.

You know, our nature is so valuable.

>> And I don't want to pat myself on the shoulder, but there's like this this um thing we're doing. We go on the mountain and clean up the mountain after after

the skiing season. And you see Yeah.

Because when you go under the lift, you see the secrets. I picked up every freaking secret. I I'm so good in

freaking secret. I I'm so good in mushroom picking and Easter egg hunts, so I'm really good in finding the >> I was wearing gloves, but we we got all the trash from the mountain. And that's

so nice. It's so nice to do these things. Yeah. Or when we're on the beach

things. Yeah. Or when we're on the beach and we find some Pepper likes to clean up the beaches. So nice.

>> That's something we all should be doing.

We all should keep an eye out. If you

see some trash on somewhere, just pick it up.

>> Yeah, >> I think that's fantastic.

>> Is there any aliples or fontics that are specific to the world of skincare today?

>> Retinol alapuel.

>> Retin. Why? I don't know anything about it.

>> Not listen just now. So retinol is an exfoliant. Exfoliient is a resurfacing

exfoliant. Exfoliient is a resurfacing ingredient which causes inflammation.

You know, we're an anti-inflammatory brand. We're trying to live an

brand. We're trying to live an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. But retinol

anti-inflammatory lifestyle. But retinol is causing a disruption of your skin barrier.

Lets the the water leave the skin. So

transepidermal water loss. We have dry skin. We have flaky, red, inflamed skin.

skin. We have flaky, red, inflamed skin.

And we disrupt our skin barrier. We

basically actively hurt our skin with inflammation. And when we hurt our skin,

inflammation. And when we hurt our skin, we also hurt our body. We hurt our system, our immune system. We shouldn't

hurt any organ. We should this is a society which actually is interested in longevity and you know every longevity treatment is designed to lower

inflammation everything red light therapy breathing oxygen it's all about lowering inflammation making our body more resilient more fontastique yeah our

body needs to be fantastic true and this is where the society is educated for and they want to learn more and we follow the biohackers we follow like you know we read the books we we're so interested

in it and then with the skin we're like oh it's just the skin we need to have the same respect for our skin so no retinol no glycolic no resurfacing

products no acid peels no laser and I'm talking about healthy skin I'm not talking about the skin which is >> even laser hair removal is bad >> oh different story different and you

don't do this every two two seconds you know you do this once and then your hair is gone Yeah. Okay.

>> So, all this stuff also fragrances, you know, fragrances is so disrupting, you know, pull it put it on your t-shirt. If

you like a fragrance, put it on your t-shirt. Does it need to on be in our

t-shirt. Does it need to on be in our hair care? No. Does it need to be in our

hair care? No. Does it need to be in our skincare? No. If I like a fragrance, put

skincare? No. If I like a fragrance, put it on my jacket.

>> So, those are the other bells. What

about the fantastics?

>> The fantastics.

You're a fantastic barb. You're a fantastic.

barb. You're a fantastic.

>> You're a great human being. I I love you because you have so much heart. You're

so kind to everyone. You're just someone I admire, who inspires me, who want to have around, who I'm honored to be

friends with. You're really like, no,

friends with. You're really like, no, I'm not just saying this. I I like people who are and that's a testament to your parents. I think, you know, if you

your parents. I think, you know, if you have a certain, you know, if you get a certain education from your parents, you are this person. Yeah. And

>> I appreciate that. I feel the same way about you.

>> I love you, too. Um, yeah. Fontastique.

Fontastique is all the knowledge out there. Fontastique is that we have

there. Fontastique is that we have access to so many great things that we know about what food to eat that we know

about um you know we have scientists who teach us things that that you know make our life more you know better and more

better that make our life better and you know we can enjoy longer. I mean I'm 53 and I feel like I'm 20 you know I still sprint. I still ski every day. has to do

sprint. I still ski every day. has to do all these things and I think with the knowledge of medicine and science we can achieve way more in way higher ages and

that's so cool I I think you know our parents or maybe our grandparents when they were 53 they were old. Yeah. Like

oh and and these days I think we have so much more opportunities to live a much better life way longer.

>> It's true.

>> And that's fantastic.

>> It is fantastic. There's a growing trend now where lots of my friends who have achieved great success are moving away from big cities and

living life very differently to what successful people I observed lived life 105 years ago. People who I observed were achieving success 10 or 15 years

ago were indulging more, partying a bit more and getting deeper in society, joining more members clubs, spending more, drinking more, doing all these things. Whereas now probably a testament

things. Whereas now probably a testament on my friends who are more value aligned with me. So I guess that's one part of

with me. So I guess that's one part of it. that another part of it I think is

it. that another part of it I think is generally there is this growing trend of people who are actually moving a bit more off- grid and getting out of the city getting out

of these social groups that maybe don't align with with who they want to be and moving into the mountains and living this more active

balanced and life that's at one with nature. Is this something you always

nature. Is this something you always wanted to do to move away from the city and and be in nature? Again, I don't plan much ahead. I'm really going step by step. And I loved living in the city.

by step. And I loved living in the city.

I loved living in LA. I loved living in this forever. I love traveling. And it's

this forever. I love traveling. And it's

always a time and a place. And I also I love to be in social events. It was all cool. And now it's more about my health

cool. And now it's more about my health and, you know, living the mountain life.

And I love it. And I I see many young people coming to the mountains and they love it too. We are, as I said, there we're obsessed with living there.

>> And I actually love it that this is like a mindset switch in the young generation. They also want to give their

generation. They also want to give their children a better life than just being in the city and driven by chauffeers.

And it's it's just a different mindset.

And I think kids also get different values by being in the nature and not being pushed with excellence all the

time with like achievements and comparison with other kids and other mothers. I think it's also tough to live

mothers. I think it's also tough to live a life like this. I think if the kids are a little more relaxed, the school is more relaxed. The kids don't feel the

more relaxed. The kids don't feel the pressure every second and they they every Wednesday they go out in nature.

in winter season this they ski almost every day and it's it's a different life for them and I think it's also healthier not to sit like 8 hours or even more

behind the desk for these kids they need their muscles to to to to stretch to grow they need to be active they shouldn't atrophy muscles they get back

problems neck problems early on I think they need to have this sporty nature life in my That's why I I actually think it's cool to and for example, London has

a great countryside. I know lots of people who live in the countryside. It's

beautiful.

>> It is beautiful. It is.

>> Well, I'm excited to see you int again very soon.

>> Please come. Please come.

>> I'll be there very soon.

>> We Let's show the guy followers.

>> A day in the life of BB Sterm in >> the real with the girl.

>> I'm actually doctor.

>> You're Dr. >> I'm Dr. You're short.

>> You are >> perfect. Well, Barbara, thank you so

>> perfect. Well, Barbara, thank you so much.

>> Thank you for having me. I love you >> being here. I love you, too. This has

been so much fun.

>> I'm sure the audience wants to hear more. I think you should start a podcast

more. I think you should start a podcast of your own.

>> It's coming. And you would be my first guest.

>> I'm in.

>> And you have to fly in from wherever.

>> Wherever I am. What you did today is is really so appreciated. I really

appreciate you. Pleasure. Thank you so much.

>> And thank you for being here.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you.

Thank you for listening to this episode of the Stard Guy podcast. If you're keen to learn more, please follow along by engaging with our social channels on

Instagram, Tik Tok, Spotify, YouTube, and Apple podcasts. And we look forward to seeing you next week. Mercibboku

alen. And a big hug from the start guy.