Six Degrees of Purpose

Six Degrees of Purpose

by Six Degrees
Season 1

Maria Hatzistefanis on building a beauty empire, the freedom to choose, and creating a life on her own terms

What happens when getting fired turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to you? In this episode of Six Degrees of Purpose, we're joined by Maria Hatzistefanis - founder of Rodial and Nip+Fab, bestselling author, and investor on Dragon's Den Greece - to explore what it really takes to build something from nothing, and keep it entirely your own. Maria shares how a childhood passion for fashion and style eventually led her away from a career in banking, and why losing that job felt more like relief than failure. She reflects on what it means to take bold decisions - from naming an anti-ageing serum 'Snake Serum' to building a second brand and then stepping back from it - and why self-awareness is one of the most underrated qualities in a founder. We discuss the value of independence, and how that same value now shapes the conversations she has with her own children. And we explore what money really means in the context of a life well lived - how to create the life you want, and how to know when you've built enough to walk away. This conversation is for anyone who has ever wondered what success actually looks like when you stop letting other people define it. To learn more about Six Degrees visit Thisis6.com Write to us at hello@thisis6.com Six Degrees of Purpose on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Find us on LinkedIn

Dr Sol Rogers on defining enough, what success actually looks like, and the values we pass on to our children

What does it mean to have built something, sold it, and then ask yourself what any of it was actually for? In this episode of Six Degrees of Purpose, we're joined by Sol Rogers - founder of REWIND, Chair of BAFTA's Immersive Entertainment Advisory Group, and a man who has spent his career at the frontier of technology, gaming and immersive experience. Sol shares his thinking on purpose, what drives people at different stages of their lives, and why knowing how much is enough might be the most underrated idea in business. We discuss how our definition of success shifts over time, what we actually want to measure our lives against, and the values we choose to pass on to our children - and whether we live up to them. And we explore how Sol's professional world sits right at the centre of one of the defining debates of our time: what technology and gaming are doing to the next generation, and what that means for the choices we make as parents. This conversation is for anyone who has ever paused mid-achievement to wonder if they're measuring the right things. To learn more about Six Degrees visit Thisis6.com Write to us at hello@thisis6.com Six Degrees of Purpose on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Find us on LinkedIn

Aryan Vedhara on financial literacy, what schools don't teach, and building the fix from the inside

Most young people leave school able to solve equations they'll never use - and unable to answer basic questions about money they'll face every week. For this episode of Six Degrees of Purpose, we sat down with Aryan Vedhara, a sixth former, and founder of the Aspire Project, to explore why financial illiteracy remains one of the most consequential gaps in British education. From the outside, it might seem like a policy problem: something for governments and curriculum boards to fix. But Aryan identified it from the inside, as a student considering his own career trajectory, and finding there was an opportunity to create something impactful, at the confluence of education, career and financial wellbeing. We explore what young people aren't being taught, how those gaps compound over time, and the thinking behind the Aspire Project's 14-week programme and AI platform - built not just to teach financial skills, but to shift how a generation relates to money altogether. This is a conversation about what we owe young people today - and whether we're being honest about the size of what we're leaving out. To learn more about Six Degrees visit Thisis6.com Write to us at hello@thisis6.com Six Degrees of Purpose on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Find us on LinkedIn

Raymond Blanc on nurturing excellence, the sacrifices behind it, and passing on his vision

What does it mean to build something extraordinary over a lifetime - and then step back from running it? In this episode of Six Degrees of Purpose, we’re joined by Raymond Blanc, as he reflects on his unexpected journey into entrepreneurship, and the creation of a world defined by excellence, craft, and uncompromising standards. Raymond shares how his approach was never about following fashion, but about building something rooted in deep values - where vision is not just shared, but truly owned by everyone involved in bringing it to life. We explore the mindset behind creating environments like Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons and Brasserie Blanc, the importance of nurturing young talent, and the joy he finds in mentoring the next generation of chefs and leaders. Now at an inflection point in his career, Raymond reflects on stepping into a Lifetime Ambassador role and passing on day-to-day control. He shares how letting go does not feel like loss, but rather the natural continuation of a vision he has spent decades building. This conversation is for anyone thinking about leadership, legacy, and what it really means to pass something on without it losing its soul. To learn more about Six Degrees visit Thisis6.com Write to us at hello@thisis6.com Six Degrees of Purpose on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Find us on LinkedIn

Jonny Plein on selling your identity, the cost of winning young, and the second act

What happens when you sell the company you founded at just 27 - and it’s been a defining part of your identity? In this episode of Six Degrees of Purpose, we’re joined by entrepreneur Jonny Plein to explore the reality behind that experience. Jonny shares a deeply honest account of how his upbringing shaped both his drive to succeed and the challenges that followed, and how 'winning' at such a young age led to unexpected feelings of loss and imposter syndrome. We discuss the process of going again, rebuilding with greater self-awareness, and learning to separate self-worth from any single venture. This conversation is for anyone who has ever reached a milestone, only to find it didn’t feel quite how they expected - and is now asking what comes next. To learn more about Six Degrees visit Thisis6.com Write to us at hello@thisis6.com Six Degrees of Purpose on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Find us on LinkedIn

Joanna Jensen on selling a business, life after exit, and rediscovering purpose

In this episode of Six Degrees of Purpose, we’re joined by prolific entrepreneur, adviser, author, and Chair of the EIS Association, Joanna Jensen. We explore her journey of building and ultimately selling Childs Farm - and what happens after the moment many founders spend years working towards. Joanna shares her candid reflections on life post-exit, from the emotional comedown to the process of rediscovering purpose beyond the business. We discuss what financial independence really means in practice, how it shapes freedom, identity and decision-making, and why the founder journey is often far more complex than it appears from the outside. This conversation is for anyone interested in how purpose evolves over time - whether you’re building, exiting, or simply thinking more deeply about what comes next in your wealth journey. To learn more about Six Degrees visit Thisis6.com Write to us at hello@thisis6.com Six Degrees of Purpose on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Find us on LinkedIn

Dr Eliza Filby on generational change, work and the future of wealth

In this episode of Six Degrees of Purpose, we’re joined by historian and generational expert Dr Eliza Filby. We explore how generational change is reshaping attitudes to family life, work, money and success - and why the Bank of Mum and Dad has played such a pivotal role in shaping society today. Eliza shares insights on how different generations define achievement, the tension between those who inherit and those who don’t, financial security and personal meaning, and why inherited ideas about wealth no longer fit the world we’re living in. This conversation is for anyone navigating success, responsibility and identity in a period of profound social change. To learn more about Six Degrees visit Thisis6.com Write to us at hello@thisis6.com Six Degrees of Purpose on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Find us on LinkedIn

Vicky Reynal on money, relationships and how much is enough

Financial psychotherapist and bestselling author Vicky Reynal joins Six Degrees of Purpose to explore the emotional side of money. We discuss how money shows up in relationships, how childhood experiences shape financial behaviour in adulthood, and how to think about what is truly “enough” when planning your life. This episode is for anyone interested in understanding their relationship with money more deeply. To learn more about Six Degrees visit Thisis6.com Write to us at hello@thisis6.com Six Degrees of Purpose on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Find us on LinkedIn