Your space, your story: Luxe Digital

Florine, a former TV journalist and head of marketing for international brands, and Simon, a seasoned digital marketer with a decade-long tenure at Google, combine their diverse expertise to steer Luxe Digital’s success. What began as a supplementary project has flourished into their primary business, revolutionizing how luxury brands navigate the digital landscape. In this inspiring interview, they share their story and their thoughts on modern luxury, sustainability, new technologies, and balancing parenthood with entrepreneurship.

As we read on your website, Luxe Digital at first was meant to be an additional business, but eventually it became your main business. What did you do before launching your platform, and what business experience do you have?

Sometimes it feels like we have lived many lives (smiles). We are digital natives, at home in the digital space. When we launched Luxe Digital in 2018, our ambition was to create an online platform to discuss the digital transformation of the luxury industry. Our primary business at the time was mOOnshot digital, a marketing agency for lifestyle and luxury brands—which Florine founded while we were living in Singapore. Not to namedrop, but… from Maserati to Rimowa, Aesop, and Jaeger-LeCoultre, we’ve worked with world-class clients.

We decided to launch Luxe Digital to inspire our current and potential clients by showcasing what was possible to achieve when embracing digital technologies. Traditional luxury brands, in particular, were slower to adopt new technologies at the time.

Six years later, we’ve grown Luxe Digital to be an authority in the industry, read by millions of people and generating over $20 million in sales for our partnering brands. We still can’t believe it sometimes!
Although we met in university, we have had very different career paths. Florine worked as a TV Journalist, and Head of Marketing for international brands (from healthy food & beverages to high-end beauty). She’s also a published author and a regular speaker at global conferences. Simon worked at Google for 10 years in Europe and Asia, where he led a global team of digital marketers.

At what point did you decide that Luxe Digital was the space you wanted to devote all your energies to? What made you decide to start developing the platform full-time?

Our ideas for Luxe Digital were ambitious but we envisioned a slow start with marginal incremental growth over the first few years of the magazine. It turns out we were wrong!  Just a year after launching Luxe Digital, we realized that traffic to the site was significantly higher than we had anticipated for a B2B website. We grew so much and so quickly that we had to upgrade our servers to accommodate the traffic volumes. Twice. 

So we decided to conduct a user survey and we discovered that a large portion of our readers were in fact consumers searching for inspiration and recommendations. We thus decided to test a few articles under a new Lifestyle section and were encouraged by their early success.

We then decided to double down on this opportunity and hired an incredible team of in-house editors. We completed our first hiring process just when COVID started. It turned out to be an incredible opportunity for us as people were spending more time online, browsing for ideas and suggestions to improve their lifestyle.

How have you grown over the years? Which moments can you consider breakthroughs? Do you employ staff to help you run your business?

After a hyperbolic growth during the COVID years, Luxe Digital grew in maturity and gained a trusted global audience of regular readers and subscribers. We are proud that our media has the power to boost the visibility, voice, and vision of better brands and leaders across cities and continents.

Our organic traffic heavily depends on Google, which is undergoing significant changes right now, particularly with artificial intelligence. People's media consumption and search behaviors are changing, and we will need to continue to adapt to that.

We have a team of senior editors spread across the world. Some have been with us since the early days, others are more recent additions. We also have an amazing virtual assistant who helps us with many of the daily operations of the magazine.

Reflecting on our journey, several milestones stand out. First, the moment we realized a large portion of our readers were not browsing as business people but consumers looking for inspiration. That realization opened the door to fantastic growth opportunities. The day we completed our first hiring cycle and started delegating copywriting to our editors was also a very important step for us.

And we still remember that humbling and validating feeling when we reached a million monthly reader for the first time (we were like, “OMG we are millionaires in pageviews!”) That’s when we realized that Luxe Digital had become a business in its own right.

Tell us which of you handles which part of the business. What qualities does one have that the other does not, and what do you value in each other?

Funnily enough, we never imagined we would work in the same company, much less own a business together. Honestly, we make a powerful team. We are fortunate enough to have many of the skills (or, at the very least, a deep understanding) required to run a business and enough business acumen to seek support when we need it.

Florine is Luxe Digital’s Editor in Chief. She reviews and validates everything published on the site and oversees the branding aspects. She also works closely with our senior editors to craft the editorial calendar. 

Simon is Luxe Digital’s Publication Director. He manages the entire team as well as our brand partners and advertisers. He’s also in charge of our website's tech stack and manages our servers.

We settled into these roles quite naturally, as they allowed us to each focus on our strengths and what we enjoy doing most. We both love to view the world through a lens of possibilities. However, although we both like to think about the big picture, we each bring our specificities.

Simon is very structured, diplomatic, and approachable. He enjoys the business side of the operation and likes coding and developing new features for our users. Florine is a creative storyteller at heart. She is naturally more capable of producing impactful content that resonates with our audience. With a perfectionist eye for detail, Florine brings that extra sparkle to everything she does. She is also very disciplined and never shies away from asking the hard questions. 

Maintaining a work-life balance can be challenging, especially when you are not just business partners but also a couple. How do you ensure boundaries between work and personal life?

Ah, this is undoubtedly one of the most asked questions when people discover we are both partners in business and life. Truth is: we don't. We don't know many entrepreneurs who really do, to be honest. Entrepreneurship is not a 9-to-5 job. We're constantly thinking about new opportunities and new ideas. Our best ideas usually come when we're not working, actually. We know it isn't for everyone! But it's working well for us. 

We love the freedom, flexibility, and fun of working together. We seem to agree a lot more than we disagree. We communicate—a lot. We continuously inspire and empower each other. And we have good laughs. What could be more fulfilling than enjoying what you do and doing it with the person you love?

We don't enforce strict rules and take time for ourselves whenever we desire. And our kids are always there to remind us that business shouldn't be discussed around the dinner table.

Walk us through your daily work routine. How do you prioritize tasks and manage your time effectively as a couple running a business together?

There's no such thing as a typical day for us. Or perhaps what makes a day typical is that no days are ever the same. The only constant is school schedules, so we tend to organize our time around that.

Florine is the master of multitasking, so she handles most of the daily responsibilities. Simon is the most organized, so he manages more of the administrative and financial aspects of our lives.

Our days are often a combination of Google Workspace, product testing and photoshoots, hands-on work, and emails. We tend to start the day with the most demanding and serious tasks and keep the fun parts for later in the day.

It is hard to say what brings us the most satisfaction in our business—the incredible daily discoveries that we get to explore, the daily positive impacts and the conversations we spark as a global community or the versatility of the work at hand.

Rest and rejuvenation are crucial for productivity. What are your favorite methods for taking breaks and recharging?

Sports, gastronomic experiences, quality time with our kids, and traveling are some of our favorite methods for recharging. Simon likes to wake up early and exercise before the kids wake up to clear his mind, stay focused, and set a positive tone for the rest of the day.

When we need to disconnect, we turn off data roaming and roam the world instead. Traveling to new and exciting locations is our favorite way to unwind. Plus, we moved to Dubai two years ago so we can’t wait for the next school holidays to continue exploring this part of the world with our kids.

Can you share with us your perspective on modern luxury and how it intersects with sustainability in today's market? Can it be environmentally-friendly?

At Luxe Digital, we champion a reimagination of luxury, breaking the dust-covered notions of opulence, materialism, and arbitrary excess. The expression of luxury, in its new, modern context, is more nuanced and less absolute. It’s about experiencing the finest things in life—better. Less disposable, more deliberate. Less wasteful, more wholesome. Less pretentious, more purposeful. We refer to it as Conscious, Elevated Living.

We encourage our readers to be intentional about investing their money and only purchase products that genuinely elevate their lifestyle—prioritizing quality over branding and flashy logos. With our emphasis on conscious consumerism, we believe that considered craftsmanship is at the heart of true luxury.

In your opinion, what’s the relationship between luxury and new technologies? Does luxury, which is associated with tradition and history, find its way into the world of new technologies?

The luxury sector has always been at the forefront of innovation, pushing boundaries and setting the standards for other brands to follow. However, they have initially been slower to embrace digital. A decade ago, their legacy customers weren’t particularly online, so there wasn’t as much of a need for them to move quickly in this space.

Notably, the past few years have marked a transformative shift, with virtually every traditional luxury brand now showcasing a clear and ambitious online strategy—some even embracing cutting-edge technological innovations like blockchain and the metaverse.

We firmly believe that digital still holds a wealth of exciting new growth opportunities for luxury brands—both traditional and emerging. It’s only just the beginning.

Designing a functional and luxurious workspace in an eco-friendly manner is becoming increasingly important. What tips do you have for creating such a workspace?

Trust us: We spent months researching the best options for our workspace that balance function, design and sustainability before discovering and eventually opting for Oakywood. Transforming our desk into a (handcrafted) wooden wonderland is a great way to put our values at work—literally.

For us, creating a stylish and sustainable workspace really came down to two words: craftsmanship and curation. Oakywood promises both.

For anyone interested in designing their own workspace, we strongly suggest introducing high-quality, eco-friendly materials so you are connecting to nature, not just the internet. A clean, smartly thought-through, timeless design means fewer but better work essentials that will get the job done for years to come. This is especially true if, like us, you opt for elevated functional products that can easily be customized to match your style and requirements.

Keep your deskspace (and thoughts) uncluttered. By investing in only the essentials, you can create a space that elevates your work.

Tell us a bit about your office. How would you describe its style? What made you decide on this aesthetic?

We have embraced digital as a way of life—so we mostly work from home now. We've dedicated an entire room solely to that purpose. We're lucky to live near a park in Dubai, with floor-to-ceiling windows, so that room brings plenty of natural light and a serene atmosphere.

When designing the space, we wanted to keep it minimalist but cozy, which is why we love oak's quintessential warmth. We kept it very simple and functional to avoid distractions (there can be many while working from home!).

We also wanted a space that's inviting in the morning and flexible enough to adapt to our work style throughout the day. Standing desks are a great option for us in that regard. We like to sit down in the morning and late afternoon but stand up around lunchtime to keep the energy high.

Can you tell us about your favourite Oakywood products and how they contribute to your daily work routine? Did they improve your productivity or enhance your workspace environment? Which one has most transformed the way you work?

We love Oakywood’s entire collection and see it as a sleek system rather than individual items. In fact, we entirely redesigned our WFH office around Oakywood’s furniture and accessories.

Our favorite pieces are the standing desks and desk shelves—they are stunning, sustainably made, and striking in function. We opted for relatively large desks in natural oak wood, which gives us plenty of space—deskspace truly has the potential to help us unlock our own. We love how we could customize the sides and cut of the tabletop as well as the shape and location of the grommets for improved cable management.

The desks from Oakywood have truly transformed our working environment, infusing it with a sense of warmth, comfort and a timeless expression of style. The simple act of sitting down at our beautifully handcrafted desks, ready to start the day, fills us with a renewed sense of purpose and drive. You can read more about our thoughts in our dedicated Oakywood desk review.

The desk shelves did change our workflow quite significantly, too. It’s the first time we’ve used desk shelves, and the real estate gain on our desk is incredible. We each work with a laptop and a second monitor. The extra storage space was a game-changer for organizing our desk essentials. It not only kept the entire space neat and tidy but also streamlined our workflow, inspiring us to be more focused and efficient. We were so impressed that we published an Oakywood desk shelf review.

As influencers and business owners, how do you navigate the balance between promoting luxury goods and advocating for sustainable consumption?

We don't see ourselves as influencers, to be honest. We do, however, advocate for better luxuries. The lifestyle surrounding luxury is still too often characterized by unflattering stereotypes. There are misconceptions for all the better brands out there, in our opinion. Luxury and sustainable consumption are not mutually exclusive. They can, and should, coexist harmoniously. It's not a compromise but a paradigm shift in our perception of luxury.

We encourage our readers to adopt a more discerning approach to luxury, buying fewer but better luxuries. That often means smartly designed, timeless products crafted with high-quality, durable materials.

From our perspective, modern luxury goods are often the best choice and are inherently of the highest quality. This excellence in craftsmanship is earned and consistently delivered. While they may be more expensive initially (but not always), they are a cost-effective choice over the long run, as they last for years. This not only benefits your wallet, but also the environment, and the artisans who produce them. By eliminating impulse buys, you'll find yourself richer in every sense of the word.

We've developed a truly unique framework, our Happy Philosophy, to guide our luxury choices. The HAPPY mnemonic encapsulates a mindful approach to evaluating the intrinsic value of the luxuries we welcome into our lives: Honorable craftsmanship, Aesthetic design, Positive impact on people and the planet, Purpose and function, and Yielding value.

Parenthood often comes with its own unique challenges. How do you balance the demands of running a business while also being present for your children?

Parenthood is most definitely as exciting as it can be challenging. Simon decided to start his entrepreneurial journey when our first baby was born. The primary motivation was to have more flexibility with his time to be present for our children.

While challenging in Luxe Digital's growing phase, we've now settled into a good rhythm. We work during school hours and sometimes after putting our kids to bed. After school, late afternoons, and most weekends are reserved for spending time with our son and daughter. We consciously chose to be very present parents despite being dedicated entrepreneurs.

As successful entrepreneurs, you’re likely seen as role models not only in business but also in parenting. How do you instill values of organization and balance in your children, and how do you lead by example in this regard? Could you share any tips for other parents?

Our kids are still young, so they mostly learn from observing what we do and how we communicate. It's incredibly satisfying to see our values reflected in our children's actions. They demonstrate kindness, resilience, and honesty in their daily interactions, just as we strive to do.

Our priority at this stage in their lives is to ensure that they are curious and open-minded by exposing them to diverse experiences, perspectives, and environments. We regularly discuss our work with them and encourage them to develop an entrepreneurial mindset by often asking them how they would create new solutions to problems they’re facing and improve existing ones, fostering their ability to think critically and innovatively.

We have established household routines like dinner time (the moment for our kids to share some of the things they have learned, enjoyed, or disliked on that day) or bedtime (with established routines so they always know what to expect).

We both try to be organized parents. We enjoy clean, uncluttered environments. However, it's not always easy, especially with young children (#kidswillbekids). We do have regular sorting and organizing activities though, such as arranging toys in their playroom or decluttering their belongings. We had to teach this very early on as we have moved houses and countries several times over the years. And we love that, despite their young age, they understand that their unused things (whether by donating or reselling them) can bring joy and happiness to someone else’s life.

What are your plans for the future? How do you want to grow? What business dream are you pursuing?

We love what we achieved with Luxe Digital as an independent media brand. We’re a trusted resource for millions of readers and a valuable and durable partner for the better brands that we’ve carefully selected to work with.

Regarding future growth, we’re keen to explore deeper partnerships with our existing brand partners. These could take the form of developing custom products using the deep expertise we’ve gained through years of working in the industry and the data we have on what our readers like most.

Entrepreneurship is a journey of continuous exploration and our heads are always spinning with new ideas. Some of which will be tested and launched soon. So watch this space.