The Gstaad Guy Podcast

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Marianna Hewitt, co-founder of Summer Fridays and one of the earliest and most instinctive voices to emerge from the first wave of Instagram and lifestyle blogging, to explore what it truly takes to turn cultural momentum into something that endures. From her early days in fashion to becoming a first mover in the content creator space, Marianna reflects on the decisions, values, and relentless consistency that laid the foundation for one of skincare's most beloved modern brands. The conversation gets into the thinking behind Summer Fridays, why great skincare should never feel intimidating, and what it really means to build a brand with genuine cross-generational appeal. Marianna speaks honestly about the realities of life as a founder, the difference between good friends and old friends, and why decisiveness, not luck, is the quality that separates those who last from those who fade. Grounded, direct, and full of hard-won perspective, it is a conversation about community, longevity, and what it means to build something real in an industry that moves very fast. Filmed at The Maybourne Beverly Hills Garden Suite. (00:00 Intro ✨🎙️ (02:21) Starting Social Media 📱✨ (03:48) Love For Content ❤️🎨 (04:04) Fashion World 👗✨ (07:12) Being A First Mover 🚀🌟 (10:00) Why "Summer Fridays"? ☀️🧴 (13:38) Skincare Can Be Intimidating 😰🧴 (15:21) Effective Branding & Marketing 📢✨ (19:46) Remaining Excited & Motivated 🔥💪🏻 (21:14) "There Are No Quick Wins" ⏳💡 (25:22) Role Of Founder & CEO 👔🏆 (29:54) Forging Strategic Partnerships 🤝🏻🌟 (33:25) Creating A Social & Digital Brand 📱🌍 (36:14) Cross-Generational Products 👴🏻👶🏻 (39:00) Seeing People Use Your Product 😊❤️ (41:14) Message To Your Younger Self 📝🪞 (44:10) Old Friends vs. Good Friends 👥❤️ (45:34) Being A Decisive Person ⚡✅ (47:05) Key Skills That Drive Success 🔑📈 (49:38) Values 🏛️❤️ (53:16) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique 🗑️✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Haley Baylee, one of the fastest content producers on the internet, to unpack the discipline, strategy, and resilience behind becoming a top creator in today’s attention economy. From her early modelling years and entry into Sports Illustrated to navigating judgment, pressure, and an eating disorder, Haley opens up about the realities behind the highlight reel and the work required to rebuild confidence, self-worth, and ambition. She reflects on seizing opportunities, creating structure, and learning to be purposeful rather than performative in a culture obsessed with speed. The conversation dives into internet culture, online skits, content routines, and what advertisers are actually looking for. Haley touches brand alignment, audience connection, and channeling emotion into work that resonates. They also explore dating, gender roles, financial literacy, and what it means to be self-made, alongside Haley’s belief in knowledge as power and her motivation to empower other women by being radically open. A candid look at creating your own path, being yourself online, and turning visibility into lasting impact. Filmed at Casa Cipriani New York’s Premier River View Suite. Chapters: (00:00) Intro ✨ (02:21) Online Skits 🎭📱 (03:24) Backstory 📖✨ (03:45) Modelling 📸✨ (07:24) Something New 🆕💡 (09:48) Seizing An Opportunity 🚀✋🏻 (14:11) Content Routine 📆🎥 (16:05) Partnering With Brands 🤝🏻🏷️ (18:30) Single In NYC 🗽💔 (20:52) What To Look For In A Man 👀👨 (22:44) Dating Apps 📱❤️ (23:57) Sliding Into DMs 💬➡️ (27:50) Beyond Content 🔍✨ (30:17) Audience 👥🎯 (32:43) Video Journaling 🎥📓 (34:14) Channeling Emotion ❤️🎬 (37:53) Being Yourself 🙌🏻✨ (40:45) Alignment 🎯🤝🏻 (45:27) Creating A Path 🧭🚶‍♀️ (51:09) Knowledge Is Power 🧠⚡ (52:07) Financial Literacy 💰📘 (53:32) Being Self-Made 💪🏻🌱 (56:27) Men Of This Generation 👨‍👦🔄 (59:53) Gender Roles ⚖️🚻 (1:02:48) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique 🗑️✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Lionel Barber, former editor of the Financial Times and author of "Gambling Man", to explore what journalism really is, and what it must remain in an age of speed, noise, and opinion. From his early days at The Sunday Times to leading one of the world’s most trusted news institutions, Lionel reflects on why great journalism begins with curiosity, not cynicism, and why asking the right questions matters more than having the loudest voice. The conversation traces his journey through foreign correspondence, writing about business in the 1980s, and navigating moments of doubt, reinvention, and regained confidence. Lionel unpacks the evolution from fast news to slow news, the discipline of knowing your reader, and the responsibility that comes with dealing with people in power. They discuss storytelling as a craft, finding your voice, balancing originality with expectation, and the tension between what audiences want to hear and what they need to know, especially in the age of social media. Filmed at the club at The Twenty Two in London. Chapters: (00:00) Intro ✨ (01:27) What Is Journalism? 🤔 📰 ✍🏻 (02:31) Journalism Requires Curiosity 🔍🧠 (05:22) Writing About Business ✍️✍🏻📊 (07:21) Business In The 80s 🕰️💼 (10:15) Regaining Confidence 💪🏻✨ (12:11) Leaving The Sunday Times 🚪📰 (13:08) The Financial Times 📰💗 (14:04) Becoming A Foreign Correspondent 🌍✈️ (16:20) Fast News vs. Slow News ⚡🐢 (17:03) Becoming A Leader In Digital News 👑💻 (19:01) “The Pink Paper” 💗📰 (21:44) Knowing The Reader 👁️👥 (23:36) Building An Institution 🏛️🧱 (24:31) Personal Measure Of Success 📏✨ (27:01) The Importance Of A Conversation Opener 💬🔑 (28:50) Dealing With People In Power 🏛️⚖️ (33:53) Storytelling And Connecting With An Audience 📖🤝🏻 (37:58) Being Original vs. Answering To Expectations 🎭⚖️ (39:02) Finding Your Voice 🗣️✨ (42:00) What People Like To Hear vs. The Truth 🎭🪞 (43:38) The Problem With Social Media 📱⚠️ (44:33) Storytelling Across New Mediums 🎥📱 (46:28) The Fundamentals Of Sharing A Good Story 🧱📖 (49:15) The Secret Lives Of The Rich & Powerful 🔐💰 (55:06) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique” 🗑️✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Gstaad Guy sits down with Greg Chait, founder of The Elder Statesman, to trace the unconventional path from throwing parties and collecting blankets to building one of fashion’s most distinctive luxury brands. Greg shares the origin story behind receiving his first cashmere blanket, discovering the power of yarn, and why leading with intuition, not trends, became the foundation of his creative philosophy. From early exposure to fashion to stumbling upon the identity that would define his brand, he reflects on living many lives before finding the one that felt right. The conversation explores colour theory, self-expression, and becoming the first to put tie dye on cashmere, a move that reshaped perceptions of luxury as something playful, cosy, and deeply personal. Greg breaks down the evolution from blankets to ready-to-wear knitwear, expanding into womenswear, designing retail experiences, and building a brand with soul. They discuss value alignment, creative collaborations, customers turned partners, and the balance between being an artist and an operator. Along the way, Greg opens up about empathy, therapy, emotional overload, and how becoming a father reshaped his perspective on leadership and life. Filmed at Casa Cipriani New York’s Premier River View Suite. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:40) Colton (01:26) Positive Luxury (02:25) The Origin Story (03:50) First Exposure To Fashion (04:31) Discovering Number Nine (05:50) Being Gifted The First Cashmere Blanket (07:26) “It’s All About The Yarn” (08:23) Colour & Expression (08:36) Close To Loro Piana (09:44) The Beauty In Imperfection (10:25) From Blankets To Ready-To-Wear Knitwear (12:42) Maxfield LA (18:45) Figuring Out The Right Path (24:04) Value Alignment (25:31) Expanding Into Womenswear (26:32) Tie Dye On Cashmere (27:03) Stumbling Upon The Elder Statesman (30:40) Designing The Retail Experience (34:20) Upcycled Teddy Bear & Home Goods (36:06) The Early Days of The Elder Statesman (36:55) Building An Identity Takes Time (38:20) Behind The Name: The Elder Statesman (42:29) Some Things Stay Behind The Scenes (43:05) If You Know, You Know (45:05) “The Brand Has Soul” (46:45) Spectrum Of Collaborations (47:56) Being A Creative & An Operator (49:26) Customers Turned Partners (50:42) What Seems Right For The Business vs. Yourself (54:04) The Beauty Of Being A Founder (55:40) Empathy (56:06) Being A Father (58:03) The Next Phase Of The Brand (1:00:56) Urban & Resort Customers (1:03:00) Playful Luxury (1:05:18) There Is No Easy Path To Success (1:07:28) We’re Emotionally Overloaded (1:09:14) Therapy (1:11:13) À La Poubelle vs. Fantastique Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices