Yoga teacher Marlene Smits, 42, guides her life by intuition. Without knowing a word of Bulgarian, she became editor-in-chief of Bulgarian Elle at 29, then launched the popular yoga apparel brand Urban Goddess, now available across Europe.
You didn't speak a word of Bulgarian yet became editor-in-chief of Bulgarian Elle at 29. How did that happen?
'At the time, I was searching for direction. I freelanced as a journalist for various magazines, spending long hours at home on my computer. As an introvert, it felt okay, but I craved a change—living abroad. My half-Bulgarian aunt heard Cosmopolitan was launching in Bulgaria and set up a meeting with the publisher. I'd contributed to the title often, so I thought, why not? I went without a solid plan. That meeting didn't pan out, but I landed a six-month gig as cultural editor at a local newspaper. Then, an international publisher—who'd heard about me through the Cosmo contact—called. "We're launching Elle in Bulgaria, and I want you as editor-in-chief." I was stunned, but she meant it. Suddenly, I was jetting between meetings and appearing on radio, TV, and in papers to promote Elle. It felt like a surreal film.'
Why did you leave after just a year and a half?
'I refused to tolerate the corruption in the publishing house. Invoices were falsified, shady deals were made. My team was undermined and spied on—reports went out on who said what about the director. The daily tension was unbearable, and after 18 months, I asked myself: what am I doing here?'
Read the full interview with Marlene in the February issue of Santé to learn how she overcame that stress and built yoga clothing brand Urban Goddess.
Who is Marlene?
Marlene Smits, 42, trained at Amsterdam's fashion academy and freelanced for top magazines. At 29, she led Bulgarian Elle as editor-in-chief. In 2013, she founded Urban Goddess, now sold across Europe (including Spain, Sweden, and the UK). She's a yoga instructor at Delight Yoga and lives in Amsterdam with her partner.
Text: San van de Ven | Photography: Bart Honingh | Styling: Linda Huiberts
