Rea Samek is the founder of an international travel and lifestyle magazine focused on luxury hospitality, editorial storytelling, and modern location-independent living. With a background in global hotel sales, aviation, and luxury travel, she built the platform around the idea of combining business, travel, and motherhood in a more intentional way.
Today, her work spans international editorial collaborations, women-focused experiences, and curated luxury concepts across destinations including Bali, Dubai, and China.
—
What inspired you to start your travel and lifestyle magazine?
After a 17-year career in sales and marketing for international hotel chains, I reached a point where I wanted more freedom – more flexibility, travel, and a different way of working and living.
I spent years in the hospitality world, attending global events and working with international hotel brands. I also gained experience as a flight attendant for a private jet company and later with Austrian Airlines. Travel was always part of my life, but from a professional perspective.
When my son was born, I found myself back in an office environment and constantly on the road for events. I was staying in beautiful hotels, but he was not with me – he was with my parents. After long event days, I often thought: I want all of this, but I want to experience it together with my son. There must be another way.
That moment became a turning point. I realized I wanted to build a life where work, travel, and motherhood could exist together. That was the foundation for creating my magazine and building a location-independent business.
—
How did the pandemic change your business and life?
The pandemic was the starting point of everything. My idea for the magazine came almost overnight – there was no business yet, only a concept and a vision.
I started reaching out to people I already knew and asked if they would be part of the first issue. It was very intuitive and fast – there was no structure at the beginning, only momentum and belief in the idea.
At the same time, I had a strong personal desire to build a life with my son in a place where it is warm year-round and more flexible in terms of lifestyle. This eventually led us to spend time in Dubai and later in Bali, where I started shaping a more location-independent way of living and working. From there, our journey naturally became more global, with work and life expanding across different parts of the world.
—
How do you choose the hotels and destinations you feature?
I choose hotels and destinations based on identity, atmosphere, and storytelling potential. It is never about visibility or trends, but about whether a place has a clear narrative that can be translated into meaningful editorial content.
—
What makes a luxury travel story interesting to you?
A luxury travel story, for me, is defined by emotion, detail, and people. It is not about status or excess, but about storytelling, atmosphere, and the human experience behind a place.
—
How do you balance work and being a mother?
I don’t separate the two. My work and motherhood exist within the same structure of life. Instead of aiming for perfect balance, I focus on creating systems that allow both to coexist in a realistic and sustainable way.
—
What does success mean to you today?
Success today is alignment. It is the ability to build a life where personal values, work, and lifestyle are not in conflict. It is no longer defined by external validation, but by whether the life you are creating feels intentional and sustainable.
—
Why is women’s empowerment important in your work?
Women’s empowerment is closely connected to independence. When women have access to economic freedom and the ability to build their own structures, they gain real choice in life. My work reflects that belief in autonomy and self-determination.
—
What advice would you give to women starting a global business?
1. Start before everything feels ready.
– Clarity comes through action, not before it.
2. Build your business through consistency, adaptability, and learning while doing.
– It is not through perfect preparation.
3. Connect with other women and build relationships instead of competition.
– Together, we are stronger than we are on our own, and collaboration often creates opportunities that would not exist in isolation.
—
What are your future plans for your magazine?
We are currently expanding into new markets, including China, where I recently spent two incredible weeks exploring opportunities and connections. The focus remains on growth and depth, continuing to develop the magazine as an international platform for editorial storytelling in hospitality and lifestyle, while building meaningful collaborations with brands and destinations.
—
Beyond the magazine, the vision is evolving into something more experiential. We are preparing our first wellness women’s event in Bali, designed to connect like-minded women in a meaningful way. In addition, we are developing curated luxury travel experiences for women who want to step away from their business life and take a conscious break in the same kind of luxury hotels featured in the magazine – not alone, but alongside other women who are seeking more depth, connection, and a more intentional way of experiencing life beyond routine success.
Name: Rea Samek
Professional Title: Founder And Publisher Lifestyle Collection Magazine
Bio: Rea Samek is the founder of an international travel and lifestyle magazine focused on luxury hospitality, editorial storytelling, and modern location-independent living.
Social Media Handles:
