Latest news with #ModelCo
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Parking fines? Pocket change! Rich Lister MCoBeauty boss Shelley Sullivan leaves her BMW in a no-stopping zone to shop at high-end jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels
She's one of Australia's richest beauty moguls, and on Sunday, Shelley Sullivan proved a parking ticket is merely a minor inconvenience when you're worth millions. The ModelCo founder, 51, was spotted leaving her luxury BMW SUV in a clearly marked no-stopping zone along Market Street in Sydney 's CBD before heading into the upscale Van Cleef & Arpels boutique. Dressed in figure-hugging black leggings and a cropped zip-up jacket, Shelley appeared completely unfazed as she spoke on her mobile phone while returning to her car. Shelley accessorised her off-duty look with gold hoop earrings and minimal makeup, while her platinum blonde bob was slicked back in a casual yet chic style. Despite parking directly underneath a 'no stopping' sign painted in bold red and white, Sullivan left her vehicle and proceeded into the luxury jeweller - known for its five- and six-figure price tags. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The ModelCo founder, 51, was spotted leaving her luxury BMW SUV in a clearly marked no-stopping zone along Market Street in Sydney 's CBD before heading into the upscale Van Cleef & Arpels boutique Her black BMW SUV remained parked in the red-painted zone, metres from the storefront, while passing traffic and pedestrians looked on. In New South Wales, if caught, stopping in a no-stopping zone will set you back $304 and two demerit points if witnessed by a police officer. The sighting comes just weeks after the entrepreneur spoke about what it meant to sell her business earlier this year. Speaking to Stellar Magazine earlier this month, Shelley confirmed that while the business was valued at $1 billion, the real takeaway for her and her team was far from what the public might assume. 'I wish,' she told the outlet when asked whether she personally pocketed that amount. 'The business could be valued at $1 billion, but that's not necessarily a reflection on what the people that are exiting get.' Shelley explained that MCoBeauty's lofty valuation was based on its performance and earning potential rather than a direct windfall for herself. She emphasised that factors like the brand's rapid growth, earnings trajectory, and overall market trends contributed to the billion-dollar figure, not a simple sale price. Despite stepping back from day-to-day operations, the beauty boss hasn't completely walked away. She remains an avid supporter, watching from the sidelines with pride as the brand continues to thrive under new leadership. 'I'm still very much a fan of the brand,' she said. 'Running a business that grew so quickly was a lot… exhilarating and exciting, but at times exhausting.' Shelley admitted that she's now enjoying a well-earned break after years of hustle. The journey to the top wasn't without sacrifices - long hours, relentless pressure and the weight of expectations were all part of the grind. Driven by a clear goal to dominate the beauty market with affordable, on-trend products, Shelley and her team worked tirelessly to turn MCoBeauty into the powerhouse it is today. The business' explosive growth made it a major player on supermarket shelves and in the competitive beauty landscape, rivalling premium brands at a fraction of the cost. She credits the brand's success to a razor-sharp focus on innovation and consumer demand, paired with savvy partnerships and bold marketing. But even with the monumental valuation and market domination, Shelley remains grounded and spends time focusing on family and slowing down more than big-dollar headlines. Reflecting on her business journey, she concluded: 'We had a vision to create Australia's fastest-growing beauty brand. 'But I don't think myself, the family, and the team ever thought beyond our wildest dreams that that's what we would create.'
News.com.au
21-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
MCoBeauty founder: ‘I didn't spend any time at home'
Just months after her headline-making exit from billion-dollar business MCoBeauty, the company she founded in 2016, Shelley Sullivan has opened up about the realities of building and running her brand while also raising two daughters. 'I had [my two daughters] Lucy [now 19] and Emily [now 18] when I started ModelCo [launched in 2002]. I didn't spend any time at home with the girls. I was working around the clock because I passionately loved what I did, but I wouldn't have been able to do that without family helping,' Sullivan told Stellar podcast Something To Talk About. 'I was working around the clock because I passionately loved what I did, but I wouldn't have been able to do that without family helping. Work-life balance is difficult. Anyone that says that they have a great work-life balance, I'm not sure I believe [them]. 'As a woman, I found it very challenging: work-life balance, having great friends, [a] great family, it's difficult. Plus, you've got this behemoth of a business that is almost running you, you're not running it. I was fortunate when I started MCoBeauty; the girls were in their teenage years, close to finishing school, so they were more independent. I don't know how I would have coped with the acceleration of MCoBeauty with babies.' Listen to the full interview with Shelley Sullivan on Something To Talk About below: Sullivan, who sold MCoBeauty earlier this year, points out that while the brand is valued at a billion dollars, she did not walk away with that amount of money. 'We all had a vision to create Australia's fastest growing beauty brand. We just drove those sales as hard as we could and the valuation is a multiple of base earnings. So the beauty landscape and the beauty industry drives that valuation, not us,' she told Stellar. 'The business could be valued at $1 billion but that's not necessarily a reflection on what the people that are exiting get... But I don't think myself, the family and the team ever thought beyond our wildest dreams that that's what we would create.' When asked what advice she would give to Hailey Bieber, who also recently sold her beauty and skincare brand Rhode for a reported billion dollars, Sullivan was gracious. 'I don't know [Hailey Bieber's] deal structure, so it's hard to give advice. We did work with Hailey — Hailey was the face of ModelCo for a minute,' she said. 'She's a great girl who was very much, from what I understand, involved in the product development [of Rhode]. That's a great brand. I actually purchased some of their products. She's done a great job.' Read the full interview and see the shoot with Shelley Sullivan in the new issue of Stellar out today inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD) and Sunday Mail (SA).
