AMERICAN GIRL TRADITION: OUR ANNUAL NYC VISIT
AMERICAN GIRL TRADITION: OUR ANNUAL NYC VISIT
Some traditions aren’t negotiable. Every year, when we’re in New York City, there’s one stop that’s mandatory — the American Girl store. It’s not just about dolls. It’s about memories.
🗽 A FAMILY TRADITION IN THE HEART OF NYC
New York moves fast. Meetings, projects, job sites, travel. But this annual visit slows everything down. For my daughters, this store is magic. For me, it’s perspective.
Watching their excitement — pointing up at the lights, picking out accessories, planning which doll gets what — reminds me why balance matters. Business can scale globally. Projects can grow internationally. But these moments? They’re personal. And they’re priceless.
💡 LIGHTS, LAUGHTER, AND LEGACY
Standing under those signature ceiling installations, taking our yearly photo, I’m reminded that traditions anchor families. They create continuity in a life that often moves at 300,000 miles a year.
This stop in NYC has become part of our rhythm:
Work hard
Travel together
Create memories
Repeat
Simple. Powerful.
👨👧👧 WHY IT MATTERS
As entrepreneurs, we talk about legacy constantly — building companies, expanding globally, scaling infrastructure. But real legacy lives in moments like this. Annual traditions. Shared laughter. A simple photo that becomes a timestamp in your family’s story. New York gives us energy. But these visits give us grounding. And that’s the balance I’m always chasing.
“In a life that moves fast, traditions slow us down in the best way.”
INVIGORATE YOUR BUSINESS PODCAST
George Stroumboulis sits down with Christopher Bates, founder of the internationally recognized Christopher Bates brand. Filmed in Newport Beach, California, they explore Christopher's journey from studying fashion design in Milan to building a globally respected lifestyle brand known for its sophistication, innovation, and commitment to quality.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Jake Hardy, founder of SOKITO, the company behind one of the world's most sustainable football boots. Filmed in Newport Beach, California, they explore Jake's journey from identifying a gap in the market to building a purpose-driven brand in one of the most competitive industries in sport.
George Stroumboulis sits down with George Stroumboulopoulos, one of Canada's most influential broadcasters, for an intimate conversation about identity, discipline, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. Filmed in Newport Beach, California, they explore Strombo's journey from pirate radio and MuchMusic to CBC, CNN, and Hockey Night in Canada, sharing lessons on authenticity, resilience, burnout, and the human connections that have defined his career.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Mike Zambidis, world kickboxing legend and one of the most explosive fighters in combat sports history. Filmed at Zambidis Gym in Glyfada, Athens, Greece, they explored his journey from a young athlete in Athens to becoming an 18 time world champion and international K 1 superstar.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Peter Politis, a seasoned entrepreneur known for buying, scaling, and exiting businesses in highly competitive industries. Filmed in Miami, Florida, they explored his journey from finance into food distribution. Breaking down the mindset, discipline, and execution required to build businesses that scale and sell.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Georgios Frangulis, the Brazilian-Greek founder and CEO of Oakberry, one of the fastest-growing global superfood brands. Filmed in Miami, they explore his journey from starting with limited resources to building Oakberry into a worldwide empire, along with his expansion into sports ownership, luxury investments, and global partnerships.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Alexi Papalexopoulos, a Los Angeles–based filmmaker and creative director who built his career directing music videos for major artists before transitioning into narrative filmmaking and global storytelling. Filmed in Newport Beach, they explore his journey through music, film, creative evolution, and the mindset behind building a career in visual storytelling.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Nick Regina, a Toronto entrepreneur who rose from the nightclub promotion world to become the founder of Spark Financial Group. Filmed in Newport Beach, they explore his journey through nightlife, entrepreneurship, finance, faith, and the discipline required to reinvent yourself and build lasting success.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Thomai Vardali in Thessaloniki, Greece, to explore her journey as one of the country’s most accomplished female footballers. Together, they dive into her early start in the sport, her standout career at PAOK FC Women, her experience with the Greece women’s national football team, and how she’s inspiring the next generation of female athletes across Greece.
OTHER BLOGS
George Stroumboulis, CEO and Co-Founder of Ideoli Group, delivered his Building Beyond Borders keynote at the GBATA 26th Annual International Conference, held at the Titania Hotel in Athens, Greece.
I took my daughters, Demi and Viviana, to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to watch Canada take on South Africa in the FIFA Men's World Cup Round of 32.
We headed into the mountains for the Macatawa Tribe Indian Princess father-daughter camping weekend at Camp Arbolado, located deep in the wilderness of Angelus Oaks, California.
I’m honored to officially announce that I will be joining the 26th Annual International Conference hosted by the Global Business and Technology Association as a keynote speaker in Athens, Greece this July.
For the first time in over forty years on this planet, my parents, my sister, and I finally experienced Greece together as a family.
During a recent trip to Washington, D.C., I had the opportunity to visit one of the many WeWork locations that features Ideoli Group LED lighting installed throughout the space.
A look at Greek diaspora work ethic vs. life back home—and what it teaches us about responsibility
Delivering high-impact, scalable lighting design in one of Miami’s most dynamic entertainment venues - bringing the Puttshack experience to life through precision, energy, and partnership.
A local Chinese man approached me and asked a simple question: “Where are you from?” Without thinking, I answered, “Canada.” It came out naturally, almost instinctively. He smiled and followed up with another question: “What part of Canada do you live in?”
A late-night taxi ride in Athens turns into a powerful reminder: everyone is carrying something you can’t see.
George Stroumboulis sits down with Raphael Kontos and Thaleia Misailidou. Filmed in Athens, Greece, they discuss the growth of Greece's startup ecosystem, venture capital, innovation, and what it takes to build globally competitive companies.