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Luck The Good Life series shows how rising leaders spend their time and money outside of work.

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Today, we meet Timur Ategeci, the 36-year-old founder and CEO of popular stationery brand Papier.

Born and raised in London to Iranian parents, Ategichi grew up surrounded by art, antiques and creativity – his family name literally translates to “art dealer” in Iranian, and his father was an art collector and academic who immersed him in beautiful things from an early age. His instinct for aesthetics and storytelling followed him to Portobello Road in Notting Hill, where he ran a vintage stall selling textiles and ceramics.

At Cambridge University, where he studied art history, Ategechi co-founded The Tab when he was 19, turning a scrappy student project into one of the UK’s most popular youth media brands before deciding he wanted to “get a real job” and headed to Bain & Company. This combination of grassroots activism and elite training paved the way for Papier, which he launched when he was just 26 years old to drag the stationery aisle into the modern era with design-driven, endlessly customizable products – 95% of which are personalized and unique.

Nearly a decade later, Papier has sold more than 15 million pieces of stationery — roughly 8 million cards and notecards alone — with diaries (or planners in the U.S.) as its flagship product, selling one every 25 seconds during the end-of-year peak and about 1,400 school-year diaries a day in the back-to-school season as Gen Z customers look for screen-free ways to organize their lives; The work has spread across the shelves of Liberty, Selfridges and John Lewis in the UK, and Anthropologie, Barnes & Noble, Nordstrom; Photobooks, which were launched just two years ago, are sold every 30 seconds.

Managing this pace of growth means that his work day often starts before he reaches his office: the back of a London taxi doubles as his mobile office from 8am. But unlike other experienced executives, you won’t find him staring at the ups and downs of the stock market his way — this millennial entrepreneur refuses to invest in stocks, preferring instead to put his money where his mouth is and support businesses and art.

Financial affairs

What’s the best investment you’ve ever bought?
David Shrigley Linocott (100th edition) titled ‘Ink Paper’ for £1,000. The words are superimposed on top of each other, and at first glance it looks like the word “Papier,” so I had to have it

And the worst?
Kitchen appliances…the pasta maker/yogurt maker/ice cream maker are all now collecting dust in the cupboard. I still want a Berkel red pork chop.

If you have children, what do your child care arrangements look like?
I have a two year old boy. My wife and I work. We have the most amazing nanny who takes care of him during the week.

What’s your living arrangement: a luxury apartment in the city or a sprawling one in the suburbs?
We live in a townhouse in Notting Hill, London. My wife and I are big city people! Notting Hill also holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I started my career, in a market stall on Portobello Road, and my father (who died earlier this year) would take me every Saturday to hang out with the antique dealers.

How do you commute to work?
Often by taxi, my mobile office is what allows me to start my calls at 8am

Do you invest in stocks?
no. I know I “should”, but honestly, I don’t really want to ride a financial roller coaster that I can’t control. I prefer to invest in building works and art to hang on the walls of my home. Even if its value decreases, it still brings you happiness every day. This is my investment philosophy

What’s the one subscription you can’t live without?
New York Times Cooking. It contains an entire library of New York Times recipes. It’s $5 per month and totally worth it.

Where does your favorite watch come from?
Bulgari CH 35 G Diagono given to me by my father

Necessities

How do you start your morning?
There is no breakfast. Long black coffee from Hagen near my house, best coffee in London. Always long black. I have 2-3 before 3pm and only have decaf after that.

What about eating on the go?
Never eat lunch at my desk. I often have lunch with a colleague or at an external business meeting. If I’m alone, I still try to sit in a café or restaurant and enjoy the quiet moment.

Where do you buy groceries?
It’s a mix. Waitrose Day by Day (delivered); Al Noor Supermarket for the best Middle Eastern produce (especially Persian cucumbers); Notting Hill Fish Shop for meat and fish and Ben’s Grocers in Westbourne Grove for fruit and vegetables.

How many times a week do you eat out for dinner versus cooking at home?
Once or twice (maximum). I love cooking, so dinner for me is a time to showcase my culinary ambitions as an experienced chef.

Are there restaurants or fast food near you?
The Galleria for Persian meals (when I crave “mom’s cooking” but can’t get it); The Cow is our local restaurant, the best lobster in London and the famous Chicken Kiev. Can’t beat it.

Where do you shop for your work wardrobe?
ABC, ARC, COS. I think my style has become more “consistent” as my career has evolved. Fewer slogans and rarely a “statement”. Navy is my color (never black).

What is the typical work uniform for you?
Acne jeans, white Arket tee, navy blue technical jacket/shirt

Treats

Are you the proud owner of any futuristic gadgets?
I’m not really into gadgets. I’m more for analog life. We all need fewer buttons and lights.

How can you unwind from the top job?
Cooking, spending time with family and friends, and playing a lot of tennis

What’s the best reward you’ve bought for yourself?
Lunch for one at the table at Bentley. Flight of oysters, Dover sole meunier and a glass of cold Burgundy

Take us on holiday What’s next on your holiday list?

Antiparos in Greece, where I return every summer. A beautiful little house we rent, on top of a hill overlooking the Aegean Sea. Greek salads and tzatziki for lunch. Sunset dinner cooking fish caught by the local fisherman in the morning.

How many vacations do you have a year?
We go to Antiparos every summer and will visit Italy at least once a year. My wife’s family lives in Tuscany and we have a special connection to Florence (where we spent much of our “youth”) and Venice (where we married). I also love going to Marrakesh when London gets gloomy and you need a dose of sun.

How many days of annual leave do you take per year?
15-20. My team will say zero… I’m working on it.