Susan Schulze Hoff stands as a rare figure whose influence moves fluidly between enterprise, philanthropy, fashion, and the codes of a refined lifestyle. Her public story began in the highly disciplined world of professional fitness, a foundation that later carried her onto the covers of major international magazines, where physical strength met composure and authority.
By L’Officiel Monaco
Susan Schulze Hoff’s public path has never followed a conventional timeline. Her entry into professional fitness came later than most, yet with striking impact: she began competing at 45 and earned her international fitness pro card at 50 at the WBFF Worlds in Las Vegas. Standing on stage alongside elite athletes from around the world, many significantly younger, that victory became a personal statement rather than a competitive milestone. At the time, the 35+ category was considered a classics division, and winning there underscored a belief she continues to live by — discipline, consistency, and resolve outweigh age-based expectations. Today, she maintains an intensive six-day training routine, not in pursuit of medals, but as a daily practice of strength and self-respect. The body itself has become the reward, and life the stage on which it is carried.
Her presence on national and international magazine covers followed naturally, yet her perspective on beauty has matured alongside the industry itself. While youthful aesthetics once dominated editorial narratives, she has observed a gradual shift toward valuing experience, character, and lived stories. The depth that comes with time, she believes, brings a luminosity no trend can replicate — a quiet authority shaped by years rather than moments.
Away from the camera, her professional foundation was forged early in the retail world. She was part of Best Buy’s formative years, joining when the company was still a small Midwest chain long before it became a global electronics leader. Being present during its journey to becoming a publicly traded company shaped her approach to leadership and growth. Collaboration, customer-centric thinking, adaptability, and decisive action became guiding principles. Competition, she learned, is temporary; curiosity and resilience endure. Change is not disruption but opportunity, and leadership is demonstrated through action rather than permission. Those early lessons continue to inform every venture she touches.
Philanthropy emerged not as an afterthought but as a responsibility. Personal family experiences revealed unmet needs within the communities Best Buy served, prompting the creation of what would become the company’s national children’s foundation. Decades later, the foundation remains active across North America, evolving while staying rooted in community empowerment and youth opportunity. Her philosophy of giving is direct: identify a need that resonates personally, act on it, and build something that outlives individual involvement.
One of her most personal projects, Fantesca Estate & Winery in Napa Valley, reflects that same long-term vision. Wine, for her, is as much about narrative as it is about craft. Precision, patience, and quality define the production, but storytelling defines the experience. Collaborations with acclaimed chef Ross Melling have elevated wine-and-food pairings into immersive encounters, while thoughtful details — such as inspirational quotes hidden inside each cork — add a layer of playfulness and reflection. Now more than two decades old, the winery is led by the next generation, with her daughter serving as managing director. That transition has opened space for modeling, family gatherings, and time spent with grandchildren, all while watching a multi-generational enterprise continue to grow.
Often described as a modern muse, she interprets the role in simple terms. Inspiration, she believes, is rarely intentional. It comes from living authentically, acting with integrity, and allowing others to draw meaning from example rather than instruction.
Reinvention has marked every chapter of her life, not as a strategy but as a response to curiosity. Fear, in her view, loses its power when paired with effort and openness to learning. Coaches and mentors remain part of her journey, as does the desire to pass forward what experience has taught. Her decades at Best Buy are described as a “past life,” one that provided the foundation for what followed. Life, she suggests, unfolds like a novel — and the goal is to keep the story engaging, chapter by chapter.
Balancing ambition with personal life has never been a solo act. Her marriage, now spanning nearly four decades, has been defined by shared commitment and mutual support. While careers demanded travel, study, competition, and risk, partnership provided stability. From managing the winery during her MBA studies in Bordeaux to supporting international fitness competitions and family priorities across continents, balance was built through alignment rather than compromise.
To women navigating societal expectations around beauty and success, her advice is clear and unsentimental: discard imposed standards. Health and learning form the only reliable benchmarks. Physical well-being fuels confidence, while intellectual curiosity ensures adaptability. External validation fades; self-defined purpose endures.
Looking ahead, her focus shifts toward presence rather than acceleration. Time with her 85-year-old father — himself an unrelenting entrepreneur — has become a priority, especially as the family revitalizes a storm-damaged resort and award-winning golf course in Anguilla. A new base in Miami Beach promises fresh energy, new projects, and proximity to family and friends. The pace may change, but the forward motion remains — intentional, grounded, and unmistakably her own.
Model Susan Hoff @susanschulzehoff
Photography Sarah L Glabman @picturegroove
Hair and makeup @allisonpynn
Stylist: Joey Rolon @joeyrolon