TV STAR SAMUEL 'NO ONE GOES ON MAFS FOR LOVE'

The skincare entrepreneur has some advice for the new contestants

When Woman's Day speaks to Samuel Levi, he's on top of the world. It's the morning of his 31st birthday and life is good for the former Married At First Sight New Zealand contestant. He's in a solid relationship with Liam Cooper from the Australian version of MAFS, his skincare brand LuxeSticks is doing well and he's just landed his own 26-episode show, Take Your Shot With Samuel Levi.

"It's huge!" he grins, speaking to us from his Melbourne home. "I'm really passionate about business, so my show is dedicated to entrepreneurs and innovators. I'll be bringing on special guests for each episode to talk about their experiences in business and not just the highlight reel, but the stuff they've struggled with too.

"I don't always show that side of business myself, but for every yes, there are 10 noes. Business is hard work - it's a hustle. A lot of heartache can go into business."

For Auckland-born Samuel, being recognised as a successful businessperson and being asked to host a show is a proud moment. He says he's struggled to break free from the MAFS experience, despite it being six years ago.

"I will forever be grateful for the show it helped me build a great audience and was a great thing. But I have had to try so hard to separate from it and be taken seriously. Not one MAFS person in the NZ franchise has built a business and succeeded overseas. People think you get handed things after being on the show, but you don't.