About 7 months ago, I made a BIG decision. I decided to start my own business. I felt a calling, felt drawn, felt meant for more. Have you ever had that feeling? Have you ever been so passionate about something that it pulled you outside of your comfort zone and made you take the leap?
Buckle up, buttercup...this is a long post, but I'm so excited to share my journey with you.
Now, I'm not a risk-taker at all and so making this decision was not easy, but yet on the other side of the coin, it was the easiest decision I ever made because I knew I was going to be doing something I love and that I would have the opportunity to inspire change and make a real difference in women's lives.
My new business is a concierge Personal Styling business. I have been in fashion for years. Most recently, I have been a brand Ambassador for a company called cabi. This is where I truly found my reason for branching out and expanding my services into a new business.
Let me share about cabi for a minute. cabi is a brand that is unapologetic about quality and design. Our price point is in-line with stores like White House/Black Market and Ann Taylor, but our Design Team is so incredibly gifted and their thoughtfulness to design details makes the price point more than worth it. We have a four-woman design team and they come in a range of sizes and heights, just like real women. So, they take INCREDIBLE care to make sure that our clothing is going to work for many body types. They control the design process because unlike most design houses, we have two pattern makers in the office, so tweaks can be made multiple times before the garment is sent for manufacturing. The other thing that cabi does is lots of wear testing. They will give an item to many women in the home office to wear, so the design team can get feedback and make adjustments, as needed. For these reasons, our fit is impeccable. Another mark of distinction for the cabi brand is versatility. Most brands will slightly change the color of their basic black and basic navy so that customers have to purchase completely new items in the next season so they will match their new pieces. Not cabi! We keep the same basic colors every single season. PLUS, we use pop colors that translate season-over-season. The goal is for women to grow their wardrobe over time, and it truly is exponential. This is why I will continue to represent this brand alongside my new styling business: because I truly believe in the product!!
There is another very important aspect to cabi and that is the relationships. I have never been in the business to sell clothes. As time has gone on in my ambassadorship, I really have come to love the light that turns on in a woman's eyes when she puts on an outfit that makes her feel incredible! Soft, stretchy tailored fabrics that fit SO WELL. The confidence that you see in a woman who maybe hasn't felt that in awhile is so profound. And THAT is why I chose to start my business.
You see, to me, every woman deserves to feel beautiful, to feel confident, and to be seen and heard. Unfortunately, every single woman I know has suffered body confidence issues. Every one. The thing is...the rest of the world doesn't see the things she is so critical of herself about. That needs to change and that is where my personal style coaching business comes in.
I searched for over a year trying to find the right fit for a training program. You see, cabi trains stylists on the basics, but I wanted to learn MORE! I want to give women the absolute best of me to help them see the absolute best in themselves. One day in my search, I happened upon a company based out of England called the Style Coaching InstituteⓇ. Have you ever read about something and found yourself nodding and saying "Yes!" repeatedly?! Well, that was me. It was EVERYTHING that I didn't even know was available to me. The Style Coaching InstituteⓇ trains stylists on all of the traditional things a stylist should be trained on, but ALSO on confidence coaching and life coaching. This was the absolute perfect fit for me and what I want to offer women!
So, I enrolled in the program and am finally to the diploma process, working with a Pro Bono Client and I am in my selection process for that now. I have helped to style countless women through my cabi business, but this is really exciting because I get to dive deep with women and truly help them see and appreciate their beauty. Not only that, but she will leave feeling more confident in herself, knowing her perfect-for-her style, and ready for that promotion or next step she is ready to take in life!
Business owners never stop learning. We always want to grow and I personally always want to bring the very best of me to my Clients and will continue to be a lifelong learner. I have been listening to podcasts, reading business and styling books, enrolling in courses to get my certifications in NLP, Confidence Coaching, Happiness Coaching, Mindset Coaching, and Public Speaker Coaching. And I have signed on for a 6 month Mentorship with a successful stylist based out of Los Angeles so I can get it all right.
Life is busy, needless to say, but I'm so excited about all of the things I will continue to learn well past when I have my official launch! If you would like to stay in the know, I would love for you to sign up for weekly updates on my offerings and blog posts and styling and all of the things! You can do that here.
So, what about you, have you ever felt meant for more or to step outside of your comfort zone? I would love to hear from you!
Stylishly Yours,
PS - My website just got a makeover. Come check it out here!
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