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Girl Bosses of Great Britain

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House of Coco Skyped with Caroline Clark, owner of Caroline Clark Bridal Boutique in Worcestershire, dissecting society’s wedding expectations, exploring fate and family businesses,

HOC: Caroline, tell us how you came to running your own bridal wear shop?

CC: I have a background in fashion and was studying this at University but unfortunately it wasn’t right so I left and moved back home to re-think my options. I started working for my family business which was a card and gift shop and I got involved in all aspects of it and helped build the business.

After working in the family business I moved to an office job in a marketing role for a while. It was a really old fashioned company and I just wasn’t happy doing that kind of work. While it paid the bills, it wasn’t for me. So my husband and I sat down and started thinking seriously about a dream of mine, to have my own bridal boutique.

What happened next was fate intervening! I had been looking for a premises to set up my bridal boutique and was viewing a property when the estate agent appeared quite hesitant when I told him about my plans for the space. It transpired that there was a bridal business just upstairs from the unit we were viewing! Curious, I popped to the other bridal shop and got talking to the owner who was actually looking to retire and I bought the business from her. We chatted in June and I took over the business in August and was able to put my spin on it completely.

HOC: That’s incredible, we came across an amazing Abraham Lincoln quote the other day which matches your story “Good things may come to those who wait but only the things left by those who hustle”…

CC: Exactly! And once you have the business that’s just the start. I spent all of last year cracking my marketing plans and building the business and from this January it’s been about getting known and recommended.

HOC: Where do you aim to sit in the bridal market, it’s a weird world out there! [Editor’s note: this #TeamCoco member sells bridalwear too!]

CC: I have a real connection with bridal wear and I’ve always been fascinated by it. I studied Textiles at school and bridal wear is the epitome of fashion for me, you can be more free with it, it’s almost couture!

My boutique is quite small and has a luxury feel. We like our brides to feel comfortable and excited about the experience which, sadly isn’t that common in bridal salons! The whole experience should make them feel like themselves and confident to choose the dress they want. I feel its my job to help install confidence in them too.

HOC: Choosing your wedding dress can be such a strange experience so we like the sound of your boutique already! What tips would you have for any readers attending bridal appointments?

CC: A key thing is who you bring along! You need to bring people whose opinions you respect. Bringing too many bridesmaids confuses matters no end. The bride should never have to justify her choices, your team should just get it. And you should never forget that it’s not about the dress, it’s you in the dress.

HOC: There are so many different types of bridal wear shops and options for brides, how do you focus in on your customer?

CC: You say that, but the industry is still very traditional. When I go to trade shows I go snow-blind looking at all that white! I’ve always found it tricky to write down my ideal customer and my default is to write down myself! I got some great advice from Kiki of The Chosen Wedding Collective (a great group for anyone in the bridal industry) and I have six different customer personas now, there’s no need to be so narrow. This said, I don’t want to be everything to everyone. Sometimes it’s better to not tick every box!

HOC: At the moment you run everything yourself, what’s your plan as the business grows?

CC: I’m hoping to bring someone else in this summer but I do think it will be hard to let go! I’ve just passed on social media responsibilities to someone else and it was tricky to handover posting to Facebook!

I’m very aware that my family business was more of a lifestyle business and I want this business to grow! Within the next three years I’d like to have a second boutique and take on some new designers. I’d love to offer more of a bespoke service where we can help brides to customise their outfits. I want my brides to know that the options are there but that that’s exactly what they are, options, and that the final choice is theirs.

HOC: In your business you actually meet a lot of other #GirlBosses , great women who are looking to celebrate one of the happiest days of their lives. What’s it like working in such a female-centric environment?

CC: Do you know what? It frustrates me that, in this industry, there’s so much red tape for what should be, as you say, one of the happiest days! I meet brides to be all the time who have become upset by the bridalwear traditions. From people who love a short dress but feel like their family won’t approve as it doesn’t look like a ‘wedding dress’ to a lady in tears because another boutique has told them, 6 months before her wedding, that she was too late to order a dress to be altered!

There are all these unnecessary ‘rules’ that can make the whole thing unenjoyable! It’s these customers that I love to work with the most. I like to show them that it doesn’t have to be that way. We had one lady who needed to bring her son to the appointment and rang up to ask if that would be okay. Why wouldn’t it be? We set him up with an iPad and some cartoons and had a lovely appointment.

I just can’t believe that more high street places wouldn’t support their customers in that way. I also do a lot of evening appointments to suit my customers.

HOC: It’s mad how some places don’t think about the customer! You mentioned external pressures and society expectations of brides. We went to a wedding fair recently where the goodie bag was full of weight loss products!

CC: It’s sad isn’t it? There is a lot of pressure around appearance on your wedding day but you should look like you! The beauty industry is desperate to change you into someone else. For instance I popped by Charlotte Tilbury’s shop the other day, had a little daytime makeover and my husband’s face when I got home! He said ‘What the hell have they done to you, looks like you’re ready for a night on the town!”. It’s no wonder so many of us women have no confidence in ourselves!

HOC: We do love beauty here at House of Coco but couldn’t agree more! Where do you go for your #GirlBoss inspiration?

CC: Rather than hear from experts I’d prefer to hear from people who have already had success as an entrepreneur through doing their thing. I’ve learnt so much from people I’ve worked with before. Don’t get me wrong a business book by a expert can be great but it’s so valuable just to chat to people.

I’m always learning from people around me, I met a colour therapist who put me onto the people who now manage my social media. You never know what the checkout assistant at Tesco could tell you about! It’s funny as if you put me in a room full of strangers I do feel nervous but when you push yourself out of your comfort zone you’ll find so much more value! There’s also no harm in being a nice person. Yes, sometimes you’ll get knocked back but everything leads to another opportunity.

HOC: We love that idea, through being a generous spirited person (#GirlBoss or otherwise) good things will come to you. But be prepared to hustle! We look forward to popping by Caroline’s boutique soon, maybe it’s time to renew vows already…

How have you been enjoying our #GirlBossesofGreatBritain series so far? Tweet us some feedback, we’d love to hear from you. Are you a Girl Boss and fancy being featured? Let’s do it!

House of Coco talked taking risks, never sitting still and the faith needed for a total rebrand with Lisa Johnson of Carmela Weddings...HOC: So Lisa, we’ve timed this interview for the launch of your new brand, which is stunning! Tell us about that and we’ll work backwards from there?..LJ: We’ve been working on the rebrand since November and I’m so excited that it’s time to show everyone! The hardest bit of it all, and the bit I’m most proud of, is that we’re changing the brand completely. We had to really think about our ideal client and zero in on who they are. Once we did that it meant we were cutting out 95% of clients! What we’re left with is this tiny percentage of brides but that small percentage of brides should hopefully just come to us. There’s nobody else doing what we do!..HOC: So tell us the vision for the new Carmela Weddings?..LJ: Our target is the couples that want really stylish, design led, much cooler than usual, luxury weddings. Instead of the Dorchester-style, very traditional and luxury event we’re still doing luxury but we’re not touching grand hotels, bunting or village halls. It’s the Shoreditch loft kind of warehouse brides. that we work with. We keep getting people asking for something different. They want a warehouse wedding, they have the money and they are usually super creative. They are my kind of people! My brides probably won’t be wearing the big dress, they’ll probably wear bridal separates. They will probably look like Solange Knowles did in a jumpsuit. They are my kind of brides...HOC: You mentioned this was a total brand change. How did you come to this?..LJ: I’ve been running this business, with my husband Sam for 3 years. Last year I was getting a bit disillusioned with the kinds of weddings I was doing and always being budgeted down! We didn’t really enjoy doing the more ‘traditional weddings’ but the few different weddings we did were really enjoyable. We had thought that, while this style of wedding is what we like, that not many brides would like it. But we did our market research and it turns out that there are people out there who want this! We decided we can still do what we love and run a successful business. While there are planners out there who do the odd really cool city wedding, there’s no-one who specialises in it that you can look up if that’s what you wanted. Our couples are just like us, we like nice hotels but Mondrian not Claridges, Street Art over fine art. I think we’re the only husband and wife wedding planning team in the UK!..HOC: For those of us who have not planned a wedding, or planned a wedding without professionals, can you tell us how you work?..LJ: There are three stages that we tend to start working with couples in:.1. Right at the beginning; This tends to be with couples who know what they want but also know that they are too busy to create their special day. We’ll give them full wedding planning services..2. We work with a number of couples who have organised their wedding but then realise how much is involved half way through!.3. Then we get the people right at the end who realise, especially if its in a marquee or a warehouse, how much there is to sort out on the day and that they can’t do it!.It used to be just big weddings that a wedding planner would work on but we do weddings for thirty people. It’s more people with a good budget but without the time to organise it. You don’t always need a huge budget, a wedding planner can help you maximise your budget as we know the right people and also the pitfalls of planning a wedding!..HOC: So, if you’ve been running this business for 3 years what were you up to before that?..LJ: Hah! That’s a long, long story! My path to wedding planning has been a rollercoaster. I come from a background where nobody really went to university so when I was 28 I decided it was time to get a degree and I completed both a degree in law and then an Masters in HR, through distance learning, while working full-time! Before that I was acting and doing TV presenting and I also worked in investment banking! I was a complete party animal and out with the rest of the team in Central London until late and then straight back to work at the bank the next day!.I then had my twins, who are now 4. I didn’t know much about children (sometimes I think I still don’t!) and I initially thought that I’d just go back to work in Canary Wharf! No chance. In fact, I went back to work as an Events Manager and Exec assistant as a contractor doing a strictly 9-5 job when they were 5 months old. However, I’m one of these people who always has to be doing something and this wasn’t enough so I started this business on the side and it’s taken off! I’m still a contractor and work for another company as well...HOC: Wow, it’s great to meet GirlBosses who have tried their hand at a lot of things on their journeys. Do you feel that your experiences have prepared you for Carmela Weddings? ..LJ: Everything I’ve ever done has been academic, I love exams! But I’ve got this weird creative side that comes out. For instance, I love writing and I’ve written for a few magazines before as one-offs. I’ve dabbled in pretty much everything creative but when this came along all the things that I’m good at came together! I use the Law constantly with contracts for brides and everything they need me to look over. I use everything, even the exec assistant experience as it has really helped me project manage anything now. I’m a trained celebrant as well and that’s the acting coming out...HOC: That’s amazing! Do you feel that couples, especially brides get pressured into a lot of things on their wedding days? ..LJ: I really believe that there needs to be no formula or rules for weddings. Brides come to me and say ‘I really don’t want to do a first dance’ and ‘I don’t want a top table, but I have to’. You don’t have to do anything! Most weddings end up being the same and that’s almost expected. You could buy 6 different magazines in a 3 year period and they would all have the same information in them!.I wish we were more like the US as they are really on trend and I want their stuff to come over here, they are so out there and it’s how it should be be. People say that they don’t want an ‘alternative’ wedding because in their heads they think of the obvious alt bride tattooed look, but you don’t have to go down that route! You can have an alternative wedding that’s just you. It’s just another genre that people feel they have to fit into...HOC: We imagine that your wedding was pretty ‘alternative’? ..LJ: We had a 1950s style wedding, we did it in a way that it was a bit different. It was cool and retro, not everything matched! In fact, Sam planned all of our wedding as I has 12 other weddings in that year to plan. He was amazing, even spending 5 hours on our wedding day setting up the vineyard with his best man! We got married in Malta and, for Malta it was a wedding unlike any other! We didn’t have a first dance, we had a dance to Mr Brightside with everyone up and dancing. We didn’t throw the bouquet, we gave it to the couple who had been married the longest. My bridesmaids were Sam’s friends because all of my husband’s best friends are girls and mine are men so we just mixed it around a bit!..HOC: Sounds amazing, you also arrange weddings in Malta don’t you?..LJ: Yes, I’m maltese so I often organise destination weddings for UK brides there. It really helps to have someone in the UK who can speak to them face to face and make it all happen. You can get some amazing value for money in Malta, some of our weddings that would have cost £60k here but only cost £20k there!..HOC: We’re really interested in how you market your business?..LJ: To celebrate our new branding I’m just about to send all the bloggers and magazines a little gift! I’ve defined an advertising budget and where I’m going to use it this year. In terms of marketing I’ve also worked hard on my SEO to get it up from page 52 for ‘Surrey Wedding Planner’ and now I’m on page 1! I think it’s also important to blog a lot!.I’m also planning to work on instagram. That’s where I think my brides are; they are really visual.We have a business instagram (@carmelaweddings ) and Sam’s instagram (@stanleyjohnno) and the content of both is generally just a curated diary of where we go as we hope our couples relate to that. They are us, in a way!..HOC: How do you and Sam find working together? ..LJ: We love it! He has another job as well and it’s great when we work together as we get to spend time together too. We complement each other so well. It’s quite fun working together, any time we do something together we just end up having a laugh...HOC: Do you have any dream weddings you’d like plan? ..LJ: I’d love to do a wedding at MC Motors. That would be my ideal wedding! Maybe someone who wants a Scandi look, giant edison bulbs, something different that I can really use my imagination on!..HOC: Finally, do you have any advice for any of our wannabe girl bosses out there? ..LJ: Life is really short and you need to make the most of it. I believe that you can achieve anything you aim to do. Don’t ever not do something out of fear or out of worry of failure. It might fail, my business might fail! You can never know for sure that there are enough brides out there to drive your business, for instance. But you give it the best shot you can!

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.HOC: On that inspiring note we wrapped up with Lisa and immediately got lost in the styled shoots on the Carmela Weddings website. If you are looking for an awesome venue for your big day or another fun event, check out their brand new Top 10 Urban Venues ebook.

Michelle Miller is the founder of My First Workout® as well as being a wonderful wife and mother. Her mantra is to be kind, work hard and stay humble and she stands by that in everything that she does. A powerhouse, Michelle is revolutionising exercise for children and its only a matter of time before My First Workout® is on every parents lips.

Her morning routine alone is one to be admired, let alone her successful career. We had to find out more so here, we spent some time with Michelle to talk about her plans for the brand, how she keeps focused and more…

You guide people back to their primal compass; can you tell us more about this process:

Not meaning to oversimplify my degree in exercise science and fitness but on a very basic level essentially motion is lotion. Our bodies need exercise to function well and feel good to live in.A regular and consistent habit of exercise significantly improves a person’s quality of life and wellbeing.My passion for teaching people how to improve their quality of life, for a lifetime, comes from seeing the difference exercise makes one session after the next, day after day, week after week, for the past 20 years.There is something magical about an activity that releases stress, builds confidence, rids the body of harmful toxins and enhances human connections with the simplest amount of effort.Learning a habit of exercise early in life is key and it has become my life’s mission to teach children how to do this with the My First Workout® program.

What was the pivotal moment in your life that made you launch My First Workout®?

My AHA moment was on March 18th, 2018.It was an early Sunday morning and my 5- year old son and I were talking and cuddling before starting our day. I became overwhelmed with appreciation for our close relationship and his good health.My mind began to wander to other children and their families, especially children who are sedentary or feel a lonely disconnect from other people.I became so burdened to help improve these two critical needs and my career in health & fitness was all I had to offer.Exercise has had a profound impact on my family’s health and our strong connection, and I knew it could be a game changer for other families too.I questioned what was available to help parents teach this valuable life-skill in a non-threatening and affordable way if they did not have a background in exercise or special training like myself. After searching and finding nothing like the program I had in mind that would give parents the tools to develop a habit of fitness right in the home, was easy to follow, convenient, effective for every type of child and simple to teach, the idea for My First Workout® was born.

How do you keep focused on your goals?

There is so much as stake, not just for my own family, but for all the other children and families in the world.My mission to help every child develop a habit of fitness before they reach the 5th grade seems impossible at times, but it keeps me focused 24/7, 365 days a year. One statistical report after the next confirms the downward trend in favor of a sedentary lifestyle resulting in many other poor behavior choices.The health and fitness of American children is in jeopardy and what bothers me the most, it is absolutely preventable. Every time I see a child, I imagine how different their life could be if an influential adult in their life would take the time to go through the My First Workout® program with them just two days a week for 25 minutes.I picture the child doing better at school.I picture them having more confidence to approach life.I picture them as successful adults someday carrying on the mission of good health and fitness with their own children.I believe if I can ever get this positive lifestyle cycle spinning fast enough, starting with kids that are between the ages of 5-12, it would be possible to reverse the direction our nation is heading in for generations to come.Right now, 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese and 80% will remain that way into adulthood.1 in 5 children has a mental health disorder.1 in 5 is pre-diabetic.75% of American teenagers are not fit enough to join the military. 1 in 59 are diagnosed with Autism.Young athletes are getting hurt in record numbers.Kids need to learn how to prepare their bodies for whatever storm life throws at them. It’s going to take a collective effort from parents, educators, healthcare professionals and anyone else who has a significant amount of influence in a child’s life to preach a powerful message of proactivity and lifestyle fitness from the earliest age possible.

How old is your son now?Does he still enjoy exercise?

My oldest son is now 21 and my younger son, who inspired me to write the My First Workout® program, is now 7.Even though My First Workout® did not exist two decades ago, in tangible form, we were always very active. That lifestyle habit continues in him to this day.He uses the little money he has to pay for memberships at a local gym and at a rock-climbing club.The funny thing about him is, he fought me on just about every workout I wanted to do with him as a young child.Now that he is older, he understands the value of exercise and sees the difference between people who take the time to be healthy and fit and those who don’t.When he invites me to his gym and lets me train him or create workout programs for whatever his particular goal is at the moment brings me pure joy.It’s hard to find areas of connection especially with older kids so I am very grateful that exercise is something we can do together.My younger son was diagnosed with ADHD and ASD several years ago, so exercise is an essential part of our day. It is important for him to have a positive outlet for all his natural energy and rarely turns down a workout.We are constantly doing something active, especially on school days.The exercise we do before school helps him function better in the classroom and stay more on task.

Talk us through an average day in your life?

An average day in my life looks like a juggling nightmare!I have a lengthy morning routine for my younger son before taking him to school at 8:00 am. My first client of the day starts at either 8:15 or 8:30 and I am constantly bouncing between my private studio, my mobile clients and business development for the My First Workout® program.Sometime during the course of the day, I get a 5-mile walk/run in and eat something.I pick my son up at 6:00 pm from his after-school program and do my best to put work aside once my family comes home.Somedays I am better at this than others.It is important that we always eat dinner together and not eat out too much.After a lengthy bedtime routine, we are all in bed around 9:00.

How do you get balance as an entrepreneur, wife and mother?

I honestly can’t say I have good balance in my life right now.I was a workaholic before becoming an entrepreneur and so now my workload is just beyond overwhelming.I am exhausted mentally and physically quite often and have felt like giving up many times. My extreme passion to help children all over the world grow up with a habit of fitness from the earliest age possible never lets me rest.My vision for stronger kids and families has tipped the balance scale in my life like never before but the cause is so great, it’s worth being out of whack for.Balance is something I’m mindful of however and want to improve in 2020.

Do you follow a morning routine, if so, what is it?

I am an early riser, 5:30 am, and I must have one cup of coffee to get my day going.I read from the same three books every day, a devotional by Charles Stanley, a chapter from The Bible and a section in the book Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline by Becky Bailey.My devotional comes monthly so that is always changing but when I finish the other two books, I just start them over again.If anything speaks to me as particularly encouraging or hopeful, I write it down in a journal that I am going to leave to my sons. There are so many things I want them to know and I’m afraid I won’t get to tell them everything so this journal will help with that.The quiet, peaceful time of morning is my favorite time of day.

Looking back, is there anything you would do differently?

Something I would do over again if I had the chance from a personal standpoint is to wait until I was older to get married and have kids.I was a very young wife and mother the first time around and I made a lot of mistakes.I wish I had internalized Becky’s book when I was raising my oldest son like I am doing now with my younger son.I blame myself for so many things he struggles with and it has taken me a long time to rebuild our relationship.I was just not prepared to be a wife and mother.I lacked the skills myself that I needed to be teaching him.I wish I had been as prepared to be a mother as I was to be a fitness instructor.I think that is the reason I am a workaholic.I am confident in my fitness ability more so than any other area in my life.Something I would do over again if I had the chance from a professional standpoint is to start off smaller, with less inventory and to handle shipping on my own.Hiring a fulfillment company so early on in the journey was a big mistake.Many of the decisions I made were hasty and I trusted good salespeople and people who were all talk and no action way too much.Those mistakes cost me emotionally and financially.I have learned to step back and do my research on a product, person or service and to wait at least 7 days before entering into a business agreement with anyone.

What book would you recommend that any aspiring entrepreneur should read?

The book that has given me the most hope and peace along the way is the Bible.These two things are very hard to find when the hard times come, and they will at some point for every person, so reading one story after the next about normal, insignificant people who were used to change the world for the better was a tremendous source of peace and hope for me.I gain so much courage when I read about men and women who experienced trials and tribulations and wound up overcoming great odds to accomplish a higher purpose for their life.Another great book is Ramesh Dontha’s, The 60 Minute Start-Up.It is packed full of helpful advice and tips for anyone who is in the process or contemplating the entrepreneurial journey

What are the pros and cons of being a female entrepreneur?

That’s a great question and one I haven’t had much time to think about on this journey yet.A Pro that immediately pops into my mind is the ability to multi-task like a superhero!Females are usually pretty good at doing all sorts of things at the same time, because they just have to be.As a wife, mother, daughter, friend, trainer and business owner, I feel pulled in many different directions and do my best to meet everyone’s needs so I’m not letting them down.Cons of being a female entrepreneur would also have to be the ability to multi-task like a superhero.There is something so pure and genuine about laser sharp focus on something.The idea of focusing on one thing at a time sounds absolutely incredible to me.However, there are always more items on my to-do list than hours in a day, so a multi-tasker I will probably always be.

What does self-care mean to you?

Self-care is an essential part of my overall well-being and ability to manage my life productively.For my spiritual health, I read the Bible and pray every morning.For my physical health, I exercise, drink lots of water and aim to get a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep every night.For my mental health, I enrolled in a mindfulness class a few months ago.I learned to ask myself one simple question when I am feeling anxious and it has made a profound difference in my life.For my social and emotional health, I spend time with my family.My husband is the best life partner and friend I could have ever imagined going through life with.My boys have taught me what unconditional love and the meaning of life is.

What mantra do you live by?

Be kind.Work hard.Stay humble.

What does 2020 look like for you?

2020 will be another year of hard work laying the foundation for all that is to come.My primary focus is on building the My First Workout® brand and connecting with people who are on the front lines of children’s health and fitness: parents, teachers, coaches, health care professionals, government officials, and insurance companies. My primary question is, “how are you being proactive with their health and fitness?”Whether a child is an aspiring athlete or prefers more sedentary activity, it is critical for them to be forming habits that are life-long and built into the very fabric of their daily lives from the earliest age possible.Positive habits that will empower them and enhance every other facet of their life.I believe one of the most important skills a child can learn is how to strengthen their mind and body.Weight training does both and is not limited to childhood.My ultimate vision is for every child to be afforded the opportunity to go through the entire My First Workout® program.My ultimate goal is for every child to be hooked on fitness before they hit double digits.The My First Workout® program was designed to make that dream possible.

Find out more…

Michelle Miller 850-545-9284

Website: https://www.myfirstworkout.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MyFirstWorkout/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/myfirstworkout/

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-miller-77106235/

Writing this series, #TeamCoco get a lot of enquiries from readers looking to make the leap from working in-house, as an employee with less of the freedom but all of the paid holiday and perks – to the wide open road of running your own thing.

Today, we chat with Abigail, founder of creative business You&Me Collective.

HOC: Hey, Abigail! Let’s start with the tricky stuff… What’s your elevator pitch for You&Me Collective?

Abigail: We are a London based luxury boutique digital marketing team. I head-up and manage an incredibly creative dream-team of marketing experts; from social media management, PR and communications to website design and photography. You & Me was created to inspire businesses, help them grow and create their digital dream.

HOC: Sounds awesome. Where did it all start, what was your first job?

Abigail: I have always worked in hospitality. Starting as a waitress when I was 18, I worked hard and in stressful environments which prepared me for my first leap to the City with a bespoke Events Management Agency. From there I grew a passion for design, creativity and that end goal – my job was to design fabulous parties and immersive themes for Christmas, corporates and milestone birthdays!

HOC: From there, how did you come to starting your own communications company?

Abigail: I was asked by one of my friends if I could manage their social media, I loved it. My job at the time was managing content for a fast paced platform similar to a magazine format, which allowed me to grow my skills for content creation, growth hacking and being on top of the news constantly.

I knew I always wanted to have my own business, with the plan to move away from the City and create a flexible life for my partner and I, so this passion just exploded a need for You & Me. I decided to leave my job (which was very tough!) and take the risk to go it alone – the best risk I have ever taken.

HOC: What is about your industry / job that you love?

Abigail: Everyone and every digital concept is so unique. One moment the team are working with a luxury beauty company on the communications, pulling strings to launch a new app or with a bespoke catering company that sends private chefs to client’s homes. From PR to photography, every day is different and creative – my brain is thanking me for choosing a career that makes it be creative every single day. Plus, I get to work with the most amazing people.

HOC: Who would be your dream client?

Abigail: Without sounding too cliche, I love all of my clients and thank the stars for sending them my way – every single direction is different and we don’t work with competitors of our clients so its a wide variety of industries. We have just signed with one of London’s biggest hotel groups which was a huge win for us. But, a dream client, I would say is Mulberry, I would LOVE to delve behind their marketing, find out what makes such an iconic brand tick as well as getting to see and photograph the latest lines.

HOC: It you weren’t doing this, what could have career plan B looked like?

Abigail: I would still be in a full-time job, counting my 21 days holiday! I loved events and it was a huge decision to leave, but I think if I wasn’t doing this I’d have had to travel and find some new inspiration.

HOC: You offer a whole range of services, how do you manage it all?

Abigail: That’s all down to my amazing team! Without Charlotte and Louise I would struggle to manage everything for sure; Charlotte is our Social and Content Director who oversees all social media services and Louise and I tackle large PR and communications briefs and Campaign Management together; they both continue to keep me calm, we have regular future planning meetings (with a lot of gin) and work together to smash those goals. I strongly believe in the power of your team, people work for people, we celebrate every win and help each other with every speed bump.

When you own your own business, its a 24 hour love, I work hard and long hours but it’s never ‘work’, its my passion and we just can’t wait to see what the future brings for You & Me.

HOC: What are your favourite productivity hacks?

Abigail: Loud music, a well-organised todo list and some great coffee! I love to use Toggl to keep track of my productive hours and take a break (whether its a gym class, team lunch or online shopping) in the middle of the day to let my brain rest, ready for the evening.

HOC: What’s your work set up like, do you have an office you go to everyday or are you out on the road? If on the road, tell us a secret about an amazing place to work from that you might not have thought about?

Abigail: I have an office, I work there mostly everyday – although some weeks I’m out on the road Monday to Friday. Louise and I found a spot yesterday at Montcalm London Royal House in their Burdock restaurant; it had such a buzz whilst being a great place to chat, take a phone call and eat great food – as well as endless plugs and phone chargers in the table – an essential for out of the office working. But that’s a secret just for you, we don’t want it to get too busy now!

HOC: The ’10 years ago’ challenge is all the rage on insta at the moment, what advice do you have for the 2009 you?

Abigail: Studying isn’t everything, have fun, don’t worry, it’ll all work out in the end. I know that’s such bad advice for a young adult but I was obsessed with good grades and I wasn’t as creative as I am now. My childhood friend Jess would be jumping up and down that I have finally admitted that. I’d tell young-me to pick up a pencil and draw, dust your camera off and also, you will turn out like your parents!

Check out more about Abigail’s business at YouAndMeCollective.co.uk and follow the team on Instagram @youandmecollective

Here at House of Coco we are big fans of businesses that support and celebrate women which is why we are quickly falling for new kid on the beauty block, Counter Culture.

Co-founded by Wendy Martin, who previously held senior roles at Visa, she turned her back on the corporate world to create a sustainable, ethical online beauty retail destination that champions female-led brands. To celebrate International Women’s Day House of Coco caught up Wendy to find out more about this exciting new brand.

Wendy’s passion lies in championing sustainable, ethical businesses and driving consumer change. The beauty industry came into sharp focus when her research highlighted the average consumer uses 12-16 products a day and the industry, as a whole, produces some 120 billion units of packaging every year, much of which is not recyclable. Along with her co-founder, Mark Wisniewski they wanted to make it easier for people to discover, shop and switch to more sustainable alternatives and to empower them to shop in-line with their values, whether that be vegan, cruelty-free, plastic-free, refillable, multi-purpose or upcycled.

Counter Culture is focused on building a community of like-minded people. Their aim is to help connect conscious consumers and businesses with their brands and products and this is highlighted in the discounts and rewards they give to customers for sustainable living activities, such as recycling pre-loved clothes in return for a Counter Culture voucher or by offering discounts via partners for food waste or recycling activities.

Here at House of Coco we love the brand for its discoverability. While they stock some of the best known beauty and wellbeing brands like Olaplex, Medik8 and Trilogy, they also stock smaller, indie ranges making it easier for people to discover and switch to new, upcoming brands. Wendy recommends putting Centred, Fighter shots and Dehlicious on your beauty radar. These hot new brands are stocked on the site and set to blow up in 2023. She’s also got her eye on new collaborations and says, “we’d love to bring Byoma, Cultured Biomecare, Wild Science Lab to our platform soon.”

Supporting female founders is important to Wendy. Research shows all female-founded businesses secured less than 2p in every £1 of venture capital investment, despite the fact that female-founded companies continue to outperform in the broader market. She says, “within our broader vision we aspire to help support emerging, female-founded businesses get investment and retail ready. But right now, recognising we are still very early in our own journey, we’re focused on championing as many female founders as we can. Over 85% of the brands on our site are female-founded.”

The beauty market is crowded so being innovative and fresh is key to getting standout. Wendy says, “There are so many brands killing it right now. I’m a fan of those that are focused on “anti-stress” beauty. Great examples include Faace, with their period and menopause masks and Centred and Abyssian with their focus on scalp as well as hair health. I love multi-use products, like Seeds of Colour with their make-up balm that’s perfect for lips, cheeks and eyes and Dr Lipp with their stripped-back, multi-use products. Some products that are personal favourites, include Medik8’s Press and Glow and Crystal Retinal and Juice Beauty’s Prebiotix Freshly Squeezed Glow.”

It’s an exciting time for Wendy and her Counter Culture team, watch this space as she’s only just getting started.

Sisters, twins, and fashion revolutionaries, Eda Franci and Seda Aksoy are bringing Turkey’s largest fashion rental platform, DCEY, to the UK. Our Fashion Editor Hannah Tan-Gillies gets the scoop.

DCEY brings together 80 of the world’s most fashionable labels, making them available for rent for savvy fashion lovers. The company was founded in Turkey in 2010, at the beginning of the rental economy breakthrough, and has been making waves since.

Now, it has set its sights on the UK – and we think that soon, DCEY’s sustainable, circular and downright stylish platform will take over the fashion world too.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background – how did DCEY come to be?

Even though we chose different career paths after graduating from Saint Pulcherie High School, our passion and interest in fashion was the biggest thing we had in common as sisters. I used to work in the Marketing and Purchasing departments of several brands such as Ralph Lauren and Harvey Nichols at Unitim Holding, and Seda has extensive experience in finance. Both experiences prepared us to start our own business.

Our interest in fashion comes from our family, especially from our mother. She loved fashion since she was a young girl and wore every piece with style and taste.

Nowadays, most people don’t want to spend a lot of money for a dress to wear for one event, because they don’t think they’ll wear ever it again, which is quite understandable.

As sisters, it was very common for us to borrow items such as bags and dresses from each other. This gives us more options and is more economical and ethical. One day, we thought why not turn this into a business?

The first seeds of DCEY were planted here. We established DCEY in 2010 as the first fashion rental company in Turkey.

Do you think renting is the future of fashion? What role do companies like DCEY play in the rental revolution?

We can all buy a t-shirt, a pair of jeans, or a bag that we see through the windows of a store. Nowadays, people are more conscious about the value and quality of what they buy.

When buying occasion wear for example, the option to rent something saves time and money and is better for the planet. All while giving people access to more than one product.

In our opinion, rental prevents needless fast fashion consumerism. The role of DCEY and other brands that are open to renting in the fashion industry is that we can be the biggest players in a fashion revolution.

How does the rental process work? From choosing the right pieces, to sizing, to returns?

Contrary to the popular belief, the rental process is faster and more practical than buying something. You can filter your options by brand, size and style, creating a personalised selection for yourself. If you are unsure about sizing, you can opt to receive additional size options with your order. Even if you have length or size issues, we offer bespoke alterations.

Once you have selected something, you select the rental period and occasion for your order. The process is completed with the shipping of the product, after all the necessary cleaning controls are done. You will then receive your order 1-2 days before the date of your rental.

After the dresses have been worn, we ask our customers to ship the products back in the same packaging, within a certain time frame. Since the rental period includes the shipping period, the product must be delivered to the courier the day after the event date.

The cleaning process is then carried out by expert teams using organic dry-cleaning methods. This way, we can once again list the item on our system to be sent to other customers in pristine conditions. It’s that easy!

What is the best and worst thing about working with as sisters?

As sisters, twins, we have always been quite different from each other. Even if we look the same and we went to the same school and grew up in the same house. As DCEY’s founders, that distinction has perhaps laid the foundation for the company’s success.

Let’s consider the advantages of using the right and left sides of a brain, which in my opinion applies to us as Co-Founders of DCEY.

Seda is the creative one. She has artistic and sharp point of view. She travels frequently as our creative director and participates in fairs and expos abroad. She makes sure that we are up to date with new trends and seasons.

My job is strictly with numbers and strategy. One of the hardest parts of working as twins is trying to keep a balance of our personal lives and work, but we’re apparently doing just fine. I am more prudent in terms of business partnerships and Seda doesn’t hesitate to take risks. We cannot deny that it makes it tough sometimes when making decisions.

At the same time, our differences create a perfect balance for us as business partners – and I think this is what brings us success.

How important is sustainability to your ethos at DCEY? How are you incorporating sustainable and conscious practices in your own business operations?

Sustainability is a way of life. As the founders of DCEY, we are also prioritising sustainable actions in our personal lives.

Sustainability is a movement that aims to change the fashion industry through circular practices, conservation and promoting social justice and conscious consumerism. This includes changing not only the products but also the social and cultural goals with which fashion is linked.

DCEY continues to progress with the aim of promoting the rental economy, where people can extend the life cycle of a product and see themselves as stakeholders in circular process.

We try to be sustainable across all our operations. We use organic cleaning methods and minimise the waste of our logistics.

In our rental and return policy, we have added a guide section where we educate our customers that by keeping the products they use in good conditions, they can extend its lifecycle and prevent landfill.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an entrepreneur so far?

Making people understand our concept is the hardest part. Trying to explain something that has never been done before is usually very tricky. My advice is to give the idea time to grow. Believing and achieving are the two most important parts of running a business.

What advice do you have for those looking to take the leap and start their own business?

If you have a start-up or a business idea, and you are planning to introduce an unusual and new business model, you must own your idea and use all the positive and negative feedback as a steppingstone to take your business idea to the next level.

Launching a new business is the first step, but you need to give that business time to grow. You need to have a good understanding the customer and the market well by using the right marketing strategies, making the right moves and following the right trends. Working in a disciplined way and believing that it will bring you success is crucial. The rest will follow.

What is next for you and DCEY?

Like every company, we have growth and sales targets. However, the most important thing for us is to increase our brand equity by strengthening the bond with our customers, without losing our values ​​in the process.

We entered this industry with the aim of creating a sustainable fashion business with a conscious approach. Our goal is to show our customers that they can create value thanks to renting. We created a platform to help fashion loves include join the sharing economy and we want to be the market leader. We want to be the first point of call for fashion renters in the UK just like we already are in Turkey.

https://www.dcey.co.uk/

Looking at the bright, glowing and total boss babe Feva Sweat Co-Founder Selina Bagnulo and you wouldn’t be able to guess the struggles she overcame to become the Girl Boss that she is today. According to Selina, fitness and a healthy lifestyle helped her overcome her body image issues, and she wants to share this positivity with others through her sustainable and inclusive activewear brand Feva Sweat.

Feva Sweat is the brainchild of Selina and business partner Richard Yang. The brand offers different kind of made-to-measure, bespoke activewear styles that break free from the limitations of standard sizing and make all women feel like a queen no matter what their size.

Selina says, “My goal is to create a business that is inclusive to all body types. A place where women don’t feel restricted by dress size, don’t judge themselves on being small, medium or large, a place where individuals can be themselves and shine bright as who they are.”

Team Coco caught up with Selina to talk about the journey that led to Feva Sweat, the biggest advice she has for aspiring entrepreneurs and what makes Feva Sweat stand out from the rest.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? What is Feva Sweat?

My name is Selina. I am 24 years old and grew up in London. I was born in Cape Town South Africa and lived in Africa for the first 4 years of my life. My family is from all over the world and very mixed in culture. I have recently moved from London to Spain.

I work as a personal trainer privately training women online, in my local gym or by the beautiful beaches of Denia. I love helping them to reach their health and fitness goals. The nature of my work means I have flexible hours and time to work from home on my recently launched clothing line, Feva Sweat.

Feva Sweat is a custom made, sustainable, slow fashion activewear brand. We offer premium quality activewear with the availability of made to measure, fully bespoke garments. Now we are very small scale, our handmade garments are produced in small batches of 45 pieces for standard sizes and made-to-order in our bespoke system.

For our first ever release we have leggings, shorts and crop tops available. Now we have one standard style that is available in 3 different colours and hoping to expand soon. As a start-up, we felt this would be the most effective way to bring our customers the best products possible. We aim for quality over quantity at Feva Sweat.

Our clothing is produced in a sustainable system, with premium fabric from a sustainable Italian supplier. All our products are manufactured in a small factory in London UK, shipped by a local e-commerce company and packaged in recyclable materials. Our goal is to allow people to express their Individuality, fuel their inner fire and encourage their devotion to physical activity.

What inspired you to launch Feva Sweat (your personal journey that’s brought you here)?

A huge inspiration for me to start my own clothing brand was to create a company that has a perfect fit for ALL body types! Growing up, I had enormous struggles with my body image and loving myself. I was diagnosed with anorexia/bulimia nervosa around the age of 13 and was hospitalised at 17. I’ve always struggled to love the body that I was in. Fortunately, I have a loving family who supported me during this difficult time and knew it important for me to take some time away from studies and work to heal.

During this healing period I began to exercise slowly and began to eat more each day. I couldn’t believe how good I began to feel, my body was getting stronger, but most importantly my mind was thriving. I had never felt so happy about the skin that I was in and at peace in my mind, no longer battling myself about food, or constantly telling myself I wasn’t good enough. This is the chapter in my life where I fell in love with exercise and healthy living. I wanted to share with others what I had discovered.

I went on to complete my qualifications in personal training and sport. I created an Instagram page where I began documenting my fitness journey and how I had overcome my demons in the hopes of inspiring others to do the same. At this time, my business-minded long time best friend, Richard Yang, suggested that we create a clothing brand. This idea between friends was where Feva Sweat was born!

During our brainstorming I said to him “wouldn’t it be great if there was a sports clothing company who sized their leggings like companies like Levi’s and Topshop do their jeans?” So, Feva Sweat offers not only waist and length measurements, but can make our leggings fit each woman’s body shape. This is the perfect way to express my life story through my clothing brand, as it foregoes judgement towards dress sizes whether you were small, medium or large. I could just be size ‘Selina’ and others size ‘Kathrine’ or whatever beautiful Queen that you are. No matter what your measurements are, Feva Sweat would have a way of making every woman look and feel beautiful!

How did you come up with the name?

Richard and I came up with the name after we created our mission statement of bringing out an individual’s inner fire. We landed on Feva in relation to a ‘fever’ and being hot when working out. It also portrays the idea of having fire within which creates our character, motivation and drive. We wanted a unique name that was memorable and linked our brand with exercise. That is when we added the word sweat which had a nice ring to it. The result being Feva Sweat.

What makes Feva Sweat stand out from the rest?

What really makes Feva Sweat different from other sportswear brands is our unique availability to customise measurements exactly to the body of our customers, resulting in full bespoke tailored garments.

We have tiers to our bespoke ability, for example standard sizes being the first tier. We have semi-bespoke which is the second tier where customers can adjust the length of their leggings and tops. Our last tier and most specialised feature are Fully Bespoke, this is where customers can adjust ALL measurements according to their personal preference and fit that they would like. They must get in contact with me to order their fully bespoke garments. We have a step by step video and explanations on how to measure your body so that it is clear to all. We then create a personalised avatar where we can adjust small measurements if needed to ensure that we create the perfectly fitted custom outfit just for them! Feva Sweat also maintains premium quality products and a sustainable slow fashion nature.

What is it like being an entrepreneur and launching your own business currently in your life?

It is very liberating. I have great control over my day to day life. My future career excites me as I can make money doing something that I love. The sky’s the limit, I have so many things to try and so many ways to grow. There have been times I have doubted myself, but I think the only time that I would ever really fail is if I gave up trying. There are many obstacles, but so far, I have been able to overcome each hurdle that has come my way, it just takes patience and persistence. I want to keep learning, overcoming and growing. I believe in myself, and I believe in Feva Sweat.

How has this endeavour changed your life so far?

This has changed my life completely. I never thought I would start my own business. I was studying sport science with the intention of working as a sport psychologist or physical therapist. After the first steps of starting my own business, I knew it was what I wanted to do forever. I moved to Spain to live with my mum. It can be difficult living away from my home, family and the city where the business was born. Living in Spain has been a blessing as it has given me time to develop Feva Sweat. Starting Feva Sweat was one of the best things I have ever done. It has made me realise what type of lifestyle I want and for that I am forever grateful.

What are your goals for Feva Sweat and yourself in the coming years?

My goal is to create a business that is inclusive to all body types. A place where women don’t feel restricted by dress size, don’t judge themselves on being small, medium or large, a place where individuals can be themselves and shine bright as who they are.

I aim to expand the styles that we have, create more made-to-measure custom items and introduce this niche into the fashion industry. I want to change fashion culture, moving away from people being categorised into size, finding a new system where people can have their own size. I don’t want women to worry about finding clothes that fit, or that they must change to look and feel good in their activewear. My goal for Feva Sweat is to be that change.

My goal for myself is to do everything I can to make that happen, to learn, listen and adapt to develop the perfect products, to be inclusive, sustainable and maintain the quality of our brand. I would like to expand, release men’s clothing, expand to other countries and continue to grow in every way possible.

WWW.FEVAONLINE.COM

Amanda Harrington is as unapologetic a boss babe as they come. Sunless tanning and body contour guru to the stars, Amanda Harrington has tanned some of the world’s biggest celebrities (including Jennifer Aniston and Dua Lipa to name a few) and worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest film franchises, before deciding to take a leap and start her own eponymous self-tanning business.

For Amanda, her mission is simple and that is to create a ‘one-stop shop for safe skin.’ She started her business three years ago and has since released several cult sunless tanning products that are not only effective, but also vegan and cruelty-free.

In this latest Girl Bosses of Great Britain interview, we catch up with the sunless tanning queen herself and talk about the benefits of skin health and the importance of pre- and post-tanning regimens. We chat about her incredible career, the ‘Amanda Harrington technique’ and how she is transforming her client’s confidence one beautiful, glowing tan at a time.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what inspired you to start your own beauty business?

My name is Amanda and I am known for my sunless tanning body contouring technique. I have travelled the world applying my technique to lots of beautiful bodies on film, fashion, red carpets and on music tours. We have built a beautiful base of tan fans such as Jennifer Anniston, Dua Lipa, Sienna Miller, Cara Delevingne.

I started my career in London as a body artist working on photo shoots and film sets before I decided to go on tour with bands such as the Rolling Stones. I then moved onto movie sets for films like Bond and Tomb Raider, transforming the look and muscle tone of the body. This obsession and passion grew to the point wherein I thought how much I would love for more people to experience a streak-free, vegan and odour free way of applying self-tan at home. I wanted people to feel good and create a beautiful glow that didn’t look orange. That was really when I went into a lab to start formulating back in 2012.

Could you tell us about your mission to guarantee the most natural, long-lasting and safe means to tan, while offering a luxurious, uplifting and sensorial experience to your customers?

My mission is to create a one-stop shop for safe skin. Creating a hub designed to educate on the benefits of skin health, the importance of SPF and share the power of how transformational self-tan is to your mood and body confidence. It really can turn your day around in less than five minutes. People notice how well you look, and you certainly feel it.

I love getting feedback from customers about how they ‘can’t live without the face mist’ or body mousse. It’s just the best feeling to know I have helped a little way towards making that customer feel uplifted. This is what I love so much about working with clients, the result is magical.

What sets Amanda Harrington’s sunless tanning products apart from other tanning products in the market today?

I think two things. The first is that our products are applied with my brushes that are such a game changer in the market. Also, the products themselves (which took me forever to formulate) had never been created before, so we had to start from scratch which took years. I am so so happy with them, and 11 awards later, it seems so is everyone else.

They are vegan, alcohol free (an ingredient which most self-tan products contain), paraben and sulfate free. Most importantly, I use Hyaluronic, collagen and Aloe Vera in all the bases to offer the most hydrated tan which nourishes the skin. I love the tonal tanning tints in Natural Rose, Honey and Olive which again is different in the market as most tan brands use one tone and that’s light, medium and dark – which doesn’t reflect the vast rainbow of skin tones.

Tell us about the Amanda Harrington technique – and why it is just so effective?

First, it is vegan which is so lovely, as you know it’s clean. My technique is based on layering, very much like how we apply make-up. How I explain it is, if you applied concealer all over dry skin and went out, you would feel dry and look rather 2D and that’s the same for sunless tan. I never understood one colour spray all over the body which is filled with drying alcohol that clings to dry skin. The results are variable and uncontrollable, hence why you see a fair few tanning mishaps on hands, ankles and elbows.

I use a Shea Butter-based barrier cream to prep dry areas, then apply a hydration layer called Body Base which has a small amount of gradual tan in it, and then you apply your skin tone appropriate face mist or body mousse that melts into the skin so easily with the wonder tool – a tanning brush. The brushes are the so effective at buffing the hyaluronic based tints into the skin that you create a natural, even base that just matches your skin tone — no matter what shade — so perfectly and lasts for days. It’s like semi-permanent make-up that doesn’t clog the pores.

Amanda Harrington goes beyond self-tanning and into skin health and sun care as well. How important is a proper post-tanning skin routine?

I think pre-tanning and post-tanning are equally as important. The power of prep happens with my fast-acting advanced glycolic body scrub which preps the skin perfectly. Post-tanning is all about topping up colour with my super hydrating gradual tans or tan compatible face and body lotions which help the colour last longer and fade evenly.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an entrepreneur so far?

The challenges go through phases, based on where you are on your journey. For me it’s gone from formulation woes and ‘will I ever be happy with the products’ to launching, and then having to pivot the supply chain during lockdown, to Brexit and so on. Business is essentially problem solving every single day and finding solutions.

What’s next for you and your business? Any exciting new projects in the pipeline

We are just coming up to our third year and opening with more retailers in the UK, Australia and US which is amazing. We’re also about to grow the professional side of the business into more Soho House sites and in Saudi Arabia where they LOVE contouring. Not forgetting all the new product launches we have planned, which I cannot wait for you to try!

What advice do you have for those looking to take the leap and start their own businesses too?

Please remember that annual leave is a thing of the past ha, be disciplined, committed and consistent. You must remain level-headed, give decisions some time and space, look at all the options and then decide and keep moving forwards.

Most of all – look at your vision and ask yourself ‘will I regret it if I don’t try’ and sit, listen for the answer over a few days, weeks, months – however long it takes. Mine took years. Once you decide you want to, be unapologetic from that moment on about your vision, and always speak from the heart.

WWW.AMANDAHARRINTGON.COM

They say that good shoes take you to good places, but for Daissy Ornelas, the glamorous architecturally influenced shoes of her eponymous brand are certainly taking her to some pretty awe-inspiring places as a Girl Boss on a league of her own.

Daissy combines architectural inspirations with Italian craftsmanship to create her vibrant line of footwear. More akin to sculptures than shoes, all of Daissy’s pieces are handmade in Italy and evoke the spirit of the Art Deco movement.

Team Coco caught up with Daissy in Los Angeles, in between balancing being a mum, designer, entrepreneur and creative to talk about her joint love for footwear and architecture, her latest collection, and her advice for women looking to take the leap and start their own businesses.

“First and foremost, it’s not for everyone,” she says. “Keep your eye on the bigger picture and always remember why you’re in it in the first place helps when things go awry.”

Like the towering skyscrapers that inspire her collections, Daissy is reaching for the skies – and we can’t wait to see what heights this Girl Boss will reach.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. What made you fall in love with shoes?

I grew up in Los Angeles. I studied Business Administration and most of my background is in Management and Administration. I worked in industries such as Consulting, Architecture and Fashion. I’m currently splitting my time between LA and the UK.

My love for shoes started around at the same time as my love of Art Deco. When I was young, my mom and I would go to downtown LA on Saturday mornings to go shoe shopping and then we would have lunch at the iconic Clifton’s cafeteria, it was our weekend ritual. It was there when I first paid attention to the many Art Deco exteriors and interiors that live in Downtown LA. The impeccable attention to detail always stood out to me, even at such a young age.

How is Daisy Ornelas combining architectural influences with Italian craftsmanship?

Growing up in Los Angeles, I got to see buildings with unique details and luxurious materials, and the more I started traveling, the more I fell in love with architecture and its evolutionary traits.

Once I knew I wanted to launch my own line of shoes, I knew Italy was the place to make it happen. Italian craftsmanship is something the country takes a great deal of pride in, and for good reason. I have met people who come from generations of shoe artisans, who love to work with their hands and really put love and effort in what they do. It’s something I will always admire and appreciate. I’m combining architectural influences by using architectural techniques like CAD and engineering processes to create patent-pending heels that showcase structural lines and facades you see in architecture.

Tell us more about your latest collection. Do you have a favourite piece?

The latest collection is influenced by modern architecture and its detailed shapes. I have seen different techniques and materials used around the world to create exceptional buildings and I just felt inspired by the fluidity in shapes and textures.

The Wavelet heel sandal is my absolute favorite. It was inspired by the spiral Architecture of the F&F tower in Panama, the Evolution Tower in Moscow, and the Al Tijaria Tower in Kuwait. There’s something about the Wavelet heel that screams architecture but not in an overstated way.

Walk us through an average day in the Daissy Ornelas atelier

I am a mom to an eight-month-old and a 14 year old. I get to work from wherever I may be at the time. From reading to research and from inspiration to design, I do everything on my laptop or phone.

So, my day consists of jumping back and forth between looking after my eight-month-old to responding to emails, getting on a call with my counterpart in Milan to making sure I pick up my son from school and grab a bite to eat in-between all of that (if possible).

Who is the Daissy Ornelas woman? Can you describe her in three words?

The Daissy Ornelas woman is a maximalist. She is someone who has a career in creative industries (i.e. Fashion architecture, interior design, graphic design), isn’t afraid of statement pieces and can appreciate unconventional designs versus picking things that are more every day wear. She loves to travel and always picks the shoe first before she picks out the dress when going out. She is daring, confident and creative.

What has been the biggest challenge you‘ve faced as an entrepreneur so far?

There have been many challenges along the way. Financially speaking, when you create a startup, finding financial resources can be difficult, especially for a brand that is positioning itself in the luxury market. Until the brand is scalable, it’s hard to find investors who will back up the brand and take it where you want it to go.

What’s next for you and Daissy Ornelas? Any new exciting projects in the pipeline

Daissy Ornelas is coming out with a casual collection. The whole collection is made of sustainable materials including vegan leathers. We also put our own spin on 1930’s classic Oxfords and Loafers.

What advice do you have for those looking to take the leap and start their own businesses too?

First and foremost, it’s not for everyone. It’s extremely hard work. You also have to be consistent because everything falls on you. Keep your eye on the bigger picture and always remember why you’re in it in the first place helps when things go awry. Because things will go awry at some point. Do your research well on what product or service you want to offer and go for it!

WWW.DAISSYORNELAS.COM

Nothing keeps Leila Gregory down for long, and after shuttering one business, Leila pulled herself up by her bootstraps and leveraged her 30-year strong retail experience to open her own independent brand Belle Modelle.

Since 2014, Belle Modelle has gone from strength to strength selling a variety of colourful accessories and homeware products; and while many other businesses reeled from the pandemic, Gregory took her business to the next level by launching her very first colourful fashion line last year.

On the inspiration behind Belle Modelle, Leila says: “My mission is to try and inspire real women to embrace who they are and experiment with clothing that is more colourful than they might usually wear.” Indeed, one look at Belle Modelle’s joyful knitwear pieces and you will immediately understand the brand’s raison d’être, and the vibrant spirit of the woman who created it.

In this latest Girl Bosses of Great Britain interview, we catch up with the bubbly, stylish and inspirational Leila and chat about fashion, sustainability and the secret to running your own business.

She says,Running your own business is not an easy ride, you may wonder why you even started, but that burning desire inside will keep you going. Be sure to learn from your mistakes — it’s not a bad thing to fail as it’s part of becoming successful.”

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what inspired you to star Belle Modelle?

After leaving school, I found myself working in retail where I have remained for over 30 years. I started in the cosmetics industry, I have also worked in marketing, fashion and interiors. Having stepped out of retail to have a family, I then made the decision to embark on my very first business which combined a tearoom, cocktail lounge and restaurant with a space selling clothing and furniture. This was a huge personal learning curve as sadly the business had to close in less than a year – but nothing keeps me down for long! It wasn’t long before I was planning my next business venture with even more determination to succeed.

Could you tell us more about your mission to “inspire women of all shapes and sizes to embrace stylish, colourful clothing?”

As someone who has spent many years feeling conscious of my body shape, I feel that I can relate to women who may be unsure of stepping out of their comfort zone. I have found that wearing colour can truly make you feel more confident about how you look. So, my mission is to try and inspire real women to embrace who they are and experiment with clothing that is more colourful than they might usually wear.

Belle Modelle has been selling various accessories and homeware products since 2014 but 2021 marked the very first time that you have launched your own womenswear line. Why was 2021 the perfect time to launch?

Belle Modelle went from strength to strength and experienced rapid growth online during the lockdown. I also felt that I wanted to offer our customers something different to other retailers, so in 2021 the time seemed right to finally launch my own collection.

Could you tell us a bit more about the design inspiration behind your womenswear line?

I am well known to be a lover of stars so it seemed obvious that our first knitwear collection included stars in the designs. I also wanted a range that was comfortable, easy to wear and flattering to all shapes and sizes — and of course colourful!

How important is sustainability to Belle Modelle – could you tell us more about the concrete ways you are promoting sustainability in your business?

Belle Modelle monitors its supply chains to ensure that it upholds ethical and sustainable practices at every stage of the process. All our packaging is 100% recyclable. We still have a way to go on the sustainability front, but we are continually working on ways to improve and are keen to include more eco-friendly designs (like our super soft Chara bamboo scarves) in our collection.

Who is the Belle Modelle woman? Could you describe her in three words?

Bubbly, stylish, fun

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an entrepreneur so far?

Brexit and the pandemic have made sourcing materials and keeping to delivery deadlines challenging. Lots has been out of our control but we are confident that this will ease in 2022.

What’s next for you and Belle Modelle? Any exciting new projects in the pipeline?

We are excited to be able to expand our own brand range, with a spring /summer collection that features lighter weight versions of our highly successful Knit 21 range. Summer knits, easy to wear trousers and pattern clashing dresses. We hope this year will also see us take on new brands and explore the possibility of opening at least one other store!

What advice do you have for those looking to take the leap and start their own businesses too?

My advice would be to take the risk and step out of your comfort zone! Success doesn’t happen overnight and you need to invest the time. Running your own business is not an easy ride, you may wonder why you even started, but that burning desire inside will keep you going. Be sure to learn from your mistakes — it’s not a bad thing to fail as it’s part of becoming successful.

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