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In a world that often idolizes youth, the concept of aging gracefully can seem like an elusive goal. However, graceful aging is not about defying the natural process of getting older, but rather about embracing it with confidence, wisdom, and vitality.

As a woman, in particular, navigating the aging process can come with its own set of challenges and societal pressures. Yet, with the right mindset and habits, you have the power to age gracefully and embrace the years ahead. Here are seven empowering tips to help you as you navigate the journey of graceful aging.

Cultivate Self-Love and Acceptance

First, one of the most empowering things you can do as a woman as you age is to cultivate a deep sense of self-love and acceptance. It is imperative that you embrace your flaws, celebrate your strengths, and treat yourself with kindness and compassion.

Recognize that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and that true radiance shines from within. Also, don’t forget to practice positive affirmations, surround yourself with supportive people, and prioritize self-care activities that nurture your body, mind, and spirit.

Embrace Change

Additionally, aging is a natural part of life, and with it comes inevitable changes to our bodies, minds, and circumstances. It is important that you accept these changes as opportunities for growth and transformation rather than obstacles to be feared or resisted.

Remember to embrace your evolving identity and redefine what it means to be a woman in each stage of life. Let go of unrealistic expectations and societal standards, and instead focus on living authentically and in alignment with your values and priorities.

Cultivate Meaningful Connections

As we age, the quality of our relationships becomes increasingly important for our overall well-being. It is necessary that you cultivate meaningful connections with family, friends, and community members who uplift and support you. Invest time and energy in nurturing these relationships, and be open to forming new connections with people who share your interests and values.

Make sure you surround yourself with positive influences and let go of toxic relationships that no longer serve you. Lastly, find joy in the company of loved ones and cherish the moments you share together.

Prioritize Self-Care

As the years pass, self-care becomes increasingly crucial for maintaining physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It is critical to understand that self-care comes in different forms such as: establishing a regular exercise routine, eating a balanced diet, getting sufficient sleep, and having a well formulated skin-care routine.

If you aren’t already, then it’s time to start seeing your skincare routine as a luxurious self-care ritual rather than a chore. For example, you can go for rejuvenation techniques like hydrafacial at Jean Rhee MD Aesthetics Clinic which typically includes cleansing and exfoliation, a gentle acid peel, painless extractions using a vacuum-like device, hydration through the infusion of serums, and protection with antioxidants and peptides.

It’s a moment for yourself, allowing you to reconnect with your body and mind.

As a rule of thumb, ensure that you dedicate time each day to pamper yourself, and do activities that bring you joy and relaxation to cultivate a positive attitude towards aging.

Nurture Your Mind

Just as important as physical health is mental well-being. Keeping your mind sharp and engaged by challenging yourself intellectually, learning new skills, and staying curious about the world around you are important.

You can engage in activities that stimulate your brain, such as reading, puzzles, games, or creative hobbies. This will help you to cultivate a positive mindset, practice gratitude, and seek opportunities that are good for your personal growth and self-discovery.

Make sure you embrace the wisdom that comes with age and use it to navigate life’s challenges with resilience and grace.

Find Purpose and Fulfillment

Moreover, maintaining a sense of purpose and fulfillment is essential for aging gracefully. You should find activities, passions, and pursuits that bring meaning to your life and align with your values and interests.

Whether it’s volunteering, pursuing a creative endeavor, or starting a new career or hobby, engage in activities that light you up and give you a sense of purpose. Always focus on making a positive impact in the world and leaving a legacy that reflects your values and contributions.

Practice Gratitude and Mindfulness

Finally, practicing gratitude and mindfulness can help you age gracefully by fostering a sense of peace, contentment, and inner balance. It is vital that you take time each day to reflect on the things you’re grateful for, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Make sure that you practice mindfulness by being fully present in the moment, savoring life’s simple pleasures, and letting go of worries about the past or future. This will help you cultivate a sense of inner peace and serenity that radiates outward, illuminating your path as you journey through the years.

Wrapping up

In a nutshell, aging is an inevitable and natural part of life, and is not about clinging to youth or trying to defy the natural process of getting older. Instead, it’s about embracing each stage of life with confidence, wisdom, and vitality. Remember that each passing year brings new opportunities for growth, wisdom, and a deeper appreciation for the richness of life thus it is important that you embrace the journey, celebrate your uniqueness, and age with grace and resilience.

Camille Defago might only be 21 years old, but this girl is one to watch. Born and raised in Lima, Peru she is passionate about fashion. Her mission as a designer is to empower creativity in to everyone that wears her clothes and she offers something original, vivid, and extrovert with her designs. Think bold and bright, Camille Defago is the brand that will brighten up even the darkest of days.

Entrepreneurial from a young age, Camille was always destined for greatness. We spent some time with her to find out more about her, the brand and her plans for the future…

Tell us about the journey that lead you to Camille Defago the brand… Oh my god I’ve been through so much, hahaha. When I was 15 I started designing collages but didn’t have the confidence to publish them or show them. When I moved to Buenos Aires I decided to create a Instagram account with a fake name and started posting my collages. I started getting lots of engagement and reactions so I decided to change the name to By Camille Defago. Then I moved back to Lima and printed my collages on big frames, I sold every single one of them. This encouraged me to create my first brand called Viva la Vida, it was a brand of men’s swimwear that were printed with my colorful collages. I had such a terrible experience making my first summer campaign for Viva la Vida (because of the photography and video team) that when I sold every swim short I decided to leave the brand aside and not continue with it. I didn’t want people to know me as a random brand, I wanted people to know me by my name, Camille. This is when I decided to launch myself as a designer and started creating pieces under my name as a designer. You want your customers to feel empowered when wearing your designs, how do you achieve this? I achieve this by offering extrovert, colorful, joyful designs. Each collage has a story and great memories behind them. People highlight from the rest each time they use my clothing because of the color. I don’t want them to feel ashamed about standing out from the croud, from breaking boundaries, for being different and original, I want them to feel empowered, GREAT. Achieving this through strong and bold collages. Bright, colourful and bold, your designs make a statement. Who is your dream customer? My dream customer would definitely be top celebrities. I would love someday to dress Chiara Ferragni, Alexa Chung, Bella Hadid and other jet setters. But my actual dream customer is a girl who is confident of herself, who loves everything about her, LOVES to travel and spend her summer’s in Mykonos or on the beautiful beaches of France. She is confident, strong, bold, she is light and definitely stands from the crowd. She doesn’t care what people think about herself, she is true to herself and to her personal essence.

Only 21, you have achieved so much with the brand already. What has been your proudest moment?

I know I have achieved a lot of things by now but I have so much to go through. I have so many projects, visions and idea to take my brand to the next step. My proudest moment was my first fashion show which was this December 2019. We put on a great show: 20 international and national models, we did it at a huge house which was built 50 years ago so it had a renaissance twist to it, my collages were projected on the walls of the house, 150 guests, it was amazing.

Talk us through an average day at the business?

We have a weekly team meeting every Monday in which we talk about each months objectives and each team member’s tasks. Once a month in a week meeting we brainstorm about new ideas and visions that can be added to the brand. In this way I involve my team members and consider their ideas and opinions. I want them to feel as part of the family, part of The C Team. I want them to be as passionate to the brand as I am.

What are your plans for the future? I have changed my mind many times. I wanted to open physical stores in London, Dubai, Japan, New York and others. But learning about the new consumer now a days I have decided to invest 100% on e-commerce. Our consumers are changing into online consumers, not physical. So now my plans for the future is to focus on keep selling worldwide through fashion e-commerce platforms. I also have in my plans making pop up’s in beaches like Mykonos, Ibiza, Majorca, Sardinia, Santorini, Marbella, Corfu and other top destinations. I want to focus also on creating mind-blowing fashion editorials, amazing marketing campaigns, and taking my brand all around the world! My plans for the future and my main goal right now is to have the opportunity to showcase my collections at any fashion week: Paris, London, NYC, Milan. Anyone of them would be great and huge for the brand. Since launching the brand, what has been your highlight?

Definitely having the possibility of being featured on respected fashion magazines. Literally when I started my brand, my long term goal was to be showcased in Vogue. I had less than a year with the brand and I was featured on the most respected fashion magazines in the world: Vogue, Tatler, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller.

Looking back, is there anything you would do differently? I believe everything I have been through has happened for a reason. I wouldn’t do anything different because it has made me who I am today as a designer, brand and person. I have learned so much in the business, without even studying Fashion Design. (I study communications hahaha). I know all of my experiences will take me somewhere big.

Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list? 

Definitely, The French Rivera, Mykonos, Amalfi, and Bali.

What quote do you like to read when you are lacking motivation? “You will never influence the world by trying to be like it” For anyone wanting to start their own fashion business, what advice would you offer?

Everything is about taking risks, you got to take risks in order to grow.

Don’t worry about stress, its just part of the process. That’s the beauty of it. Enjoy it.

JUST GO FOR IT.

What are your plans for the business in 2020?

My future for this year is to produce a swimwear collection for summer 2020 (Europe & USA), focus on creating mind-blowing editorials, and creating a beautiful campaign that involves my country, Peru. I will take and empower my collages into the three regions of Peru: Coast, Highlands & Jungle..

Find out more… www.camilledefago.comCamille has recently launched a blog on her website to talk about entrepreneurship, culture, fashion, art, and other factors that have made her and the brand what they are today..Instagram:Brand: @wearcamilledefagoPersonal: @camilledefago

Our interviewee today, Camille, started her entrepreneurial journey how many of us do – working 9 to 5 (what a way to make a living). She knew she had a message and mission to share but was afraid to take the leap.

Since taking that leap, Camille has found the freedom that allows her to do great work with both Camille Marie Coaching and sister business Sacred Sensual Soul which focuses on human sexuality.

Camille, as you can imagine, is filled with great wisdom – so let’s get into it…

HOC: Great to meet you, Camille . You started your journey to being an entrepreneur while working 9-5, is that right?

Camille: You too! Yes, you’re right. I started toying with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur around the Summer of 2016. I knew I had a message and mission to share but I was scared to take the leap and go out on my own. I’d been struggling with loving the work I did at the agency I worked for, but hated having to answer to the bureaucracy of an employer and being required to work a set schedule while raising three little boys. I’ve never been one who has worked well with a set schedule and wanted more freedom.

Since 2008 I’ve worked in social services and found it frustrating to always be limited by policies and procedures that didn’t always fit every situation for the clients I worked with. I’m a very creative and innovative person and if I saw a way something could be done better and challenged it, I would often times hear the reply, “this is how it’s always been done and will continue to be done”. If upper management did agree that my recommended changes were reasonable, the policy or procedure in question would have to go to some type of human resources or quality control department to review and make changes themselves, who had limited knowledge of what they were even working with. It was so frustrating for me.

HOC: And where did you go from that point of frustration?

Camille: I started baby steps over the next year and a half by building my websites, getting my LLC and developing documents I would need to run my businesses. Sometime around Spring 2018 I was notified by my employer that they were shutting down the program I was a part of. I was offered a position in another department, but I knew I wanted to continue the work I had been doing, and that I could do it on my own. I saw it as a sign from the universe that it was go time; that was the push I needed to branch off and really launch.

In August 2018 Camille Marie Coaching, LLC officially opened. It was terrifying, and exhilarating. I’m not sure I would have done it, at least not that soon if I had not been laid off from the position I had. That was a huge lesson to me that the universe creates what looks like obstacles, but are really doors opening if we allow ourselves to get uncomfortable and move through it.

I launched my second business Sacred Sensual Soul shortly after. Initially, I was going to have them both under one business name but got market feedback in a soft launch that it was weird to people to have sex coaching and parent coaching under the same business, so split them up into two separate ones. They function completely separately although over time I’ve been getting moms I’ve worked with as a parent coach initially, who then become clients for sex coaching.

HOC: Such an amazing progression. How did you get your businesses off the ground, who were your first clients?

Camille: My first business, Camille Marie Coaching (CMC), LLC got a contract with Washington State’s Children’s Administration in August 2018 to teach evidence based parenting classes to parents involved with Child Protective Services. For this contract, we serve families who have lost custody of their children due to abuse or neglect and have been court ordered to attend parenting classes in attempts to regain custody of their children. At that same time CMC began offering the same classes to the public sector as well, both in person and online. The online classes have been awesome to launch because it allows parents from literally anywhere in the world connect with me and has allowed more families access because of the easy accessibility. I’ve also noticed that some people just engage better when they have that veil of the screen between you and them. It’s just the world we are in today with technology. My agency also started offering trainings to foster care agencies on topics related to children such as anxiety in children. Because I had been in the industry so long, word spread quickly that I had an agency offering these great parenting classes and trainings.

Soon after this, CMC started offering additional programming to support families who have children with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia and Dysgraphia, as well as other diagnoses such as Anxiety, ADHD and Autism. Most of these children need specific accommodations in their school setting to be successful, and CMC works with the school staff to ensure that there is written documentation of the accommodations that child needs. CMC also helps come up with behaviour intervention techniques that will help the child thrive in school settings as well as at home.

HOC: What amazing work to be doing, but quite different from the work you do with Sacred Sensual Soul, as you mentioned…

Camille: I guess so! I’ve always been comfortable talking about and learning about human sexuality. In 2016 I started a Masters Program in Human Sexuality which gave me a lot of detail about female anatomy I had NO idea about.

It fascinated me that I had so little knowledge about my own body, ( didn’t even know what I didn’t know, until I knew!) and realized many other women were in the same boat. I took courses on communication in sexuality. I began to learn about what my turn on was. I studied almost obsessively about mind-body connection and became incredibly familiar with the philosophy of Tantra (which I use in my work with women) and the importance of mindfulness. I read all things divine goddess.

In the process I came across exercises and techniques to get more and more in touch with the body which in the process, led to a deep understanding that the body is a vessel to my own divine goddess. I also began coming up with my own techniques to connect mind, body and soul which was incredibly healing. Throughout this process I developed a knowing that if I could tap into that energy, it could be an endless source of vitality. I began sharing my ideas with friends, asking them to apply some of my concepts and exercises and had such good feedback!

That was when it became clear to me that I wanted to bring this information to other women as a practice. To help women heal, to feel empowered, to find their voice for their body, their temple, their needs, wants and desires. And so, Sacred Sensual Soul opened for clients the summer of 2018 as well. I have been working on an interactive workbook for women putting all of these ideas to paper, that I hope to one day publish.

HOC: It’s a very interesting topic and not one we hear too much about here in the UK.

Camille: I work with women to help undo any stigma they may have around their sexuality that may have been placed by society, religion, family messaging, or experiences with partners they’ve had. It’s astounding, and sad to me how many women have rejected their own feelings and desires due to conditioning from these sources. It’s astounding to me how much emphasis there is on the man’s needs, wants and desires, and yet women feel uncomfortable even being curious about, or asking for their own. When I work with women, I really try to help them feel comfortable with identifying things like figuring out what their turn on is; kink, intellectual conversation, romance, physical touch, quality time. This is so important for a woman to know, because it’s an example of how her desire matters, and this knowledge can then give them a voice to ask for what they need to actually want to, or look forward to intimacy with their partner.

I teach women how to identify what about intimacy they enjoy, (and how to speak up about what they don’t!) and to practice that so that the focus isn’t on orgasm alone. Through this process I give them tools to learn how to embrace, honour and get in touch with their body, so that they learn that mind-body connection IS their source of their sexuality and it doesn’t have to come from someone else. Often times I will give women homework of doing some of the exercises I was talking about before to learn to connect with their body. For example, teaching women how to do breast massage. I will encourage them to make it a part of a routine in their day, such as after getting out of the shower. I’ll suggest they use a lotion or oil that smells good to them so that it is another way they are intentionally serving themselves. This may sound trivial, or nonsensical. However, the breasts are a beautiful gift to women that can be honored as a piece of their femininity. Not only is breast massage a way to take a moment to slow down and serve your inner goddess, it circulates the lymphatic system, and can also provide self pleasure. For women who are not comfortable with their bodies, this simple exercise, with the intentions can be helpful with that. I love that it requires no one else.

A huge part of the shift towards empowerment that sex coaching gives women, is to learn how to communicate with their partners. It is not uncommon that many couples can have sex, but are uncomfortable communicating about it which can result often times in a woman’s needs/wants/desires to go unmet. I’ve found often times that when a woman opens up communication with her partner about these things to honor herself, he is more than happy to oblige.

I also help women learn to turn within for their own sexual gratification, and power. Rather than relying on what family thinks, or even their partner. This helps women to learn to connect with their inner goddess and let her guide how they show up each day. The book, Pussy, A Reclamation by Regena Thmashauer is a great resource for more information about that.

HOC: Being someone that has worked in a number of fields, how did you know that what you do now was right for you?

Camille: I’ve always loved working with families and children. Even before college, I worked at a preschool and loved babysitting as a teenager. I always knew I would work with youth in some way. When I learned about the parenting classes curriculum I knew it would be perfect fit for me and have done it for the past 11 years. It’s been easy for me to continue that work in my own business.

For the work with Sacred Sensual Soul, as I mentioned, I’ve always been fascinated by human sexuality and comfortable talking about it. When I had my spiritual awakening start in 2016, I noticed that I started to let go of what society around me had told me I “should” feel, act, dress and respond in regard to my sexuality. And when I say sexuality, I mean my inner goddess, my divine soul, my true nature…I wanted all of me to be in alignment instead of how I thought I “should” be. As I began to educate myself on female anatomy, female orgasm and pleasure, societal conditioning, the trauma women endure from suppressing their truth, it all came down to this innate piece in women needing to be seen and understood; their sexuality. Because it can be the powerhouse of every female.

I learned through my awakening how powerful it can be to have a deeper understanding of all of those things and harness the power that comes from knowledge about one’s self in this area. I knew it was a calling to share this information with other women. It was like I HAD to do it.

That purpose gets stronger the more women I work with and, the more I learn about the different journeys that bring so many women to the same space of just craving a deeper understanding and knowing about their bodies and sexuality. So many women think there’s something wrong with them and a little education and undoing of social conforming goes a really long way! I’m still working on my interactive workbook that I know will be so educational and moving.

HOC: Really fascinating businesses you run. We imagine that it’s not always been smooth sailing; what challenges have you had to overcome to build your business?

Camille: One challenge I’ve had in being such a small agency, is that I’ve had to learn to do a lot of things that are not strengths of mine. If something is not a strength of mine, I tend to put off taking care of it which can have negative impacts.

To overcome this, I’ve really learned to hone in on what I can delegate to others, so things don’t pile up. I’ve hired an accountant to handle my billing and now have a virtual assistant to manage things that are just not in my wheelhouse.

At first it was hard for me to do, asking others to do things for me. But I’ve learned that it allows more creative space for me, and gives me the time and freedom to focus on what I am good at and can grow my businesses more. These investments have been tremendously helpful so that I don’t get bogged down on details that I’m not good at.

Another challenge I’ve had is that I’m a mom to 3 little boys who is driven by her career, and also doesn’t want to miss a moment of my children’s life. I have to constantly be weighing each day. This is where time blocking is helpful.

HOC: Great advice! For our readers looking to start out on their own, what would you say?

Camille: Know that it’s scary in the beginning. And you WILL get resistance. Lean into it. Don’t let the challenges convince you that it means you’re not doing what your soul knows is right for you. If you have passion burning inside of you for something, if you have an idea, you have the ability. The universe wouldn’t give you the idea if you couldn’t do it.

Don’t listen to the nay-sayers. There will always be someone who will try to convince you otherwise.

It is helpful to write out exactly what you want. Refer out work that is not in your wheelhouse as soon as you can, however you can, so that those things you suck at and put off don’t slow you down. Do this by hiring people, or if you can’t afford that yet, do a trade or find a high school or college student who will do it for low cost.

HOC: You have such an energy, where do you get your inspiration from?

Camille: I get my inspiration from women in my everyday life who are examples to me of shining their light. For example, my natural path doctor, Dr. Kellie Lawler who is fierce and knows how to be soft, and give tough love at the same time is an inspiration to me. Or my friend Michelle Green who is an empath, and amazing mother, is an inspiration to me.

There’s also my son’s 3rd grade teacher who embraced the challenges he put in front of her with love, is an inspiration to me. My mom, who always sees beauty in nature is an inspiration to me. My grandmother who was always good to everyone is an inspiration to me. And finally, my cousin Lysa who is always standing her ground is an inspiration to me.

I also get inspiration from nature. I always find peace, and inspiration in nature. I plan quarterly “mommycations” where I find a cabin in the mountains and go for a weekend, typically by myself to just connect with nature and unwind.

HOC: And finally, how do you get yourself out of a creative funk?

Camille: I tend to get in a funk when I have too much going on in my life and can’t get my head clear. When this happens I’ll look at my schedule and usually see I’ve gotten a bit sloppy about time blocking and will then work on making that a priority again.

I’ve learned that for me it is crucial that I have time in the morning to work out, meditate and be calm before I get my day going. Days that I start off like this are my most productive.

I think it’s important for someone to know when they do best with getting their creative juices flowing. For some people, it’s in the AM, and for others, it’s in the PM. I do best with creativity in the evening after my kids have gone to bed, with a glass of wine. I think this works best for me because I know that I have no time constraints and it’s a peaceful time in my home.

Find out more about Camille’s work at CamilleMarieCoaching.com and SacredSensualSoul.com

Back in the stone age, and up until the dawn of agriculture, nomadism was a way of life. But in 2019, amidst concrete jungles, growing populations, and rapid fire technological development — a new kind of modern nomad emerged, and that is the wanderlust searching traveller.

In this latest #WomenWorldwide interview, we caught up with fellow nomad, Alena Mira, and talked about her innovative fashion brand NoMad. While her colourful and creative designs have been inspired by our shared nomadic history — her vision for NoMad is totally unique — and its one that’s all about embracing adventure and owning our natural power.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to start NoMad Limited?

My name is Alena Mira. For me NoMad is an internal state, inspired by the nomadic traveler living forever in me. It’s not about giving this up to live a calm, measured life.

How have your travels inspired your brand? Why the name NoMad?

I travel a lot, this is my inspiration, my life, my breath of fresh air. Nomad is a way of life, and was created for modern nomads who appreciate wonderful unique pieces. These modern nomadslove adventures, new discoveries, travelling, and are free from society to pursue their true dreams.

NoMad unites different cultures and their traditions, because true beauty is timeless, it’s always on trend. We are surrounded by stone jungles, and so we lose touch with the natural world. We forget that we are part of nature, and that we are the crown of Mother Nature’s creation. NoMad is a kind of fusion of ethnic power with the energies of the past and the future, I know for sure that the spirit of NoMad lives in each of us, even if we sometimes forget. Perhaps this is all a little wild and insane (In fact, the business itself is two-handed in translation, NoMad is both a nomad-traveler and a madman at the same time) and I mean insane in the best way.

Where do you get the inspiration for your designs?

All of our collections of originate from centuries-old traditions, and jewellery is at the heart of it all. I take inspiration from everything, from the mystical fusion of theStone Age, the nomadic past of our ancestors, and even the fashion of the present. Since ancient times, our ancestors decorated their bodies. I don’t follow fashion, everything is created in the direction of the heart, and the heart does not know time, it knows only energy and this gives the collections a unique spirit.

Who is the modern NoMad for you?

The modern nomad is all of us, and nomadism, it could signify anything that doesn’t slow down. Just before the nomads saddled wild animals, we now inhabit megalithic cities. However, the spirit of our ancestors and the endless longing for our roots, sits in each of us. And internally everyone has to do succumb to it, such is our essence — to be in endless movement, to expand horizons, to be free in our thoughts and judgments.

What advice do you have for women who would like to become a GirlBoss like yourself?

Not just for GirlBosses but for women everywhere, my wish is: Be faithful to your Life and be faithful to the direction of your life.

NOMAD.LIMITED

For our #WomenWorldwide series, we’ve gone out on the road to find the most innovative and inspiring entrepreneurs we can from every corner of the globe. Today’s interviewee, Zainab Akingbehin, is an interior designer at Oeuvre Designs, based in the heart of the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria.

HOC: Great to meet you Zainab! Let’s start with the tricky stuff! What’s your elevator pitch for Oeuvre Designs?
Zainab: Oeuvre Designs is an interior design studio based in Lagos Nigeria, we specialise in bespoke designs with the client’s personality and functionality being key to our designs.

HOC: Your work is beautiful! Tell us about your journey to running this business?

Zainab: Oeuvre designs started in 2016 with as little as nothing! It’s been quite an interesting journey though, of course there have been some learnings also on this journey, and hasn’t always been a smooth ride, but the determination has been strong.
When we launched the first question was, where do we get clients from and how? But we came up with our first furniture design “Hexa Stool” and everything went from there and brought us to into limelight. I guess that’s how we started!

HOC: You are based in Lagos which is known globally for being a hub of design, what’s it like running your business there?

Zainab: Trust me, Lagos is one of those tough places to get anything done on a daily basis. The hustle and bustle is real and the design process isn’t a smooth one here, getting things done in time is quite challenging and there are limitations too as we
almost never have the right places to source for things. But, hey, we are strong people here and the passion drives us so we never get tired of the challenges!

HOC: How do you balance these varying demands on your time-being creative and running the business side of things?

Zainab: As a creative designer and a business owner in today’s industry you often have to wear multiple hats. It’s a juggling act and not always easy to get the balance right. I don’t think there is ever a perfect balance though because there is a guilt either way.

I’m a perfectionist and the reality of being a creative designer and a business owner is that something always have to give which doesn’t sit well with me. But with the support I get from my team at work allows me to shuffle both.

HOC: Who would be your ideal client?

Zainab: Definitely clients that love good finish and clean lines; clients that have creative personality and also the support co-creation process.

HOC: Why, in your opinion, is good design so important?

Zainab: Good design is important due to the aesthetic value it possess in a given space. The fact is having an interior design that looks nice and beautiful will make you like your home even more. Also, good design means functionality because it
affects your quality of life. In your home, people live in such a way that they interact with their environment on a daily basis. Trust me, if a design does not work for you it’s most likely to frustrate you more than making you happy!

HOC: For our creative readers, what advice would you have for them to grow their artist practices and get their work seen?

Zainab: Firstly, self-confidence is very important. For instance, a stranger asks what do you do, and your response is not portraying any aura of confidence, then you are not doing a good job being a creative artist and selling yourself. No matter how
amazing your work is, if you are not confident enough in your work then it’s going to take series of miracle for anyone to see and appreciate your work!

Secondly know your value. One man’s paint splatter is another man’s masterpiece. So when you are trying to decide how much to charge for your work you need to take a lot of things into account like the time and cost of your supplies.

Thirdly consider the factors in the intangibles of your work that gives it value.

HOC: What piece that you’ve created means the most to you and why?

Zainab: Definitely my “Hexa Stool” : it was the start of my furniture design and it brought me into limelight so it means the most to me.

HOC: Where do you get your inspiration from?

Zainab: I get inspiration everywhere, from nature, my environment, architecture, sometimes in books and design blogs. Also by surrounding myself with positive minded people.

HOC: If you ever have a creative block / funk; how do you get yourself out of it?

Zainab: Most times I just take 2 days off work and it helps a lot. I always have in mind the idea of finishing what you’ve started because the creative part is in seeing it through to the end and turning that dream into reality! I can also be spontaneous in nature; some of our designs are done lastminute and that is the fun part of being a designer.

Check out Zainab’s work at Oeuvre Designs at OeuvreDesigns.co

Follow along at @Oeuvre_Designs

That little voice in your head that keeps telling you to wait. Not yet.

Don’t launch a business. Not yet.

It’s not the right time. Not yet.

Isn’t everyone as frustrated as we are with there being so many options and yet so many restrictions? Not yet.

Well, after a while Riley decided enough was enough and that there is no perfect time and so her brand, Noyette, was born. Giving back is at the core of this brand and as if that’s not enough, they have the cutest bulldog mascot that will have you swooning. We spent some time with her to find out more…

Tell us the journey that led you to launching your brand, Noyette…

When I was younger I used to keep every fashion magazine I was subscribed to and alphabetize them by publication & issue month. Fashion was another world to me and a way of expressing yourself that I connected with. I have always been interested in fashion and wanted it to be part of my professional and personal life. I’ve worked in ecommerce and fashion for about 10 years and I wanted to express myself more creatively, but also throughout my career I started to identify more what I was looking for in a brand. Having lived & worked in NYC and LA at different points of my life, I was aware of the garment districts there and started researching what it would take to create my own brand. Another pivotal moment was after the 2016 election in the US, many brands were offering donations with your purchase to various causes and charities for limited periods. It was great to see companies giving back and what they supported. It had me thinking early on, wouldn’t it be cool if that was something brands always did? Which would become a key element of Noyette’s mission. It was a 2 year process to gain momentum and get Noyette off the ground so it’s hard to pinpoint all the steps that led up to it’s inception in some ways. However, I think the name itself is reflective of the moment I realized I wanted to build my own fashion brand and commit to making it a reality.

I love the story behind the brand name, can you tell us how you came about the name Noyette?

I pronounce the name Noyette as No-yet because it came from the idea of telling myself “Not yet, don’t start a brand. Not yet, it’s not the right time.” I ended up realizing there is never really the perfect time to start a business of any kind. When I thought of the name Noyette it just immediately gave me the confidence to start moving forward with the brand more seriously.

Creating editorial pieces that are attainable is your motto, why is this important to you?

I love fashion & all the presentations. Style.com RIP, was something I loved to look at during all the fashion weeks. While I love all the high end fashion, I can’t afford it and I don’t think many people can justify a $1k clothing item – don’t get me wrong these pieces are works of art and beautiful, just not always very attainable. I was really focused on working with a USA manufacturer and keeping my product under $300. So many people told me that wasn’t possible! Being direct to consumer I don’t have to have the high mark up that many brands build in and I also wasn’t focused on profit margins either. I wanted to produce a quality garment (made with the same manufacturer of some very high end brands), but also offer it at a price point I thought was fair and more attainable while still maintaining a fashion forward point of view.

Who’s your ideal customer and how do you want them to feel when wearing your clothes?

My ideal customer is a woman who likes to express herself with fashion. She’s a romantic who is inspired by an editorial point of view and values sustainability (our collection is made from deadstock fabric). She doesn’t take herself too seriously and is a lover of color & prints. When someone says “When are you going to wear that?” she says “Whenever I want to.”

For any aspiring fashion designers, what advice would you offer to those that are just starting out?

I wouldn’t say I have advice for fashion designers specifically, but I think for anyone looking to start their own thing don’t be afraid to reach out to others. I found it incredibly helpful to connect with a friend who also started a brand and have others to connect with for questions. Also keep in mind – no one is doing everything perfectly. You will learn anything you don’t know yet and don’t count yourself out.

Looking back since you started running your own business, is there anything you would do differently?

Can’t imagine anyone doesn’t say they wouldn’t change a few things about their launch. I think I would have tried to connect with more people for support early on. I kept it pretty close to the vest in regards to this project because I didn’t want too much outside influence, but I do feel like as I have grown Noyette that you should see who in your network or even outside your network is willing to help you and to utilize them. It’s a great feeling to get to collaborate with people! I also think I would have had more of a launch lead up where as I was afraid to speak to the brand too early before I had product. You live and learn though!

If you could speak to your 18 year old self, what advice would you give her?

Keep going & listen to yourself more than others. It’s so hard to not go into people pleasing mode when you are young (or maybe that was just me). Look at yourself and your own needs and focus less on making others happy or at what you think they expect of you.

What has 2020 taught you about yourself?

Self reflection is important and we should take this time to do it. Also it has given me more patience. I think in general I have seen people be far more patient with themselves and each other and that’s a real positive. We are always rushing as a society and on to the next thing so fast! Taking a minute to reflect is important. Give everyone a little more grace.

What does self care mean to you?

I ask myself this question all the time and I think I come down to just listening to yourself. What do you need? It changes and one day you might just need a warm cup of matcha tea and the next you need to shut off all your devices and take a walk listening to music. Self care to me is listening to yourself to do what you need in the moment. First person to say I am not always the best at it, but I am trying more and more when I get stressed to say wait a minute what is it that I need right now? What’s not working? It’s so important to have that dialogue with yourself and it’s something I am working on.

Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

So many places! I love to travel so much. I would have to say Singapore because my husband and I had planned a trip there a year ago and with Covid we had to cancel. Happy to stay home for everyone’s safety right now, but can’t wait to travel again in the future.

You can follow Noyette at:

Jennifer Berger has always been a big dreamer, and all her big dreams are embodied in her own bag brand, Mädi. Inspired by the traditional art of paper cutting, Mädi is an accessory brand that plays on Swiss culture and modernity, and is instantly our favourite new arm candy this spring.

In this latest instalment of our #WomenWorldwide Series, We chat with Swiss Girl Boss Jennifer Berger, about her inspirations, overcoming challenges — and all the beautiful lessons she’s learned in between.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. What inspired you to start Mädi?

I’m a big dreamer; I’ve always been.Probably because I lived in a small town with not much to distract me from developing my imagination and ambition. Frustration and boredom are a big part of what motivates me. Once in a while, I need to get bored. This boredom generates space in my head, which allows my imagination to develop new ideas. Then comes the urge to turn those ideas into a reality.

My work as a designer for other brands played a role in the creation of Mädi. It can be frustrating in situations where decisions are made that don’t align with my values, nor with my perception of things. It made me want to be in a position where I could make my own decisions. I like to have an overview of a project, and understand all the different aspects and challenges involved in it.

Deep down, the will to create something of my own was born a long time ago. I didn’t know what or how I was going to do that, until I took a break from my job as a jewellery and watch designer in 2013 and began my Jewellery and Accessory Design degree at HEAD in Geneva. I used this time to develop my creative universe and bring to life the first Mädi bags, during my graduation collection in 2015.

We love Mädi’s dynamic shapes and bold colours. Where do you usually get the inspiration for your designs?

I like bold designs, authenticity, and shapes that you can read easily. Mechanical systems, harmony, and beauty, are things that bring joy and talk to the heart. My inspiration can come from fashion, product design, art, illustration or nature. The natural environment in Switzerland has had a big influence on me. Everyday, the landscapes shaped by mountains and lakes never cease to amaze me. When I look at this, it grounds me in front of the power and beauty of nature.

How does your Swiss heritage influence your aesthetic?

My Swiss heritage influences me through three major aspects — first of all, through imagery. Swiss popular art like native paintings and paper cut pictures decorated the walls of my childhood house. Some of them came from artists in my family or family friends. So from an image perspective, this has really influenced me a lot, as I have an emotional connection to it.

Second is through shape: The shape of my bags are inspired by vintage swiss military leather bags. You can find them in second hand shops now. They are functional, simple and robust.

Lastly, Swiss heritage also influences my construction process. I imagined a product thatcould efficiently be built through an industrial process. I needed to understand how something is built, and knowing that I could build it on my own. This is why my bags are made by folding pieces of leather and holding them together with studs. With the studs becoming a kind of decoration as well. However, nothing is there just for decoration. Everything has a function, nothing is hidden, and you get what you see. I guess it is a Swiss approach to efficiency and functionality.

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

Before starting this adventure, I thought that the hard part was going to be working many hours, not sleeping much, and enduring the pressure of deadlines. But actually, as I am the “boss,” I choose how much time I want to invest. Having a good balance between work and personal time is very important to me. Sleeping enough, spending time with family and friends, physical activity, and taking care of my body and mind is important.

I think the biggest challenge is to believe in myself no matter what, and making choices when I don’t know what the best solution is. I always want my work to be perfect, which doesn’t help in the decision process. Nothing would have come out if I’d always waited on perfection. Bringing a brand to life requires a lot of energy, both mentally and physically, and sometimes it can be quite overwhelming. However, as I move forward in the project, my vision becomes more and more precise; and I become more and more determined.

My belief in myself grows together with Mädi’s growth. And in the moments where I doubt myself, I am lucky to have very supportive family and friends. In the end, I know it is all worth it. I’ve learned so much, and I am excited to see what will happen in the future with Mädi and how it will continue to shape me as a person.

What advice do you have for women who would like to become a GirlBoss like yourself?

First: Take time to build your own story. There is not one way to build your dream and as you move forward, this dream will evolve, become more precise or even change. It is important to have a vision, but there can be many different paths to get there. So stay open minded.

Second: Stick to your values because values are the core of your business. Be authentic and honest about where you stand.

Third: Surround yourself with people who believe in you and who are competent; because it is not an adventure you do alone. The true richness of an adventure like this, is in the exchange of know-how with people your work with and the trustworthy relationships you build. To me, celebrating achievements are more joyful when I can share them with a team. Everything I have done until now; I did because of many talented collaborators.

www.madiofficial.com

There’s a special kind of anguish when you’ve worked so hard for one path – perhaps a childhood dream – and you realise that it’s just not the one for you. However, in these times of turmoil and disappointment, incredible strengths can become apparent ; that lead you to new paths and a new, perhaps truer, version of yourself.

Today’s interview with Ellie, founder of NITARA might have you itching to hatch your own escape plan. Take that as our disclaimer!

HOC: Hi Ellie, great to meet you! Tell us about your journey to being an entrepreneur?

Ellie: I always wanted to have my own business. When I was a child, I always wanted to be a fashion designer. I have a really vivid memory of drawing up interior designs for my own clothing shop one day (It was called ‘Ellie’s’ and it was in Paris, obviously – haha!); that was all I ever really wanted.

Long story short: I did end up doing a Fashion design degree, after that I worked in the industry for a brand I love and thought that would be enough…but it wasn’t. Within four months of working there I realised that I’m wasn’t really cut out for working for someone else! It wasn’t too long after that I left that job and started teaching yoga full time and the first plans for NITARA were born.

HOC: Tell us about your business, NITARA?

Ellie: NITARA was the brainchild of being a busy yoga teacher, living in activewear and being unable to find clothing that really aligned with the yogic way of life. I was on an endless search for activewear that was modern and cool, something different to ‘black on black’, but that was sustainably an ethically made…at the time I couldn’t find anything, so I decided to made my own!

As for the name, NITARA is a sanskrit word which means “to be grounded/deeply rooted”. It’s actually the spiritual name I was given at the end of my yoga teacher training on my first trip to India.

HOC: Tell us about the ethical side of your business?

Ellie: I’ve felt really connected to the ethical side of fashion for a long time, actually since my mum took me to a talk by Katherine Hamnett at the V&A when I was about 16/17. After uni, when I became more serious about yoga and the philosophy thats behind it, I started applying yogic principles into my life away from the yoga mat. The first connection I made was, again, to my clothing. how I expressed myself and what I was choosing to spend my money on.

When I decided to take the leap and launch NITARA, there was no question about my approach. Everything I put out into the world has to be 100% authentic reflection of how I live my life and the values I uphold. I often refer to it as ‘yoga first, business second’ because that’s just how my day pans out: first I do the yoga, then I do the things…and I try to make whatever I’ve learned on my yoga mat filter down into every action I make throughout the day.

The earth has a MAJOR overflow problem right now in terms of waste – as we should all be aware of by now! So it’s my strong belief that anyone looking to bring a new product into the world, should make it their mission to clear some of that waste away in order to make room for the new…which is why our collection is made from recycled plastic bottles, of course!

HOC: Couldn’t agree more. I love how you’ve combined your passions and creativity in your current business / life. How did all these little career swerves come about?

Ellie: Fashion was always my big dream. Then in my last year of my fashion degree, the idea to do my yoga teacher training kinda sprung into my head out of nowhere…It became a thought that would pop back into my head all the time, and if something haunts me like that, I just have to follow it!

So I travelled to India and completed my training right after I graduated, with no real intent on teaching in the end, I just did it to get that thought out of my system and for the sake of learning more…but I left my training with a burning desire to share everything I’d learnt.

After that came the stint working in the fashion industry. During my time there I taught yoga on the side. It didn’t take long to realise that I felt much more at home in the yoga studio than I did at work; which is why I decided to leave and teach yoga full time.

That sparked many more trips to India to continue my learning and to develop my practice. On my second trip I stumbled onto a massage course – can you see a pattern here? haha! Anyway, it turns out I’m quite good at massage (who knew?!) and since then I’ve massaged in almost every 5* spa and hotel in London, in a private home in the Seychelles and worked with celebrities and royal families…all at the same time as teaching yoga, of course.

In the background of all of that, I started working on NITARA. It took me 4 years to actually launch it, which is what happens when you try to spin too many plates at once I guess!

I did the Prince’s Trust Young Enterprise programme, I secured funding from them, developed the concept and products…and finally launched in April 2018. Now, I guess I’ve gone pretty much full circle! I run NITARA most of the time, I still teach yoga (and always, always will!) and I massage sometimes, but no where near as much as I have done in the last few years.

HOC: I feel like you are the right person to ask this to! Where does your drive come from?

Ellie: I feel like it’s a cliche entrepreneur thing to say, but without a ‘Why?’ you can’t drive anything.

So, my drive comes from creating a brand that’s an honest representation of the way I live, the kind of businesses I want to see and the world I want to live in. I’ve never understood why we have ‘ethical fashion’ or ‘non-ethical fashion’ , ‘conscious living’ and ‘unconscious living’… you know? That makes zero sense!

I think drive comes from your ‘why?’ ; being a reason bigger than yourself, your purpose has to bring about some new culture, idea or to change peoples lives in some way. That’s where real fire comes from. If my ‘why?’ was just to make some cool yoga pants, it would never have come into fruition.

My recommendation for keeping focus is to have some kind of vision or goal that you’re aiming for. You should have a 5/10 year vision and constantly ask yourself if what you’re doing is in alignment with that. That vision can be quite fluid, it can change slightly over time but it always has to align with your ‘why’ and your deeper message behind your business.

HOC: That’s very true. Without true passion you won’t find the energy to push your business forwards. Let’s go back a bit, for our entrepreneurial readers, what advice do you have for them to start their own thing?

Ellie: In my mind: launch fast and grow with feedback. I know I didn’t do that; 4 years is a long time to launch something! But if I could do it all again, I’d stop talking about it and just launch the thing as soon as I could. Your first products will never be perfect, so just launch with what you have and grow from there.

HOC: What personal achievement of yours means the most to you and why?

Ellie: Thats a hard one! I’ve had a crazy career so far and my life has taken loads of unexpected twist and turns, I’ve achieved a hell of a lot in quite a short space of time and I’m super proud of that.

But the achievement that means the most to me is probably the relationships I’ve managed to keep or nurture through all of that. You know how a lot of people say that: when they launched their business, tried to become artist or make it in music, that the people around them weren’t so supportive, they were told that it would fail or that they should probably get a “real job” well, nobody has ever said anything like that to me – not even once!

My family and friends are everything to me, I’m still best friends with people I met when I was 11 years old and through yoga I have met literally the most inspiring people you’d ever care to cross paths with. It would have been really easy to lose connection when we were half way across the world from each other, having completely different experiences for months at a time, but somehow that hasn’t really happened.

Because of that support network I’ve never really felt like I needed to prove anything to anyone, be anything other than myself or that anything was really that impossible. So every idea I’ve had or turn I’ve taken has just been an authentic expression of whatever I was really feeling intuitively drawn to at the time, because what ever hair-brained idea I had was greeted without question; just complete support.

That means everything and I’m fully aware of how incredibly rare that is! I don’t know if that counts as an achievement in the normal sense of the word, but it does mean a lot to me.

HOC: Where do you get your inspiration from?

Ellie: I feel like most designers have the same answer for this: Everywhere! I’m such a magpie! Part of a design could come from my travels but then I could get a colour palette idea from some artwork, a photo on Instagram/ Pinterest, a book, piece of graffiti, a flower in a garden or a student that walks into my yoga class with a cool attitude that I want to encapsulate somehow. Inspiration is everywhere, you just have to keep your eyes open!

Inspiration for the shapes of our clothes are easier to come by because I usually find those while I’m practicing yoga or while I’m teaching. I want our pieces to be cool to look at, but also functionally do their job. I want your outfit to be the last thing on your mind while you move! Those ideas usually come when I’m on my yoga mat or working out in something that’s perhaps not doing its job so well, so I dissect why it’s not and how I can make something better!

HOC: Finally, If you ever have a creative block / funk; how do you get yourself out of it?

Ellie: Most of the time, I get outside. I grab a coffee and walk in nature, or as much nature as I can find in London!

Or I move: I’ll do a 15min yoga session or some other kind of work out. This is a bit random, but I’ve found a quick 8 minute ab workout on youtube works well when I’m really lacking motivation! I get back into my body and out of my head, focus on something else for a bit and then I’m usually good to go!

To follow Ellie’s business head over to Nitara-London.com

Follow @Nitara_London

All photography Sam Lindley

LA FERVANCE is an independent Australian-French company who are experts in sustainable luxury beauty. The founder of LA FERVANCE, Melissa Obeid, has directed and overseen every aspect of the product profile, performance, ingredients, packaging and testing.

Melissa’s love affair with France was ignited whist studying at The Paris Fashion Institute in the 90’s. She worked with the biggest names in the fashion world extending these experiences to senior fashion roles back in Australia, followed by a stellar career in high-level arts management. Melissa’s passion for clean beauty lead her to initiate the development and commercialisation of a suite of Australian made, 100% natural beauty products created under proprietary brands sold nationwide. This was an Australian first.

Melissa is a really heavy weight in the beauty world and we spent some time with her to find out more about her plans for the brand, what a day in her life is like and more…

Tell us about the journey that lead you to launching La Fervance…

The LA FERVANCE journey is a truly inspiring one, even to me as the brand founder! It’s one of enormous courage and faith after Jamie and I were inspired to bring our family to France for a sabbatical in 2016 and here we are in 2020 having launched a high-end luxury skincare brand!

Whilst in Senior Management at the world renowned National Gallery of Victoria it is here that I got my inspiration and I discovered the Napoleon directed, Baudin led expedition to Australia (Terre Napoleon). I learned of the fascination which Napoleon and Josephine had with Australia and given my ties with both Australia and France, I found this particularly fascinating.

Then, following the development of natural skincare collections in Australia and my family’s relocation to France for a cultural sabbatical and to better understand the luxury skincare space, I was struck with an inspiration during our initial stay in Paris, to create a skincare brand containing high concentrations of 100% natural, active ingredients from Australia and France within a certified high-end, sustainable framework.

It was upon settling in Provence, that the idea took on a life of its own and very soon we found ourselves aligned with the most reputable laboratories and partners in France – the prestige cosmetics mecca of the world – as we understood that if we wanted the best, it had to be done in France. In many ways, I feel LA FERVANCE continues the journey of fusing these two cultures which are so diverse.

You did a lot of research before launching the brand and perfection was the only way for you. Why was this important?

I’m a firm believer in that if one is to do something, ‘either they do it well or not at all’. One of the motivations for creating LA FERVANCE was to fill a void in the high-end skincare space through the provision of true authenticity around the provenance of active ingredients from 100% natural origins and offering a brand which spoke quality at every touchpoint. The ‘luxury’ is simply a consequence of this.

In order to achieve such ambitious outcomes, there was simply no choice other than to strive for perfection within EVERY aspect of the journey and product offering as our benchmark. We are very familiar with the process and regulations around skincare production in other countries, which is why upon discovering the details around producing skincare in France, particularly within a natural, certified framework, we knew that this was absolutely where we needed to produce LA FERVANCE. The very strict requirements around testing, compliance, regulations are second to none, therefore as time consuming and complex as it was to adhere to a 100% natural and 100% recyclable framework, within the specifications of a globally certified framework, the results are just exemplary and offer a guarantee to the consumer that they are truly buying the best products possible.

The striving for perfection will resonate with those who value the artisan approach which is LA FERVANCE and who appreciate that this comes at a premium. They understand and appreciate that handmaking and hand-filling our European made packaging here in France, compared with doing so abroad will mean they get a premium product and experience. The fact that we insisted on ingredients which are sourced predominantly from France and Australia, rather than choosing more cost effective ingredient options, also contributes to these outstanding results. Those who value our ethos and quality will resonate with the brand and be happy to align themselves with LA FERVANCE.

Talk us through an average day in your life…

I don’t think the word average has ever really had a place in my life ? I start my day at 5am. Whilst this certainly does not come naturally to me, I recognise the importance of the extra two hours waking up early as being sacred and highly productive to me as what I can achieve during these ‘power hours’ far exceeds anything I can accomplish throughout the remainder of the day. I use this time to meditate, focus on my intentions, plan for my day. I’ll then wake the family and after a hearty breakfast I drop the children off at school. They attend an International bi-lingual school in Paris as they’re fluent in French, after being spoken to in French since birth and spending two years in a village primary school in Provence. Depending on the morning meeting schedule, I’ll then try to squeeze in a power walk, whilst admiring the stunning architecture and street scenes which inspire me daily, then it’s back home to prepare for the day. This can consist of meetings with our laboratories, packaging experts, suppliers, attending various industry trade-fairs, meetings with stores, product photo shoots – or planning sessions at our office near Opera Garnier. .

Being an independent brand, Jamie and I manage every aspect of its development in collaboration with experts in these fields to create the intended outcomes, so this means many diverse tasks being juggled simultaneously – and lots of ‘to do’ lists!

The afternoon sees me take on the role of Mum’s taxi, commuting our children to their various horse-riding, golf and tennis activities. We’d love to see some Aussie rules football in there, but it’s yet to catch on in France!

A family dinner follows during which we share about our day. The children are so invested in the LA FERVANCE journey, as they have lived every single moment of it since we arrived for our ‘sabbatical’ in 2016 and then decided to stay in France to develop LA FERVANCE. They have shared in discussions around colours, perfumes, textures etc. It’s been wonderful for them to be privy to the process and witness the highs and lows of the entrepreneurial journey.

The usual night-time routine follows and once the children are in bed, Jamie and I will continue working, before I apply ECLAT EXTRAORDINAIRE as a sleep mask before much needed good nights kip.

Who is your ideal customer?

I see the ideal LA FERVANCE customer being defined by an attitude not an age. It’s the savvy consumer who is astute, outward thinking, who won’t be influenced by smoke and mirrors marketing. They understand the skincare space, are aware of the ingredients they choose to place on their skin and appreciate their place in the market. They understand the motivations behind us using locally produced glass and responsible forestation packaging and both recognise and appreciate the various LA FERVANCE points of difference. In many ways it is a cynical consumer who questions and takes an interest in the story and who is inspired by such. Our ideal consumer takes the time to understand how our various decisions around minimising our carbon footprint and streamlining the product range, were made to support a more sustainable brand offering. They are astute, worldly, aware and can see through marketing hype by turning the package over to read the fine print ingredients – beyond the product name and positioning.

How do you want people to feel when they use your products?

LA FERVANCE feels like another member of our family. We have spent years perfecting the formulas and have approached every element with great integrity, so when people purchase the product we want them to feel special, to feel joy, to see and feel positive outcomes. Since launching on 29 November 2019, we have received nothing but positive and glowing feedback which is an absolute joy – extremely satisfying indeed.

We want people to feel completely indulged within the sensorial experience that is LA FERVANCE. The packaging, the product visual, texture, aroma, feeling and affects of LA FERVANCE are like no other in the market and so when people use LA FERVANCE, we would like them to feel transported to a different world when using the product.

ECLAT EXTRAORDINAIRE is our launch product and is an original ‘conflict free’ Italian gold infused multi-mask formulation, which may be used in several ways. It is a world first and by being an all-round beauty balm, with such a divine texture and perfume, it is proving most popular. As a morning instant glow product, there is nothing more active than this 100% natural, real gold balm which glides over the skin and doubles up as a ‘leave on’ treatment. As a sleep mask, it feels so soothing and indulgent and it may also be used as an innovative treatment mask, as after the treatment time the mask emulsifies with water and massage, leaving the skin plum and glowing upon removal!

What’s your best selling product?

This is a question best asked a year from now, once our first collection is rolled out in its entirety. We decided to launch with one stand out product ECLAT EXTRAORDINAIRE in November 2019, which is our certified, beautifully presented, exquisite multi-mask gold infused product, and the response to this has been exceptional. At the time of launch we ran a parallel sampling exercise, with those who had received a sample going on to order the product as they had become ‘addicted’ to the affects, the perfumes and the affects of placing real gold on their skin first thing in the morning.

Over the past few years we have developed equally exceptional and complimentary products, all within the ‘Fusionistique’ multi-functional framework.

Our philosophy is based on using targeted active ingredients in higher concentrations for more effective results, along with fewer more potent products within the collection. Less is more! This is what luxury is all about.

What has been your most successful moment to date?

There have been so many moments of success since we launched. I think that in terms of the turning point for LA FERVANCE – it was when we got the invitation to participate in the Positive Luxury, Positive Week event in London last October, hosted by the Universal Soul Company at Gazelli House in Knightsbridge. This is where I introduced LA FERVANCE globally for the very first time in view of the official launch in November and was able to talk about the brand journey, it’s inspirations, the ECLAT EXTRAORDINAIRE and answer questions from the guests. To be able to finally share LA FERVANCE within a public forum was deeply satisfying.

For me personally, this visit to London was also hugely rewarding, as it enabled me to reflect on my own personal and professional journey – having lived in London as a young Australian traveller back in 1994. Reminiscing about my time in that shared apartment in West Kensington, and all I had lived since then, only to come full circle, being in London again 25 years later as the founder of a luxury skincare brand, was cathartic experience – the feeling of which I will always remember.

You relocated to France to focus on this brand, why did you feel this was an important move?

Relocating to France from Australia was important for many reasons. For me personally, having lived in Paris in the 90’s where I worked in fashion and established many strong friendships and connections which continue to today, it was important to return to the source of this creative energy, the buzz, the inspiration. As a family, it was invaluable to have the experience of being able to travel throughout Europe and expose the children to such a rich history, different cultures, languages, friendships and memories.

From a brand perspective, to return to the source of the initial inspiration and that of the Napoleon directed, Baudin led expedition to ‘Terre Napoleon’ (Australia) was crucial to the essence of the brand. LA FERVANCE is a ‘Fusionistique’ brand and as such it fuses many elements, namely these two extraordinary cultures.

France is the global mecca of high-end skincare and perfume creation, so to develop and launch LA FERVANCE in France, to my exact brief and under the guidance of the global experts in skincare – with a combined experience of centuries, provides the brand with a clearly advantageous proposition and an energy which could not be achieved had it not been developed in France.

Are you planning on extending the range in future, if so, how?

A complete and complimentary collection has been in development since the LA FERVANCE journey commenced in 2016. Every product complies with the most stringent global certifications for natural cosmetics and fit within our ethos of 100% naturally sourced, active ingredients and have undergone rigorous testing. When skincare is designed to an exact brief by experts in their field, it is not necessary to have an excessive number of products within the daily regimen. The intention of LA FERVANCE is to streamline the routine, with highly concentrated products which fulfil several functions successfully.

Our current customer base is already asking when the next product will be released as they are so satisfied with the ECLAT EXTRAORDINAIRE which is a great sign.

How much does social media play a role in your business?

Being an independent, self-funded brand social media plays a significant role within our business model. We enjoy the instant responses received by those who engage with the brand and the potential we have to reach a wide and diverse audience.

Having said that, I still really enjoy print media and also like seeing the brand represented in this way.

Looking back since launching the brand, is there anything you would do differently?

Not a single thing.

Given the long gestation involved with the research, development, testing, finessing, production, Jamie and I had a long time to consider our approach and to plan accordingly. We even managed to do a brand ‘refresh’ before the brand was launched! – hence by the time we came around to going ‘live’ with LA FERVANCE, we were content and confident.

Of course there are always some areas which one questions, but I believe this is all part of the journey and should be viewed as opportunities to do things differently in the future.

Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

Oh, I love to travel too! I am yet to visit Central and South America, so this is on the bucket list. I only wish I had visited Cuba 20 years ago! Russia is also a country I am looking forward to visiting. I studied Russian history at senior school which I found fascinating and having also been in Senior Management at the National Gallery of Victoria for many years, I had the pleasure of viewing The Banquet of Cleopatra which was originally housed in the magnificent Hermitage museum, so this is absolutely a building in which I would like to lose myself for a day or two!

What are your plans for the brand in 2020?

To continue to spread the word about LA FERVANCE and what makes the brand a stand out in a crowded skincare space.

To establish key retail partnerships with global retailers aligned with our principals and brand culture.

Tell us your favourite quote to read when you are lacking inspiration…

I have so many favourite quotes. I live by quotes and Khalil Gibran is the author of many of my preferred ones.

Before I set off on my first o/s adventure as a young adult post university, I was considering the pros and cons of doing so and in a magazine I came across ‘Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome’. I cut that out and placed it at the front of my journal. I guess the same thinking applies today.

For any one aspiring to launch a company in the beauty industry, what advice would you offer?

Create a brand which is defined by your own passion, rather than one which complies with market trends. This will stand the test of the many challenges you will face and resonate with a genuine target market.

Find out more…

People can follow us on the usual channels of our website www.lafervance.com or #lafervanceskincare or our Facebook page.

We welcome any queries or questions at info@lafervance.com

Sometimes the stars align and situations converge, giving you the opportunity to step up and take a leap into something you know will benefit so many people, not least yourself. Our interviewee today, Leanne took that opportunity with both hands and her company Local Care Force is always popping up on awards lists for the work that they do and also how they treat their employees. Read on and be inspired…

HOC: Great to meet you, Leanne. Let’s start with the tricky question… what’s your elevator pitch for Local Care Force?

Leanne: Sure! Have you ever had to step in to prevent someone from harming themselves in the worst possible way? Unfortunately, I have. Whilst working on a secure psychiatric ward, a worker responsible for providing one to one care and support for a suicidal patient fell asleep – I was horrified.

I loved my job on secure psychiatric wards, but I was appalled at the standard of some of the workers and it wasn’t uncommon to experience the wrong attitude or a lack of training. Because of this, I took a leap of faith, acting on something I knew was wrong, I was certain that I could do better, so led by a mix of gut feeling and passion I set up on my own.

Since establishing Local Care Force, I have trained thousands of care workers, creating new career paths for many and teaching a deep understanding of what is required to be a vigilant, passionate and safe care worker. I work with trainers who are so passionate, that two out of four have saved people’s lives in their own time, and we now have government quality accreditations.

My team includes nurses who have created award-winning Mental well-being projects, who have won ‘Nurse of the Year’ and Patient Safety awards. I have a team of empathetic passionate managers who go the extra mile for the clients they provide staffing support for. Some great examples of this include booking vintage war-time singers, dancing with care home residents and providing virtual reality experiences to Dementia homes!

My leap has created a safe, exceptionally well-trained supply of workers to an industry that is notoriously short of staff. We provide a consistent and ethical service which is delivered with passion every single day.

HOC: So inspirational and an amazing positive business! How did you make this leap?

Leanne: The leap to running my own business took a lot of confidence, experience and knowledge. All of which was gained whilst working in a mental health hospital for years, often alongside agency staff, and also within a large agency where I established and ran two department,. It was however, because of this hands on experience, that I knew I could offer a better service myself. I could see the failings clearly and had first-hand experience of what not to do, so I knew that if I was in control, it would be a success.

 

HOC: Love it! It must be tough when you have such a passion for your job and have to make sacrifices to get it started / keep it going….

Leanne: I am the most loyal person you could meet, my motto is ‘treat people as you want to be treated’, how you treat people resembles the rest of life, you truly do get out what you put in. Because I live this way, I am fortuitous to have an amazing team that I consider family. But there are people who you work with, have invested in (not just financially, emotionally too) who don’t give the same back, don’t respect the ethics or culture and/or take advantage of my generous nature. The most difficult aspect mentally is to not let those people affect you, the ones who you help the most who take advantage – it says so much more about them as a person than you. It’s a hard lesson but you mustn’t let it change the way you are, you have to rise above it and continue running your business and treating people as you always have.

Choosing when and if to remove someone from the business are also the most difficult choices. I am a good person and have had to fight to retain as such. Not letting the ‘few’ spoil it for everyone else is a conscious choice I have had to make. Because we are such a close-knit team, the most difficult choices have been severing relationships because it’s not in my nature to do so. I respect people who work to support our business, I see the best in people and try to develop the rest, but sometimes in a business such as ours, inefficiencies are so transparent and the damage one person can do to an culture, environment and the teams wellbeing cannot be underestimated. Ultimately it is always me who has to make the most difficult decisions.

HOC: That’s so very true! What does your team look like?

Leanne: I have attracted a team of steadfast ethical professionals. They say you recruit in your own image and that’s exactly what has happened. In addition, they all bring a wealth of knowledge crossing all sectors of our industry, which makes us a force to be reckoned with. The majority of my senior team have been with the business for eight years and above. The respect, the responsibility and autonomy I give them, is returned week in and week out with their loyalty, consistent level of work and passion. When we applied for the Times Top 100 companies, we came 21st and the feedback from my team was exemplary. All of our core values were scored highly, and because the feedback came from my team, it meant so much more – and all the hard work and intricacies over the years paid off. 95% of our employees said I was inspirational, 99% feel supported, 93% have fun with their colleagues and 91% loved their roles – we were ranked the highest small business in Yorkshire to work for! I personally received the highest leadership score across all the businesses assessed. As a reward – many of my team have been made associate partners with a ‘say’ and ‘stake’ in the business for their loyalty.

The support we provide our staff team goes above and beyond the usual. We are lucky to have such professionals in our business and we have introduced innovative mental health first-aid training for all. Our designated mental health nurse lead and senior trainer developed a program to provide support and signposting for all of our staff, and a ‘buddy’ mentoring system has been introduced to ensure there is always someone for my staff to talk to.

This initiative has already been shortlisted as a finalist for two Nursing Times Workforce Awards for Diversity and Inclusion, and Wellbeing and Staff Engagement. We’ve also been recognised by the HSJ Awards for creating a positive staff culture. Following this success, we plan to roll this out as a training and support package to other businesses so they too can support their workforce.

HOC: I’ve got goosebumps just hearing that, what an exciting story! In addition to all this, how has your business grown?

Leanne: My business has grown an average of 35% year on year since its inception in 2004 because of our team, their reliability passion and loyalty. We have grown approximately 70% by word of mouth and recommendation, and the consistency of our service has ensured client and worker loyalty. We have clients who have been with us since inception – which is unheard of for an agency and a transient workforce.

I really believe in engagement as a business growth tool. We have a people business and so if our team isn’t engaged, don’t love their workplace or feel appreciated then we truly have nothing. Visitors to our offices regularly comment on the positivity and happy nature of the team. Our culture really is everything and our ranking in the Times Top 100 stating 99% feel supported, 93% have fun with their colleagues and 91% loved their roles, proves that our success and growth is down to the happiness and wellbeing of people.

Some examples of what we do include;

Our innovative ‘Legends’ peer feedback app shows how different from other companies we are. We are proud to be a supportive family business. We collate feedback positively on each other throughout the month, and on the first Monday of the month we all receive our anonymous feedback by email. Positivity in the workplace is an absolute must in maintaining positive mental wellbeing in the team. The monthly crowning of the LCF Legend is a date everyone looks forward to. The winner receives a glass award, digital character, free meals, bar tab for the team, clothes vouchers, a sleep in and early finish, massage and a drawer full of their favourite treats.

Every year we also throw two special events to ensure engagement and celebrate all the hard work. These events grow in notoriety each year and are fully paid for, luxury, all you can eat and drink affairs. From a Gin development & marketing day and night to Local Care Fest which was a self-organised music, food and booze filled glamping festival. We look after our staff and this supports our growth and their commitment to the business as a great place to work and be part of.

HOC: Absolutely amazing. What a huge – but exciting- responsibility you have to your teams! How did you set yourself up for this? Can you…?

Leanne: I believed in myself.To succeed you must be able to motivate yourself, be consistent, dust yourself off and begin again each day., if you are someone who tires easily, and find it hard to motivate yourself, then it’s not for you! Be prepared not to have a day off until you are properly established – which can take years and the right people. You have to be prepared to take a gamble, risk a steady income, and accept a blip on your cv whilst you’re doing all the groundwork…… I remember Tony Robbins made a fabulous statement – If you want to take the island – burn your F***ing boats! Great analogy.

HOC: How do you take time out, do you ever find it difficult?

Leanne: I am not very good at relaxing; my mind is very active and there is always so much I want to do! I love a challenge and my husband and I are currently renovating three separate properties in our down time. One is a stunning five bed Winemakers home with a separate cottage, heated pool etc in a beautiful village in the south of France. The others are in The Dales and North Yorkshire #Yorkshirelass ). The luxury property in France will soon become a rental for a few weeks each summer.

I have a fabulous friend who is an outdoorsy personal trainer at All change PT, who I run with. This is the best way to get me out of the office and into the fresh air – we have even been known to do HIT sessions by the canal which gets some interesting looks, I also enjoy pilates with her and it is the only thing that calms my mind and keeps me focused, but that’s mainly because I have no coordination!

HOC: Hold the phone, we need to know more about that Winemakers home…

Leanne: Haha, of course! The luxury property is in Languedoc, called ‘Bois D’argent’ which means ‘Silverwood’! It’s a 1869 six bed winemakers home with an independent cottage converted from the original stables,. It also has a heated pool and a summer kitchen, it’s dreamy. We bought it from the family that owned all the vineyards surrounding the village and it hadn’t been lived in for 20 years so had no suitable water, drainage or electricity but we fell in love with it anyway!

It has been a real labour of love, but we are now finally at the exciting part – finishing it off and selecting furnishings, so I am currently obsessing over hand finished kitchen handles by The Period Ironmonger, taps from Perrin and Row, Rudge & Co and Jim Lawrence light fittings…

If you love a bit of a renovation project – be sure to check us out over at @LeBoisDArgent. The house is in Puissalicon, one of the famous ‘circulade’ villages where the ancient houses constructed in a spiral fashion outwards from the centre, which is full of charming and unique restaurants and bars. It’s in the heart of the Languedoc vineyards and has multiple wine domains in the village itself…..who also conveniently allow for wine tasting.

HOC: Okay, back to business ; what’s next?

Leanne: My ambition was to avoid the label of ‘recruitment’ due to negative connotations and so much bad practice in the industry. We are a Nursing and health specialist provider, we are professionals in that industry and we have stood tall and fought since day one to be respected. Something I feel we have achieved. Examples of this include being asked to display our projects at the Department of Health Patient Safety Conference, to working on pilot projects with the NMC (Nursing Midwifery Council) and RCN (Royal College of Nursing) resulting in being named as one of the RCNs Top 100 Nursing Innovators 2018. I believe we are pioneers; we have removed ourselves from the shadow of ‘recruitment’ and deservedly stand proud alongside Commissioning Groups, Independent care providers and the NHS. Being inducted into the Royal Collage of Nursing library of best practice as the gold standard for agency Nursing last year was a testament to our professionals and the hard work they invest in this business.

Immediately on the horizon for me is a slot as a guest speaker at this years Business Insiders 42 Under 42 awards dinner. I was crowned overall winner at last year’s event, so this is a real honour. I will be up on stage infront of everyone so wish me luck!

HOC: And finally, a classic question; the ’10 years ago’ challenge is all the rage on insta at the moment, what advice do you have for the 2009 you?

Leanne: I think it’s the other way round, the 2009 me was smarter with her work life balance, less sensible and far more frivolous – she bought far too many expensive shoes, travelled the world to some of the most luxurious hotels ….. !

I would say, keep it up girl – LIVE LIFE!

By the time my niece / goddaughter is 18 she is going to have a seriously extensive, luxury vintage shoe collection! 2019 Leanne needs to take the time to buy more shoes and take more holidays for sure…especially with the big 40 rapidly approaching! Visit https://www.piciandpici.com.

To find out more about Leanne’s business visit www.LocalCareForce.co.uk

Follow the restoration of Leanne’s French property on instagram @LeBoisDArgent.