The bad news is, I have invented a concept that challenges people's perception of what they think they know. The scratching and clawing my way out of the box that people want to immediately put me in never ends.
Here's how it usually goes:
Party Goer I: "So what do you do?"
Me: "I created a process called 'Personal Branding Through Appearance' designed to give specific tools to entrepreneurs, consultants and service professionals to help them bridge the gap between how the feel and how they look by supporting personal style development and strategic wardrobe management."
Party Goer II: "Oh so are you like those people on 'What Not To Wear'?!"
Party Goer I: "Yeah, I love that show. They are so mean."
Me: "Um, no. I actually provide tools to create ownership in an empowering setting like individual consultations or corporate workshops that drive motivation through brand talent."
Party Goer II: "So do you do personal shopping?"
Party Goer I: "Did you go to Fashion Week? Oh my gosh, are you judging what I'm wearing now?"
Party Goer II: "Yeah, or like that show 'The Rachel Zoe Project'. She's so mean"
Party Goer I: "I know. I love that show".
Me: Sigh. "Cocktail anyone?"
The Rant. I'm a Branding Expert that after 17 years of doing it for the apparel and gourmet food industry I invented a concept for identifying your personal brand and creating a strategic approach to supporting it visually. If you are your own brand your wardrobe is your logo.
The Rave. I'm not an advocate of following trends and I honestly don't categorize myself as fashion obsessed. Meaning, I don't care who's got what on which runway, and I certainly don't associate myself with the Fashionista world.
My target audience is the Fast Company, Inc., Entrepreneur magazine reader. My goal is to be featured in one of those magazines and speak at the companies that value having empowering their employees to embrace their personal brand and authenticity because they know the benefit is a team of people that relate to their brand they work for and take more ownership in it.
The Request. Please don't ask me to judge how you look. I can't and won't. You are hard enough on yourself without me doing that. Please don't call me an "Image Consultant" (its just such a negative word). I'm a Persoal Brand Style Consultant. And finally, please don't ask if I'm like "What Not To Wear". That makes for entertaining TV (if you're in to public humiliation), but it is not a positive life experience.
Give people rules and they'll break them. Give them tools and they'll take ownership.
I love this and after working with you, I have learned not to be hard on myself. Instead, I pay attention to what I feel my best in and gravitate toward those colors, shapes, and garments. The world needs you, Darcey Howard!
ReplyDelete