Italy’s style icon - En Vogue Stylist
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fashion but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Traci Jeske, founder, and director of En Vogue Stylist, located in Montichiari, Italy.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am Traci Jeske, the director of En Vogue Stylist, an internationally certified personal stylist, best-selling author, and known as Italy’s style icon. I help women 40 and beyond up-level their glamor game to unapologetically create and live their best and most stylish second act ever!
Blending the Italian la dolce vita with my flair and love for fashion and style I take my personal life experiences, living in Australia, working in Dubai, London, and abroad, overcoming an eating disorder, and my experience of over 30 years in the fashion industry to have women find their unique style, be bold, stand out in a crowd looking and feeling absolutely fabulous in every season of their life. Age like your dress size is just a number and should never define how we dress, look or feel.
Tell us about yourself
I started working in the fashion industry 30 some years ago when I got my first job in retail while going to University. To make a long story short I quit Uni to go after what truly lit me up and the was fashion and style. I saw immediately the power of clothing and the transformations it made when working with women in the change rooms. Getting my clients that right look had them standing taller, their face and eyes just lit up and they oozed with joy and confidence. It took me 20 years, traveling and living on three different continents to go out on my own and start my own styling business.
Looking back now I know I needed those life experiences as they showed me how women are all so similar and we struggle very much with the same things no matter where we live. Up until the age of 38, I had been struggling myself with very deep-rooted self-image and self-love issues thus the battle of an eating disorder that only by the grace of God did not kill me. Overcoming my disorder I knew, I had to and wanted to help other women struggling with their overall confidence and self-esteem. And my superpower was -and still is -doing this through personal style. When we have low self-esteem and confidence often we dress to follow suit. Many women esp once over 40 do not feel valued or worthy of being seen let alone being attractive or sexy. How we dress and the clothing we chose to wear says so much about who we are and what we want to say to the world.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment came over these past years when I started getting my message out on T.V., on various podcasts, summits, being featured in magazines, and becoming a best-selling author. I am so grateful to reach more women and inspire them to start showing up as the best version of themselves no matter their age or dress size. I always had a fear to be seen and heard but I had to overcome this if I truly wanted to help and serve God and those women who need me. This was a huge hurdle I had to overcome and trust in myself what I have to say other women need to hear.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I thought that it was enough to have a beautiful website, post on social, write a few emails bang you will have clients running to you! Wow-what a shocker that was when it didn't!! It took me a long time to start getting clients to start seeing a return on all of my investments. There were times when I had more money going out than coming in and it was so frustrating and yes at times I thought I was doing everything wrong and my competitors everything right. Or so it seemed on social networks.
The most difficult times I would literally go to sleep crying with that voice inside me telling me it was time to give up and throw in the towel, that voice that told me it was impossible to keep going. But you know what after a nites sleep I would ALWAYS somehow in some way wake up the morning after and keep moving forward. It was like my calling was too big and great to just give up. I just knew in my heart that I was one day closer to making my dreams a reality, I was one day closer to helping other women all over the world to look and feel beautiful from the inside out.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Believe and trust in God (or whoever your higher power is) he has put a dream in your heart for a reason and at times he will test you to see if he can trust you. And the closer you are to a breakthrough trust me you will see the exact opposite happen. The opposition, the enemy is going to come out in full force to try to stop you from becoming all you are destined to be. Stay strong, keep your faith, and have only those around you who truly love and support all you do.
- Being consistent-it can be hard at times but you need to show up each and every day and do it even it's just one thing big or small whether you feel like it or not. Discipline was the key to my success once I truly walked into becoming the woman I wanted to be and started showing up as she would all the time not just when I felt like it things started moving forward and moving fast.
- Do not Compare- This is easier said than done I know but trust me the comparison trap is a rabbit hole you do not want to go down in. It is a waste of time and energy. Just focus on yourself and if you see yourself starting to feel less or not as good get out a piece of paper and write a list of all the things you have accomplished and all the things you are amazing at and focus on that and move on. I never look at my phone, get on social, look at messages, check my emails until I have been up for at least two hours. Spend those two hours in the morning that sets you up for success, get focused, have a morning routine, and start your day with blessings and love, not envy and bitterness.
Anything else you'd like to share?
I do not care how old or how young you are if you have a dream in your heart, which I know you do, do not let your inner voice hold you back do not go through life with "if only" or "what if". We only have one life to live and we are to live it living out our purpose, enjoying life, and helping those who need us. And when you have those days when you are feeling in a slump and a little frump put on your favourite outfit, sweater top whatever it is, put on some makeup take the time to do your hair if we look good we will feel good it's a scientific fact! Never underestimate a good outfit on a bad day.
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.instagram.com/tracijeskeofficial
http://linkedin.com/in/tracijeske
https://www.facebook.com/tracijeske/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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