Meet Luisa Giannini, Personal Fashion Stylist. Luisa, what made you start your own business?
I have worked in fashion my entire life and was a fashion buyer for nearly 20 years. It was the perfect job, but having two small children meant travelling to China, India, USA and Europe for weeks at a time and numerous times throughout the year become very tricky to balance. I always loved the fitting part of fashion buying and was always recommending clothes to friends and family – tailoring outfits to women and their differing body shapes was so interesting to me that it felt like styling was the next step in my career.
What do you enjoy the most about being an entrepreneur?
First and foremost – being able to balance my family life and work life is a huge positive versus my old work lifestyle. I used to spend 4 hours a day driving to the fashion head office that I worked at and that combined with international travel meant being away from my family was becoming a way of life.
I love that I see an instant impact on the effect my work can have on other people and don’t need to wait for recognition from ‘big bosses’.
I enjoy the ability to be as creative as I like and making my own decisions.
Who or what helps you to stay organised?
I am very much a morning person and like to get my workload done first thing. Working from home means if I don’t focus in the morning, day to day distractions can creep in and take over.
Having kids can actually help me focus my time. When they’re at their after school clubs for example I use that time to schedule my social media posts.
I am very old school in organizing my time and have a wall calendar that I colour code for all my appointments and meetings. I do try to use my phone diary but I always revert back to good old pen and paper!
Rank these 5 business activities in the order that you find them the most enjoyable:
1. Admin
2. Putting plans into action
3. Marketing
4. Business Planning
5. Finances
What do you enjoy most about being a member of The OEC?
It’s an incredibly supportive group and everybody is always shouting about others successes or offering recommendations.
If you ever have a question to ask there will always be somebody who knows the answer or can put you in the right direction of somebody that will.
How has being a member of The OEC helped with your confidence in business?
Often self doubt or imposter syndrome can strike, especially when you work on your own, but you always feel like you have a team behind you. It can be as simple as knowing that your payment terms are what others use, or that website problems have been experienced by others allows to know you’re on the right track can give you that extra confidence to know you’re doing the right thing.
What is your top tip for maintaining a healthy business mindset?
For me it’s knowing that I am making a career out of something I love to do. I have to be passionate about my work otherwise there is no enjoyment. My advice to my kids when it comes to a job is to try to make a career out of your hobby.
How do you help your clients?
I help my clients feel more confident in not only their wardrobe and style but in their body acceptance.
I offer Colour Analysis sessions, Wardrobe Detoxes, Style Parties and Personal Shopping trips.
I organize wardrobes to fit their lifestyle, show them the colours that will make them appear fresher and highlight their unique features or take them shopping to places they may never have discovered before. Each client is individual and I take into account their lifestyle, budget and personality. Each session is fun, relaxed and informative and everybody will come away with a huge boost of confidence.
What have been your biggest business wins over the last 12 months?
Growing my customer base not just from social media and website hits but from word of mouth has been a definite highlight. Clients recommending me to their friends or colleagues has been my biggest area of growth and also my biggest compliment!
Hosting events at retailers such as Mint Velvet or being invited to be a guest at a Smart Works event has been amazing and there will be plenty more to come for the year ahead.
Building a bigger network of like minded people has given me so many new work opportunities but I have also gained some amazing new friends from this too.
Who are you looking to work with and how can people get in touch?
I work with women who are looking to regain a style they may have lost along the way. Our sense of style can change for so many reasons, eg, after having kids, new careers, post Covid, body changes, menopause, etc and sometimes we just need a little extra help to get this back on track. For some women finding style is something completely new to them and discovering their best colours or having support on shopping trips can be life changing.
I also hold style party and events; either amongst groups of friends or for companies looking for ways to host work events for their employees for team building events.
People can find me on Instagram or email me on hello@luisastylist.com.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
Growing up in an Italian family who owned restaurants, food was a daily topic of discussion! I absolutely love to cook and use it as a form of meditation. I read cook books for pleasure, think about dinner when I’ve not even had my breakfast and will never understand people who have cereal as a main meal! However… being able to cook does not translate well into the world of baking! Do not come to me for cake advice as I am awful at it!