Personal Style Strategist, Phylicia Bernard, empowers fellow dream-chasing women (female entrepreneurs) with the tools to create an authentic personal style that skyrockets their confidence, magnetizes their dream clients and ultimately attracts success into their life and business. She is deeply passionate about giving women the courage to DO more, BE more and DESIGN a life they LOVE. Read our interview with the lovely Phylicia below…
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I was motivated and inspired to start my own business after reading the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiosaki! At the time I was actually a nurse who really disliked what I was doing. It was never my passion and I always knew that, but needed a good job. I became bored and uninspired, always waiting for the day to end. After reading the book, I remember feeling like I was robbed of this knowledge, like why didn’t I learn any of this. I knew there was more for me out there because I desired for more! I knew there was a reason why I was feeling this way and stumbled upon this book. Immediately I knew what my purpose was! I was always such a fashion enthusiast, always having a natural understanding of how a woman should dress her body and be presented.
When I was a nurse, my co-workers would actually see me during my off days, and constantly ask why I wasn’t pursuing fashion because I was always dressed up. I never had an answer for them at the time but the truth is, it was a safe place to be – especially as an immigrant. I was afraid of stepping out of my comfort zone! I was afraid of what people would think! I was afraid of what my family would think, “doing all that schooling for nothing!” But I realized down the line that stepping into your POWER, living your TRUTH and becoming the woman you want to be is not about what everyone else thinks! It is about claiming what is rightfully yours, it is about designing a life you love because only you have to LIVE it. It is about owning your CONFIDENCE and letting it shine! I eventually quit nursing and charged full force into the fashion world without experience, but it wasn’t until my son was born in December 2015 that I really had a new found and greater WHY. Everything changed tremendously at that point.
Tell us about your business.
Style IngeNEWity is a personal styling firm for dream-chasing women, specifically female entrepreneurs. My mission is to empower, support and encourage strong, bold, talented, women who are designing a life that they LOVE. I capture the essence of who you are with innovation and boldness, bringing you renewed confidence and the ability to stand out. Style is way more than just clothing in my eyes. What we see when we look in the mirror plays a key role in our confidence, mindset and success. It is a major declaration of who you are in alignment with your personality, lifestyle, brand to bring out that inner BOSSlady who is full of uniqueness and passion! I offer a number of styling packages ranging from event-styling, personal shopping, closet revamps etc. But my signature service will be launching soon, the Signature Style Incubator and Brand Booster Membership. This is a hybrid style and business membership for female entrepreneurs.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
Yes! At the moment I am offering my upcoming FREE challenge! “5-Days to Spice up your Image for Business and Life”. It begins on February 13th! www.styleingenewity.com/5daychallenge
The challenge would be perfect for you if you are wanting to:
- Create an effortless, “on-brand” personal style that you are in LOVE with!
- Begin dressing for your shape and shop for items that flatter it… minus the overwhelm!
- Declutter, organize within seconds like a pro and re-invent your current wardrobe to match your lifestyle, personality and brand!
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.
I have been a participating stylist in NYFW for 2 seasons with the Diesel Black Gold presentation/show training under world renowned stylist Marie Amelie Suave. I have also styled women from many backgrounds and budgets at the highly acclaimed fashion house Saks Fifth Avenue.
Where is your business based?
The big apple-NYC for in person services and online as well for virtual styling.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
- Lots of client research, market research for my niche, networking events and understanding how the online business world functions in terms of getting my message out in the best possible way. I wanted to make sure that my content was valuable and providing exactly what female entrepreneurs were in need of when it came to image and personal style. Also helping them to see the importance of it all.
- I also began to follow mentors who inspired me and shared tons of value that I could learn from and eventually got a coach of my own.
- Lastly, I set up a marketing strategy for myself and created my website.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
The most effective way for raising awareness of my business and getting new customers was definitely female entrepreneur Facebook groups. Consistently adding value in them, making connections and building the “know, like, trust” factor.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
My biggest challenge so far has been staying on target and being productive. I find that procrastination has been one of my biggest enemies.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I later realized that this had a lot to do with the underlying fear of being visible and consistently showing up. So with that being said, I worked on overcoming my fears, pushing myself out of my comfort zone and reconnecting with my why in order to be more productive! Mindset is the key to everything!
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
To motivate myself through difficult times, I utilize positive affirmation and self care. Being an entrepreneur can get very overwhelming, but what matters is that we continue going and keep reminding ourselves that we are worth all of the good that will come out of us living in our purpose and serving others. Self care helps me decompress and come back more energized. I also utilize prayer and listen to motivational speeches by Les Brown.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
My clients often flatter me by telling me that my personality is infectious LOL but other than that, my brand and styling methods are unique because I like to asses the woman as a whole. Authentic image and a strong personal style runs skin deep. It is way more than just styling her for business and events. It is about how she feels from the outside in and vice versa. I truly believe that your level of confidence in all aspects of your life is what propels you to the next level. Styling is the core of my mission but beyond that it is to empower women to love every inch of themselves which then translates into them doing more and being more.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
The best advice I’ve received recently is to not put the word “if” in my vocabulary when I’m talking about big things happening in my business and life. Instead of saying “if” I did this or that, say “when” I do it. This prevents doubt from being in the picture and going after you want in full force.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
My biggest advice for other entrepreneurs is to make sure that your business is built off of passion first before anything else. This is the one thing that will keep you going no matter the trials and tribulations (and trust me there will be many) that arise. Remain focused on why you are passionate and keep crushing your goals.
What is your favorite business tool or resource?
My favorite business tool at the moment is Canva! I love easily creating great images for any platform.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @styleingenewity
Facebook www.facebook.com/styleingeNEWity
Facebook Group The Exclusive Style Rebel Sisterhood
Website Www.styleingenewity.com
Email phylicia@styleingenewity.com
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
A great book I’ve read recently is “Secrets of a Millionaire Mind” by T. Harv Eker. Such a great read.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
Currently I am learning all about how to set up passive income streams in my business through a funnel.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
My goals are to:
- Launch my signature membership to the world. I am doing a bunch of planning at the moment towards my whole launch strategy.
- Grow my community and list by at least 500 women through challenges, social media and paid marketing, PR based projects where I can share my mission and story, plus collaborations. I love teaming up with awesome women who are also making strides.