Interviewing Stefania Bartolomei, Style Coach One Of A Style
Showcasing like-minded business owners who love gemstones and appreciate great design!
Here’s Stefania from www.oneofastyle.com
Tell me a little about your business and what its purpose is
One of a Style is a personal styling agency that deliver style coaching for real people with real lives, helping people step out with confidence, by exploring and developing a personal sense of style that perfectly suits their lives.
One of a Style is a play on the phrase ‘One of a kind’, and my strapline (‘Because you are one of a kind’) emphasizes the connection further. It sums up what I do perfectly; I believe everyone is unique, and I love helping people explore and develop their own personal style, which is right for them and helps them feel special, rather than being slaves to their own negative perceptions or fashion trends.
For me, personal styling is about so much more than clothes. I explore my clients’ opinions, their personalities and lifestyles, as well as their home and work environments. I consider their physical features, but also their attitudes and sense of personal expression. And of course, I make sure that I’m clear about their budget, so that my proposals are personally affordable as well as inspirational.
Most of my clients are not fashionistas or shopping lovers, and nor are they extremely wealthy (although I do have some high net worth clients). They are real people, with real lives. Some are mums, seeking to rediscover themselves after a substantial life change. Others are professionals who want to look the part without losing sight of who they are. Others have a big occasion ahead, and want to look, and feel, the most confident, charming version of themselves.
But what most of them have in common is that they have always found shopping and fashion overwhelming, and struggle to understand how to look and feel their best. Through personal styling, colour analysis, and other services, I help them change their attitudes and build a wardrobe - and a mindset - that will last.
Where did your passion for your business come from?
Even before I knew that personal styling was a ‘thing’, it was something I did naturally. I have always loved helping friends and family find looks and outfits that work for them, and have taken them on shopping trips, using my natural sense of style to pick out items they wouldn’t normally have considered.
In fact, a few of my friends had joked with me that I should do it professionally; but at the time, there was no such thing as image consulting or personal styling in Italy. It was only later, when I had the lightbulb moment about the impact personal styling had had on me, that I considered the possibility of turning it into a career.
In fact, I've worked in the Fashion industry as a designer and product developer for 10 years, and, while I loved my work, over the years I started developing a feeling that I could use what I had learned to help people more directly. And this was made all the more real to me due to the struggles I had experienced with my own appearance as a teenager.
Aged 16, I had been diagnosed with a thyroid condition which led to me putting on 20kg in one year. This rapid change, at such a critical stage of development, affected my confidence and led me to make counterproductive choices.
I wore black all the time, convinced it made me look skinnier, and wore too large clothes to hide my body and curves. I lost confidence in my own sense of style and tried to copy other people. I became a shopaholic, desperately seeking that perfect item that would make me feel good about myself. Essentially, I never felt right about how I looked, something which is all the more tricky when you work in an environment like fashion. And then, in a life-changing discovery, I found out about personal styling.
It was as if a whole new world had opened up to me, and I jumped right in. I studied the principles of styling, and began by applying them to myself, with dramatic results. It changed my way of thinking, shopping and behaving; it boosted my confidence, and set me free to express my personality and enhance my physical strengths, instead of disguising what I thought were my weaknesses.
Having experienced this truly liberating process myself, I was determined to help others experience the same transformation and achieve the same boost that I had, by exploring and understanding their personal style, and overcoming the stresses and challenges of the workplace, or social events, or other occasions in which they felt let down by their appearance. I wanted to make a difference to people’s wellbeing, and empower them to live their lives with confidence … And so the idea of One of a Style was born.
How have you adapted your business to the current climate?
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, my business, like so many others, was turned upside down. At a time when I was focused on growing my client base, having made key investments and big plans, I faced a situation in which face-to-face sessions and shopping trips were no longer possible.
Once lockdown formally began, things got even more challenging. My son was back at home full time and my husband was working around the clock; it was hard to carve out space to refocus the business. I was also concerned about the longer-term impact of the pandemic - with people switching from business wear to joggers and hoodies for remote working, would they still want or need to invest in personal styling? I wondered if I should save my energy, focus on being a mum and put my business on hold. But I had to believe that there was a way to make it work, and decided to put myself out there and make it happen.
As working with clients face to face wasn’t an option, I decided to share my time and expertise in different ways. So I created a series of collaborations with other professionals, offering talks and webinars on a range of topics.
As well as generating attendees for these events, and building a pipeline for new clients, this helped me build strong relationships with professional colleagues, which will sustain my future growth. I’ve since been asked to speak at other peoples’ events and webinars, and have been interviewed several times. And in the summer of 2020, when restrictions eased, I received so many new inquiries that I was fully booked for two months.
When the second lockdown happened, I understood the pandemic was far from over, and I had to pivot once again, this time offering virtual styling solutions instead of face to face. But I didn’t see this as just doing the same thing online.
Instead, I created a personal virtual experience, which made the most of the medium. I’ve streamlined the process by doing extra research and planning before the session, which I then carry out over one-hour via Zoom. The experience remains interactive, unlike many other online styling services, and is more affordable than my traditional in-person option.
I can’t say that the pandemic has been wholly positive; it has been challenging for my business and has wiped out many of my certainties. But it has also shown me how resilient I can be, and how much love and passion I feel for my job. And it has inspired me to develop new services and opportunities, at an unprecedented pace.
What top three tips would you give to someone looking to start their own business right now?
I like to start with what NOT to do … The majority of people start with what I think are the final stages of setting up a business: logo, website, and social media. All are important pieces, but I think these are just the final steps before launching a business on the market. Before doing anything else, I think a business owner should have a strategy and action plan, and clear ideas about their niche and their product offer (so as to distinguish themselves from the competitors) as well as define their target audience.
Running a business is hard and so much more than turning a passion into a job! It is so so difficult to make it work and be profitable, and so easy to lose motivation, so my 3 top tips are:
set up an action plan and a strategy
define your niche
define your offer and where you want to place yourself in the market.
And as an extra tip, I say: be ready to invest in your business.
What’s your secret Sauce?
For many years, I believed that my background in fashion and my Italian origin were my selling point, but through my many client reviews and recommendations, I have come to understand that my real USP is my warm and friendly approach, my enthusiasm and passion for what I do. It’s through these attributes that I am able to put my clients at ease, encourage them to trust in my abilities and experience - and turn something that used to be a chore into a great deal of fun.
I also believe that having experienced confidence issues myself, I became empathic and can truly understand how my clients feel and what they look for, when they initially get in touch, and this is probably coming across well and distinctively through my personal branding.
Do you have a favourite beauty product/find?
I love Arbonne, both their skincare and their make-up range of products. I became a client first, through a lady who I met through networking, and after a while I also developed the idea of adding the make-up on top of my colour analysis service where I use and recommend to my clients products that not only are good for the skin, and with great aesthetic results, but that are also vegan and cruelty free. From their make-up range, I personally love their primer (which is quite unique in the texture) as well as the concealer and the liquid foundation, for a spotless and flawless result, with a very natural feeling on the skin.
How would you describe your style?
Unique :)
I love simplicity as a form of elegance, and I am in favour of timeless pieces, but I have an eye for details and always love adding personality to my outfits, whether is colours, chunky jewellery, or accessories.
What kind of jewellery do you wear? Do you have a jewellery wish list?
While with my clothes I tend to buy to the same brands (I know they fit me well, and I love their style, so why to bother to look elsewhere?) with jewellery I don't have a particular fixation or brand I buy from, but I love statement pieces and when I see something I love, I buy it, no matter the brand.
There are a few brands which I love though and always inspires me: Ottaviani, Pomellato, Uno de 50, Nali, Patrizia Pepe, Pandora.
I also have discovered some independent jewellery designers over the last few years that work with semiprecious stones. I own a few pieces from those brands and my wish in the bucket would be to buy a new "nudo" ring from Pomellato to wear with my current one (which is actually my engagement ring).
Classy, elegant, timeless, colourful and unique ... simply ME!
Thanks Stefania! Really interesting to read about your journey and the amazing way you take on challenges!
Email: stefania@oneofastyle.com
Website: www.oneofastyle.com
Social media: Instagram | LinkedIn
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