Stylist Training

How To Start a Styling Business … The WRONG Way!

I’ve been doing this a long time, teaching stylists; we’re coming up on 13 years.

According to Malcolm Gladwell, it takes 10,000 hours of practice to gain expertise in your desired field. That equates to working around the clock (no sleeping – just working) for a year and fifty-one days.

Needless to say, I’ve far exceeded mastering my craft.

So what’s my point? My point is, I’ve seen it all!

I’ve seen what it takes for businesses to succeed, and I’ve seen what it takes to fail.

Today we’re talking about the latter: how to fail in business.

If you want to start your styling business the WRONG way, here’s how:

1.) Do the necessary steps to start a business but do them in the wrong order.

2.) Copy another successful stylist- worked for them, so it must work for you, right?

3.) Spend all your money on your website instead of your education

4.) Sit there like a dummy waiting for your clients to appear

Watch the complete breakdown of why this DOESN’T work in today’s video.

If you’re doing things the wrong way, don’t feel bad, you’re not the first person to make these mistakes. HOWEVER, now that you know better, it’s time to do better.

You will get the results when you follow the correct steps in the proper order.

Stylist Training

Are You Making This HUGE Mistake In Your Styling Business?

“Don’t give up before the miracle happens.”

 

Last week, I watched some incredible videos my students created to share how they’ve transformed since joining Style Boss Academy. Their transformations had my jaw on the floor. I knew I made an incredible program, but damn, I really knocked it out of the park with this one.

 

What’s crazy is the students experiencing the most jaw-dropping results were the ones who were about to give up. Style Boss Academy was their final attempt at making their styling business a success.

 

For example, my student Samantha who experienced a 1024% revenue increase due to doing the work inside Style Boss Academy was about to give up.

 

Brittney, who increased her rates 267%, is booked and busy AND sold her first “over-the-top luxe” package last week. She was about to throw in the towel before joining Style Boss Academy.

 

Can you imagine if they gave up?? It would have been a damn shame.

 

Listen, if a vision was placed in your heart and mind AND then coupled with talent! Baby, roll with it, and don’t give up until the miracle happens!

 

There have been SO many times in my business where things weren’t working. Times were the profit hadn’t arrived, the dream team wasn’t assembled, the sales were spotty, the launch failed, the social media posts didn’t perform.

 

But guess what?

 

Quitting never crossed my mind because I knew the miracle was on its way! 

 

EXPECT miracles in your life and your business.

 

But there are a couple of conditions:

 

1.) You have to prep yourself for the miracle by doing YOUR part. That means learning the necessary skills to live out your miracle.

 

2.) Stop making silly (and preventable mistakes). In fact, I have a complete breakdown of the top 5 most common mistakes personal stylists are making in today’s video; check it out.

So please, please, don’t give up because your success story is loading.

Stylist Training

How to Transition From In-Person Styling to Virtual Styling

I was probably five years into my business when I had a vision, and it was a vision I didn’t love.

I pictured myself as a 40-something in Los Angeles running around the Beverly Center (a mall here in LA), carrying a TON of shopping bags for my clients, and I was freaking EXHAUSTED.

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What was once a dream (shopping for a living) was now my nightmare.

At the time, I had a massive waitlist for my styling services, but the idea of spending the rest of my days serving clients in that way was NOT appealing to me anymore.

I wanted ease.

I wanted options.

I wanted to be able to serve MORE clients without exerting more energy.

And then I had a crazy idea 💡

What if I styled my clients digitally through virtual services, ebooks, and online courses.

People thought I was crazy, and I probably was, but the thing about me is when I get an idea, I just can’t let it go.

So I started building.

It took a LOT of trial and error, but in the end, it worked! I’m 41 years old, and it’s been YEARS since I’ve physically shopped for a client 🙌🏽

Due to the success of my online business, personal stylists and aspiring personal stylists were knocking down my door, BEGGING me to teach them my online ways.

None of them liked my advice:

You must first MASTER the art and business of in-person styling before translating it into an online experience.

While the internet seems like a magical place where all your dreams will come true, I can tell you from firsthand experience that it’s rough out there in those online streets.

Dreams CAN come true, but you have to be willing to build the proper foundation and then educate yourself in the arena of online marketing.

The good news? I teach you exactly how to set up that foundation inside Style Boss Academy™.

Style Boss Academy™ opens for registration on May 12th, and trust me; you do NOT want to miss this intake – the next one won’t happen until the end of 2022.

Stylist Training

How To Become A Virtual Personal Stylist


When the pandemic hit in March of 2020, many of my entrepreneur friends’ businesses went from millions of dollars to zero. My business, however, tripled in revenue that year.

How did that happen? Because in 2016, I began expanding my styling services to include virtual styling. You better believe I was extra grateful for making that decision! In 2018, I went completely virtual in both of my companies (my styling school and my styling businesses).

Here we are in 2021, and anyone who hasn’t gone virtual wants to or is at least curious about it. The transition to digital can be overwhelming, especially if you aren’t tech-savvy, but it can be done with a bit of patience and perseverance.

Today I’m sharing my top tips for transitioning from in-person to virtual. Enjoy!

1.) Build your foundation in-person

Starting your virtual empire from scratch can be done, but I don’t recommend it. Nailing your in-person process and re-engineering it into an online offering is much easier.

I broke down my most popular 1-on-1 styling package (that was proven to transform) into a step-by-step process that I turned into an online course. That course has helped hundreds of women and started my virtual empire.

2.) Explore your options

There is a myriad of ways to offer your services online. Research them all and decide which one is the best fit for your clients, your budget, business, and tech know-how.

Here are a couple of options for you to explore:

  1. 1-on-1 virtual using Zoom
  2. Create an online course
  3. Build an online membership
  4. Sell eBooks and virtual look books
  5. Utilize styling apps like Hue and Stripe
  6. Manage your business using the virtual tools on Garmentier

3.) Market yourself and your services

Just because you build, it doesn’t mean they will come. Creating a virtual asset is a fantastic addition to your business, but if your business isn’t standing on solid ground, your new asset won’t make you any money. You must create a marketing and sales plan for your business in addition to your new service offerings if you want to get paid.

For more tips and tricks for building your styling clientele, download a copy of my FREE eBook, ‘How To Book Your First Styling Client: 5 Success Secrets For Turning Your Dream Job Into a Reality.’

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE>

 

Until next time!

XO,

Lauren Messiah

Stylist Training

How To Create a Client Styling Mood Board

One of the most critical aspects of the personal styling process is presenting an inspiration board or mood board to the client before shopping on their behalf. Shopping without a visual plan (you both agree on) is a recipe for disaster at the fitting.

So how do you create this visual plan? It’s simple really, just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Gather Images

This is the most challenging part for many people, but it should be the most fun part! This step is when you get to look at and collect beautiful images of garments that best suit the “mood” your client is going for.

Search Pinterest, cut images out of magazines, check out online retailers like Net-a-Porter, for styled photos, and snag runway pics on Vogue Runway. I like to upload them to Pinterest to keep them in one cohesive digital space, but you could also drag them onto a folder on your desktop.

Step 2: Get Your Tools Together

Next, you need to decide where to build your mood board. Creating mood boards by hand (on foam core board and magazine clippings) is fun, but it’s not very convenient when it comes to delivering the asset to your client. This is why I like digital mood boards instead. Here are some excellent options:

1. Canva
2. Pages
3. Milanote
4. Photoshop

All are great options, but Canva is the easier way, in my opinion.

Step 3: Get Your Collage On

The more images you can pack onto the page, the better. Try not to leave any blank space in order to pack a visual punch. If you have too many images, sometimes it’s helpful to create multiple boards for different aspects of their life/wardrobe: work, weekend, and social.

Pro Tip: Be sure to remind your client you aren’t getting them the exact images on the board; it’s designed to show the creative direction.

I hope this post was helpful! For more tips and tricks for building your styling clientele, download a copy of my FREE eBook, ‘How To Book Your First Styling Client: 5 Success Secrets For Turning Your Dream Job Into a Reality.’

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE>

Until next time!

Stylist Training

Do You Need a Degree To Become A Personal Stylist


I don’t know about you, but I grew up in a world where the mantra was, “go to school, get good grades, get a good job, and start a family.” That mantra never really sat well with me, but I didn’t want to upset the apple cart, so I did what I had to do.

Since I was five years old, I knew I wanted to work in fashion, so I decided my “go to school” would be fashion school. I spent four years and $40,000 to get a degree in fashion design.

Was fashion school fun? Yes

Did fashion school help me start my Personal Styling business? No

I don’t want to knock higher education, but in my experience, the system is outdated and unnecessary for certain careers. Listen, if you’re going to be a doctor, PLEASE go to school. But if you want to become a stylist, you can skip getting a formal education.

But hear me when I say this:

You don’t need a degree, but you DO need an education.

Starting your Personal Styling business requires a well-rounded skillset: business, mindset, and creative talent. You can acquire these skills WITHOUT college. Online courses, coaches, books, podcasts, seminars, and mentors will get you all the knowledge you need.

When it comes to educating yourself for your business, DO NOT cut corners! Invest in your education. An online course and coaching will set you back a couple of thousand dollars, but it’s way cheaper and less time commitment than a 4-year program that won’t even prepare you to run a business.

My program, Style Boss Academy is launching in January 2022. Inside, I will teach you how to build a profitable, purpose-driven styling business in 10-weeks.

In the meantime, download a copy of my FREE eBook, ‘How To Book Your First Styling Client: 5 Success Secrets For Turning Your Dream Job Into a Reality.’

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE>

 

Until next time!

 

XO,

Lauren Messiah

Stylist Training

How Much Do Personal Stylists Get Paid?

Not everyone knows this, but working as a personal stylist isn’t like working a regular job. There are no set hours, unlike a “normal” job, and there certainly isn’t a salary. Well, unless you take on a “stylist” position at a boutique, and in that case, you’re just a sales associate with a fancy title. But I digress.

Before joining my program, Style Boss Academy, one of my students wasn’t sure if she wanted to pursue this particular career path because the salary deterred her. She made the common error of Googling, “how much do personal stylists make?” The search results will tell you that the salary is anywhere from 22k to 70k a year.

Google is wrong, my friend. As a Personal Stylist, I make more money in a month than I did in an entire year at my 9-5.

When you work for yourself as a Personal Stylist, the sky is the limit in terms of how much money you make. Here’s why:

1.) You’re an entrepreneur when you work as a personal stylist!

That means you set your prices and your hours. The more established and in-demand you are as a stylist, the more you can charge for your services. The only thing you can’t create more of as a stylist is hours in the day, which is why you can …

Buy Style Therapy anywhere books are sold

2.) Leverage your styling skills to create additional streams of income

I took my successful career as a Personal Stylist and turned it into online courses, books, brand partnerships, coaching, corporate seminars, and event hosting. When you build your styling business on a solid foundation and approach your styling method with a fresh perspective, people will want to pay you top dollar for your expertise.

Hosting TheOutnet Holiday Shopping Event in Chicago 

I know what you’re thinking, “Okay, but how much?!”

I can’t give you an exact number but what I can tell you is that I’ve created a 7-figure styling business for myself. I’ve also trained over 5,000 aspiring stylists to build their lucrative businesses. It’s not unrealistic to set your sights on making 6-figures as a style entrepreneur. The sky is the limit when you work for yourself, so dream big and get to work!

For more tips and tricks for building your styling clientele, download a copy of my FREE eBook, ‘How To Book Your First Styling Client: 5 Success Secrets For Turning Your Dream Job Into a Reality.’

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE>

Until next time!

Stylist Training

How to Use Social Media to Get Styling Clients 

If I told you I built a 7-figure style empire with virtually zero paid advertising, would you believe me? Well, you should because it’s true.

When I first started my business, I had no money; actually, I had less than zero money. I’d just left my 9-5 job with no savings and no plan, I was living off unemployment, and I was $18,000 in debt.

My new job as a celebrity stylist was unpaid, aka I was an intern. At the same time, I was building my Personal Styling business where I’d hoped to get paid the big bucks dressing everyday women.

Do you think I had an advertising budget? Heck no! Then how did I turn no money into millions? Social media, my friend. Here are three tips for turning your social media accounts into a client-generating, money-making machine.

1.) Pick the right platform

There are so many options to choose from on social; Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and the list goes on. We can all have accounts on these platforms, but there should be 1-2 platforms where you focus our efforts. Choose your platform where your talent can shine. If you’re good on camera, then focus on YouTube or IG live. Great writer? Then write amazing posts on Facebook or blogs. Another thing you must keep in mind is to focus on the platforms where your ideal customer is hanging out. You don’t want to make incredible content for the wrong people!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel! 

2.) Stay consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to social media. You can’t post once and expect the clients to line up at the door. Keep posting even if no one is watching. I put up YouTube videos every day for an entire year before generating consistent revenue. Plan ahead, post daily and create sharable/ valuable content that resonates with your
ideal client.

Follow me on Instagram!

3.) Talk about your services

Don’t be shy; make sure people know you offer styling services. But keep in mind the importance of maintaining a balance between posts that advertise what you do and posts that add value. Your hard-earned followers will abandon you if you come off too sales-y and spammy.

Explore my services for personal stylists! 

For more tips and tricks for building your personal styling clientele, download a copy of my FREE eBook, ‘How To Book Your First Styling Client: 5 Success Secrets For Turning Your Dream Job Into a Reality.’

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE>

Until next time!

Uncategorized

4 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a New Outfit

How do you feel about shopping? Do you love it or hate it?

Whether you love it or hate it, you have to do it on a fairly regular basis.

Shopping for food, clothes, items for your home – it’s a necessary evil, so you may as well be good at it, right?

What I’m about to say may come as a surprise to you, but you can “get good” at shopping just by asking yourself four simple questions.

Discover the questions in today’s video.

Warning ⚠️:  These questions are a game-changer!

WATCH NOW 

Uncategorized

Should You Change Your Style To Fit In?

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Why is it that we get so attached to an identity that no longer serves us?

Think about it.

You’ll wear some less-than-fabulous attire, know you can do better, but get defensive when your appearance holds you back.

You shout things like, “They should like me for me!” and “Being judged by your appearance isn’t fair!”

Well, you’re absolutely right, but that doesn’t negate the facts.

People are judging you. You know, I know it, your mama knows it.

So why aren’t you changing the way you look? Why are you getting so darn defensive?

The short answer is, it’s your EGO!!

It may sound counterintuitive to change how you look to “fit in,” and taking those measures isn’t appropriate for all situations.

BUT

The situations where it matters, it REALLY matters.

Get the full scoop in today’s video.


WATCH NOW>> 

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