Transcript
Stylegasm Jenn K___episode_export.docx
00:00:06 - Anna Sothen
We'll just wait a couple seconds. I feel like we should have, like, elevator music that plays, I don't know, jeopardy or something so that it's not random. All right, that should be good. Hi, everybody. My name is Ana Sodin, and I am with RVa connected, and I am here connecting you with another amazing business owner here in the Richmond area. And I am super excited to have my friend Jen on with me today. So, Jen, tell everybody a little bit about who you are. So you own stylegasm, right? So tell everybody a little bit about who you are.
00:00:42 - Jenn K
Yeah. Well, so glad to connect with you. Thanks for having me on. Yeah, I'm, like, boredom, rage, Richmond era. People don't know that because I'm kind of an unusual character and travel a lot as well, but, yeah. So I started my brand, stylegasm. And to me, what a stylegasm is, is when you've had this euphoric feeling where you feel so good about yourself inside and out. You love the clothes that you've put on, and it just ignites. It's not just my personal stylist. It's not just clothes. It's like how it just changes your whole aura and how you show up for yourself every single day. And, yeah, I work with clients around the country, even around the world, and absolutely love what I do.
00:01:28 - Anna Sothen
So when did you start your business?
00:01:31 - Jenn K
I started it, actually, three years ago this month.
00:01:35 - Anna Sothen
Anniversary.
00:01:36 - Jenn K
Thank you. But, yeah, I'm a Pisces. And then, funny enough, my business is a Pisces, too. But I've worked in fashion doing different things for, like, 15 years.
00:01:50 - Anna Sothen
Okay, so you're not brand new to this, right. But you sort of just shifted into something that's your own. So what made you decide to go into business for yourself?
00:01:59 - Jenn K
Well, this know, actually, I went to VCU. I always knew style was my thing. It's always something that I loved. I was, like, a really shy kid. I had a speech impediment, and my mom used to make me, like, dresses, and I had strong opinions about what I wanted. We go to Joanne's, a Walmart, or what the fabric, what the style. And for most of the year, I wore pretty normal clothes. Wasn't anything great, wasn't anything bad, but just kind of like, meh. But then when I got to wear those dresses, which she made me for picture day, I felt like the bell of the ball. And as a shy kid, yeah, I wanted every day to feel like that. And so by the time I was a teenager, I got my first job. I think it was like, what, 14 or something? I really cared about clothes and expressing myself. So I was new. Fashion was my thing. I actually went to VCU, but I dropped out of fashion school because I hate to sew and wasn't very good at that and kind of had this love hate versus the fashion industry because, like, really sensitive, and it's not just about superficial, but did different things. Worked in retail, went over to Paris, lived in Paris, worked in the industry there. And then kind of going over long, kind of trying to shorten life story here, but ended up in Bali, Indonesia, because I wanted to start my own fashion brand. And I knew that there was the manufacturers there, there was production. It seemed like there's, like, the industry there and also just a really cool creative place that I could have a cool life. As I built something, I did, like, made to order, mostly jumpsuits is what I did for women. And over time, I realized I really didn't enjoy making products. And it kind of got me back to how I was in fashion school. That pattern making and all that was challenging for me. But what I really loved was my clients. And I could see while it was great to help them with one piece for one outfit, there were so many other things that they needed support with, other things in their closet. Like, how do you put other things together? How do they show up more than just that one occasion? And actually started my journey as a health coach years back. So it wasn't really quite it. And so when I came back to the US, that's when about three years ago, things fell into place. And I realized that I wanted to try styling. And then I was like, oh, this is what I should be doing. I couldn't quite see it, but this brings all the things that I love about helping people and my strengths and my strengths of finding things, putting things together, reflecting who the woman actually is, not just selling her something. And so that's how I became a stylist.
00:05:00 - Anna Sothen
I love that. So let's talk a little bit about that, because you and I have had some pretty lengthy conversations about it, right? And I know that now, being a business owner and being out in the world and things of that, I'm a very relaxed, like, if I could wear yoga pants and a t shirt to a business meeting, I totally would, right? But I don't. And I've had a lot of people who have said, you really ought to do your hair, you ought to put makeup on, you ought to do this, you ought to do that. So talk to me a little bit about the whole creating. Not creating a Persona, but helping the individual bring out the Persona of who they are so that they stay true to who they are and also create this great sense of style so where they're not uncomfortable in their own skin. Because I know that when I get dressed up and I have high heels on and I have makeup on and my hair is all that, I'm literally itching to get out of it and wash my face and put my hair back into a ponytail, I come in the door and I'm, like, stripping myself from because it's not me. So walk through that process of how you go through that with your clients.
00:06:11 - Jenn K
Yeah, absolutely. And that's one of the biggest challenges I face sometimes is people think when they hear I'm a stylist, they think I have this rigid set of rules for people, that you have to wear these colors or because you have this shape or that I'm like the fashion police and I'm judging people, and that's just not how I am. And really. Yeah, exactly. It's about working with a woman to find how she's going to be comfortable. That's like, the number one thing I think people say to me is like, I want to be comfortable. I want to feel like myself. Absolutely. And that's going to look different for each person. And some people are more corporate or they are more relaxed or they are more of this. But where I always start with people is, I know you're a yogi and you're very much into the internal. For me, it always starts in the inside. I'm sure you know, like oracle decks or tarot cards. Yes. So I have my own deck and I created it. So here, I can pull a card for you. Now pick a number between one and 52.
00:07:15 - Anna Sothen
One and 52. 48.
00:07:21 - Jenn K
Oh, you got the sassy card I love.
00:07:24 - Anna Sothen
Oh, interesting.
00:07:27 - Jenn K
I'll read you the top part of the card.
00:07:30 - Anna Sothen
Okay.
00:07:31 - Jenn K
Sassy, you are one sassy lady. You have incredible strengths to get what you want out of life, and you have fun ruling your own corner of the world. People everywhere remember you for your never ending passion. Definitely. Your sheer determination has led you to so much and fashion. You love to stand out and bring your big attitude into your style. Just like your attitude, your fashion sense has got to be vibrant. Being unapologetic about who you are inside and out, and there's, like, various meanings. You have to keep your self care rituals in check so that sassy doesn't turn into bitchy. You strut your stuff and walk into the room like you own the place and you love your body. You treat her exceptionally well and only dress her with the best.
00:08:17 - Anna Sothen
Oh, interesting. I love that.
00:08:19 - Jenn K
Yeah, I can see that. Sassy. You got personality. Definitely. When you walk in the room. Everyone knows Anna, but I love to start with that. I love for people, and some people have more of a sense of this, but I can help people with this is like, who style do you like? Who on social media? Who are people that you really resonate and how they put things together? And I actually believe a bit of that jealousy and envy is actually, like, a good thing because it's like another woman modeling what's possible for you and looking at what inspires you and just really listening. Maybe there are certain things, for instance, with being comfortable. Maybe part of it is, like, the fabrics of things. Maybe you really don't like synthetic things, things that don't breathe, certain kinds of shoes just. It feels off to you. It feels like you're not yourself. Maybe certain things are more flowy. Yeah. I'm guessing you're quite sensitive, so it might be certain fabrics that feel really good on your skin and things like that. Yeah. And just really creating, almost like, if you worked with an interior design or something, really creating a vision, like a vision of how you want to show up in the world that's going to be congruent with you and congruent with your brand and your values. Yeah. I don't believe people have to wear makeup. I have clients that don't wear makeup or some people that everyone has a different kind of beauty. I think it's good for women to feel beautiful and in whatever way that is natural to her. You know what I mean?
00:10:05 - Anna Sothen
Yeah. I think that's super important. And I feel like we, not right or wrong, but we as a society have been like, this is beautiful. And so if you're anything deviated from that, then it is not where I think, again, we should celebrate everybody's individuality, because when you do, when I feel comfortable in my own skin, I show up better, I serve better, I help better, I support better. When I'm uncomfortable, it is not good, for sure.
00:10:36 - Jenn K
Yeah, totally. There's nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable and, like, you're wearing a straight jacket or you're wearing some uniform, that's not you. And that's one thing I do with my work, is it's not just the clothes. It's a full sense of beingness and also helping people internally as well, so that there's that real congruency of when they show up in the world that, oh, man, I feel like myself on a whole nother level.
00:11:09 - Anna Sothen
Yeah, I love that. So I want to ask a question. It's more of like, is this a myth or is it true? Right. So again, my perception for as much knowledge I have or don't have, but I'm sure that a lot of people think out there, well, if I come and get a stylist, then she's going to do one of two things. She's probably going to come into my wardrobe and say, no, all of this has to go like, none of this is good. We're just going to start off with a brand new wardrobe, or, like you said, make them fit into whatever the current trends are. So how do you start off? And you talked a little bit about this, right? Being with a client, really figuring out who they are, but are they going to expect that? Is there going to be a whole revamp of the wardrobe? And then people think, chaching, chaching. There goes all the money I spent on those clothes. Going to go out the window, and now all of a sudden I have to spend ten grand on a brand new wardrobe or whatever the case.
00:12:03 - Jenn K
Yeah. It's so interesting, people. I just was at a new client's house this weekend, and even people that I'm friends with, there's always that initial fear, like, oh, my God, you're coming into my closet. It's so interesting. But actually, people end up loving the process. I've never had anyone who've gotten rid of anything. And to be honest at everything and to be honest with people, you know what the main thing that I look at is? I look at their body language. I look at how are they responding? Are they telling me, like, oh, my God, I love this thing. And all these memories, or like, oh, my God, every time I see this, I just feel like this reminds me of my ex partner. Or when I wear this, I just feel actually, that's the number one is like, how are they responding to that item?
00:12:46 - Anna Sothen
Okay.
00:12:47 - Jenn K
And people always have treasures in their wardrobe. People always, they have amazing things that they forget that they have. Maybe there needs to be a tweak. Maybe it needs to be tailored. Maybe they need something. It needs to be restyled. But there's like, I think even I had this. How I work with clients. Usually I do, like an initial session, and then I come up for a plan with them and then we decide to work together or not. But I'm always talk about their strengths and people are like, oh, wow, I didn't know that I had strengths. Of course you do. Everyone has strengths. And then it's just like, how are we just going to expand upon that? There are some people, I have had people that have had very significant fill up the whole two cars worth of things. And that could be because people that have had things for decades, it was like 30 years ago and this is long past, or like, my body has totally changed and this is never going to fit again. Or I've had people that have gotten out of marriages and stuff and they were just ready to have a big purge. But that's not everybody. And there are people that actually, a lot of people, they have so much stuff in their wardrobe that's amazing. And I need to just help them create a plan to fill in the gaps and for them to actually just see their strengths and let's just go and build upon that.
00:14:24 - Anna Sothen
I love that. So share with me, if you don't mind, maybe one of your biggest challenges as a stylist with your clients.
00:14:34 - Jenn K
With my clients or as a business.
00:14:37 - Anna Sothen
Owner in the industry.
00:14:40 - Jenn K
Yeah, I would say kind of what I touched on before is there's just like a lot of misconceptions about what I do. And so I've even been playing with not even leading that I'm a stylist because people have so many assumptions about that. People assume, like you said, that I'm like, what not to wear? Judgmental, I'm going to force upon their style. Or, I mean, I've had people even think it's like a hairstylist or that I'm only doing editorial work and I don't work with people like them. So even just sometimes I just kind of take a step back from email and just more talk about what it is that I do versus trying to just label myself as something. And I also, to be honest, and I have a lot of friends that are stylists and we support each other. I don't work like any other stylist out there. I have a very different way that I work. And so I think we're all like individuals and how we do our business and so just not to get too boxed in.
00:15:45 - Anna Sothen
Yeah. So I love that you mentioned that because ever since I've met you, you've just been like, there's just an aura around you. I just love the moment that we've met. And you are a very unique individual. One of the first things I noticed is how you dress, which I think is like every time you walk into a room, I'm like, wow, there she is right. So tell me, you touched on it a little bit. You work very differently than other stylists. What does that mean? What does that mean for you as the stylist, and what does that mean for your client?
00:16:19 - Jenn K
Yeah. First would be, I would say, just much more depth as far as curating that vision. Almost like working. If you're working with someone who is like an intuitive or some really good coach who is really helping, pull out even the beauty that you can't even fully see and bring that really higher self out into the world. It's one thing just to dress somebody or just, you know what I mean? Or just tell people what to wear. And so for me, it's really this whole process of the full embodiment of that woman and being part of that process with them. I also do this work, energy mastery throughout, which really just helps people, really help them on the inside and really help them as we're working on the outside, to really just help all that gunk that's there to just really be able to shine. And that's one thing people are often like, I don't mean this to my own homebox. People are drawn to me, and they think it's because of style, and that's part of it. But they also don't know. Every day I do this practice of working on my energy, and that's part of the mix that's really helped. My clients have, I think, just more freedom to be themselves and to have the process be a lot easier. It's kind of a joke. I'm like, I'm trying to tell my other stylist friends, you guys should try this stuff. You should try use your clients. It makes your clients way easier. Just trust me, because I didn't start my business with using it, and I found that it's helped people be a lot more receptive, and it's helped them just go through the process with a lot more ease.
00:18:02 - Anna Sothen
I love that. Okay, before we wrap up here, who is your ideal client? Who would you love to work with? And I say this, and oftentimes, as business owners, we hate to sort of niche ourself down, right. Because we could potentially work with anybody. But who would be your ideal client? Who are you trying to reach right now? Who would you love to work with?
00:18:28 - Jenn K
Yeah, well, I love, again, I have worked with lots of people, but really, the person I absolutely love is it's a woman entrepreneur who has really gotten to a certain level of success where she's out there in the world. She's proud of what she creates. She's high achieving, and then it doesn't feel like that image of how she's showing herself up is really matching the fullness of who she is. I've also worked with a lot of people that are going through this really big transformation in their life. So whether they went through a divorce, whether they had a change in their body weight gain, weight loss, but they're really at that tipping point of, like, I'm ready to really just own who I really am and show up in a more elevated way, in a more just, like, more visible. I think someone who's ready to sort, like they've had that success and they're ready to sort in their next level.
00:19:39 - Anna Sothen
I love that. I love that. So tell people how they can connect with you. How can they reach out to you?
00:19:44 - Jenn K
Yeah, well, my website's. Have a stylegasm. You can find me on Instagram. Have a stylegasm on LinkedIn. I'm Jenk. Stylegasm.
00:19:54 - Anna Sothen
I love it. Thank you. I am so excited that you said yes to being a guest on my show. Like I said, I mean, from the day that I met you, I've loved you. So I think you're an amazing human being. And she talked about it a little bit, you guys, when it talked about energy, like, energy is very real, and when you meet her, that's what you're going to feel. You won't know what it is, but then once you realize it, it's definitely that, that she's emanating. So thank you again for being on with me on RBA connected. It was a pleasure to have you, and I look forward to seeing you out and about.
00:20:30 - Jenn K
Thank you so much. I always love connecting with you and just so love that you're doing this and I got to be part of it.
00:20:36 - Anna Sothen
Thank you. I appreciate it. All right, everybody, I'll see you on the next episode. Bye.