Hi, everyone. My name is Darlene and we're at the be your selfie summit. It's all about personal branding for fashion printers and the focus is on how being yourself is the best way to stand out in a saturated market. And today I'm so excited because we have Sarah Boyd. She is the founder of simply stylist. I'm so excited to have her.

She's a busy lady. And we're going to do a quick q&a with her. I Sarah. I just um, tell us a little bit about yourself and a little bit about simply stylist. Sure. Thank you for having me.

I'm so excited. It's my first online summit. So a little bit about me. I grew up in Pennsylvania I went to school for fashion moved out to La for to work in PR so I did fashion PR for about 10 years and really saw the emerging trendsetters and tastemakers like the bloggers and stylists and all of these people that were really making trends behind the scenes happen. And I think I saw that happened about five years ago, six years ago. So I started simply stylist because I've always been a connector and taking this emergence of behind the scenes trendsetters and connecting people is how I built my company.

And that's when I started our conference called simply stylist. started here in LA in five years ago now so we started in LA and it's a conference where people can come and learn from these trendsetters and tastemakers like stylists, bloggers, editors, fashion designers, makeup artists, all of these people that have jobs, you can't really go to For. So they teach you teach you the path. And it's really about connections in this industry. So they assess their path to success, you make tons of connections. So it's been five years now we've expanded from LA we to New York, Chicago, and as of this year, Dubai, so Wow, you have a lot of cities that we're in and we do.

We've expanded upon the conference and do workshops every month in LA called simply stylus sessions. So they're three hour workshops that you can take and learn kind of like the cliff notes version of all different types of topics taught by influencers. So one month it might be about social media taught by one of the biggest in the industry. another month could be about blogging one month could be PR tactics and how to pitch yourself. So it's really cool. You can come for three hours and and learn everything you need to know about certain topics every month.

So that's what simply styluses we're all about connecting in a kind environment. The industry can be a little mean sometimes. You know, you can sit with us at our event. So it's been great. We have such an amazing community. And about two years ago, we expanded into influencer marketing.

So we have a roster of some amazing actresses that have branched and are well safe. So that's called our simply digital networks. We represent a lot of really great talent on that end, and work with brands that hire us to help cast amazing bloggers and influencers for their campaign. So we're really deep in the blogging community. And yeah, that's awesome. I mean, your organization is so unique.

And when I discovered it because I've been a stylist for years, and once I thought there just isn't much out there for this kind of like community for stylists because, you know, you're on your own. You're doing your own thing. You're either freelancing or Have an agency representing representing you but either way you're, you're an entrepreneur and you're doing it on your own. So having other people to connect with and like that word connector that you use is definitely like I think such a it's so important in your growth because I had a really good mentor but not everybody does but having access to like, like minded girls that are passionate about fashion and trying to like jumpstart their their career is I think that kind of community is amazing. So I think it's incredible. You're had to have like the foresight to go, oh, there totally is a need for this in the market.

Because I went I've been to your event, one of your events and it was really, I felt totally like I could fit anything Um, I definitely agree that like networking and meeting people is really one of the keys to to, to growing in your career in fashion as well and, and just like figuring who you are. That's such a big element to it. And I want to ask you about you about that because I know you've, you discovered your passion. But how did you know? How did you did you have a mentor? Did you like how what was that journey like?

That is honestly after meeting so many women that's the hardest part is figuring out what your true passion is. Yeah, it's really hard to like, Okay, this is the path I'm going in thousand percent. Yeah. For me, I mean, I naturally was always a connector from when I was like three years old to high school in college. Like I was always that girl like, connecting everyone. For dinners and I was always the glue and all of my relationships.

So it was really natural for me and then being in PR on all this, you know, like I said, the emerging of all these bloggers and stylists and all these people that were really trends but weren't recognized. Right. And I think it was I was also working for my sister at the time. I worked with her for like eight years. And that was really hard to because I had to leave her company and I loved it for a while, but I wasn't passionate anymore. And I knew that and I was torn.

I was at this Crossroads where I'm like, Oh my gosh, I work for my sister. I have this dream job. But I still wasn't fulfilling my true passion. So I remember one day I was having breakfast with her. It was one of the last few meetings we had before I left. And she's like, Well what makes you happy and what makes you passionate Like what?

What do you wake up every day, wanting to do? I'm like, I want my own business. I want to like connect people I want happiness. Every day when I was doing PR, I felt like it was thankless clients and people coming at me and never, never being respectful. And I was just done with that. And I wanted to do something where I could look out at the audience and everyone was happy and I was changing lives and, and that's what I love doing.

So awesome. It kind of took her to ask me like, what is your passion? You know, you're kind of that person to almost shake you and be like, what is it that you want, right? Otherwise, you can kind of just skate through life and you know, have a good job and whatever button right? It's so life changing if you can actually discover what your passion is, and you kind of have to ask yourself, if I if money was not an issue, you know what I want to do every day when I woke up, right? I think I think you nailed it on the head because I think like finding out what makes makes you happy when you're in your it sounds kind of cheesy, but it's true when you're in your happy place like things start to fall into place.

And you're more clear on who you are. And that's it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it brings so much more when when they see that passion and they see the light in your eyes and people naturally want to help. It's it's human instinct that if you're starting your business, and you're passionate, everyone wants to help you. I'm the same way with my friends like, yeah, how can I make make you successful?

I like that or your colleagues and you don't need them anyway. You know, we're all women. Like, let's go up. Absolutely. I totally agree with that. And you're right, like, and you have to ask, because if you don't ask, you never know why I've asked a lot of favors and you have to because a lot of times people say yes, yeah, exactly.

I asked you to be on the summit. I was you know, I wasn't sure I was like, Oh, I don't know, I'm you know, we'll just she, she doesn't know me. But you were like, Yeah, let's do it. So cool that you've been open to, you know, it just proves that you're, you backup What you say? Oh my gosh, I'm 100% Yeah. But also like you're, you know, you like finding your passion and being happy, real bead to like being yourself.

And that's one of the things about the summit I wanted to talk about is that being yourself really, it sounds so simple, it sounds so basic, but it's it's a true way these days to be to stand out because otherwise you get lost. It's such a saturated market and everybody's kind of doing the same thing and realize, like, how am I going to stand out and and really, the only way is everybody's unique. Everybody has their own way. own talents to bring to the table. But it's it's that journey. It doesn't happen overnight.

And I think you speak to that, I think that you have to ask yourself, your sister had the foresight to like, say, okay, you need to like figure out what makes you happy, what, what do you want to do, but also I think helping other people has a lot to do with it, like you're giving back. And I think for me, I can relate to that as well. I feel like I've been a stylist for years. And I'm like, you know, it's time to give back. I want to be able to help other girls that are just starting or are maybe just trying to get to the next level and, you know, help them from my experience and the mistakes or along the way and what I learned and it's empowering, it's a really good feeling to know that you're helping people and it makes it look like you're making a difference and I think so.

Stylus definitely has that vibe. It's like, Oh, I feel like you know, there you are there you have so many resources, that free resources to and you know that you can that you can use as an entrepreneur. So I think it's amazing what you're doing. If you had Okay, so if I mean there's a few questions that I would love to ask but I know time is of the essence. So do you what are your Do you have any top tips or strategies on branding like and how how, how being yourself how to do that with branding and do you like recommend have any suggestions on? I don't know Do you have a marketing strategy or do you think it's all about social media now?

Any anything? Any advice? Come on. I mean, right now, there's so many different platforms out there, it's next to impossible to master all of them. Right now. I am a big proponent on checking analytics and see what's working.

So, you know, after all of our conferences, we'll send out a survey and ask how people heard about us. If everyone heard about us from Instagram, we're going to push Instagram, right? no one heard of us from Twitter. We're not going to put as many resources towards that. Yes, we're branded everywhere. But you know, there's only so many hours in the day, right?

It's on all of these channels. So we do a little bit of each but we definitely have a focus on Instagram. We do newsletters every week. And then we do our blog. We do a few posts a week, all gearing towards entrepreneurs, tips for you know, small businesses, but all with the fashion and beauty angle. So then when people are googling online and they'll look around for entrepreneurial tips or things Like that, they'll come across our site and then see, oh, well, they have a conference and right like that.

So we try to always stay in the same kind of vein on all of our platforms. But yeah, we have a little bit more focused on certain ones that perform better for us. And then in terms of branding, I mean, we've got our three dots. Like I think people know those by now. So we always kind of stay within those three colors. So that's really helpful, like people definitely recognize those dots.

And those colors now is simply stylist. And it kind of makes sense because we're the dot connectors, so yeah, totally clever. Yeah, we always have those dots. They're actually talking about branding in 2017. We're going through a whole new rebranding. So yeah, we just changed our Instagram name and our company name is gonna be simply because we have so many different divisions now within it.

We're not just simply stylist. So club. Yeah, we'll be announcing that whole rebrand next year. Oh, That's exciting. And I definitely think Okay, so that's really a good point is in your branding, with colors and logo and gender font and just like making it consistent across platforms and doing that. It's like one of the easiest ways you can start to brand yourself.

And the three dots is totally cover. I did you come up with our? Yeah, when we first started it was it's been there since the beginning. So it's been five years now those dots, they kind of get frustrating because every time we're printing things, it's like, you know, it's three color. For color. It's like becomes such an annoyance, but they're like, they're there go.

Yeah, cuz that's like, I mean, it's an identifiable logo, which, that's, that's. That's probably one of the most important things as well because I mean, who doesn't? Remember Donald's housing identify. Right? That's key. So I know you have you guys have a conference coming up too, right?

It's the first time in LA Is that right? No, we actually started in LA, we always do LA, but we've actually changed the concept a little bit for this year. So it'll be July 15. And actually early bird Tickets are on sale until January 2. So I don't know when this is airing, but tickets are way less right now. And it's a full day of panels in one room, another room, it's going to be a full day breakout sessions.

And then there'll be a full brand experience throughout the day. Lunch goodie bags, pampering and then brands will be selling at a discount and tons of just experiential activities with all these amazing brands. So and then obviously tons of great speakers talking about all different sorts of topics from SEO to monetizing your blog. Cool, too. We're also adding more of a main main line to it for people that maybe aren't in the fashion and beauty industry but love fashion or love Yeah. So they can come and learn, you know how to streamline your closet how to do a great cateye things like that, but you don't have to be someone is in the industry to learn.

So we're adding a few new elements which is exciting. And so yeah, that'll be July 15 here in LA. Okay, that's awesome. So you can just go to your site is si MP l y.com. Okay, simply so it's still simply stylist calm it's not changing to like simply right now it's simply stylist calm. Yeah, so rebrand next year.

Okay, cool. That's, it sounds like an awesome event. I'm definitely gonna sign up for it because the the monthly event that I went to, I mean, I got an amazing goodie bag first. I was like, Oh my God. This is awesome. But it was great because I just met so many other girls that were doing it.

It was it was a range of girls, bloggers and girls that were just starting and beauty bloggers and things like that. So it makes for exciting environment. Yeah. Oh, it's like the session but way bigger hundreds of people so amplified. Yeah. selection is just one of 40 events happening that day is kind of like what you went to.

It's just yeah, way bigger. So it's exciting. Well, that's awesome. Okay, Sara? Well, I know that you've got like back to back meetings today. And I totally appreciate like picking your brain and getting your insight is there any last note or any like one advice, one advice tip that you'd want to give someone that's maybe just starting their career or they're an aspiring stylist or Or blogger?

Would you have any one? suggestion for them? My advice is always just put yourself out there. Go to as many events as you can ask, ask, you know, like you said, ask, you never know what people will say and you never know what that one relationship could possibly lead to that you make. Follow up, be kind and be passionate. That's honestly like, how I built my business.

I love Wow. Um, yeah, I think that's a good tip. And then I also wanted to mention the international style Institute as well. Oh, yeah, definitely. Yeah, it's another company of mine. And if anyone's watching, it's a blogger or a stylist or wants to be one.

It's a three day course that you can take where you learn everything you could possibly need to know to become a fashion stylist. Cool, because we do one also on content creation. So to become a blogger Anytime, and it's really, really cool. It's a three day course where restyling we do it in New York. Last year we did at the Conde Nast building where the stylist we brought, like professional hair and makeup, they shot where Vogue shoots. Amazing.

And you get a stylist, starter kit, all this really cool stuff so, and a certificate, you're part of our Alumni Association. It's really great. The end of the three days, we're all like best friends and crying and we're all starting our careers together. You know, it's, it's amazing to see. So it's another one of those warming moments that we really get to help people with their career. And, you know, there isn't a school for something like this.

And you kind of have to find your own way. So we're helping. I'm helping people find their path. So that's awesome. Yeah. And it says the style Institute or Is that what it's called on your site?

Yeah. And it actually has its own site. It's that international style Institute calm. Okay, awesome. That's exciting. That is June 2 through fourth in New York.

Styling. How exciting. That's awesome. Because there is like no styling school really that like other careers where you can just like go in that. So that's kind of that's an amazing opportunity. So if anybody's definitely, they should definitely look into that.

My partner is Anita Patrick's and she does a Julian half and oh my gosh. Yeah, she's great. So she actually teaches the whole course. Oh my god. Okay, so that's, I mean, that right there is like, I see that big. Awesome.

It's a great three days, so yeah. Great. Thank you so much, Sarah. You're doing some amazing things. I'm so excited that I had you today and you gave some totally great insight and advice. But you know, it's you I love that you say be kind and because it's important to like, build relationships and being kind I think is one of an important thing.

Sometimes in fashion you forget like that. It's such a big, it's a big thing. It's a people industry you have to like help each other out. Totally. So thank you for spending your time with me this morning and I am excited to see how your company continues to evolve. Have a good one and have a good weekend.

You too. Thanks for having me. Bye Bye now.