I'm joined today by Yvonne Phillip, a.k.a. Yves. She's a brand strategist, stylist and self-care advocate. She believes that you have to stand out to fit in. And not only do you have to stand out to fit in; if women sustain themselves, they can sustain the world. She helps service-based professionals who feel that they are not being noticed or seen as the expert, not creating a connection with their ideal clients to get clarity, confidence and credibility with their personal and business brands through coaching courses and one-to-one services and events. She takes entrepreneurs and executives on a transformational journey that include their strategy, their style, and their self-care. The result is that they step up, show up, stand out and attract their dream clients with ease, authenticity, and without apology or overwhelm.
Katherine Ann Byam 0:03
Welcome, Yvonne, to Where Ideas Launch.
Yvonne Phillip 1:19
Thank you, Katherine, thank you so much for having me. It's a pleasure to join and be speaking with you and your audience today.
Katherine Ann Byam 1:26
Wonderful to have you. Many people say that you need to start with branding when you're building a business. Is this true or false and why or why not?
Yvonne Phillip 1:35
I believe that it is false. Despite working in the personal branding space, I think people need to understand who they are, and who their business is serving before they start developing a brand. So you can build a website, you can go on Fiverr and get a logo. But that's not the brand, your brand comes from a deep part within. So at the start of your business, you should be thinking about the development of your product or service and making sure that's high quality. You should be thinking about who your target audience is that's going to buy this product and service, and doing that form of research. And as you're doing that form of research, you will collate those ideas of the way to communicate with your audience because that is your branding. Branding is a communication or communication tool, whether it be in writing verbally, the visual images, and representations such as the fonts, colours, logos, etc. But if you start with your brand and your branding, you might be building a brand that isn't conducive to you, or that your audience is going to be attracted to and repel, what could be ideal clients rather than bring them into your world and build that connection with them for them to want to buy your product or service.
Katherine Ann Byam 3:00
Yeah, that's really interesting. And I think this leads me nicely into the next one, which is as entrepreneurs, especially product-based ones we tend to hide behind our product, we tend to shy away from personal visibility, especially when we're micro businesses. And I want to ask you if this is a recommended approach because I think a lot of people think about their branding in terms of the product and not in terms of themselves.
Yvonne Phillip 3:25
Absolutely, they totally do. And a lot of product-based businesses do hide behind their brand. I know in my intro, it says that I support service-based businesses but I do also say support product-based businesses. If you're a large organisation, a large business you have lots of money to throw at advertising and promotions, in-store promotions, etc. When you're fully-fledged, now open for business, but as a solo entrepreneur, as someone where you are your product or your brand you have to step up and show up because people buy from people. People don't buy just a bottle of perfume or just a Gizi wizard, whatever it was. They buy because they like the person in the advert. They like the way that the advert actually embraces a family if you think about John Lewis or Sainsbury's, etc. So if you have a product, you need to show up in photography, in videos with your products, you can't just put products out there, because people don't know anything about it. They have no emotional connection to a box or a bottle. So if you're showing up, people then decide, "Yes, I want to invest my hard-earned money and purchase that product from that person."
Katherine Ann Byam 4:51
Absolutely. I guess a lot of fashion is linked to body image and confidence as well. And I think this fits nicely into why some of us hide behind our brands. How can someone use style to raise their self-perception?
Yvonne Phillip 5:05
So style is a tricky one, because a lot of people that don't have body confidence, wear lots of big, baggy clothes because. They're trying to hide. And I think that the first thing that you need to start doing is with your body image is stopped following and looking at everybody else. Take them for inspiration. But your goal should never be to emulate that person because no two people are the same, not even identical twins are the same. There are differences between them. So with your body confidence, as long as you're healthy, need to start loving yourself. There are always going to be parts of your body that you don't like. I don't like my skinny arms, Katherine, I'm sure there are parts of your body that you don't like. But unless we're going to do something about it, we need to learn to start living with that. So when your star comes into it, it is about first of all identifying your body shape, and what clothes suit your body shape the best. Because I have a very slender body shape and am very flat-chested. So there are certain types of garments that I can't wear, but it's going to make me look even more flat-chested. For ladies that may be a little bit full around the middle, they need to wear clothes that bring you to know their waist underneath their bust. So there are ways that when you wear clothes that suit your body shape, you automatically feel a lot more confident. In addition to that, it's about wearing the colours that suit you. Because you can look in a shop in our high street brand and you can see something online that you really, really like. And then when you get home, I'm sure it's happened to you, it's happened to me a million times, you look at yourself in the mirror, and you think, "oh my days, what happens, it didn't quite look like that on the model." And that's because you don't have the same body shape as that model. So what you need to think about to improve your body image is to be comfortable with who you are, find the parts of your body that do like and show them off. Find out the colours that suit you and your body shapes. You can start wearing clothes that suit you. And it's a hell of a lot easier to shop and do that as well.
Katherine Ann Byam 7:29
I absolutely agree. I'm moving into the sustainability space. And I know this is one of the pillars of your brand. The fashion industry is increasingly under criticism from poor employment and contractual practices from environmental harm caused by the production of the clothing and the waste that's generated to landfills, either through the sort of true fashion or even just bolts and bolts of cloth that are never used. So what are your reflections on where the industry needs to go?
Yvonne Phillip 7:59
Now, I think that obviously, COVID has hit the fashion industry extremely hard. And I do have some empathy for employees that have been affected by the pandemic. But what I think that the large brands need to start doing is be more transparent about the way that these clothes are made and stop making so many clothes. We always have more than enough or more surplus clothing, which goes into landfills which are damaging to the environment or ends up hot on sale. First of all, they need to be transparent about the way that these clothes are being made because a lot of the fast fashion brands are making clothes in countries where they're not actually paying the worth of the time and effort that it takes to make those clothes. They've been made in poor quality factories. Some of them have had major disasters. And then they're transporting those garments across the world which is having the carbon footprint of that transportation is huge. The fashion industry is the second most polluting in the world. So we need to start thinking about how can we make clothes that are sustaining only people so that they're being paid right but also the world that we live in - in this beautiful world. In addition to that, too many clothes are being made, and they're not being purchased. So yes, they may end up on the sales rack, but then if they don't end up on sales, they end up in landfills. So the fashion industry, if that's the case, give those clothes to charity. What we can do as individuals is not be such fast fashion consumers, because a T-shirt cannot be made for five pounds? So we're seeing that as a bargain. But really, is it a bargain because somebody had to pick that cotton, it's had to be processed, it then had to be made cuts, sewn into that T-shirt and then shipped to the UK. It can't that can't happen for five pounds. Corners are being cut somewhere. And I think that we as consumers needs to reflect on that. And really think about, are we making informed choices about the way we are buying fast fashion, throwing it away, and then buying more fast fashion because nobody's benefiting from this, apart from the owners of these companies?
Katherine Ann Byam 10:50
Well said. What recommendations can you make to those who want to redesign their wardrobe for sustainability? So for example, I have been guilty of my own share of purchasing things, purchasing too many things, purchasing fast things. I used to travel to Miami a lot and pick up things out of outlet malls. Many of these things I still have, I refuse to let go of them. But I want to do something with my wardrobe, I want to be more minimalistic. I want to also adapt my clothing to suit my new body, my new body size, etc. What can I do?
Yvonne Phillip 11:31
So I think that you're doing the right thing by not throwing away your outlet clothes. I love an outlet. If I'm going to buy something new, I will go to an outlet store or I will buy second-hand, or I will buy it sustainably from a sustainable or ethical producer or designer. I think that's what you could do. When I was first starting on this sustainable style journey, there was so much information out there that also contradicted each other because if you want to wear vegetarian on non-animal products, that affects the industry in one way. Then if you want to wear fair trade that affects something another way down the line. So first of all, you need to think about what is the cause that you want to stand for through your stuff. So for example, mine is ethical practices, fair trade and reducing waste. So let's go back to our previous question what I said about finding out your body shape, what colour suit you once you know that you can give your wardrobe in audit, and really think about what are the clothes that suit me now, and are they the colours that are going to show me off in the right light. Clothes that are no longer working for you, you can give away to charity, you may want to keep them, and then you can start building a wardrobe that reflects you. I would advise you to build a capsule wardrobe, which is a group of like 30 to 50 pieces, which you can interchange and intermingle with the rest of your wardrobe. And if you choose a couple of colours that you really like the colours that when people see you, they're like, "Oh my gosh, you look fabulous in that." Yeah, those colours. You can build a wardrobe that reflects you. And this is really great, especially if you're a business owner because you can also link it to your brand colours. Because with your personal brand, you need to be showing up consistently all the time, consistency is key. So if you're showing up in your brand colours or your brand pattern, or in a way that suits your brand and your style all the time, that's also going to build recognition in your brand. But the first thing you need to start doing is often know your colours and your body shape. Go through your wardrobe and see what is still working for you. Yeah, do not throw those clothes away. Give them to charity. Somebody else could benefit from them. Then think about a capsule wardrobe.
Katherine Ann Byam 14:13
Brilliant, great advice. So I know that your work has been on billboards lately. Why don't you tell us about that?
Yvonne Phillip 14:20
Oh, I'm so excited about that. Yes. I'm all about authenticity, I'm all about integrity, I'm all about sustainability. Now those that may have seen a picture of me you'll see me with my big Afro and I embrace my natural hair and in as a woman of colour or a black woman. And I work with a campaign called Project Embrace which is all about black women embracing their natural hair in the workplace because I don't know how you know whether you've been through this as well, Katherine. I spent years relaxing my hair because I was trying to fit in with meet your norms of what is acceptable with western society norms of what was acceptable, but I was damaging my self-esteem and not really showing up as who I am. So this campaign is all about shining a light on how beautiful how versatile and how professional afro hair is and can be. So I'm really, really honoured and pleased to be the stylist on that campaign, which is on a billboard near you. We're gonna be able to meet you soon. But I'm also going to be all over my social media.
Katherine Ann Byam 15:38
it sounds awesome. It sounds wonderful. And I definitely a share that journey that you've had. Even today, I live in Southampton, and I can't find a black hairdresser. I remember once going to a hairdressing salon that was predominantly white and asking if anyone could do my hair, and they told me that only the owner can, and I would have to pay double the price. This is the kind of thing that really makes you do your own hair!
Yvonne Phillip 16:09
I live in London and I do have afro hair salons around. I choose to do my own hair. I do need to go and have a little bit of trim soon. But you know, that's the problem. You know, if you don't live in a conurbation, where there are large amounts of no black people in the community. It's either very, very expensive, or you get people doing a hair that doesn't we don't really, really understand it. And that's a shame, we shouldn't have to have to go through that. So hopefully this campaign will allow black women to embrace their own hair more, but also European hair salons to get a better understanding of our hair, and how to cope with that.
Katherine Ann Byam 16:53
Absolutely. So where can everyone find you? This has been such a lovely session, I wouldn't want them to miss out on your goodies.
Yvonne Phillip 17:00
Oh, yes. So you can find me on my website, www.yvonnephillip.com. There's a little quiz there that will help you to find your brand personalities and personality season. If you're interested in exploring your personal brand a little bit more, but some others quizzes are going to be launching soon as well. I'm on social media, Instagram and Facebook @yvonnephillipthesuccessstylist
and on LinkedIn and Clubhouse just Yvonne Phillip. So come and find me and say hi. Let me know that you found me through Katherine.
Katherine Ann Byam 17:38
Wonderful. Thanks so much for joining me today Yvonne.
Yvonne Phillip 17:42
Thank you so much for having me, Katherine.