We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melissa Hernandez-erickson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, appreciate you joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

The year of 2020 was a crazy year for obvious reasons, but like many other now entrepreneurs, I took the leap and went full-time with my personal styling business. The scariest thing I have ever done. We were in a pandemic, the whole world was shut down. I had built my clientele a tad, but something told me to just put all my lemons in the basket and go for it. I did, and it blew up!! How?! By simply promoting fashion as self-care! People were FINALLY getting on the boat that if you put effort into how you dress (whether it was loungewear while on Zoom or actually getting dressed), it can truly affect how you feel and how you present yourself. And don’t even get me started on color psychology ;) I always like to refer to 2020 as the best year, yet the worst year ever.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started in the fashion industry when I was 16 years old – I’m now 38 – so to say I’ve been in the industry for 22 years sounds nuts since I’m still young. Anywho, I started in retail from being a sales associate, to a department lead, merchandiser, fashion show producer, to even a photo shoot director and wardrobe stylist for an e-commerce company. I fell in love with the industry after I realized I was actually helping people feel good about themselves. However, I didn’t realize that it was helping me all along.

**Trigger warning**

I was sexually abused as a child by my mother’s brother. I found fashion as my security blanket. It was something that could mask what was really going on with me behind the scenes. When I used that same mentality to help others embrace how they were feeling, whether it was a “mask” or their empowering strength, it helped me feel better AND it helped them! A lot of people say “I’m sorry” when they hear my story. However, I tell them, “Don’t! It made me who I am today and it allowed me to help people in a fun, artistic, gratifying way.”

At the age of 29 (2016), I realized I was done working retail. I was done working in the editorial and e-commerce field. I was done working in the events industry. I wanted to go back to working with your average person, I wanted to go back to HELPING. I wanted to pay it forward. That’s when I turned my Instagram handle @MH_style_consulting to an actual Style Consulting business. I started building my brand, my social media, and my network. Of course, I needed a job while I did all of this so I was a concierge, a stylist for a live-shopping network, and a personal shopper at a local non-profit thrift store (which I still partner with to this day because I love it).

I was always told that the fashion industry was hard to get into, you won’t make it, blah, blah, blah. I’ve been known not to listen to people and to more so go with my gut ;) As a half-Puerto Rican woman who was sexually abused as a child, self-made, no formal education, and started this business with no money, I can confidently say I’m proud of myself for taking that risk! Not many people like me can say that so I’m beyond grateful. By promoting fashion as self-care and as a mental health technique, I’m not only helping others but I’m also on my way to providing jobs, projected to be a 6-figure business this year, and one of few Style Consulting businesses in my area that empowers EVERYONE – from women, men, and all of the lovely people in the LBGTQ+ community. All shapes, sizes, styles, backgrounds and budgets.

I always say everyone deserves to have access to a personal stylist because everyone deserves to look and feel their best. I do this by offering a variety of services at different price points starting at $30. I offer virtual styling consulting sessions where people can connect with me anywhere in the world to ask anything fashion related. Additionally, I offer Closet Analysis & Cleanouts, Personal Shopping, Image Consulting and my specialty, Personal Branding! I have other stylists on my team that even have a specialty of their own, such as Closet Organizing and Vacation Packing. Besides promoting fashion as self-care, I always like to teach my clients the “why’s” to everything. I want them to feel confident and empowered to shop on their own and know how to put an outfit together when I’m not around. I think it’s important that people know why certain things work on them so it empowers them even more!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I started in retail as a sales associate. I feel like if I didn’t start at the bottom and work every aspect of the retail industry, I wouldn’t be the personal stylist that I am today. I truly believe that you must learn every aspect of a business before you do what you want to do. What happens if an employee leaves and you have to take over their job while you hire a replacement? You must be an expert in that field so the job is fulfilled.

With that being said, I’m a self-taught entrepreneur. I picked up every book, attended multiple free workshops online, etc. to learn how to build my business. I started this business with no money so there was no “marketing dollars” to promote my business. So, a lot of people thing that because I’m a “visual type of business” I must get all my clients from social media. Nope! It’s Google! I taught myself SEO and built my own website. 99% of my inquiries come from Google.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

The experience! From being genuine, honest, a good listener, a good teacher, to even being basically a therapist, has definitely helped create the full on experience that each and every client receives here at MH. I think it also has to do with us having the niche of styling everyone alongside treating fashion as self-care and not so much as focusing on trends.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://MHstyleconsultants.com
• Instagram: @MH_style_consulting
• Facebook: @MHstyleconsulting
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/MH-style-consulting/
• Other: https://Pinterest.com/MHstyleconsulting