Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Celine Kaplan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Celine , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

Of course I take vacations- they are essential to business.

Taking a step away from work is not a luxury, it is a necessity. The luxury is being able to charter a sail boat (wally yachts come to mind) around the Mediterranean (Gozo, Patmos, Corsica) for a few weeks…which I am in the process of manifesting.

It is important to not only take time off of work to reconnect with yourself and recharge, but it is so important to have a team you can trust to hold down the fort when/or IF you are back. When your team is empowered with your trust and respect, they will be able to confidently problem solve without needing to contact you. This way, you can actually rest knowing that they have it under control.

A vacation, even if it is a “stay-cation” just for the weekend, not only helps you rest, but refreshes your brain and creativity having time to think about anything other than work.

Celine , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Céline Kaplan is the ne plus ultra tastemaker of all things French chic, and like all guardians of the French-girl mystique, will never give away her age. Founder of her eponymous boutique public relations agency Céline Kaplan PR, Céline’s client list (and closet) is enough to make other fashion PR doyennes green with envy. A consummate traveler (she most recently invaded the island of Sao Tome and Principe), she is always looking for the next diamond in the rough. “I know a good thing when I see it, and I’m not afraid to go after what I want,” she explains. Truer words have never been spoken by a true treasure hunter “de OOOF”.

What is Out of Office Forever

Manifesting the OOOF lifestyle, Elisabeth Holder AKA Madame Laduree in the USA and Celine Kaplan PR veteran and guardian of the French-girl mystique have created the Virtual OOOF Boutique.

Shop the collections, discover the boutique and stay Out of Office Forever…everything we love most, coming together under one (beach) umbrella.

SHOP.
DISCOVER.
STAY OOOF.

The founders, Elisabeth Holder and Celine Kaplan, are currently Out Of Office Forever of course – but they have spent 25-plus years working in the fashion, beauty and hospitality sectors of New York City and Paris.
They’ve been asked “Where did you get that?” on a daily basis.
Elisabeth and Celine have a colorful POV. After working together for 12 years, OOOF will be their shared collective “scrapbook-diary-pinterest board” coming to life with collaborations, exclusives drops, secret addresses.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

My business partner, Elisabeth Holder, and I have worked together for 12 years.

I met Elisabeth Holder when I interviewed with Ladurée in 2011. We met at the Carlyle hotel. This was right before Ladurée would open their Madison location.

They had interviewed a few other agencies, but we clicked right away over shared values, the understanding of a French brand, and when Elisabeth realized I was “chti”….. “les dés etaient jetés” as we say in french! Little did I know not only would I go on to be their US PR, but I would make a friend along the way.

Working closely together for years, we were able to develop not only trust and respect, but a genuine appreciation for how we each ran our own respective businesses.

With our shared love of art, travel, fashion, jewelry, Hermes, etc it soon became very clear that we should work together to build something unique…something OOOF (Out of Office Forever). Our brand was born.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

When growing the OOOF (Out of Office Forever) clientele, we knew that having spent 25-plus years working in the fashion, beauty and hospitality sectors of New York City and Paris would be the key to our success.

We are so lucky to have a wonderful community of friends in the industry who continue to support us.

Through word-of-mouth we have continued to build a community of like minded individuals who share in the vision: manifesting the OOOF lifestyle.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ooof.community/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ooof.community/?hl=en / https://www.instagram.com/celinekaplanpr/?hl=en