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

Hi Jessica , thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

When I became a clothing stylist 25 years ago, I never imagined that my business would be this successful. In all honesty, it totally happened by accident. So many friends of mine asked me to go into their closets and wardrobes to put outfits together. Hence, at that time, Jessica Hilde Styling began. From that, I started to work as an in-store merchandiser, became a clothing buyer, and then I opened my very own store called Lyric in Wayzata, which I ran for eight years. I was voted the best store, best boutique, and best buyer in 2008 by multiple magazines and the success was a dream come true. I also have extensive corporate experience working for Nordstrom and I even received a national award working for Saks Fifth Avenue and Chanel Ready to Wear. My love for fashion has continued throughout the years. At The Showroom, I offer something different: it’s a by-appointment only styling experience unlike anything else in the Twin Cities. When you book an appointment with me, I will pre-select all the styles and brands that I want to put on you. Online shopping has become a daunting experience for many people because it’s hard to know what will look good on you and with all the trends circulating month after month, it’s really difficult to keep up. At The Showroom, I try to really focus on a wardrobe capsule. I feel strongly that a woman looks her best when she wears elegant and timeless wardrobe staples. Wardrobe staples are the perfect T-shirt, the perfect blazer, the perfect pants, the perfect jacket or overcoat, and then I sprinkle in the beautiful pieces – something with sequins, something embroidered, something tweed, something special and elevated. I have found in my 25 years of doing in-home styling that women continue to buy things with lots of personality like floral tops, sparkly outfits, and looks that tend to be complicated. When you have a wardrobe with simple, foundational pieces, it’s easy to make an elegant outfit and then sprinkle in the fun pieces on top. I have been so privileged to be Wayzata for a year and a half now and The Showroom is going incredibly well. I dress CEOs, CFOs, bank owners, stay-at-home moms, athletes, and everyday people. Most of my clients are in their late 40s and early 50s as they’re entering menopause or pre-menopause. Their body tends to change and it can be difficult to find clothes that fit or clothes that you like while also differentiating the trends. This is one of the main parts of my business: helping women feel confident at any stage of their life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started in the fashion business as a young model. I actually started modeling at the age of six and had an incredible modeling career working all over the world for 30 years. What separates me from other people in the business is that I was actively working with marketing creative directors and huge ad agencies from a very young age. Modeling doesn’t mean that you’re just posing for a photograph; the companies actually include you in the creative process. Throughout my years of modeling, people would put clothing on me that I felt didn’t look good on me or didn’t feel like my personality. However, I’ve learned throughout the years as I’ve looked at the completed photographs that my perception of myself has changed and what actually looked good. When I’m working with my clients, I can see a blank canvas on somebody that I’m dressing and I offer them a break from the rollercoaster of buying and returning online. When clients come to me for help, they are easily in and out of my Showroom studio in only two hours. I pre-select items for them that I pick from various brands and I know a woman’s shape and size. I’m very sensitive when working with people since I’ve been in fashion and have been working with women for 25 years; it’s a very intimate setting. Dressing and undressing in front of someone you may have only just met is a very intimate experience but I solve problems when women want to highlight their features or are looking for clothes that compliment their natural body shape. My styling business is actually solving problems and proportions. My goal is to make each and every woman who I’m dressing feel elegant and beautiful in the garments that I dress her in. Therefore, this begins to change her life: she gets the amazing job, the promotion, or the dream husband. She becomes a partner in her law firm or decides to start her own business – simply because she feels confident in her own skin. The work I do changes womens’ lives.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

When I originally started to post things on Instagram, I was heavily focused on product. I was contacted by one of the companies I work with and they strongly urged me to re-focus and to use myself as a model for my business’s social media. To be honest, being 52 years old, I was a little insecure about modeling again – especially online, and I was worried that people might not receive it the way the company was hoping they would. One of my vendors kept pushing me and said “Why aren’t you modeling the clothes that you have in your showroom? People really want to see you wearing the product.” Reluctantly, I took her advice, hired a professional photographer, and did shoots for my business. When I started to post pictures of myself in clothing from The Showroom online, my business actually increased 300%. For those of you just starting out on social media, people want to connect with the person that they’re viewing. You need to open up your life and show your personality – whether you’re laughing or cooking or sewing. They want to see a window into your life; not necessarily just a model. They want to connect with the product and show them your true self.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Back in 2008 when I owned my boutique in Wayzata, MN called Lyric, I had a customer come in and ask her if I would come to her house sometime to put outfits together sometime for her. She asked me personally and trusted my sense of style, so I reluctantly said “yes.” After I agreed, I vividly remember sitting in my car outside of her beautiful house and thinking, “what the heck am I doing? I’ve never done this before!” My heart was beating out of my chest, but after I calmed myself down, I decided to go for it. I went into her home and put together several outfits for her that day, which gave me a lot of inspiration for my in-home styling sessions. That one time that I said “yes” to that client would lead to the business I’ve had for 25 years. So if somebody asks you to do something in business, I would very much strongly suggest saying “yes” because you never know what it might lead to.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessicahildestyle.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicahilde_style/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicahilde/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jessicahildestyle
• Other: https://stylist.lafayette148ny.com/jessicahilde

Image Credits

Amy Jeanchaiyaphum