We were lucky to catch up with Louise Hall recently and have shared our conversation below.

Louise, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you manage your own social media?

I manage all of my own social media accounts for my business myself.

COVID hit six months after I opened up and if I was to think about a positive effect of the period when we were all forced to close, it was that it gave me the opportunity to start to build content, understand how to use all of the platforms and learn what worked and what didn’t.

I still manage all of my own content, though I don’t get the same amount of time to dedicate to it. However, it seems to be working quite well, so I’ll stick with it!

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

In 2007, House of Colour changed my life. After a life of constant worry over what to wear and how I was being perceived, both at work and socially, I found confidence and joy in my closet. It was all thanks to my Personal Color and Style Consults with House of Colour. I was working back home in the UK for one of the world’s largest healthcare companies and planning my move to a big new role at the global headquarters in Chicago. A few of my colleagues had “had their colors done” and raved about how it had helped them to shop and dress with confidence. I was a little nervous about the big move and needed a little boost, so I thought, “why not”? I was pretty skeptical beforehand, but after my color consult, I was a complete convert! I could instantly see how different colors impacted me. I went immediately back for my style consult, and after that, using the tools and what I learned, shopping and putting outfits together became so much easier. I no longer buy things that don’t work for me, and I’m able to instantly tell if something is right or not.

I spent a further 12 years leading global marketing teams, never once worrying about what to wear for a big meeting, presentation, or social event. My role as a senior leader and 24-year career in a Fortune 500 company spanned all sizes of the organization, from the global h.q. with 11,000 employees on-site to a newly acquired Silicon Valley start-up with a small handful of people. I’ve confidently collaborated with all levels, up to and including the C-Suite and Board of Directors. These experiences have helped me understand and coach my clients to make the best first and lasting impressions, whatever they do now, whatever they aspire to achieve, and however early or late in their career.

What I learned helped me outside of work, too. I got a casual wardrobe that worked for me and my chronic vacation overpacking was cured! Now that I live my best life by the ocean in America’s Finest City, my casual closet is where I spend most of my time, and I’m having such fun with it. I am thrilled to own a House of Colour business and take my clients through the same journey that I experienced. I was first to launch House of Colour to San Diego in mid-2019 and have had the utmost joy since then working with male and female clients, from high school age to retirees. My clients have anything from the most casual beach lifestyle to senior leadership roles in corporations. My own experience helps me work with anyone from any walk of life. I show you how to make your closet work for you and make you feel GREAT, and we have a lot of fun along the way!

I enable my clients to make the very best first and lasting impressions, whether in a professional or social situation. I believe that everyone deserves to look and feel their best so that they like what they see in the mirror and feel the confidence and joy that comes with that. The core of the business lies in two consults: Personal Color and Personal Style Analysis.

In Personal Color Analysis, I take the time to find your best color palette, including your very best “WOW” colors which are individually rated for you, making this a very personalized experience. You also get to learn the right colors for hair, jewelry and makeup. Included is a “90 second makeup” application using the perfect colors to enhance your natural beauty and your seasonally-coded makeup is available for purchase from my studio. Knowing the right colors for you makes life so much easier, saves time and is such fun.

In Personal Style Analysis, you discover how to combine your body architecture with your own personality to understand what styles of clothing naturally look better on you, yet also reflect your authentic self. It’s how you tell the world who you are.

I make sure that my clients truly see what a difference the right colors and styles make on them, though I also make sure they enjoy the consult as much as possible. My British accent can sometimes confuse people, so there are always a few laughs!

We don’t get taught which colors or styles help make us look great or those that do quite the opposite. We have to experiment and we make mistakes. It can cause a lot of frustration and angst, plus a lot of wasted time and money, especially for women. I believe that everyone out there can benefit from knowing 100% what works for them. That is what I show them, so they can confidently go out into the world and achieve their professional or personal goals.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Launching House of Colour to San Diego for the first time has been quite a challenging journey. I moved to San Diego from the Bay Area in Spring 2019 and in Summer 2019, I launched my business. The business typically relies heavily on referrals, which would be much easier if I already lived in San Diego and had some contacts here that could become my early clients. Instead, I only knew my realtor and my husband! Nobody knew me or my business or what the services that I provide are all about, so it was a very slow start for me. I did everything I could to get the name of the business out there. I joined networking groups, focused a lot of effort on building social media content, talked to anyone that would listen about my business, and I even printed postcard adverts that I hand-delivered on foot to neighborhood mailboxes!

Six months after opening my business and when I was starting to see some momentum, the COVID pandemic struck and I had to close down. I used my time to build more content and also delivered services virtually, where possible. Since the opening up of the state, my business has grown and grown, so I believe that all of my hard work and persistence has paid off.

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

I believe that every client that walks into my studio should get my undivided attention and the best possible experience. I always ask my clients lots of questions, so that I can understand what brought them to me and what I need to ensure that I deliver to them. I’m genuinely interested in the backstory of all of my clients and try to put myself in their shoes or think back to when I was a House of Colour client myself, fifteen years ago back in the UK. When someone becomes a client of mine, I will help them however I am able to and this contributes hugely to them referring new clients to me.

In addition, I am a geek and I don’t mind admitting it! I started my early career as a scientist and I love facts, data and proof. I constantly read books to learn more about what I do, either to keep up-to-date, or to dive deep into the history. My clients know if they ask me a question, I’m likely to know the answer and be able to help them quickly or if I don’t, I’ll find out for them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hoclajolla.com
• Instagram: @houseofcolour_lajolla
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HouseofColourLaJolla
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-hall-68a9b89/